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Anyone ever use a spare detector to invite a property owner to "join-in"?
- Thread starter BusDigger
- Start date
Yep I have.Didn't work out that well He wanted to keep all finds from his hits, and mine.... I try not to share the hunt with property owners if possible now..
Afterwards I will show them the finds and give them a choice of keeping an item. If it's something that is personal to the owner, or family I immediately give that to them.. ie ring, buried toys..etc. anything they might have lost as a kid..or their parents might have lost.
Afterwards I will show them the finds and give them a choice of keeping an item. If it's something that is personal to the owner, or family I immediately give that to them.. ie ring, buried toys..etc. anything they might have lost as a kid..or their parents might have lost.
about 1971/72. That's one reason why I usually keep a simple-to-use "back-up" detector with me, especially since I often use one with a few more adjustments. That, to the property owner, seems a bit complex so simple is better.
Doing this helps in many ways:
1.. It can help a property owner feel a little more willing to let you search his/her property.
2.. I often suggest that if our detectors are too close there might be interferences so it's better to split the yard/property so we have some distance.
3.. The property owner is then no longer hawking over my shoulder or sitting on a porch or fence or tractor seat or whatever and just watching me. Instead, they are concentrating on looking for and finding 'stuff' .... and so am I!
4.. If I have gained access to a private year that is reasonably well manicured, the spouse of whoever is using the loaner detector is watching them more tan me. The land owner will usually make much uglier recoveries than I will, and their mate will let them know about their actions.
5.. Most important is that I always hope a property owner finds something of interest. If they do, and since they were using my 'back-up' detector, they will often come up with a referral or two, or three or ??? because they might know a good friend or family member who would enjoy having me go work their property, too.
About a good 'back-up' detector. If you are using a model with visual Target ID and coin depth read-out, they would expect to have similar opportunities. Back in the late '80s, for example, if I was using a non-display models such as a Tesoro Inca, my 'loaner' back-up was usually a non-display Silver Sabre. From '91 on, if I was using a White's 5900 Di Pro SL or more modern TID model such as an XLT or XL Pro or MXT, I would have a simple-to-use TID model for them, such as a Classic ID.
Many times, in an urban environment where I wanted to get only a private yard that I knew had a "history of use," I would/will watch for the resident to either be outside mowing the lawn or trimming flowers or maybe on the porch reading or inside but viewable. I might walk the area looking at the curbs and sidewalks for any dates of pour, or maybe where they engraved the street names long ago that were different from today. I've used this approach for about the last 25 years. I'll often carry a note pad and jot notes about what I see in the cement sidewalks or curbs or driveways regarding names and dates. Maybe there are tie-up rings in the curbs for buggies?
I just dress cleanly and do a little on-site research. When the property owner is outside or just curious about the stranger lurking around, they often approach me and ask. It's much better than me approaching them at their door-step. mind you, this is just one urban approach I make use of. When they approach me I simply let them know I am gathering information on the history of the neighborhood for something I am working on. In addition, because I enjoy the hobby of recreational metal detecting (never use the term 'treasure hunting"), it provides me with a little added dating and activity of the area when I do a little metal detecting on the public parking strips. i just smoothly add the "public" description to that statement.
Then things might change as the person(s) often ask what I am looking for (and I tell them older dated coins and misc.) and I ask them if they have ever detected the parking strips or even their own yard. Yes, I ask THEM if THEY have ever done any metal detecting in the area and in their yard. You have to remember that we are not alone in this hobby and in the past 40-45 years since it has become popular, the owner or a friend or family member might have done some detecting there. I've encountered this often, and most of the time they.someone was using a rather old detector, with no experiences, and didn't find anything or at least not much.
Since I am parked there or across the street I ask them to hang on and I grab my detector of choice. i then do a very quick demonstration in front of them and use a couple of pocket coins ... and I have a pull tab handy in a back pocket ... making sure I do the Ground balance routine and any extra detector adjusting that might seem to confuse them. I show them how I can find the coins and how the detector works, then ask if they would like to try it. If it seemed too intimidation, with all the controls and steps I took to get into the search mode, I suggest they wait just a moment and I then grab an easy-to-use model with target ID and a preset GB. One that is light-weight but works well. Today I'd grab a Teknetics Delta.
Once thy see how easy-to-use and light the detector is, and note the valuable information on the display, I also add the pull tab to the mix to point out that if they get too much trash they can reject or notch it out. Easily. in real time this doesn't take long and when they are holding my 'back-up' or "loaner" unit I then suggest that it would be interesting to search their yard, offering to let them use the extra detector.
I know that seemed lengthy, but I found that in the more recent decade or two many people i modern larger urban ares seem to be a bit more cautious about strangers in their neighborhood. I either use the note-taking approach and let them come talk to me, or I might wait until they are in view and start detecting the neighbors parking strip or one across the street. Often, I have reason to search their yard and want to get the idea planted.
Now, those are some urban approaches I take. Many other times I simply approach the front door and knock. Many times it is a rural area and I'm trying to gain access to their property because there used to be an old church on it or an old school, or maybe an old rodeo grounds used in the '20s and '30s. perhaps I want to gain access to an old dance hall location or popular picnic grove? Relying on the old method of approach I just knock and ask. But in doing so I still want to invite the property owner to come join the fun of the search and offer to let them use a good metal detector. Doe sit always work? nope, but there have been times when that offer made the difference and got me onto a site I had hoped or researched to get to.
Yes, I've used the offer-to-use approach for 38/39 years now, especially in the last 25 years. Just don't offer them a piece of junk detector or a model that is too inferior to what you're using. Make it a worthwhile model that has modern features, such as Target ID and Pinpoint, etc., but is an easy-to-use detector.
Monte
Doing this helps in many ways:
1.. It can help a property owner feel a little more willing to let you search his/her property.
2.. I often suggest that if our detectors are too close there might be interferences so it's better to split the yard/property so we have some distance.
3.. The property owner is then no longer hawking over my shoulder or sitting on a porch or fence or tractor seat or whatever and just watching me. Instead, they are concentrating on looking for and finding 'stuff' .... and so am I!
4.. If I have gained access to a private year that is reasonably well manicured, the spouse of whoever is using the loaner detector is watching them more tan me. The land owner will usually make much uglier recoveries than I will, and their mate will let them know about their actions.
5.. Most important is that I always hope a property owner finds something of interest. If they do, and since they were using my 'back-up' detector, they will often come up with a referral or two, or three or ??? because they might know a good friend or family member who would enjoy having me go work their property, too.
About a good 'back-up' detector. If you are using a model with visual Target ID and coin depth read-out, they would expect to have similar opportunities. Back in the late '80s, for example, if I was using a non-display models such as a Tesoro Inca, my 'loaner' back-up was usually a non-display Silver Sabre. From '91 on, if I was using a White's 5900 Di Pro SL or more modern TID model such as an XLT or XL Pro or MXT, I would have a simple-to-use TID model for them, such as a Classic ID.
Many times, in an urban environment where I wanted to get only a private yard that I knew had a "history of use," I would/will watch for the resident to either be outside mowing the lawn or trimming flowers or maybe on the porch reading or inside but viewable. I might walk the area looking at the curbs and sidewalks for any dates of pour, or maybe where they engraved the street names long ago that were different from today. I've used this approach for about the last 25 years. I'll often carry a note pad and jot notes about what I see in the cement sidewalks or curbs or driveways regarding names and dates. Maybe there are tie-up rings in the curbs for buggies?
I just dress cleanly and do a little on-site research. When the property owner is outside or just curious about the stranger lurking around, they often approach me and ask. It's much better than me approaching them at their door-step. mind you, this is just one urban approach I make use of. When they approach me I simply let them know I am gathering information on the history of the neighborhood for something I am working on. In addition, because I enjoy the hobby of recreational metal detecting (never use the term 'treasure hunting"), it provides me with a little added dating and activity of the area when I do a little metal detecting on the public parking strips. i just smoothly add the "public" description to that statement.
Then things might change as the person(s) often ask what I am looking for (and I tell them older dated coins and misc.) and I ask them if they have ever detected the parking strips or even their own yard. Yes, I ask THEM if THEY have ever done any metal detecting in the area and in their yard. You have to remember that we are not alone in this hobby and in the past 40-45 years since it has become popular, the owner or a friend or family member might have done some detecting there. I've encountered this often, and most of the time they.someone was using a rather old detector, with no experiences, and didn't find anything or at least not much.
Since I am parked there or across the street I ask them to hang on and I grab my detector of choice. i then do a very quick demonstration in front of them and use a couple of pocket coins ... and I have a pull tab handy in a back pocket ... making sure I do the Ground balance routine and any extra detector adjusting that might seem to confuse them. I show them how I can find the coins and how the detector works, then ask if they would like to try it. If it seemed too intimidation, with all the controls and steps I took to get into the search mode, I suggest they wait just a moment and I then grab an easy-to-use model with target ID and a preset GB. One that is light-weight but works well. Today I'd grab a Teknetics Delta.
Once thy see how easy-to-use and light the detector is, and note the valuable information on the display, I also add the pull tab to the mix to point out that if they get too much trash they can reject or notch it out. Easily. in real time this doesn't take long and when they are holding my 'back-up' or "loaner" unit I then suggest that it would be interesting to search their yard, offering to let them use the extra detector.
I know that seemed lengthy, but I found that in the more recent decade or two many people i modern larger urban ares seem to be a bit more cautious about strangers in their neighborhood. I either use the note-taking approach and let them come talk to me, or I might wait until they are in view and start detecting the neighbors parking strip or one across the street. Often, I have reason to search their yard and want to get the idea planted.
Now, those are some urban approaches I take. Many other times I simply approach the front door and knock. Many times it is a rural area and I'm trying to gain access to their property because there used to be an old church on it or an old school, or maybe an old rodeo grounds used in the '20s and '30s. perhaps I want to gain access to an old dance hall location or popular picnic grove? Relying on the old method of approach I just knock and ask. But in doing so I still want to invite the property owner to come join the fun of the search and offer to let them use a good metal detector. Doe sit always work? nope, but there have been times when that offer made the difference and got me onto a site I had hoped or researched to get to.
Yes, I've used the offer-to-use approach for 38/39 years now, especially in the last 25 years. Just don't offer them a piece of junk detector or a model that is too inferior to what you're using. Make it a worthwhile model that has modern features, such as Target ID and Pinpoint, etc., but is an easy-to-use detector.
Monte
Wow Monte gave a seminar of sorts on this subject..
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but all they can say is no and plenty of other like areas that may say yes.
From my experience I find the landowner has no experience digging or plugging and if he makes a mess feels you will also so might give him a short course on your first signal rel retrieval.
Another problem chances are you will find much more than him as first day I ever used a metal detector might as well have been using a broom and imagine would be the same for the average landowner. I like the idea of giving him a good unit as it will help if its user friendly.
Just some thoughts as an addendum and think about it would you let a stranger metal detectorist hunt your yard?
Whatever works I guess but I prefer vacant lots, old campgrounds, ball fields, fair areas and the like along with public parks and schools where they allow one to detect but again tree lines and old yards do produce and many will allow you to hunt so do be neaT and courteous and you or the next guy or gal will be granted permission..
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't but all they can say is no and plenty of other like areas that may say yes.
From my experience I find the landowner has no experience digging or plugging and if he makes a mess feels you will also so might give him a short course on your first signal rel retrieval.
Another problem chances are you will find much more than him as first day I ever used a metal detector might as well have been using a broom and imagine would be the same for the average landowner. I like the idea of giving him a good unit as it will help if its user friendly.
Just some thoughts as an addendum and think about it would you let a stranger metal detectorist hunt your yard?
Whatever works I guess but I prefer vacant lots, old campgrounds, ball fields, fair areas and the like along with public parks and schools where they allow one to detect but again tree lines and old yards do produce and many will allow you to hunt so do be neaT and courteous and you or the next guy or gal will be granted permission..
I've never been one for knocking on doors, myself, but when people have seen me detecting and just stopped to talk, I have been invited to hunt their yards on numerous occasions. And, that frequently leads the home owner next door to lend an invitation as well. From just such a situation, a number of years ago I was able to hunt close to 2 dozen old yards in the cities historic district in a city in Ga. That was fun and a nice number of old coins and relics came to light. I shared an item or two with each home owner and they were as thrilled as I was. HH jim tn
Perhaps demonstrating "how to" recover a target to a property owner would increase your odds for gaining permission? If I knew little/nothing of the hobby, but someone asked, and demonstrated they could recover items with no/minimal disturbance to the sod, I'd have no problem.....besides, I would have already detected my own yard 
I use a the tool (screwdriver with notched-out & welded flat washer) on the bottom to retrieve items in sod, and more times than not it will pop the coin out on the 1st attempt, and leaves little to no evidence of ever having been there.
Smitty
I use a the tool (screwdriver with notched-out & welded flat washer) on the bottom to retrieve items in sod, and more times than not it will pop the coin out on the 1st attempt, and leaves little to no evidence of ever having been there.
Smitty
silversmith
New member
No, never !!! And I never invite my competitors along when I go on a service call. And, I never invite non-detector types to go detecting with me, or to go gold hunting with with me. Next spring, I don't want to see bunch of guys lining the creek that I took along this year. I know it's all "touchee-feelee" to some do-gooder types (I'm just so nice!) but, don't create your own competition. 