Permission to hunt

[scampman_73]

For the past year or so i have only hunted my yard and the yards of family members. Well, now i feel confident enough in my ability to run the detector efficiently and also my ability to make a clean plug cut. I think it's time to venture off the family plot. Here are my questions. Do you ask permission the day you plan on hunting someones property or do you get permission in advance? Once you have acquired permission to hunt someones land is there a "polite" amount of time to hunt, or should a time be set while asking permission? Also, do you let the land owner or home owner know that you are finished before you leave? What about sharing of the finds? I know this is a lot of questions, and i appreciate your answers. Thanks in advance

 

[MNCoinhunter]

Here is a classic example .. for me anyways. This past winter I was getting spring water and decided to take a dirt road home that I had'nt ever been on. Along the way I drove by an overgrown old homestead. Could'nt see much from the road but it was at least 100 years old. Right away I noticed the "NO TRESPASSING WITHOUT PERMISSION" sign, and the landowners name and phone number written on it. I figured since it was'nt an outright No Trespassing warning and permission was feasable, I wrote the name & number down. The advantage of living in a small town of 600 is that everybody knows everybody more or less. So I was able to talk with the owners wife. As it turns out, it was her grandparents homestead so I asked right person the first time. I explained that I was merely looking for old coins and would not venture into the outbuildings or the old home itself. She seemed intrigued and said she would talk with her husband. I was beginning to think that they had decided against it as I had'nt heard from them over the rest of the winter. Well, I ran into her today at work and she she said I could go there and look any time I wanted. As she had heard from others in town that I was a good guy and have only good intentions. I made sure to ask that I did'nt need to be supervised by them while I was hunting .. no problem. I offered up all of my finds and she just chuckled and said that it was no big deal, unless of course there is a glimmer of gold. She knew that anything gold would be a long-shot. Sorry that was a bit long-winded but a little research pays off. Good luck in your quest for hunting soil !!

 

[TerraDigger]

From an old post of mine here @ FMall

"If your not doing so all ready, when asking permission, have no detecting equipment on you. Leave it 'all' in the vehicle. It frequently freaks homeowners out (subconciously) when they see your equipment hanging off you. Introduce yourself with your 'full name'. Be well shaven, groomed and clean clothes. Also, I intially ask only to do the sidewalk parking strip. I tell them I like to look for old tokens & old metal toys, which is true. I don't tell them I am looking for money. Greed by the homeowner (subconciously) can get you a big fat No!!! Even if they say no, still thank them sincerely for their time. I have had owners change their minds at the front door because I thanked them even though the initial answer was No!!!
Once they see you detecting for lets say 30 minutes on the parking strip, they don't percieve you as such a threat (subconciously). Then when you get done with strip, go back to the door and thank them with sincerity for allowing to you to enjoy your hobby. Ask them if they want one of the older coins you found (if you were lucky enough to find some/wheaties work well) Then casually ask them if it would be okay to do the front yard. You will be suprised at the increase in your success rate. Been doing this about 30 years, my methods do work. I have about a 75% success rate for getting permission.
Not trying to sound like a know-it-all, just want to see your success rate improve. And it does get alot easier the more times you ask."

 

[scampman_73]

Thank you for the responses as they are both very helpful. Being new at this I am very appreciative of all the advice i can get. Especially when it comes from people who know what their doing

 

[JimmyCT]

Very well written.

From an old post of mine here @ FMall

"If your not doing so all ready, when asking permission, have no detecting equipment on you. Leave it 'all' in the vehicle. It frequently freaks homeowners out (subconciously) when they see your equipment hanging off you. Introduce yourself with your 'full name'. Be well shaven, groomed and clean clothes. Also, I intially ask only to do the sidewalk parking strip. I tell them I like to look for old tokens & old metal toys, which is true. I don't tell them I am looking for money. Greed by the homeowner (subconciously) can get you a big fat No!!! Even if they say no, still thank them sincerely for their time. I have had owners change their minds at the front door because I thanked them even though the initial answer was No!!!
Once they see you detecting for lets say 30 minutes on the parking strip, they don't percieve you as such a threat (subconciously). Then when you get done with strip, go back to the door and thank them with sincerity for allowing to you to enjoy your hobby. Ask them if they want one of the older coins you found (if you were lucky enough to find some/wheaties work well) Then casually ask them if it would be okay to do the front yard. You will be suprised at the increase in your success rate. Been doing this about 30 years, my methods do work. I have about a 75% success rate for getting permission.
Not trying to sound like a know-it-all, just want to see your success rate improve. And it does get alot easier the more times you ask."

 

[elki1052]

Have you ever consider presenting and introducing your self with bussines card (from your MD hobby) and or a letter of presentation with your name, phone# and email address? that is what I'm planing to do next, to look more profecional and trustworthy. I hope it works!
Abel.

 

[matthias]

Great question. I myself have little experience asking strangers for permission to hunt. I have stayed with people and places I know. I think this thread may prove most useful by combining bits and pieces of everyone's technique to form your own and change it according to the type of person you are asking permission. This is a very important topic and I look forward to learning from it. HH. Matt