I just saw this on Craigslist in Autin & thought I'd pass it along. It's in the Kerrville area I believe.
Anyone from Austin want to make a trip there?
silver


Come dig on one of the largest indian mounds in the texas hill country $175.00 per day. Many many points and knives have been found also bones, camels teeth and so much more. Starting may 10, 2008. we will open the ranch for arrowhead daily digs. We provide tractor with operator and dirt screen for fast diging Call Ken at 512-963-8745

Anyone called the number for more info?

I live in Kerrville...the area code here is 830...that one being a 512 may not be real close

The ranch is between Dripping Springs & Wimberly. They've found 10,000 items near creeks. Starts 8:00AM goes to 5:30PM. Ranch next door charges $300.
silver

I called and spoke to Ken. $175.00 a day for hand digging and $225.00 for a screen dig. They are still building screens and hope to have them ready sometime soon.

Too rich for my blood

Thats some serious dough for a country boy to shell out. They shootin for a yuppified diggin spot or what? I dont mind payin 75 maybe a hundred bucks but for 225 I could have a color screen depth finder for my boat or somethin.

It sounds like these folks have probably done their marketing homework for pay digs. The fact is that they are in a very good location for Austin to San Antonio, and points in between. When you consider the cost of going to Frio Landing + Lodging + Fuel, your going to spend about the same. The more important question.......is it as good as Frio Landing? Since it appears that we are headed for another economic ression, pay digs might ease up some on their prices. I'm going to keep an eye on this one, and watch for reports from people who do go, and what is found.

Good observations Mike, the finds will tell the tale.
There's a fair size element that is in it just for resale so price is no object. Your assesment that a recession might bring some dig prices down reminds me of the talk on the financial channel, one cannot be sure. Gas and diesel is never going down in price and neither is the hourly wage rate that escalated in the boom days.

This new dig site is certainly in a beautiful part of the world, the more affluent / upscale ancients probably lived there and would have the best " garage sale items "

Mike, are you going to the Luling show tomorrow??
If so Vending or just visiting? I'm going, just a fast looky see !

I have it on good authority that this particular site has just been and I mean RECENTLY backhoe dug to the max. The only thing left are the fringes. And the word from the "backhoe man" is that in 90 days only about 2000 medium complete to semi-complete points were found and only 6 blades total.. I have seen some of the better finds and they are that typical course to medium flint- the material that is typical for the Austin area- it definitely isnt the quality tranlucnet material from the Guadalupe River Valley.

No Hal, not going to Lulling show....putting my efforts into the Temple show, which for me will be here quick enough. With sping planting mixed with hail storms.......haven't had enough dig time as it is! I would like to see a report on how the Lulling show dose though....from anyone who goes, as the GP is beginning to tighten up on spending.
Randy, thanks for your input about the new site....I knew it would grab your attention. I have suspected that it's beauty was only skin deep!

PLANTING ??......HAIL STORMS ??? What kind of a cave dig are you running ? Forget the planting and live off the Gov subs and the cave roof will keep you out of the WX. Life is too short to work !

Re that Temple show, James W and the south Austin boys have reserved ALL the tables along the wall with the curtain...display only

MIKE...

PLEASE EMAIL ME

MICHELLE

Hello to all..

Hal and I will be going there to the diggs in Dripping Springs .. in a few days to check out the place, take pictures and get the real scoop on the place..

Since all the chatter in here is he said, she said.. THIS SHE will tell yall how it really is monday evening.

If its good/bad/great/so so .. .. I will tell you so don't worry.

BTW: There is a freshly fired X employee here on the board posting. Nuff Said there..
This is another reason we are going to go out there and check the place out first hand.

This Freshly squeezed employee has already emailed me also and wanted me to post false information on the board and tell someone that was planning on going out there that the "project has been scraped" ..... blah blah.. I personally spoke with Ken .. Its a bunch of bull.. Posponed till the screens are in.. but not "scraped" by any means..

I don't play that game... Nor will I allow it on my message boards..

Nuff Said.
Michelle

Louis

This is a family friendly message board and that is now it is listed

Please go air out your conplaints some where else

There are alot of kids on here, and this dont need to be in here. I do not alot swearing. Period

Yes, I deleted the last message. There is no cussing in here.. Again, this website is listed as family friendly. Period

Please , no more on this.

Well, after seeing the results of Michelle and Hals visit to this new site, there seems to be alot of previously made statements to ignore, and the day hand digging cost of $50. is most attractive. Well done Michelle and Hal, a good investigation to the benefit of our best intrests.......we commend your efforts!

Hal, what was your assessment, or at least impression of flint quality and stratification?
I'm sure we'd all like to hear more!

Hi Mike, here's some of the details on that new dig you requested [ and some not requested ]

Since EVERYONE in Texas knows of the situation at Richard Crisners it would be a fair comparison to say that RIO BRAVO is pretty much the same. The main identified area are professionally dug out and screened. To it's credit, the Bravo site was JUST now released from the digging contract leaving huge
areas all around untouched whereas the Crisner sites have had about a half a century of weekend badgers doing their thing.

I'm not into sales but it's just common sense that the very first diggers will have the advantage. The contractor wanted another lease on it [ to continue digging ] but the owner deceided he wanted to try it himself, this seem to say that somebody knows there is more to be had !

Asside from the screened material there is a couple of mountains of overburden soils that have not been screened but it's ALL "indian country" and thus has a big potential for artifacts.

Our invitation there was pre-opening and trenches were still being made that day along with brush and land clearing so we tended to stay out of the way.
Those couple of tree pics of mine were little islands of the central area, good looking soil material.

Re stratification, Thats a factual couple of pics with the fuzzy eyed one [ NOT keith or Pecker ], that was a good looking level showing and Pecker found that point insitu. Both screened and unscreened dirt are covering original undug areas.

To save everyones reading time, if I knew how to hit the right buttons I would put Randy's complete assesment in this spot. I heartily agree.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it is a different section country that has it's own identity.
I think I got the ONLY translucent piece in that whole group, the broken Montell from under the tree.
And we took the pics cause that was the very first of the day !

It is DEFINITLY NOT the"largest site in the hill country" That Ad was worded by someone that had limited knowledge of the subject. Anyway, all future
comparisons will have to be judged against FRL, that goes from "here to the bridge"

Peckers "insitu" of a beer in a block of ice did not work very well...It was ment to be so cold that when she drank it, it would make her teeth ache, stop digging and surfacing, allowing ME to have more finds !!

The croc skull with a head in it was 18 feet long when the rest of the body was there !!

Thanks for an excellent report Hal! No, I didn't figure it to be one of the largest sites, as I know of several in the 10 to 20 acre range. I gather that this site must not be far from the Blanco River. I was interested also in the plugged looking sinkhole/ cave entrance. How far was it from the midden site?
Yes, I do believe Randy did have some information right about this area, and it might be short on high quality guadalupe river area flint. I think I'll still wait for the initial digging reports to come in before going out for a taste. I understand that hand digging is $50. per day. Is that an 8 hour day, or sun to sundown, and all you can dig or X-amount of square feet (like at Mr.Bests)?

Hay there Mike

The 50.00 is for the day I am sure. Its hand dig where ever you want

I don't want to get it wrong on the sifter.. I think its the same way though..

Can always give the number a call.. Ken will give you the scoop! He can tell you how the day went today also.. Said that they found another pit next to this one.. Which is a good thing!

Michelle

Thanks Michelle, gee artifacts......and caves! Looks like I'll be going alright......Thanks bunches!

I spoke to Ken this morning & he say's it's to wet to procede with the didging/screening, etc. He said next weekend would be better, so just a head's up for those that had planned to do it this weekend. Heck, give him a call anyway just to re-confirm the info.
silver