Didn’t want to derail the other thread but wanted to ask, what are things to look for that would indicate possible areas to find arrowheads? I live in Moundville Al and have 40 acres just a few miles down the highway. I feel like there should be some there given the vicinity of the mounds. I casually looked the dirt over after I broke up my fields to plant. Didn’t see any but didn’t do an intense search. I’ve never found any but would love for my boys to find a couple or more.

If you disced the ground, walk it after a good rain. Walk a good grid, carry a walking stick, flip every piece of rock you see. The time of day, sunshine/shadows will all make a difference. Good luck.

If your that close to moundville I’d say you are in a prime spot.

There are spaces between the mounds at M-ville where there is nothing to be found. It depends on many factors, but around there the rule of thumb is if the land drains well and does not flood you are likely to find something. The site of M-ville is surprisingly contained to the site itself given how big it is.
Here is a hint, look for well elevated sandy soil near water. For instance, if you goto M-ville, go to the riverbank view and look across at how low the other side is. There is nothing to be found there cause it floods. Indians were smarter than us, they didnt live and certainly didnt build cities where it floods.

I wish I could help, I just stumbled on mine…a buddy gave me several books on em but I ain’t really read em much other than just trying to get history on what I have, some of it is interesting tho regarding where tribes stayed

My land is flat as a table top. No flooding there. The south side of my land tapers off to a small creek and a little holding water. The taper is very slight. I’d guess maybe a 10’ drop over 100-150 yards. Just finished up stumping out another 4 acres and I’m planning on walking it with my boys as we do the debris cleanup from there.

Skinny, is there any historical maps that I could look up for where my land is that may show native activity or settlements?

Near good clear creeks are always good for finding them. Like skinny said small flat knolls are always great close to creeks. Fresh cutover after a couple of rains is money.

Highest ground near water. If you can find a high point overlooking a river floodplain there’s something there. Usually there will be shards of flint on these sites, broken pottery, grinding stones etc

I’ve found some of my nicest points in totally random high elevations nowhere near sites like that though.

What county r u in super spike

No. That area is heavily documented compared to most other areas of the state. I used to work at the lab there around 24-25 years ago.

Like Skinny says, because he's the expert, well draining soil, i.e. sandy soil, that is not too far from a water source. If you look at a plowed field from a distance look for the high spots that are lighter in color. Another thing that I've found is that if the land has elevation gains the second tier from the water always has been a good place to start for me. I have no explantion why the second tier has been better for me than the first one, but it seemed to work that way with me. That is where a topo map would come in handy. Think like an Indian. Where can I live close to good, fresh water and not get flooded out of my home or live in mud when it rains? If you start looking and find a bunch of chips, don't be discouraged if you don't find any complete points right off. You are in the right place. A plowed field needs about 3" of rain on it for the points to really start showing. A back saver is a stick to flip every piece of rock you see. A collecting friend of mine made the best flipping stick. He took the head off of a golfing iron then he flattened a spoon and stuck the shaft of the spoon in the golf shaft and applied JB Weld. It was perfect. Right length and everything. Another thing is that is you go during or right after a misting rain the points seem to pop out better.

I’m in Hale County. The northern half. My property is in Stewart area in CR 21.

I appreciate the info guys. That’s good stuff. What y’all are describing sounds like I may find some.

All the places I used to find them are either overgrown or in a what is now a WMA
One plac was on a high knoll overlooking a creek
It was easy to find anything
I think the most popular item we’d find was a leather punch/awl looking shafts
Tons of grinding stones and bird points almost every other step we’d find those

All of the places I used to hunt are grown up or planted pines now. I’ve walked a many miles of row crops.

Every good place I have ever found was just as skinny described.... high and dry, sandy soil next to a good clean water source.

The tricky part is the water source had to be there 1500-10,000 years ago. Things change over time substantially. The best site I ever had there was no water within probably 1/2 mile. But it was there when they were there. We mainly dug what was the NE shoreline of Lake Apopka before it was diked and turned into muck farms. They were at a very specific elevation and topo maps are your friend when looking for sites.

My 68 acre farm is on Indian Campground road. It really was an Indian Campground. I have found lots of arrow points and even an iron arrowhead (Spanish probably) that is well worn down. It was put up somewhere and I haven't seen it in a few years. I use to plow my fields and would find them during the winter rains. Many have had the point or a piece cut off by the plows over the years (long before me). I met guy that had rented the land once and he said he was plowing and turned up a big cache of pottery and stuff (in real good shpe he said) they would have used back then. Neighbors family homesteaded here many many years ago (one of the first white men in this area to homestead) said he had cigar boxes full of Indian stuff but they had gotten away over the years. He was about 95 and just passed recently. His very distant grandfathers homesteaded, he said. Like great great and maybe great grandfather. I don't remember now, that was 40 years ago...lol

I used to be in a club in Dallas Co. There was a certain ridge on this property that a dirt road was on and ran right through the middle of the lease. One particular spot had a creek on each side of the ridge. Every time it would rain you could walk that road and find arrowheads.

A harrow doesn't damage the points as bad as running
a disc.

I lived in Stewart for several years, 1980-85. The north half of Hale Co along the Warrior is absolutely covered with good spots. Moundville era all the way back to Paleo stuff, sometimes on same plot of land.