Serious Question for ALL hunters new and old

[Raymond G]

Hey guys, I am in the process of getting ready to do what is called an ethnography on artifact collectors for my Honors Thesis at A&M Commerce.  One of my chief goals is to describe collectors.  As I read through some of the posts tonight, I ran across one by phildidit that hit upon an aspect that would be interesting to look at.  Phil will not carry a camera on a hunt, because he gets skunked when he does... So my question is:  What, if any, role does superstition play in your artifact hunting activities.  Please fill free to share them here if you would like, or email them to me at raymondgathright@sbcglobal.net   
Two things I would like to ask is that you treat this seriously.  While, things are very informal at this point, this project will become very formal, and very serious for me in the next few weeks or so.  That being said, if you don't believe in superstition, that's great: LET ME KNOW.  If superstition does weigh in, even if you think it's silly or insignificant, LET ME KNOW.Second, even if you see a post that states something that you do, restate it in your own words.  Please do not say something like: "Oh, I'm with Raymond G, I have to take my special walking stick". With the type of research that I'm doing, stories count.  So let me here yours. 
There are several great folks on this forum.  I am asking for your help.  Thank you for your support in advance, Raymond

[Steve Valentine]

Raymond, good luck on your project. I'll give you a couple that you can use.


I'm not sure if this a superstition or maybe just a quirk, but I always keep the very first piece of flint that I find when I get into a field. I have done this for as long as I can remember. I usually hold it in my fingers and rub on it until I find my first complete point and then it goes back into the field unless it is an actual worked piece. I remember one particular hunt where I didn't keep the very first piece of flint I picked up and it was a horrible hunt. For some reason I threw the piece back down on the ground after finding it and moved on through the field. Everything I found that day was broken or badly damaged. Not one good trayable piece. I mean not even a Scraper. Since that day I have always picked up that first piece I see and keep it with me until I find something good.

I am also very peculiar when it comes to the pouch I take when I'm hunting. I have used the same small leather pouch for a very long time. I believe I got it back around the early 80's. I have to have the pouch with me on my hunts or I just don't feel right and usually don't find much when I don't have it. I remember going on a hunt with one of my buddies back around the mid 90's and the site we hit was always good for 10 to 20 points apiece whenever we hunted it. When we got to the field I realized I had left the pouch at home and had to use another one that I always kept as a spare. To say my buddy kicked my rearend that day would be an understatement. He was finding point after point, a few Stone Tools, and all kinds of nice pieces. I was walking within 10 feet of him most of the day and I wasn't finding squat. I couldn't believe my bad luck and neither could he. I told him that when we left the field were going by my house and get my pouch and we did and the next spot we hit I found all kinds of nice points and other pieces. I don't know if the pouch is just my lucky charm or if it's psychological and I just don't feel properly equipped for a hunt without my pouch so my hunting suffers.

Hope these help you out. By the way, I feel the same about my camera. It seems to never fail that if I have the camera with me I won't find squat, but if I don't have it I'll find a killer and wish I had it with me. lol

[Indianasmith]

Last summer, when we were tearing them up down in Limestone County, I wore the same clothes for every single trip.  Same hat.  Same blue denim shirt.  Same once-white cargo pants.  And you know what?  It worked.  I'll probably wear them to the river this Saturday.

[KnifeHunter]

...Raymond, I will tell you Audreys perks tale first. She as you know does not hunt much anymore but when she was at her prime she would hang tough all day.But as hard as she just knows there will be a point and nothing.This may occur for many trips, many outings and from then to this day that has not changed. But then the day comes and as with all others I hope she finds something as she has tried so hard and POOF!! She does find one!! And every time it,s a super quality Grade 10 point..Just fabulous artifact and some days I have seen her pick up 3 soild Grade 10 artifacts. But here is her superstition comes into play. First it does not leave the house for a period only she decides and no one is allowed to see it if they were not there unless they come by the home to see it and hold it and touch it. She broke that rule one time and found not one point for two years. Never again she says...Then it starts all over..Repeat the cycle..So plays the superstition of photographing her points.She will not let me take a picture for home for some time.

 Now you can sort through that and make what you can of it. But after myself seeing this be a reality I do believe that she believes she is basically jinxed to the point of never again and then Just maybe one that will ensnare her again and yes I have to say I have stood just awestruck with that bit of jelousy for just a brief moment and then I am just so happy for her..But is that something many of us do? Do you yourself have just that moment, that pause when that killer is found right next to you?.That might make a good poll..lol..I will tell you my superstition in a leter post..Your choice of topic on an end term does seem like a very good idea..Put it together because yeah there has got to be a story here..Good Luck..KH

[Rockin]

First, I must say that I am not particularly superstitious. However, having looked for and found artifacts for over 40 years, certain "habits" have developed.
One is attitude. A good positive attitude towards a hunt having good possibilities actually helps me get out to the fields to look, and then to keep looking and finding. With a poor attitude, I'd be on the couch.
Secondly, reverence. I treat a site like I would a friend's home, and enter it only with permission, and when walking it will not disturb the crops. I like to think about the Indians that lived there as I'm entering a site. I will take a little pinch of my pipe tobacco and offer it to "the arrowhead gods" or the "old spirits" just because it never hurts to give tribute.
Third, the first piece of flint will get picked up and held until something better comes along, and I will rub that flint in my hand as a reminder of what I'm looking for, I guess.
Lastly, it's hard to describe, but I often "know" when something good is waiting for me, and I'll often walk straight to the relic. I attribute this to past experience on a site, and a positive attitude going into it. 

[KnifeHunter]

..Well Ray    Ok I had to give it thought.Am I superstitious? Do I consider anything I do to put me in that catagory?..Well, its really odd, but I also have the what I call Habit, of picking up the first worked piece of flint I see.I carry that until I find a better worked pice or part of a point or point.But yes as I progress through a dig or a walking hunt there is a piece of something in my hand or pocket and both at times and it stays there until something better comes along.I never really gave that much thought until I read others who do the same thing.Odd!! No I guess not,superstious? .But I do have one that does sort of put me in the catagory.I am a firm die hard believer that I find my best points in the worst and coldest weather when the skys are grey...I dig and surface hunt in the rain(not lightning storms)lol...I also have a habit of giving points to any that come hunt with me if they found nothing.I can never let anyone leave empty handed..Those are things that are a constent. Things that I do without any thought. So they may put me in that superstious catagory or may be just habit but I do do those things, I will let you cut that up as you see it.,,I hope this helps as well..And for all you whom read really just take a second and participateor are you superstious about typeing a reply>?....KH

[shepstepping]

Raymond, I wouldn't call it superstition for me. Would more be like connecting with the spirits. The first thing i do when i hit a place is offer up tobacco as an offering for any gifts (artifacts). Funny thing is, when I'm in a hurry and i forget to do this ! my hunt never turns out well. Guess it's a respect thing. If there is any Indian Spirits around when i find an artifact ! I'm sure they're VERY pleased with my reaction !..good luck,
Brian

[Tom Clark]

I get a piece of coral/chert/shell/bone or better, a broken tool of same that I'll find at a site and hold it, maybe rub it, sometimes put it into my pocket.  And I do also replace it with a "better" diviner as I find them.  I have a feeling LOL that like will bring like or use it like a divining device!  I don't do this all the time, but often enough.  I can chalk up my success to experience and luck but I do believe in Meta-Physics.  I am also particular about which pocket I put things into, but mostly because of safety of the finds.....  I use each back pocket for real sweet individual finds and don't let them touch eachother.  I have many, many times held beads in my mouth after washing them off to my satisfaction and have found out that I wasn't the only one!  Man, I'm sick
I also give much deference to the ability of my Pony Shovel to find points.  It has soaked up so much MoJo.  I've kept the heads of all my Pony shovels that I've exhausted/broken, they are in my garage, LOL!!

I do keep a keen visual image in my head of the thing(s) I want to find and many times I've gone a walking with the intent to find a plummet and found one. These things we do, if they "work", give positive reinforcement and stimulate pleasure, hahahaha, like gambling and other habits in many ways

Certain pieces in my collection give me the whillies for some completely unknown reason and I've had the whillies at sites more than a few times, when it was getting dark, hahaha.  A "presence" thing....  I probably have a lot more, will have to think and that is hard and gets me in trouble.

[Joshinmo]

I am definately Superstitious about the camera because The few times while bringing it I found nothing. I have what I think as a silly superstition about walking in a field behind my house after it rains, I wont walk in it immediately not only to keep my neighbor from getting ticked off at me but I DONT WANT TO PUSH THE POINTS DOWN FURTHER ! I allow the dirt to semi dry.

[spaceghost]

Well my little quirks start at home I have to rub the flint heart before I walk out
What that is is an adena point scraper that my daughter found when she was 3yrs
when turned sideways it looks like a heart.She always ask me to rub it for good luck.She's 9yrs old now still makes her smile when I take out of the case and rub it before I go.I have to have my walking stick and my boonie hat. I am like the others I pick up my first piece of flint and rub it while I am walking it usually comes home with me and ends up in the garden.Now in certain fields I get skunked if I bring a camera others I do better in if I have a camera.Go figure
hope this help Raymond
Paul     

[Chris Peters]

Well Raymond, it seems we're developing a pattern here.
I am similar to the others with the flint thing except for it's not necessarilly the first piece I find. I pick up a certain piece that "calls out" to me. It may be an exceptionally colorful piece of flint, it may be a small round piece of hard stone, etc. But I will pick it up and usually keep it in my hand and rub it like the others. When I find my first piece, sometimes I will leave the first piece behind at the spot, other times I will put it in my pocket or pack.
I also had a favorite "lucky pokin' stick" for years. It was nothing more than an old hickory rake handle with a deck screw in the end of it. I kept that old stick forever. The screw broke many times. I just screwed in another. I put so many screws in that the end split. I put a bunch of wood glue on it, and screwed down a hose clamp around the split. Another time I broke the stick trying to pry a big rock out of the ground. I carefully fitted it back together (again with the wood glue) and then wrapped it very tightly with duct tape.
I found alot of points with that stick in my hand. Eventually, it got so wore out that it just wouldn't stay together anymore, so I bought a new one just like the old one. That's been about a year ago. Last year was one of the worst hunting years I ever had! I probably found maybe 5 whole points and not that many more brokes. My new stick has no luck. Some guys say I need to rub a nice point all over it to draw the luck into it. I may have to just get another one soon.
I also believe in saying a quiet thanks to the ancient one when I find a point, and if it's particularly nice, I'll comment on his skill. I also think it's bad luck to even think about artifact values when hunting. If it even enters my mind I feel the ancient ones might punish me by "hiding" all the points from me.
One last thing; I believe in premonition when hunting. This field may "feel" more productive than that. I may forgo a hotspot and just take off across an open field, letting my premonition guide me. Sometimes it works. I'll suddenly find a really nice point out in a spot in the field where there shouldn't be one.
I swear sometimes I can be driving past a strange field (one that is out of my area, or that I may not have permission to hunt) and I can "feel" the points in that field. I drive alot for my job, and I catch myself saying, "There's some good ones in that field, I'll bet!" or, if i have some one with me I'll hold out my hand like I'm warming it over a stove or something, and I'll say, "Can you feel that?" "There's points in that field!". Which is usually met with rolling eyes. 
Good luck on your report Raymond. It's interesting already to see so many of us share the same practices when hunting. That part alone is amazing considering we've never spoke of it before.
Chris

[Gomer]

I am not superstitious....period!

I learned a long time ago material things do not have any play in what ones finds. Any boat, shovel, certain dive tanks, clothes, food, tools will work as good as any.

Just being there and enjoying and aware of all that is offered in any one single hunt is the most important thing. Like most things in life what one does or finds in life is perportional to the effort put in it.

The first thing I do on each hunt no matter how short or long it is I let the Lord know exactly what I would like to find.....I am pacific, especially with him. No sense in anything being mis-understood! He is my friend and I talk to him alot.  I have found myself walking through the woods talkin to the Lord saying, "Bolen, Bolen, Bolen today" and then finding a Newnan???  I think whats up with this?? Then thinking about it I remember, "Oh yea, I forgot, I asked him two or three weeks ago for that, "Newnan today, Newnan today, Newnan today"....lol

Do I find what I asked for all the time?? Not usually in my time frame but it does/has happened (we have many wonderful artifacts to back that claim up with, items at one time I never thought possible). Just knowing that takes all the stress and drama out of trying to produce more than the next person on finds or always trying to win the race, when there is really no one to race against.  On a hunt I am thank full for what ever I find and I let that be known to him the moment of the find. On the not so desired items I find they are much easier to leave behind for someone else to find and to enjoy the moment of the find.

I use to pick up and hold the first flint or broken object when on a hunt as many have spoke about but in time I decided for me, at least, that was possibly a sign of greed or contentment with junk on my part. I have fought greed like most hunters in certain times of their collecting progression....everyone has a demon in some form to contend with!

Since starting my hunting passion in 1978 I have had much better luck hunting with the Lord than hunting my way. The only other person running a distant second to him as a hunting companion is my wife. If she goes...its a given something good is going to be found but then she is closer to the Lord that I can only dream about.

[scottspoints]

I don't like to have my stick touch any red paint rocks. If I see a red rock I look at it real good to make sure it isn't a paint rock because it just kills the hunt.
Scott

[Micah]

 I won't use an artificial stick like a broom handle etc.. I will only use one I find in a creek. I have used other types of stick, and have always had bad luck. The other thing I do is once I find a point, I won't pull it  out to look at it again untill I'm back at the truck. I don't really remember how that one started.  I also say a little thank you to the lord every time I pick up a
piece no matter how broken or rough, and I'm not a particularly religious guy.

[chw]

I don't have a particular stick or anything like that.  One thing I always find myself doing though is to try my damnest to hunt with my back to the sun.  It just seems to reveal more flint.  I always hunt all the way in and all the way back to the truck.  On my last hunt I found a decent triangle point about 10' from the edge of the field.  I was only 50' from the truck.  I also always try to go after a big snow melts.  I once found a broken horseshoe and didn't even touch it.

CHW

Happy hunting.