Distance of witness posts

[+TeacherMatt]

How far from a benchmark can a witness post be placed (given no obstructions)?

 

This morning I reached through poison ivy probing over a 3 foot semi circle (I only seached in front of the witness post) looking for the benchmark cap. No luck. Is there a maximum distance from the benchmark for witness posts? Or a standard side (like the north side). I'm itching to know...

[survey tech]

There is no maximum distance, in fact witness posts are sometimes deliberately placed several feet away from the actual marker, in areas where vandalism has been a problem, to throw the vandals off. You need to note the direction and distance, which is usually given in the description. There are also a great many cases where the witness post has been pulled out or knocked out and stuck back in at a different place, which obviously throws everybody off track.

[+Black Dog Trackers]

It sounds like you need a long probe for that one. Maybe a 3 or 4 foot threaded rod from a hardware store, sharpened on the end or with something smaller screwed onto the end. I have used a stiff wire probe for searching for slightly buried disks. If there aren't too many 10" diameter round flat rocks, a probe can be useful.

[+TeacherMatt]

Thanks for the feedback. I forgot to say that there is no mention of the witness post in the description. It must have been placed after the mark was monumented.

 

As for the long stick with a metal point...I am already on that. I plan to hit the hardware store later today. I have seen mention of that in other threads, but this is the first benchmark that it would have helped. I found another benchmark today using the point of my rock hammer to scrape around until I heard something solid. I just didn't have the hammer with me for the above mentioned benchmark.

 

Thanks again.

[+wolf452]

The posts I set today were just around a foot. One point, just a year old, the post is now mowed to the ground. It took me an hour to find it. Most of the new posts with a front and back face the way the crew thinks most people will see it readily. The twelve I set were facing the roads, behind the point.

[+geo_eclectic]

I have found in my area with the latter day carsonite witness posts that the flat side with the label is facing the mark. The mark may be from 1 to 60 ft or more from the post. It also seems to be the case many times that the RM's have a witness post but the mark does not.

[+TeacherMatt]

Looks like I need to find this one in late fall; the poison ivy is too thick. I went back today. The first time I went I only had on shorts, tee shirt, and boots. I found plenty of poison ivy (see pictures here) and ended up at the doctors office for the first time in 15 years (see the pics of my arm--after the swelling had gone down).

 

Well, since I just started the medication for the poison ivy, I fugured I should try it again--right? This time I was in coveralls, rubber boots and gloves. Well, 1/2 an hour of searching produced nothing. I wish I had a little more data about the mark. I found the witness post...just can't find the mark.

 

I even tried out my new poking stick. I guess I was too rough because I broke it

 

Maybe in the fall....

[Z15]

Better wash everything you were wearing, the poison ivy will still be there years later. Anything the clothes came in contact with now have poison ivy on them.

 

31 yrs in the survey profession, never was affected by poison ivy but I have had co-workers get it. One was some bad, we had to take him to the ER. He laid down in the stuff near a tree in Holland Mich when we were staking I196 back in 1973, price he paid for being lazy.

[+TeacherMatt]

Thanks for the tip elcamino. I have gotten into it enough to know that it's the oil from the plant that causes the reaction. I have even gotten poison ivy from petting my cat after he was in poison ivy.

[+TeacherMatt]

I saw the benchmark! I drove by the witness post last week and I noticed a short stake with a pink ribbon tied to it about 40 feet in front of the witness post (in a big open field with no poison ivy!) I did a quick turn around, ran into the field, and sure enough, it was the mark that I was looking for. I think someone read my log and decided to help me out because that stake was not there the last time I looked!

 

Now I just need to get back with my camera and gps.

 

Another "great story" to tell at the campfire.

[sixthings]

the probe i use is a utensil for pulling weeds available in the garden center at any hardware store. you know the one...3/8 steel shaft about 12" long with a flattened, pronged end, and a nice handle. not as flexible as a piece of all-thread, and probably cheaper. i can work it in to 10" deep pretty easily. luckily, (knock wood) i've never had to dig that deep. i probably will now, though...