Derry man organizes field hunt for those who love metal detecting
http://www.eagletribune.com/news/new_hampshire/treasure-hunt-derry-man-organizes-field-hunt-for-those-who/article_44643a8a-87a6-56c5-9ecd-5e07400cd0e8.html
DERRY â€" He's on the hunt and wants to share that search with others.
Mike Bissonnette wants to find out more about the land he calls his home â€" and he has the metal detector to prove it.
His simple detector helps the Derry man discover metal trinkets, buttons, coins and buckles lying inches below the surface.
On a recent sunny fall morning, Bissonnette led a searching brigade that drew dozens of metal detecting fans from all over New England to J & F Farms in Derry for a treasure hunt.
He put out the call on social media, inviting metal detectors to come to Derry for the autumn hunt.
Metal detecting has been Bissonnette's hobby for several years. It has allowed him to recover interesting items that might mean something to those local history buffs.
Several years ago, Bissonnette donated a French coin to the Derry History Museum. The coin dated back to the 1650s.
In Derry, finding a rare coin or a metal bit of the past is surprisingly easy, Bissonnette said. He has done detecting searches near First Parish Church in East Derry that will be the focal point of the Nutfield 300th anniversary in 2019.
He often finds old belt buckles or button, possible remnants of a coat left behind by a colonial farmer.
For the farm event, Bissonnette and his son spent several hours "seeding" the fields and hiding hundreds of trinkets and treasures prior to the Saturday morning search.
That could be a rare coin, button or other gemstone, or ring. Hidden under the ground were also relics, arrowheads, thimbles, skeleton keys, bracelets, and other items dating back generations.
"A lot of people like to find old buttons, old coins," Bissonnette said.
Those who love to dig and search are like family, Bissonnette said. People share their finds and offer tips for others just getting started.
Specialty hunts are planned by the metal detecting network where people gather to enjoy the day while seeing what they may unearth in various regions.
It wasn't just the adults enjoying the hunt.
Bissonnette said he always prepares a special field for the younger detecting fans to enjoy. This year he hid a treasure trove for children to find.
Sheila Bedi traveled to Derry from Vermont and was scouring one part of the field with daughter Stella, 9, also a big fan of metal detectors.
Bedi, 49, said she has loved the hobby since she was 17.
For Stella, the morning hunt was paying off.
"I found a treasure chest in the first hole," she announced.
Some hunters wore head sets to keep the pinging sounds of detecting away from those searching nearby. It was a silent expedition for the most part on the farm fields while people swung the slender detectors back and forth. If a find registered, the person then knelt down to start the meticulous digging and uncovering of the dirt, leading them down five or six inches to the exact spot.
Bissonnette said his searches have taken him to fields, woods and a path along a riverbank. There could be a centuries-old musket shell or a piece of jewelry just waiting to be found. Old cellar holes are exceptionally ripe for recovery, Bissonnette said.
He always asks permission before hunting on private property. If he finds something substantial, he often gives it to the homeowner as a thank-you for allowing him to wander.
Metal detecting is a hobby, a sport of sorts, and something Bissonnette said keeps him connected to the rich history of this area.
"It's part of keeping bits of history," he said. "People are proud of what they find. They love colonial stuff and Derry is a colonial town."
Bissonnette said he loves to share his hobby.
"You don't do it for the money, you do it for the passion of the hobby," he said, "and the history."