Rock hunting

[tica-tica]

Who has been finding artifacts? I know some of y'all look for points. Here are some I found today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34WBKPiZBpw

[msbigdawg1234]

Man i wish we had places to look like you do ...my daughter would have a blast...we have a field we look in at camp but mostly just find bits and pieces..but she gets a kick out of those can just imagine when she finds a whole one...always enjoy ya clips

[matador1]

that is amazing the sheer number you find. What is the thinking behind these areas like this as it relates to the concentration. These areas were obviously villages, correct? If so, how long would they stay in one are before they hunted out? And how many people would have been in such a small area?

[tica-tica]

I my area, the ancients seemed to live close to the river, on high ground near the river, in the dryer months of the year. Most archeologists believe they had different camp/home sites during different times of the year. During the wetter fall and winter months they migrated up the tributaries of the main river to dryer ground and better hunting ground. During the dryer months it was back down to the high river banks for fish/mussels.

There were obliviously no dams/levees long ago so they had to find high ground to live on because a flood could come quick and blow you out of your village. Many of the mounds you see in the delta could have simply been retreats from high water with boats staked out on top for safe access away from fast rising water.

Around here there are all types of 'sites' that the archeologists might call villages (I assume large sites with high # of people), camps (small nomadic hunting stops), butcher (where they may have had a good attack point for hunting), etc. It is funny because where you often find large amounts of big flakes of flint on the ground is not your best place to find points and tools. I hear these sites called 'work shops' where they made the points and tools. If you start finding small flakes on the ground that is the best spot. That is some kind of actual home site because the small flake indicate 're working' or 're sharping' the points. This is where you will find the most points. If you find tools like scrappers and drills you are standing right in their garage. Tools were mostly used at home just like all your tools are in your garage right now. Projectile points could be found anywhere because they hunted with them.

[landscaper]

Neat stuff and good info! I've always been really intrigued by artifact hunting but have never made much time to do it. When I have had time my success has been very limited. The best point I have found was a major stroke of coincidence. My son and I were watching a turtle cross the yard from a window in the house. He decided he wanted me to go get it. I went out and picked up the turtle and right under him was a nice point laying right on top of the ground. Washed up by the rain I guess.

[tica-tica]

Neat stuff and good info! I've always been really intrigued by artifact hunting but have never made much time to do it. When I have had time my success has been very limited. The best point I have found was a major stroke of coincidence. My son and I were watching a turtle cross the yard from a window in the house. He decided he wanted me to go get it. I went out and picked up the turtle and right under him was a nice point laying right on top of the ground. Washed up by the rain I guess.

Yep I can remember as a kid finding a nice arrowhead in a fanned out bream bed on the bottom of the lake. I picked it up and thought it was way cool but never really thought of actually looking for more. Later down the road, as an adult, about 20 years ago we were pushing some dirt to make a duck hole. I found an awesome kirk corner notch point just laying on the side of the dike we pushed up. I have been hooked looking for them ever since.

You hear about folks finding them while looking at the ground trying to find downed game. Seems like I also found some arrowheads as a kid looking for a dead bird on a dove hunt.

It usually is no 'mistake' that you found an arrowhead. You are probably on a site if you find an artifact. Might not see them but they are under the ground in the same area.

It really isn't hard to locate good sites to hunt artifacts. Just think like you would have to if you had to survive with little to nothing. Got to have fresh water close by or you are dead. Got to be high ground to avoid flood water and good vantage point to see game/enemies. The hardest part about any kind of hunting is getting permission. Also, natural erosion is the best to find complete artifacts. Farm implements tear up the artifacts but water/wind erosion like creek/river banks or wind storms in the desert uncover far more complete artifacts.

[landscaper]

It really isn't hard to locate good sites to hunt artifacts. Just think like you would have to if you had to survive with little to nothing. Got to have fresh water close by or you are dead. Got to be high ground to avoid flood water and good vantage point to see game/enemies. The hardest part about any kind of hunting is getting permission. Also, natural erosion is the best to find complete artifacts. Farm implements tear up the artifacts but water/wind erosion like creek/river banks or wind storms in the desert uncover far more complete artifacts.

You just described where my house is sitting. Gonna have to look harder!

[tica-tica]

Yep your house is on a site. Heavy equipment operators and construction people have some of the best artifact collections. I bet they found a bunch digging the footing for your home. Heck go till up a big spot in your yard for a garden. I bet you will find flint/chert flakes and arrowheads.

People at work know I like to hunt for arrowheads so they tell me when they find one. The other day a guy at work told me he was running an auger setting fence posts in his yard and out popped an arrowhead. I said I bet there is an old source of water near your home. He said his back yard borders a major creek that finds its way to the river.

[wudduk]

Me and my son found 2 arrowheads yesterday. They were a little beat up but still not bad. Lots of flakes. Time to disc or landscape rake again and wait on some rain.

[Hambone]

I found an arrowhead in my duck boat last October as I was cleaning it out to prepare for the upcoming season. I suspect that it was either stuck to someone's muddy boot or in a clod of mud that the trailer wheels threw as we crossed some wet fields. The route we sometimes goes right past an area where there is a "garage" like Tica-Tica describes.

[tica-tica]

I found an arrowhead in my duck boat last October as I was cleaning it out to prepare for the upcoming season. I suspect that it was either stuck to someone's muddy boot or in a clod of mud that the trailer wheels threw as we crossed some wet fields. The route we sometimes goes right past an area where there is a "garage" like Tica-Tica describes.

Yep. If you hang around the water, hunting/fishing whatever, you are always very near arrowheads. You just have to stop and look for them. There are better times to look for them, like lake and river draw-down low water level times. Arrowhead hunting is very opportunistic. You won't find a thing in a newly plowed field. Too dusty and all the flint is covered in dirt, but after the rain comes the flint will shine like a new penny. Most spots are not secret so get there fast after the rain or all you will find are other peoples foot prints.

[tica-tica]

more finds from yesterday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB9cmm6ZK9g

I was in a broken Copena funk. Those long thin points are hard to find complete.

[greenheadgrimreaper]

Tica I've been doing some crick huntin' been finding a few here lately. We can't seem to get a good rain to turn over any points in the creek beds. I did find a dandy last spring, Evan Peacock said it was about as old as they get in our area. Still don't know how I spotted it! I can't remember if I posted a couple of these already or not.





One that looks fluted:



I got another absolute beauty that I found but I cannot find the pics. I almost died when I spotted it. I will try and find the pics and post it up.

[tica-tica]

Yea I remember that point you found. A San Patrice. very old and very well made. We don't have that type over my way. Look at the bevel on that thing. Awesome. I guess you are hooked for good now, rock hunter for life.

[duckter]

Not to mention, the dime he found looks pretty good as well.