Do you get written permission to hunt where & when?

[Rick N. MI]

Do you hand out a card? When you get permission do you have a paper written up to show you have permission with the owners signature showing where and when you can hunt?

I got permission at an old house to hunt it. I asked if I could hunt on his property. It was a person I knew from school. I went in there the other day, knocked on the door to talk to him and he wasn't home. We detected back along a fence for about 10 min and moved over into a park. A little while later the guy was at the fence with the police. His nephew saw us there and called the police. He didn't know that till the police showed up. The guy was saying we had permission to hunt but he said we were up in his front yard detecting and he said he told us to only hunt by the fence. When I got permission I asked if we could hunt on his property. So he change where we could hunt or didn't remember. Which makes me think I should get it in writing where and when we can hunt now.

His neighbor across the road came and talked to us this summer when we were in the park and he said you can come and hunt on my property anytime even when I'm gone.

Not going back to that old house again. Does anybody get it in writing? Seems that what we have to do now.

Rick N. MI

 

[MNCoinhunter]

The only written permission I have on me while hunting is what I received from the city I live in. Which is written through emails stating that I have permission to hunt on all city property. And I've never had to show it to anyone thus far.

 

[BHMACK]

I always just get verbal permission. Writen permission just seems like overkill to me and could turn a 'yes' into a 'no'. Sounds like you ran into your friendly neighborhood crackpot.

 

[Rick N. MI]

I sure did. Beer cans stacked up all around the front door. I should have let that place go. I won't be going back.

Thanks,
Rick N. MI

 

[DaugBiscuit]

I get permission but only one place did I have to get written permission and actually pay an annual fee; it is a State park with a large fresh water beach. My permission to hunt is limited to the beach area.

 

[amc rulz]

I haven't needed written permission, verbal has always been good enough. The very last private property that I hunted, the landowner asked for my driver's license and had me write down the info. That was a first.
A while ago I asked a church pastor for permission to hunt a church yard near home. He said ok; as long as he didn't have to sign any form. The last guy out wanted the pastor to sign some sort of liability release form, and the pastor was spooked by that and denied permission to the detectorist.
It totaly blows my mind when homeowners give me, a complete stranger, access to their property to hunt it. Sometimes I think to myself, "would I allow ME on MY property?".
Only with a background check first.

 

[amc rulz]

That's weird, why is it that when I typed -------, those characters appeared in it's place? Is ------- offensive?

 

[Nooberz]

If I am hunting at old farmhouses, which I do the vast majority of the time, No. I go out and ask for permission for that day and stay there until I'm done. I do that to avoid these situations. I have had one person tell me to come by when he was at work which was weird but nothing came of it. I believe in getting to the point with owners and the more you ask from them, the better your chances of getting turned down.

 

[raweppler]

I have had a lot of success hunting private homes the last 2 years (you can look at my posts). I always ask permission and search that day (only a few exceptions, once I saw the owner of a home I have been eying but never home. It was raining when went by and saw him and asked and got permission). When I finish and if I am not done I ask the owner if it is possible to come back again. They usually say yes. If I go back sometimes I will bring the owner 1 or 2 coins from the previous search; Wheat or Indian Head penny and thank them again. Almost always I get a thank you and told I can come back anytime. Even when I am done and not coming back I will thanks them and show them a hand full of dirty pennies and say thanks it was fun finding them. A couple of times I gave the owner a pocket watch fob I found in the yard, both times the owner was grateful because both times the home was in the family for years and was probably from an ancestor.

I did have a few business cards made up with my name and phone number (no address do not need the crackpots showing up). I have the detector code on the back and the front showed were I worked (a US Government job locally) for creditability. I also have on the front that I will leave the grounds as I find them and even listed I am retired Army. I think the business card at least shows I am not hiding something and I will be responsible.

I have never gotten anything in writing did not feel it was necessary, but as you mention in today's society you never know!!

Rick

 

[BHMACK]

If I am hunting at old farmhouses, which I do the vast majority of the time, No. I go out and ask for permission for that day and stay there until I'm done. I do that to avoid these situations. I have had one person tell me to come by when he was at work which was weird but nothing came of it. I believe in getting to the point with owners and the more you ask from them, the better your chances of getting turned down.

Perfectly said. Once I get permission I am in my car unloading my gear. That said, I never fail to thank them when I leave and say, "Would it be alright if I came back? Should I knock on the door and let you know I'm here or will you recognize my car? Where should I park?" 99% of the time I get a "feel free to come back anytime".