everyday carry but for digging

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Jimmy Langford

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I don’t do much digging at the moment. I’m only 15 years of age, so I don’t drive places and, coherently, I do not make a big effort to “permissionize” yet. My main efforts at the moment are creeks. So here is what is on hand at all times: Satchel with a mini shovel and deer antler attached. The deer antler is a genius way and preservationist way for digging things out. I also keep a knife in the satchel for reasons that shouldn’t have to be explained. I take a waterproof cardboard box for items, which, is easily achieved by covering the whole outer surface with wrapping tape. I also take rolled pieces of freezer paper for protecting important objects from rubbing against other objects. What I keep in the back of the vehicle is; a 4ft ball point probe, a small shovel, and a large shovel. I would suggest, when digging a hole containing circa 1900-1920 bottles, to bring either a bucket of cold water to set the bottles in, or a bucket full of some wet dirt from the hole to pack the bottles in. Bring paper towels to wet and wrap the bottles in. When home, wrap bottles securely in a cloth towel(s), and let it sit for a day. Another way is leaving the bottles in the hole for a day. All of these methods, prevents possible bruises and cracks from forming.
 
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Palani

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Probe Long and short shovel headlight we dig at night mostly gloves plastic bucket with handle.
 

SKS.TUSC

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Just curious what yall take with you when you are out and about digging and finding :p
Chest waders, knee high water boots, 4ft probe, a back pack that has 5 rolled up duffle bags lol, a hand garden rake, hand shovel, a smaller spade shovel, a machete, Windex, Sanitizer, bug spray, gloves, and I think that's it on any given hike. My back pack holds it all. Get a good military heavy duty backpack that has multiple zips & pockets & straps, it's been a life saver preventing having to walk back to the jeep if I forget something. Amazon sells some nice moving duffle bags that I picked up - u can get 5 for $20 that roll up nice. Never know what you'll find & they float (water proof). I also bring those swimming pool (round long) floaties that I cut up in 1/4's when I know I'm Creeking. They will help take the load off when loading up to go back with treasure, floating behind as u walk. I also have a screen sifter floating device made out of swimming pool floaties, PVC pipe, zip ties & screen that floats behind me. Good idea to bring along a life jacket, nvr know when I'll fall into a deep crevice. If I'm digging I also have pine boards in the jeep to help prevent cave ins when in a tight spot. First Aid kit is also helpful. Walking stick with a gutter nail at the end also is handy having. Quick probe & good for weird terrains. I usually keep my Jeep loaded with this stuff at all times to keep the vibes happy when u might see a good spot road cruising. My bag also has a compass, water bottles & water purifier, dryer lint, magnify glass, firestarter & protein bars & powder, ready quick rice, solar cell battery charger & gps coordinate locator. Just nvr know! My bag might be loaded but it's ready for anything. Hope this helps lol
 

Mailman1960

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Chest waders, knee high water boots, 4ft probe, a back pack that has 5 rolled up duffle bags lol, a hand garden rake, hand shovel, a smaller spade shovel, a machete, Windex, Sanitizer, bug spray, gloves, and I think that's it on any given hike. My back pack holds it all. Get a good military heavy duty backpack that has multiple zips & pockets & straps, it's been a life saver preventing having to walk back to the jeep if I forget something. Amazon sells some nice moving duffle bags that I picked up - u can get 5 for $20 that roll up nice. Never know what you'll find & they float (water proof). I also bring those swimming pool (round long) floaties that I cut up in 1/4's when I know I'm Creeking. They will help take the load off when loading up to go back with treasure, floating behind as u walk. I also have a screen sifter floating device made out of swimming pool floaties, PVC pipe, zip ties & screen that floats behind me. Good idea to bring along a life jacket, nvr know when I'll fall into a deep crevice. If I'm digging I also have pine boards in the jeep to help prevent cave ins when in a tight spot. First Aid kit is also helpful. Walking stick with a gutter nail at the end also is handy having. Quick probe & good for weird terrains. I usually keep my Jeep loaded with this stuff at all times to keep the vibes happy when u might see a good spot road cruising. My bag also has a compass, water bottles & water purifier, dryer lint, magnify glass, firestarter & protein bars & powder, ready quick rice, solar cell battery charger & gps coordinate locator. Just nvr know! My bag might be loaded but it's ready for anything. Hope this helps lol
WOW !! My guess is your ex military (or still are) 8 yrs army my self .
 

willong

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Just curious what yall take with you when you are out and about digging and finding :p
I mostly excavated one of my better finds with a Buck sheath knife--while deer hunting, I'd encountered a tiny, fallen down cabin with the occupants trash discarded over the nearby embankment. I think the cabin was occupied by tie hacks during the construction of the Spokane Falls and Northern railroad in the 1890's.

By contrast, a more challenging site for digging but one which I could drive right up to, was an old Seattle City dump. There, the tools were a pick, shovel, pitchfork and a screwdriver for scratching the dump matrix away to release the bottles. Add newspaper and cardboard boxes to stow the goodies in the trunk of my nearby car. I should have had knee boots or hip waders too, because, when the hole got deep enough, we struck the water table of nearby Lake Washington. The dump had begun as a way to "reclaim waste ground" marshland on the northern end of the lake.

I'm as much of a gear fanatic as anyone, but I cited two very different example in order to convey the idea that what you need to take along or use is often dictated by circumstances as much or more than by planning. Sinking a shaft through later-dumped debris and rubble fill in order to reach the 1890's dump level is quite a different undertaking than carrying a potato rake into thick forest to rake through leaf litter trying to find individual bottles discarded by secretively drinking soldiers at old fort sites (a former digging buddy used that approach with some good results near Port Townsend, WA).

I scanned some of the other tips and see a number that offer good advice for your own circumstances: a generic and unobtrusive backpack, cloth shopping bags to tote home any finds without drawing attention on your public transportation and etc. I suggest that you read all of the replies and pick and choose what makes sense to you for the type of hunting, and hopefully finding, that you anticipate.

Have fun and good luck!
 

Mailman1960

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I mostly excavated one of my better finds with a Buck sheath knife--while deer hunting, I'd encountered a tiny, fallen down cabin with the occupants trash discarded over the nearby embankment. I think the cabin was occupied by tie hacks during the construction of the Spokane Falls and Northern railroad in the 1890's.

By contrast, a more challenging site for digging but one which I could drive right up to, was an old Seattle City dump. There, the tools were a pick, shovel, pitchfork and a screwdriver for scratching the dump matrix away to release the bottles. Add newspaper and cardboard boxes to stow the goodies in the trunk of my nearby car. I should have had knee boots or hip waders too, because, when the hole got deep enough, we struck the water table of nearby Lake Washington. The dump had begun as a way to "reclaim waste ground" marshland on the northern end of the lake.

I'm as much of a gear fanatic as anyone, but I cited two very different example in order to convey the idea that what you need to take along or use is often dictated by circumstances as much or more than by planning. Sinking a shaft through later-dumped debris and rubble fill in order to reach the 1890's dump level is quite a different undertaking than carrying a potato rake into thick forest to rake through leaf litter trying to find individual bottles discarded by secretively drinking soldiers at old fort sites (a former digging buddy used that approach with some good results near Port Townsend, WA).

I scanned some of the other tips and see a number that offer good advice for your own circumstances: a generic and unobtrusive backpack, cloth shopping bags to tote home any finds without drawing attention on your public transportation and etc. I suggest that you read all of the replies and pick and choose what makes sense to you for the type of hunting, and hopefully finding, that you anticipate.

Have fun and good luck!
You correct ,that sums it all up. I've been at the same place for a year 1+ and it's starting to get hard to find decent things. Thinking I'm done, and wondering where else I can find a new spot where ever go I will evaluate, and look at the suggestions talked about here. Giddy up
 

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