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Point Chatter - AustinDiggers.com - Arrowhead Message Board
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What or Why???

Being mainly a surface hunter, I've always wondered what or why someone would dig in a certain spot...In the last couple of years, I've learned about burnt rock and middens and also about checking someone elses throw dirt, but why dig in a virgin spot? Please remember that some of us are not as knowledgable as others...I know it sounds like an iggorant question....I've seen holes at Chrisner's and wondered why here?.

Re: What or Why???

You aint the only one that wonders that. I've seen some of the holes your talking about, and maybe some of them are test holes. When I here a place like Chrisner's is dug out I wonder how anyone could know that there aren't anymore camps underground and not yet discovered. I can understand when they say a midden is dugout, but not the whole ranch. Like you though, I'm still learning and have only been artifact hunting for a couple years.

Re: What or Why???

I am unable to say why someone else digs where they dig but I can give you an example of why I dig where I dig. There is a 1500 acre tract along Cummins Creek in Colorado County and I dig on about 1/2 acre of it. The site is above the high water mark, it is sandy well-drained soil and its on the SE slope of a high knoll with a cooling breeze in the summer and protection from the north wind in winter. I found the site by using a U.S. Geo topo map and a soil map. Cummins Creek Chert is the primary knapping material used in this area and the gravel bars below the site are loaded with big chert cobbles. I dig 3'X3' test holes and go straight down until I hit the hardpan clay layer. Geological maps of the area indicate that the clay layer was laid down 20 million years ago and the sand dome on top was laid down about 2 million years ago. Over the 10,000 or so years of human occupation a combination of burrowing animals, gravity, plant activity, wind and rain have caused the artifacts to sink down through the sand until they are stopped by the clay hardpan. I am not going to do so but if I were going to build a house on Cummins Creek it would be on this 1/2 acre site. It was a nice comfortable camp site for 10,000 years and still is.

Re: What or Why???

It's the same way surface hunting. Using the program on my computer (DeLorme Topo), I can see the lay of the land around creeks and flint hills. Might find a creek ten miles long, but only certain places have all the right factors for a camp. Knapping material behind you, flat area to camp, and a creek without a steep bank. Easy access to the water. No middens, but good camp sites and plenty of finds.

Re: What or Why???

I was going to be nice but the devil riding my shoulder told me to do this...I know that Hal just has to go somewhere and remember where he hid those points while he was sitting on the hill watching the mammoth go by...Sorry, Hal, didn't mean to give away your secrets...lol

Re: What or Why???

Larry, glad to have you back on the board!

Re: What or Why???

Well Larry, you have answered part of your own question. New holes around a known
camp are probing for the subburbs of a camp as defined by Red & Te.
In my case, sitting on a rise of ground looking for game, I would have used the time wisely by knapping and repair missiles! Course a test hole on the tippy
top of the hill may yield zip. 4000 years of rains / erosion may have washed the goods down to the bottom.
Might be best to just remove the entire hill !

On my "serious" part of the reply to your querry, one of the rules that has served me well
when looking over a dugout campsite. . .
If there are any trees that are not dead or keeled over, the original diggers did not do a thorough job !

Is this digging question somehow indicating that you are finally going to get some
dirt on that shiney new WP you got two years ago ?

Keep a positive attitude. . . . Ms Right might be digging a test hole right next to yours OR, ,
You might get heat stroke digging in this WX and
the cute lady nurse on the EMS vehicle might like to help you get some dirt on your WP.

Re: What or Why???

Knew I could count on you to lighten my day, Hal...rofl. Seriously, when I've been to Chrisner's I've seen holes that I didn't understand why, quite extensive digs tho. Went down today and got a bit of dirt on the wp, found a lot of chips, a couple of brokes and the ever present dino bones and teeth...think I'm gonna start going dino hunting so I can find some good points...Went by last years trench, Good God there has been a lot of digging there for a supposedly dry area...

Re: What or Why???

Good to hear you doin it Larry. Yeah all the old regulars kept after that trench area, right up the slope where the soil got easier to dig into. At least 3 Corner Tangs came out.
Just two weeks ago Richard told me they were getting some nice Ensors up in that first cut to the right of that uphill I was refering to.