Plugging

This method should only be used in wooded areas or in
lawns that are moist. plugging in dry, hard ground can damage the grass,leaving yellow ,dead spots" after you leave. After pinpointing the target, cut a plug three quarters of the way around using a large hunting knife. result in the grass dying. Cutting a complete plug will usually within a few days time. Using the blade of the knife as a leaver, fold back the plug. Sweep the search coil over the hole and the plug to determine where the target is located. Use a probe to locate the target and recover it.

A trick that many detectorists use is to have a plastic bag or thick plastic to place the removed soil on. (about 12" square). This can then be emtied back into the whole you have made. Fold back the plug and tread it firmly into place