Asking for permission:nono:

[idugthatup]

I'm the type of guy who wants to hunt everything and anything. I do a bunch of night hunts due to my busy schedule but I just don't know how to ask for permission. My head says just do a night hunt without permission but my heart tells me no and ask for permission. Don't get me wrong I ALWAYS ask permission to hunt before I do, but most people don't even know what metal detecting is and I get turned down before I can explain. And it's just upsetting knowing this old house no one lives at and I can't hunt it. Here is a example of my most recent conversation. I drove to a ladies house that owns a old ghost town and she answered the door then I began to tell her my name and where I'm from. Then I proceed to ask if shes the one who owned that land she said "yes" right after that I said I'm really into history and especially our history of our county and would like to know if I could metal detect Hartland (the ghost town) and before I got detect out of my mouth she all ready interrupted me and said no. She began to say "my son takes the metal from that land for college" I asked what metal? "the metal that's on the land" and she began to retreat into her house so I just left it as that. I think she thinks I'm trying to scrap all the iron on the land and that's what most people think I'm doing when I say "Metal Detect". So my question is how would I go about rewording and asking for permission that gives me more of a chance to have a positive reaction. Or how do you guys ask for permission and what ways works better for you? My county has 5 ghost towns and the county next to me has 4-5. I have all the 1890's maps of the county that shows me where all the old schools were and towns but like I said I get turned down 70-80% of the time and it's frustrating, and it leaves me to metal detect the park. I didn't buy my minelab to find clad all day (which every time I go to the park or track I find like 5 dollars in change with some jewelry) but I really want to find a IH barber merc v nickle and stuff like that. Sorry for the venting ha just it's irritating and I want to know what strategies work for you guys.

Thanks

 

[BillF]

Maybe instead of saying 'metal detect', trying telling them you like to hunt for 'old pennies'. Not necessarily old coins, most don't care about pennies. When they ask how, then you can show them your detector.
Just a thought.

 

[idugthatup]

Maybe instead of saying 'metal detect', trying telling them you like to hunt for 'old pennies'. Not necessarily old coins, most don't care about pennies. When they ask how, then you can show them your detector.
Just a thought.

Yeah that's a good idea! That's mostly what you find anyways ha. I will try that with my next person asking for permission and see how it goes. Thanks BillF

 

[BillF]

It doesn't always work. I get turned down, but sometimes they look at you and think for a second, then shrug their shoulders and say "knock yourself out".
If they think there are valuables there, forget it. I asked for permission at an office that was a house in 1901. The man instantly said"we might have lost some jewelry out there, so I'm going to decline that offer!". I told him I was interested in old coins and would return any jewelry found but he would have none of it. Go figure!
Good luck.

 

[idugthatup]

It doesn't always work. I get turned down, but sometimes they look at you and think for a second, then shrug their shoulders and say "knock yourself out".
If they think there are valuables there, forget it. I asked for permission at an office that was a house in 1901. The man instantly said"we might have lost some jewelry out there, so I'm going to decline that offer!". I told him I was interested in old coins and would return any jewelry found but he would have none of it. Go figure!
Good luck.

Sounds like to me that was a excuse to tell you no and it backfired haha

 

[idugthatup]

I just don't get why people are so against metal detectors. Its a crp field or you have weeds in your front yard its not like I'm gonna hurt anything.

 

[BillF]

This has been beat into the ground, but I think some of it is the MD reality shows and how they act, not showing people that they fill their holes,etc. Plus, some folks just don't understand what you're doing.
Every chance you get, show people how responsible you can be, hopefully it will open up some new areas for you.

 

[sweepdog]

people don't know what you're going to do, what you're up to, and are afraid of liability. plus they don't know you. these days people are afraid of strangers.

 

[mapper65]

I've heard of some people taking either a little box of previous finds or a page out of your coin book to show someone what you look for. Also I've heard of people making a little printout that shows how you dig your plug and what it looks like when the plug is back in.

Nothing complicated be something that gets the point across.

 

[BillF]

That is also a good idea.

I've heard of some people taking either a little box of previous finds or a page out of your coin book to show someone what you look for. Also I've heard of people making a little printout that shows how you dig your plug and what it looks like when the plug is back in.

Nothing complicated be something that gets the point across.

 

[Old Longhair]

I usually try to refrain from using words like "dig" and "plug", and instead use words like "extract", "cut", and "flap".
If you use the word "dig", people think of big shovels, backhoes, deep holes, and a huge mess.....right or wrong.
I just don't use that word, and at the same time try to play down what we do to a realistic level. I also ask if anyone has lost a piece of jewelry or keys that I might find for them. It tends to make them aware that you are willing to be of some service. And finally, I make a joke about finding a Mason jar full of gold coins that I'll split with 'em.

At some places, it simply doesn't matter what your approach is. And there doesn't need to be any reason for the refusal. Just move on.

 

[BillF]

Also, if possible, try to use a screwdriver for retrieval. Less intrusive, they tend to not get so nervous. I know some folks dont like to use them for fear of scratching a valuable coin, but I've seen gold coins recovered with one and not a scratch. Orf course I saw a horrible scratch across a $10 gold piece once also, so.....

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

idug I wish I had some advice for you but I don't. Where I live now I have the same problem that you do. I get the big NO at least 75% of the time when asking permission to MD a farm field. I use to live in S.E IA and I got the nice Yes at least 90% of the time. They would look at me like I was a lil crazy and tell me to go have a ball but if I find a gold bar then we have to split it, then we would both laugh. Where I live now, most times I will get the third degree on just what am I looking for in their field and before I can even explain I get the big NO, I do not want you in my field. It's a bunch of rich farmers around here and they are afraid that somebody else is going to make a dollar off their land that they are not going to get.

So If you figure out a good way to get permission from those " poor ole farmers " plz let me know, lol

 

[hotrod53]

Just keep in mind that your asking to take something that belongs to them... they may never retrieve it themselves, but it just sounds like they are giving away something possibly of value. Also, in this sue happy world, you could sue them if you get hurt on their property.

I have had Police show up, I have had irate lesbians (that was my observed guess throw a fit and refuse to leave until I drove away, I've had a lady ask me if I had permission from the owner and when I said NO she said that she was the owner, and I was nicely asked to leave many times. It all goes with the sport I guess. My opinion is that if you are polite and cooperative, you can usually diffuse a volatile situation.

 

[michaelosully]

quote]

I have had irate lesbians (that was my observed guess throw a fit and refuse to leave until I drove away,

A good reason to carry a video cam ... just in case!

Sorry, just couldn't pass that one up.

 

[hotrod53]

Mountain Digger .... they were OLD lesbians .... LOL

 

[Billium]

When I get hesitation or a no I then state that it is their property and anything I find I will show them and that I do like to collect things like toy cars, tokens, pins and pennies and that at the end of the day it is their choice to allow me to keep items or not. I also state that I will be very respect full of their property and while in the lawn will only extract targets that I am positive are good targets. I will still "extract" most iffy targets.
Sometimes you will still get a no. At this point if they do allow you to hunt make sure you are respect full and allow them to see the items you extracted. There is the risk they will keep the items you find but if you do a small/short hunt then show them the items you extracted they may allow you to keep your finds seeing you have mostly dug "junk". If not you know not to go back. If they allow you keep the items then you have a chance to come back without being watched so closely next time, if you know what I mean.
I was allowed to hunt an old home stead house local to me. The owner was very Leary but after the first short hunt with her watching how and what I was doing I was then given permission to hunt "any time you want". I never did find anything real great there but I learned something about how to conduct myself with people that are overly cautious.
It's kind of a cat and mouse game and sometimes the cat wants you gone.That's it. Don't let crabby people bother you!! Move on to friendly territory.

 

[loki]

You could always offer to pay the farmer for the privilege of detecting on his/her property.

Don't know about the farmers in the U.S. but most farmers here in Australia are doing it pretty tough at the moment, and would probably welcome a bit of extra cash in their pockets for doing practically nothing.

You could offer maybe $10 an hour to detect on their land and so that would be $30 for 3 hours, which is a reasonable detecting time.

You could also further offer to split any finds 50/50 if anything of value is found. Just an idea. cheers and good luck!

 

[goldseeker4000]

I feel your pain, really I do. So here is what I do, and I get a "yes, I don't care" 9 out of 10 times. Two days ago I knocked on 4 doors and got 4 yes answers. The best targets I found was a 1907 swedish 5 ore and a 1959 rosie, at these 4 properties. One house was a jewl of a house and property. The old man said he had owned the property for 62 years and that the house was built around 1911. He said it had never been detected before. After a while he was sitting out on a swing in the shade and he asked if I had found anything good, and I said a wheat penny, so I took a break and went and sat down and visited with this old man and his wife and they absolutely loved talking with me because I listened to his old stories about how he came to own this property and we exchanged stories. He was so delighted at the company that he devulged all the old history of the property, and told me where some other houses stood next to this old house and since had been torn down. This is what I say every time " Hello, my name is Reese Townes and I collect old coins and I wanted to ask for your permission to coin detect for coins on your property." now at this point I watch their facial expression and if they seem aprehensive I say "I would be happy to split what ever I find with you, if I find any jewelry or artifacts, you can have those, I just want the coins, for my collection." And most of the time they say yes. when my buddy is out detecting with me, I am always the one going up to knock on doors because he is a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to asking. In fact he won't even pull into the driveway, he waits down the road away from the property and waits for me to say yah or nay. Lol. The worste that can happen is they say no. No big deal. Their are over a 100 old homes that are 100 plus years old here in the flathead valley. So try these words I just wrote here in the qoutation marks and see if that works. Don't say metal detect! say coin detect. Make it sound as tho it is just a hobby for you and you just collect them. If you say anything that implies anything about the value of old coins can bring, they will tell you no. At this point the litebulb goes off in their head and they start thinking of buying a detector it seems and want to search their property themselves. That has happened to me once. Here is something else you can say. " Have you ever coin detected before?" If they say they tried before, ask them if they have a detector. Twice I asked the home owner this and they both said they have a detector but they don't know how to use it properly, so ask them to go get it and you will show them how to use it properly and ask them to join you on detecting their property. both times the home owners had such a good time that they said you just got me hooked on this detecting, after they find some coins. so give this a try and I would like to know if this helps you out.

 

[Billium]

I feel your pain, really I do. So here is what I do, and I get a "yes, I don't care" 9 out of 10 times. Two days ago I knocked on 4 doors and got 4 yes answers. The best targets I found was a 1907 swedish 5 ore and a 1959 rosie, at these 4 properties. One house was a jewl of a house and property. The old man said he had owned the property for 62 years and that the house was built around 1911. He said it had never been detected before. After a while he was sitting out on a swing in the shade and he asked if I had found anything good, and I said a wheat penny, so I took a break and went and sat down and visited with this old man and his wife and they absolutely loved talking with me because I listened to his old stories about how he came to own this property and we exchanged stories. He was so delighted at the company that he devulged all the old history of the property, and told me where some other houses stood next to this old house and since had been torn down. This is what I say every time " Hello, my name is Reese Townes and I collect old coins and I wanted to ask for your permission to coin detect for coins on your property." now at this point I watch their facial expression and if they seem aprehensive I say "I would be happy to split what ever I find with you, if I find any jewelry or artifacts, you can have those, I just want the coins, for my collection." And most of the time they say yes. when my buddy is out detecting with me, I am always the one going up to knock on doors because he is a bit of a scaredy cat when it comes to asking. In fact he won't even pull into the driveway, he waits down the road away from the property and waits for me to say yah or nay. Lol. The worste that can happen is they say no. No big deal. Their are over a 100 old homes that are 100 plus years old here in the flathead valley. So try these words I just wrote here in the qoutation marks and see if that works. Don't say metal detect! say coin detect. Make it sound as tho it is just a hobby for you and you just collect them. If you say anything that implies anything about the value of old coins can bring, they will tell you no. At this point the litebulb goes off in their head and they start thinking of buying a detector it seems and want to search their property themselves. That has happened to me once. Here is something else you can say. " Have you ever coin detected before?" If they say they tried before, ask them if they have a detector. Twice I asked the home owner this and they both said they have a detector but they don't know how to use it properly, so ask them to go get it and you will show them how to use it properly and ask them to join you on detecting their property. both times the home owners had such a good time that they said you just got me hooked on this detecting, after they find some coins. so give this a try and I would like to know if this helps you out.

You have a GREAT approach! Thanks for sharing this.