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Whats (YOUR) way of obtaining permission to hunt private property?

L

LabradorBob

Well-known member
Staff member
Do you:

Call on the telephone.

Ask in person.

Have someone who knows the person that owns the property to ask for you.

What are the results of each?

LabradorBob
 
So would you like to hunt my yard?LOL
 
Hunted about 30 private yards this year, some on my own, some with a buddy. My routine:
1) Quick introduction.
2)Quick explaination of the hobby
3)May we?
This routine of mine takes approximately 30 seconds, I like to keep it short and simple. Owner usually grants permission 9 times out of ten. I always do the in-person permission thing, telephone interviews just don't work for me.
amc
 
I ask EVERYBODY- if you don't ask, you'll never know. When I found my Pine Tree Shilling, I had asked the guy who owned the house and he agreed.

ASK EVERYBODY in person......
 
I always ask the owner in person. Nothing ventured....nothing gained. Seldom do I get turned away.
 
In person, plus it helps if you know some of the same people that they do. Some of the small towns around here are very clannish with any form of a outsider. Good luck with those guys, but if you ask them about someone you both know it always loosen the air.
 
people aren't very friendly around here. I get turned down most of the time so I quit going to places I have to ask. Got tired of the rejection.
 
I made up some detecting business cards - the cards make you look more credible.

I tell the property owner ...

(1) ---There will be no damage to his property or lawn.
(2) --- I'll remove all the garbage in the area that I hunt - nails, broken glass, cans, pop tops, etc. - for free.
(3) --- I'll also offer to show him everything find.
-------- All of this information is also printed on my card.

The owner of a local outdoor sand - bottom swim club really liked the idea of us removing glass, nails and other sharp objects for free - that her customer's could get hurt on !
We got permission to hunt the swim club all this winter ! So far we have dug 22 pieces of jewelry and 232 coins.

Liability is a big issue these days - offering to remove the garbage from a site only takes a few minutes - it's a great way to get permission to hunt on private property !
I always bring a 5 gal. plastic bucket and a few garbage bags with me on these hunts to carry the garbage out!


Happy Holidays ! --- Mark
 
I just trymy best to look presentable and ask. Th worst that can happen is I'm told no. I just move on to the next possibility.
 
The "friend of a friend" method has worked very well for me because I'm not originally from this area, and I'm not on the social register....... or dropping the name of that friend when I'm asking permission helps oil the wheels too.... Remember, Timing is everything ..... I have a buddy that pops the question when there is a city wide garage sale or a place he wants to hunt is having a garage sale...... you buy something from them and ask them as you hand them the money..... it's hard to say no to some who just handed you some money.......:devil:
and it is probably just as hard to say no to bgscofield6 when you are chewing on a chocolate chip cookie ....... :clapping:.....
I also ask them if they have lost anything that I could try to find for them as I hunt....... I hate researching a great site, finally locating it and then approaching the owner with a smile and a curtsy and getting a NO But it's like the old fox said " Chicken one day, feathers the next "...........Bill
 
yea the same here. southeast texas isnt friendly.
i may get permission 3 out 10 times if im lucky. seems like people are just to stuck up about there lawns around here.
 
I have been detecting for 35 years now. At first, I was very shy about asking permission. Through the years I have developed a line of BS (aka gregarious nature) by which I can talk with just about anyone. I am not shy much anymore. I am willing to spend a bit of time to gain trust. People are more willing to allow you to come on their property if they feel you are trustworthy. I also clean up trash, and show it to them before I cart it off. I have hunted all over the US, Mexico, Canada, and up into Alaska. I have been run off of a lot of places, but in the context of total numbers, I have been granted permission to hunt in some really great sites. Nowadays, I hunt, almost exclusively, older homesites, (1800's to early 1900's).

I worked with several historical societies through the years, offering my services to research sites for them, and providing detector services for the recovery and preservation of history. This has gotten me on many locations I would not have gotten on before.

Real Estate people are a good source as well for places to hunt. Get to know them, and they might gain you permission on some nice sites.

I have a business card, and I created the "North Texas Historical Council". It is a select group of people whom I hunt with who are members. You can see on the business card image below, how it looks. This has gained me a lot of traction when it comes to talking to people. I present myself as an investigator and preservation specialist. Says so on the card. I look for historical groups, geneology groups, local museums, and I talk to those folks, presenting my card, and explaining that I would like to hunt any areas they have knowledge of, with the intent to contribute relics to their collection. Those folks can grease the wheels to gain permission with older sites especially.

I also watch for scraped lots a lot in older parts of towns. Those are gold mines, and I seek permission from the owners. I talk to neighbors and get names. Then I contact the owners. Their lot is torn up already, and I offer to share if I find a treasure.

I keep organized information on sites I want to hunt, and go to the tax offices to find owners. I use an Apple IPhone for taking photos of holes dug and filled, showing how I work. BTW, that phone is absolutely awesome as a resource. I have look at google earth, topo maps, look up phone numbers, tax records, etc. BEST phone I have ever owned.

The key concept, at least imo, is credibility and presentation. I present myself as upbeat, humorous, yet professional. I get on a lot of properties. I have a liability release available at all times, and I am willing to sign it to get permission to hunt a lucrative property.

See any oldtimers? Years ago, Charlie Garrett stated in one of his early books, ask them if they know where any old timers are, and then proceed to gain knowledge of where to hunt, who to ask permission of, etc......

So, there you go, that is how I do it..........

HH

Dennis
 
I've had some luck with asking for permission to hunt in and around my area (San Antonio). I designed a business card and hand it out as much as possible. I think the best approach is: introduction, intentions, and offering to respect their property and remove all trash. No one likes trash in their yard and removing it is a plus for them!

I recently identified several primo spots where I live but I haven't been able to secure permission. The owners don't live here so I'm forced to mail a letter to the registered address with the county (letter approach has not worked).

Good luck,

JP
 
Good approachs, JP. Mark and Dennis. I'm sure there are exceptions to every rule, but I agree that in person works best and letters to property owners are almost always a waste of time.
 
Bob. Asking for permission is better done in person. It is a psychological fact that people have a harder time saying no to someone in person than over the phone. The big thing is not to be afraid to get out there and knock on doors and ask. If you only get one out of ten give permission that one you didn
 
Other than what has already been listed above, I'm sure that all of us work and associate with other folks at least once in a while. Let others know that you like to collect old coins, tokens, civil war relics or whatever else floats your boat. Without fail somebody will tell you about a great place to hunt where they live or a family member or a friend. Keep a spare detector around that is easy for beginners to use and take them along. A few pointers when you get there along with an extra trowel and nail pouch will have them on their way. This 'method' will gain you new friends as well as new places to hunt.

Rich (Utah)
 
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