Map Dowsing - Tips and Techniques
by Harley Bissell
 
 
 
Any old map will do or any new one either. You can buy them at outdoors stores along with hunting supplies; through the USGS; hand drawn or aerial photos. You could use a street map or road map BUT it won't be much better than a hand drawn sketch. Keep in mind that the larger the scale (1:250,000) the larger the treasure needs to be to be detected. Best maps to use would be 1:24,000 called 7 1/2 minute maps. Here are some sites that you can print any US map from the following sites.
 
http://maptech.com
http://mapquest.com
http://terraserve.com
http://topozone.com
 
If nothing else why not log on mapquest and type in your address and get a map of your area to practice on. I don't recommend trying aerial photos too soon because they will give great information but lousy locations. Everyone can picture the cup from a snow cone. It is a cylinder that comes down to a sharp point. On most aerial photos the plane is somewhere along the rim and the locations will be distorted. Very rarely is the plane directly above the treasure when the photo is taken. For information dowsing there will be no problem using an aerial photo. While we're waiting find yourself a clear ruler or a clear draftsmans triangle. In a pinch you could use any straight edge including a dowel rod. As you can see I know next to nothing about computers and websites but we'll learn as we go.
 
 
Assuming that no one has been waiting with baited breath. What a horrid concept. I am back and also assume that you have selected a map  and a pendulum like device. If you don't have a pendulum you can make one with a nut and a string. Some folks say that in dowsing with a pendulum there is a nut on both ends of the string. LOL. I also recommend that you use or obtain a horseshoe magnet for the purpose of clearing any map or photograph that you want to dowse. When anyone (you included) handles a map or photograph they leave a trace. That trace will include data from any ideas they have about the site. To avoid having this trace influence your results you need to clear it. This is done by using the magnet like you would a broom to remove the traces. You don't need to rub the surface just pass over it carefully and cover the whole area. For a straight edge you can use a yardstick, a draftsmans triangle (I prefer the clear ones), a dowel rod or any other reasonable straight object. Move on to Lesson Two ...
 
 
Place your map in front of you. Some sophants insist that the map always be pointing toward the north. I say always have it facing the same way and you should have no trouble. For your first question ask if there is a treasure on this map? The followup to a yes answer is are there more than one treasure on this map? If you get a yes narrow it down to a definite number. I recommend marking no more than two treasures on any one map. If you have more than that make xerox copies of the maps to mark the other sites. Beginning in the bottom left corner and running to the top right corner place your straight edge. Ask if the treasure (if one) or the most valuable treasure (if two) lies on that line. If no ask if it is above the line. Continue splitting the search area in half until you get the line laying atop the treasure. Mark that line. Move the straight edge to top left and bottom right and repeat the process. Where the two lines cross is your treasure. To mark your second treasure use a vertical and horizontal lines.
 
Now that you have your pinpoint location you need to know what a pinpoint consists of. On a 1:24000 scale map you are talking about an area of 50 feet where the lines cross on the map. Keep in mind that USGS standards state that they are permitted to move landmarks up to 300 feet in order that the map be easier to letter. The theory behind that is that if you are at that spot on the ground and the landmark is within 50 feet you will see it and be able to adjust your location accordingly. When you attempt to convert your map location to GPS coordinates you will discover that the government deliberately distorts the data. This is done so that no tinpot terrorist can use a GPS as a cheap guidance system for a weapon of mass distruction. This distortion  will leave you anywhere from 1/10 to 3 /10 of a mile off at present and more at the whim or discretion of the feds. That is why I recommend that map dowsing be used to determine the viability of a treasure project. If it looks good on the map by all means make a search. You can save many tanks of gas with this technique and more importantly many hours of precious search time by weeding out the impossible sites. You must then travel to the site, gain permission to enter and do your searching. Frequently you can use the same dowsing instrument in the field as you used dowsing the map. This warning does apply. When pendulum dowsing indoors a light pendulum is recommended. In the field where the wind can affect the device a heavier pendulum is best. Information dowsing is next.
 
 
You now have your pinpoint location on the map of your choice.
You begin to information dowse by determining what material is in the cache.
Is there gold? Is there silver? Are there jewels? Is there paper money?
Is this cache in metal? Is this cache in wood? Is this cache in leather?
Is this cache in glass? Was this cache hidden before 1900?
Before 1800? Before 1850? Before 1875? Before 1885? After 1880?
In 1881 - 1882 - 1883 - 1884? Is this cache boobytrapped?
From the surface of the ground to the top of the container is it at least one foot?
Is it at least two feet? Is it at least 18 inches? 19 - 20 - 21- 22- 23 inches? 
Does this cache and its container weigh at least 50 pounds? 25 pounds? 30 pounds? 26-27-28-29 pounds?
 
 
This is less crucial when you are the one doing the field search. When you are working with others it becomes vital. When you or your client have travelled to the location a search will be made. If the cache is recovered well and good. If it is not then you will need to adjust the data. I recommend that all my clients take a piece or two of rebar with them to the field. They then get as close as they can to the spot I indicated on the map and then drive the rebar in the ground. Drive it in so that one inch sticks up. This will help you refind the spot on the next trip and it is short enough so that it will not be hit by a mower and injure someone. Dowsing from that location it is possible to determine a distance and a line of bearing to the cache. I always recommend that a search area of 50 feet be worked  around this site. Lets say I determine that the target lays on a heading of 33 degrees at a distance of 78 feet. That is where the 50 feet comes in. This will not be a pinpoint location. The further the distance the more likely that you will need multiple adjustments.  Picture if you will the proverbial snow cone - that culinary treat that enlivens the summer season for countless youngsters. It sits in a small paper cone that comes down to a sharp point.  If you determine that it is 33 degrees you are actually saying yes its 33 degrees and it is not 34 degrees. Go back to that snow cone. The further out you go the larger that cone area covers. If 33 is on one side of the cone and 34 on the other it is easy to see that you have a whale of an area to cover. Questions?
 
 
 
From: MSN Nicknamemosby53 Sent: 7/8/2004 9:57 PM
SS,
 
Is it absolute necessity to extend rebar 1" above ground?  My preference is flush and covered up - I can relocate with metal detector and GPS.
 
I agree that the feds are screwing with GPS accuracy but I'm not sure it's 1/10 mile off.
 
Out of curiosity, have you made a made location, determined GPS co-ordinates on the map, loaded into GPS, gone to field and used GPS to hone in on site and made recovery?  From recovery, measured deviation from GPS location?
 
I'm also curious as to how much error you think is induced when making the initial location on the topo map.
 
And last, what's your preferred locator in the field - pendulum, Y rod, 90 degree rod, other?  and why or under what conditions?
 
Thanks, mosby
 
 
 
From: MSN NicknameTozh1 Sent: 7/9/2004 1:26 AM
Mosby, It is better expressed by saying the rod should not extend more than an inch in the air for safety sake. Less is no problem.
You will find that it is at least 1/10 and sometimes more. I haven't correlated the amount of deviation to the color code threat levels but wouldn't be surprised if the higher the threat the greater the distortion of the data.
I have made many locations that have been expressed as GPS coordinates. Sometimes the man in the field has gone to those coordinates and planted the rebar and been led to a viable target. I do not personally own a GPS; I have no personal knowledge of how to use a GPS and have not done any in field analysis to determine the data you want.
Specifics on any treasure recovery - mine or anyone else's will not be discussed by me on any open forum and most likely not privately either. I can keep my own secrets.
Barring a slipped line there is no error when marking the map. Most generally any field errors are due to the deviations put in the map by the USGS.
The only way that you can have coordinates to a treasure that are 100% accurate are if you bury the treasure and then take a GPS reading. Even then I think the distortion will cause you to be unable to return to the same spot exactly. Maybe close enough to drag out a detector and find it.
I have used all of those items in the field with success. Y rods draw a lot of attention so they are rarely used in public daylight searches. The L-rod can be used inconspicuously and lots of folks use it. The pendulum is subject to gusts of wind but can provide you with a line of bearing to your cache.
You might want to start a discussion thread on United Dowsers, digital dowsers or ISD about your in the field questions.
I chose to attempt to help some folks learn map dowsing I did not offer to teach folks how to do all forms of dowsing. I haven't got the time or the inclination to do that. These posts and a few others I've made are as close as I will ever get to teaching dowsing. There will be no books unless I write a bibliography of dowsing.
This group had its plug pulled several weeks ago due to lack of activity. That is why I posted so many items so quickly. Based on feedback and activity I will decide whether or not to continue the next time I get the alert from msn.groups.   (Harley Bissell)
 
 
From: MSN NicknamePINKFLOYD6969 Sent: 7/9/2004 9:01 AM
FYI:   I have done a few "field tests" on the use of GPS and have noticed that if I use the popular Map-Tech program ( on the Internet ) and I have a landmark that I KNOW I can easily find ( visually ) when I get to the general area---that the GPS co-ordinates that Map-Tech gives me are fairly consistent at being ABOUT 150 feet "OFF".  And ALWAYS to the EAST !  THEREFORE: I go to the GPS site quoted by Map-Tech, move 150 feet to the WEST, install my marker, and THEN start swinging my detector in ever-increasing circles around my marker.  I am comfortable with covering an area extending out, at least, 250 feet in ALL directions from my marker---looking for the map-dowsed object.
 
FLOYD MANN