How do you approach homeowners for permission

[Anonymous]

I'm curious how you seasoned fellows have learned to approach homeowners to get
permission to search their yards etc.

Do you get more rejections than go for it's?

Do you offer to give them the finds or certain items to get them to say yes?

Are newer homes easier than older ones?

How do you overcome the cutting their grass up issue?

Do you get permission and come back later or go out to your car and grab your gear?

Do you show up in a suit and tie or in your grass stained blue jeans?

I'm really interested as I haven't gotten the courage to do it yet. Maybe your posts will
help.

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

I frequently ask homeowners for permission and probably get an OK 90 percent of the time. Often I detect terraces or road construction projects. These are public property and you don't need permission to hunt there. If I see someone out in their yard I'll ask permission to hunt their yards. Or perhaps just driving by I'll see someone out in a yard. Sometimes I'll knock on doors. Today I stopped by a church when I saw a car out back and knocked. They said yes. And often in your hometown you'll know someone who knows someone that knows the homeowner. Family and friends network.

Ask Bryce about offering to share. I don't offer to share finds; though there usually will be some kind of joke about doing so. I usually say I'll give them half of the pull tabs. Keeping a coin book in the car can also help. Many people have a wildly exaggerated idea of coin prices. Show them that Barber dime you found is only worth a couple of bucks;

That said: I have given homeowners/historical societies/businesses etc. many coins and other artifacts over the years; including my only LC this year. Sometimes it is worth more to them than to me, especially if the house has been in the family for many years.

Why ask at newer homes unless something old was there before?

Not messing up the grass is probably ISSUE #1. Most of the places where I am denied permission is generally because some yahoo was there before me and left things a mess. IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DIG A NEAT HOLE AND COVER IT BACK PROPERLY DON'T RUIN IT FOR THE REST OF US. I always dig with a 8" screwdriver. Having a ditch witch, shovel, hole plugger, or big scary knife/digger does not install confidence that their lawn will not be harmed.

I'm very careful to not dig when the ground is dry, and to not dig complete plugs whenever possible. (I use the 180 plug and foldover method. Only works when the sod is moist. If you detect when dry and a couple of days later they see all sorts of brown spots which get picked up by the lawn mower or rake....... Not good. And word of mouth does matter. Often if people see you detecting their neighbor's lawn they are more likely to let you do theirs. I can usually leave a site in a condition where no one could tell it has been detected.

So doing it now or coming back later depends on time and soil conditions.

I don't try to look fancy, mudstained knees and dog poop on shoes are standard attire. Don't try look like a sleazy door-to-door salesman. I see some posts where people talk about business cards and liability waiver forms; I believe this officialness can scare people.

And especially if you are detecting your home town; do some research. Often you can tell somebody about the history of their house or neighborhood.

That is my experience in small town Midwest America. Not sure if big city life would be similar.

Chris

 

[bazooka]

I'm curious to know how you dig with a screwdriver? I'd love to not have to use a Lesche on a nice private lawn.

 

[bazooka]

n/t

 

[Weasel_Loader]

I'm always confused about how people recover a silver dime at 6+" with a screwdriver. I've tried it before but end up making a bigger mess than if I just cut a nice plug. Is it done by feel? What if the target is on edge and how do you know your not levering out a coin sized rock? Wish there was a good youtube video of the technique.

 

[Eu_citzen]

I just go and knock on the door (especially on weekends, since most are at home then) and I introduce myself shake hands and then go right to it...

I then proceed to ask them if I may metal detect their land since they may own more then the lawn.
I tell them what it means to detect if they ask..Often they don't.
Though they will be when I arrive with my gear and I got a second detector so I can offer them to join me.

I will never bring my gear to their door step and ask.. That might scare 'em off and also there is some paperwork included in the job here in Sweden...(laws regulate this)
Also I come in what ever clothes I had in the week.. No fine stuff here.

I've got an ok on all private property's; only the public areas where the politicians rule have I been denied.

When the owner has been very nice to me I give them a few finds as a sign of gratitude. It makes everyone happy, and I'm more then probably welcome back.
I bag finds and clean some of them before I give 'em to the land owner. This makes it look like I'm serious and will give me more respect.
( I don't mention sharing so this will be a nice surprise!!)

About the grass issue, I mostly try to MD right after they cut their grass so it will have time to grow together again before next time, I do explain to them in what ways I try to minimize the damage done to their property even if they haven't cut the grass recently.

Good Hunting folks!
Eu

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

This helps tremendously. They don't make them anymore and when mine breaks it will be a sad day.

That said.

With the screwdriver I Poke down a few inches deep a couple inches off center from where I believe the target to be, and then use the side of the screwdriver to rip a semicircle of sod. I fold the flap of sod back over itself. Then it is a matter just digging; the hole can get bigger as you go deeper without messing up more sod. When the target is recovered I'll scrape all the dirt that may have come out of the hole back in, and rough up the surrounding area with my fingers. Then the sod gets folded back. Usually I will stand up and rescan the hole before stomping down the flap; make sure there isn't anything else. Once you tamp the sod down redigging in the same spot can cause problems.

If you firmely press the sod down and there is some decent ground moisture there will very seldom be a brown spot. This is also true with a Lesche or plugger. If it is dry the lawn may end up with dozens of perfectly round brown spots; hard to blame these on the squirrrels or the neighbor's dog.

Chris

 

[nightsout]

I do almost all my hunting at old homes 98%
The first thing I say is hello,I'm not selling anything,My name is Todd and I have a hobby that involves old homes.
I tell them that I metal detect for old buttons and coins and anything else from days gone by.
I don't offer to give them what I find. I do say that I would be glad to give them something I find if it goes with the house.
I tell them how it works and that it isn't excavation just a golf size hole and that the dirt goes on a towel and then all back in the hole neatly.
I do give gifts of what I call "give away" Indian heads and such that makes them very happy.They aren't getting silver and large cents and I don't show that stuff to them as its nothing but trouble.
I don't feel bad about this as I'm finding things that they never would have.
I am at all time pleasant and respectful to them and their property.
I have never ever had a problem and am asked back all the time.
You must walk up to that door and ask...All they may say at worst is no and that's fine.then I thank them and find another
nightsout

I have dug great stuff from beautiful lawns that you would never have thought would let you dig. You have to ask...at least 80% say yes

 

[jabbo]

I hesitate to ask permission because of all the iron nails and pieces of wire I imagine are near the house. I'd hate to dig a huge amount of holes in somebodies yard before I find a good target. Is there a lot of junk?

 

[mattockman]

Hahaha...Kidding B.....just go up and be yourself and try to just cut it short and simple or they will get annoyed and just try to get rid of you pronto...today everyone is always in a hurry and when the doorbell rings...your interupting them at that given time...short and sweet....if they seem laid back and nice then compliment there old home and try to read in if they are curious in what they may have been walking over for years....they may have always wanted to do what you are asking to do...they may just want all the goodies...and always offer if they seem greedy...other wise they will never let you do it...but if they give no indication of greed then shut up...and take the yes and say thank you very much...too many variables but this is just a quick review...all the ones you do not knock on are and will always be NO'S!

 

[mattockman]

n/t

 

[Anonymous]

It's funny you ask. I have tried to get it fixed twice by emailing the contact link and still
haven't had a fix offered.

Maybe I will start all over, but I thought it would be easier to ask for a fix.

As far as the comments above. THANKS! I am ready to go for it. It's interesting that you
all have given me the courage and it's snowing. Go figure.....

Keep up the great hobby posts. It's great to see the finds on this web site.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Jabbo, there is no general rule for trash except for if there have been humans there trash will be found!
It depends on age, the people that lived there and more..

As a general rule I think 1800's there will be more iron then aluminium trash, that's why I love the hunt for relics!!
Though I mainly hunt for none ferrous relics thus I will not dig much iron.. A piece now and then will and can fool the Explorer of mine. Ferrous tones will help greatly.
And I'd rather dig then be thinking all day long what that signal could have been.

 

[James N.D.]

politely ask permission to detect their property because this is a hobby of yours. Bet you won't get turned down! Seriously though, I just knock and tell them my name and where I'm from and then tell them I Metal Detect for a hobby and ask if I could detect their property with their permission and any finds found, I would show them to them. I then tell them that a person digs junk also so if they see you digging, that it really doesn't mean that you have found something good. Then at the end of the hunt, I show them if they want to see, what I found. This helps in getting into their friends yards and other info on places to check. Remember! All they can tell you is Yes or No, so go for it! Good Luck and HH.