Southeast Alabama advice for new hunter?

[Joshuaacox]

I just moved to Alabama, in Dale county (right on the border of Coffee county). I’ve done some research on archaeological finds in the region and they seem to be few and far in between. Any advice on how to go about finding arrowheads down here legally? I imagine I’ll have to find some land owners, but even then I don’t necessarily know how to pick good land and the best way to contact them about letting me hunt there. All advice is appreciated!

[antmike915]

Look for fields around creeks, streams and rivers especially high ground. Also high ground around dried out creek beds. This hobby is very time consuming and many many miles of walking, but the key is persistence. I've never looked in Dale County but have found numerous artifacts in Henry and Houston Counties and also in N. Alabama. Definitely get permission from land owner. Say that you find a field that you want to check out but you have no clue who owns it, look for houses close to it and go up and ask them if they know who owns this field; sometimes you get lucky and it's them or they know who owns it. A few times I've done that they would call the land owner and let me talk to them about looking. Don't get discouraged if they say no, because you'll run into some people that won't let you look on their land for various reasons. I will say that you're in a good area for artifacts, you will find some.

[Joshuaacox]

Do you offer anything in exchange for being allowed to use their land? I don’t know if it’s common to offer some payment or a choice to keep any finds (etc).

[antmike915]

You can go that route but I just usually ask and they either said yes or no. I did offer to give a point to a landowner once and he didn't want it.

[Joshuaacox]

Appreciate the advice!

[gregszybala]

Welcome to the site.
Spend some time reading through many of the posts in this section of the forum. Many great ideas and methods.

[Lindenmeier-Man]

Are you near peanut fields ?

[Joshuaacox]

Not entirely sure if they’re in the immediate area, but I know there’s some in southeast Alabama

[Hal Gorges]

Welcome from Florida Joshuaa, ,,Your’e gonna love this hobby and the challenges and hoops you have to go through to capture a point in the wild...The stories you’ll have, my, o my, the stories you’ll tell.

[Joshuaacox]

Excited to take a stab at it!

[Josie]

I can't help you with a place to hunt but not too far from Dothan there are tons of peanut fields.

[Joshuaacox]

Will check it out, thanks!

[Josie]

My mom was born and raised in Coffee County btw.

[Mattern]

Welcome Josh. My brother lives in Huntsville. When I visit I always hunt along the Tennessee R. I always find nice Artifacts. I'm sure the T.V.A. discourges it. But if I'm ever caught I'll just tell them in my Pennsylvania dutch accent that I'm chust a dom dutchmon. Look near streams as said. When I go for permission, I always act like it's a visit with someone I don't know. Chit chat about the weather. complement them on their farm. Ask them about the history of the area and so on. And eventually ask about if anyone ever finds Artifacts around there. You kind of build a friendship in no time if they are friendly. If they say they found stuff, ask if you can see something they found. Mush it up man! Act like your really interested in what they say. Lastly ask if you could come sometime and see if you can find something. I know I know this is really quite conniving, but if it gets you a good place to hunt, that's what your there for. And besides you might just make a good friend. Kim

[Joshuaacox]

Appreciate the advice!

[SurfaceHunter]

Welcome and good luck from Georgia.