PAID CIVIL WAR RELIC HUNTS-DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY-THE LESSON OF THE $1,100.00 MINNIE BALL

HERE'S A PHOTO OF A CIVIL WAR MINNIE BALL THAT I KEEP IN THE CENTER DRAWER OF MY DESK TO REMIND ME NOT TO FALL FOR SOME PEOPLE'S HYPE
ON RELIC HUNTS OR ANYTHING ELSE.
A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS ALL OVER THE INTERNET ABOUT THE GREAT FINDS THAT PEOPLE WERE MAKING AT THESE PAID CIVIL WAR RELIC HUNTS.  THE CONCEPT IS VERY SIMPLE. A COMPANY GOES OUT AND MAKES A DEAL TO PAY THE LANDOWNER SOME MONEY TO HUNT HIS PROPERTY WHERE A CIVIL WAR ENCAMPMENT WAS OR A BATTLE SITE IF YOU ARE LUCKY.  THEN THE PROMOTER GOES OUT ON THE INTERNET AND BALLYHOOS ALL THE GREAT FINDS MADE AT HIS HUNT SITES.  YOU ARE TOLD THAT NOT MANY PEOPLE WERE PERMITTED TO HUNT THIS SITE OVER THE YEARS AND IT IS A REAL PRIVILEGE AND OPPORTUNITY TO BE A MEMBER OF THIS HUNT GROUP.
THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT IS RARE TO FIND A FAMOUS, LARGE CIVIL WAR SITE THAT IS NOT UNDER GOVERNMENT CONTROL OR IF IT IS ON PRIVATE LAND HAS NOT BEEN HUNTED TO DEATH.   THERE ARE TWO COMPANIES THAT DO THESE HUNTS AND I WENT TO ONE BASED IN VIRGINIA.  IT WAS A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT, THE RELIC HUNTING WAS ELBOW TO ELBOW IN SOME FIELDS AND OTHER RELIC HUNTERS TOLD ME THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD HUNTED THE SITE IN THE PAST.  ON THE ONE HUNT, I ONLY FOUND ONE MINIE BALL COMPARED TO MY $1,100.00 IN COSTS TO ATTEND THE HUNT INCLUDING THEIR $275.00 HUNT FEE.  THERE WERE AT 300 PEOPLE AT THIS HUNT.  THEY MADE A KILLING AND FRANKLY DIDN'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS ABOUT THE ATTENDEES.  A HARD LEARNED LESSON  TO PLAN YOUR OWN HUNTS.  WOULD I ATTEND ANOTHER PAID HUNT?  I MIGHT TRY ONE IN EUROPE IF THE COMPANY HAD GOOD REVIEWS.  AS FOR THE US, THE TIME SEARCHERS WILL MAKE OUR OWN PLANS FOR OUT OF STATES HUNTS LIKE WE DID BEFORE THESE CON ARTISTS STARTED THEIR SCAMS.-THE TIME SEARCHER