Property Markers Missing For Close to 50 Years

I was recently contacted by Nathaniel about some missing property markers on his property, in Hollis, Maine, about 25 miles west of Portland, Maine. Nathaniel had found my RingFinders Metal Detecting Service by doing a Google search for “How to find Missing Property Markers, With A Metal Detector”.  My name was right near the top of the list. Nathaniel asked if I could help locate any of the markers with my metal detector, if the markers were still there at all.  He told me that the home had been built in the early 1970’s and he had purchased the property 8 years ago. Nathaniel was told there were property markers at the time the home was built, according to records he had obtained. He was also told by the previous owner that at least one marker had been removed many years ago. The property is a rural area and his 2+ acres were a combination of woods, field, marshy areas and generally overgrown underbrush.  I agreed to help and arranged to meet him the next morning.
Nathaniel met me bright and early and showed me where he thought one of the property markers should be. I told Nathaniel  that we would dig and investigate every target. As I detected the area, I was finding absolutely nothing. No trash, nails or any other metal was being found. Finally after approximately 30 minutes, I had an iron target. Unfortunately, it turned out to be an old nail.  As I started detecting again, a property marker was visibly seen, approximately 50-60 feet further west than Nathaniel had me detecting in. The marker was found in an overgrown area of new and dead grass.

With one marker found, we proceeded into a swampy area approximately 400 feet into the woods. The area had many downed trees and was very very wet and mucky. I detected and visually looked for approximately 2 1/2 more hours with no luck on the remaining 2 markers. Nathaniel also did a very through visual search while I was detecting the areas. Had the markers been removed years ago by the owner, hunters, kids playing in the woods? Had the markers fallen victim to one of the many fallen trees and is now under one of those large trees? We may never know but Nathaniel now has one of his property markers to start with his surveying of the property.
So, not all call outs are for finding a ring or necklace with a metal detector. Next time you are contacted, you may just be heading into a wooded, swampy area looking for property markers.