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TARGET RETRIEVAL
Reprinted with permission from DETECTORIST: A How-To Guide to Better
Illustration 7.7A
With your eyes fixed on the ground,
cut a three-sided square
approximately five inches long on
each side around the target center.
The fourth uncut side will act as a
hinge. This hinge is made so that the
plug can be returned to the hole
with the proper orientation.
However, removing the plug entirely
from the ground will not necessarily
kill the grass. Grass roots generally
grow downward toward moisture
and not sideways. Even if you do
sever a few roots, the rest of the
grass in the plug should not die
because of it. Those detectorists who
scalp roots to remove dirt in search
of a poorly pinpointed coin, or a coin
that is more shallow than originally
perceived, will kill the grass in the
plug for sure.
Be certain you make these cuts
perpendicular to the ground and as
deep as the knife blade will allow.
Detectorists who cut shallow conical
Metal Detecting by Robert H. Sickler
(http://www.rhsdesign.com/detectorist/)
plugs fail to realize the importance of
not doing so. Conical or funnel
shaped plugs that are completely
removed from the ground never
quite go back into the ground the
same way they came out. This is
mostly due to a lack of attention by
the cutter. Even if you stomp on
these plugs after they are returned
to the ground, the blade action of
larger mowers can literally suck them
back out. Animals can also remove
plugs. Properly returned square plugs
that have been cut deep and steep
sided have the greatest resistance to
removal.
Illustration 7.7B
After the plug has been cut, carefully
grasp the plug on two sides and pry
upward on the third side with the
flat of your knife blade or trowel.
Fold the plug back over on its hinge
to a section of ground cloth. Remove
digging tools from the recovery area
and scan the hole and plug to
determine which holds the target.
11
(continued on page 12)
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