How deep are most Dumps?

[jbryant111]

Hi all, A buddy of mine, led me to a dump that he found in the swamp while he was deer hunting. There were just a couple of bottles sticking up on the surface, and it appeared to have never been dug. we pulled back the root mat and recovered a bunch more nice bottles, all dating from about mid - late 1800's. buttons, buckles, clay pipes & iron were everywhere as well. It being our first trip out, it was more of a "scouting" trip and we wernt really equipped with any tool (shovel, etc.) So after digging in a 15' x 15' ish area, and about 12" down (with our hands), the finds slowed way down, and we called it a day.
I was able to fill my backpack with a bunch of hand blown wiskey and wine bottles, lots of small medicine, elixir and bitters too. Some of the nicest bottles I own came from this dump.
I guess my question is: How deep does the average dump go? Ever since then I have been drooling to get back there and do some actual digging, for possibly even older bottles. I've heard that back in the day, when the pits started to fill up, sometimes they would burn the top, add a layer of dirt and keep filling it up. So I was wondering what your guys thoughts might be on this one.
I would have already been back, but my buddy who showed it to me, isnt a collector. he would rater sell what he found on ebay than keep em. And he doesnt want to spook the deer from his "area". So after hunting season is my next chance. Thanks for the help. -J

 

[buzzkutt033]

hi justin,

glad you found us !! i've dug surface dumps that were 18" to 2' deep and i've dug town dumps that i don't even know how far they go down. i've been down over 20' feet many a time in these types of dumps. just keep on diggin'

jim

 

[Stickeygreen4476]

I have not been digging long so you can take this with a grain of salt. What ive seen so far is there is no average dump. I ve seen surface dumps only 3 inches in to the ground. Ive seen dumps the seem to go on for ever. It just depends. Where you started to dig might have been the edge of the dump so it was shallow. You could move to the left for right and find its 15 feet deep. The only advice I have is if your getting nice bottles keep digging.

 

[Stickeygreen4476]

Hey Buzz you must type faster than me. If I would have known we were going to post the same answer I could have saved the energy for digging.

 

[CWBookAuthor]

I've also dug dumps from about 1 foot to 20 feet or more. There isn't a "1 rule" that would help you out. The dump that you have sounds like there should be more bottles there. Take your time and watch for even tiny bottles. I dug an olive-green double-eagle flask in Washington, D.C., at the 20-foot level. In Jamestown, N.Y., the dump was almost on the surface and the bottles were old.

Let is know when you go back to the site!

Mike

 

[THE BADGER]

hey justin,sounds like every guy here that answered was exactly right. there really isnt an average dump.most of the time when i dig i will find a spot to start then dig to a decent level then i just move forward into the trash.the more trash youhit the better your odds of good stuff falling out,this includes bottles,buckles,buttons coins etc. when i throw the dirt i tend to somewhat throw it at an angle so it spreads more evenly and i can see some items that would have been covered otherwise . you would be suprised how easy it is to cover items even in a small amount of dirt.some dumps get older as they go down,some get older as they go side to side,some stay same age throughout.you just dont know until you dig it. one thing to remember is when digging always wear gloves (good ones),one nice cut from glass or metal could end your day in the emergency room.the other thing is when digging alone never get careless about the depth you dig at, it only takes a split second to be buried,and im sure there are plenty of guys on this site that can attest to that. i hope your dump turns out to be a good one and have some fun and take lots of pictures to show on this site. THE BADGER

 

[jbryant111]

Thanks for all the help and info guys- I'm itching to get back there, I'll take lots of pictures... only problem is deer season isnt over untill jan 1st!!! darn!!! mabey my buddy can be persuaded -J

 

[THE BADGER]

tell your buddy that bottles are a natural deer attractant especially the big 10 and 12 pointers.hehehe ohhhyeah. BADGER

 

[JOETHECROW]

Well,...I suppose you could present it as doing him a favor, by getting the deer more accustomed to the presence of people....deer can be quite curious....Once they realize your no threat to them, they'll adjust.

 

[Bixby Bill]

Just tell your buddy that adult deer are naturally attracted to old glass bottles, especially if the glass is whittled and uneven, making a shimmering effect in the sunlight. Kinda like spotting a deer with a spotlight, except that you`re using bottles! When the deer hear the klink of someone digging glass, it reminds them of something from their past that they are fond of (you`ll have to think up something there!) and that it puts them at ease and then he can walk right up to them. Don`t forget that it`s dangerous having a dump like that in the forest with all that broken glass, a deer might get hurt and never come back, so you`d be doing him a favor by cleaning out all that glass and bottles!
If any of these ideas work, let us know! And keep us posted on your digging!