Any examples of permission letters?

[DIGDIG]

Trying to find the best way to beg for permission to hunt a property, I plan on writting the landowners of the empty property's I found but want them to at least finish reading what I write them, anyone got any examples of a good letter?

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

I'm sure someone will chime in with template permission (aka search and salvage agreement, etc..) letters. But I just want to say, that unless the property owner requests such a thing, they're not a good idea. In fact, handing them a contract to sign (or read, or whatever) is the FASTEST way to get a "no". I mean, think of it, what would YOU do if a total stranger shows up at your door with a contract of some sort for you? Or if you mail it to them, what do you do with junk mail from total strangers containing legaleeze?

The best way is casual "bumping into them" (catch them on their front porch, or whatever, and happen to be "passing by"). Casual conversation about how you're doing historical research and found out that a such & such stage stop (or whatever) was on their back-40. And you wonder if they too know about it. Another thing that helps is to have sample stuff you "found down the street", etc....

If they bring up any need for a written agreement or contract, then you can do it. Otherwise, a smile and a handshake is usually always sufficient.

 

[George (MN)]

I read of many unpleasantries when their was no agreement as to who keeps what? You assume you keep all or split, but then they say hand it all over and leave. Need something in place to prevent that? Best wishes, George (MN)

 

[DevilDog812]

i never did it for metal detecting, but when we wanted to goose hunt on a farm, we would do a resume type thing with a scan of our driver's licences to give to them

 

[Dano Sverige]

I read of many unpleasantries when their was no agreement as to who keeps what? You assume you keep all or split, but then they say hand it all over and leave. Need something in place to prevent that? Best wishes, George (MN)

.357 colt python!

 

[Frankn]

If they want it back, give it to them. With one great through as far as you can. then tell them they can find it the same way you did. Frank

 

[Dan Hughes]

As Tom says, permission letters are a big mistake. The only time to consider one is if you have evidence of a particular cache on the property. They elevate a simple hobby into a lawyer-infested business, and very few people will sign a contract they get in the mail from a stranger, no matter how appealing your letter may be.

Listen to my podcast #46 at http://thetreasurecorner.com. It is about getting permission to hunt private property.

---Dan Hughes, http://treasuremanual.com

 

[Dano Sverige]

Permission and splitting any finds 50/50 contracts are used a lot in the UK, but then the chance of a VERY valuable find is a lot greater. However, we/they NEVER mail one. It's always organized face to face by a friendly introduction or pure "cold calling" at their doorstep.
Don't worry about them claiming your finds until it happens...IF it ever does. Go knock on a few doors and use some charm, you'll be surprised at the responses and the worst anyone can say is "no"! (umm..or maybe shoot you for trespassing! lol)

 

[DIGDIG]

it's just so hard to find GOOD places to go, sure I could go to the local park for $1.00's worth of clad but I wanna find places from the 1700-1800's. I guess my best bet is to view old maps and find locations from years ago to hunt. Yesterday I went to the tax office to find the owner of a very old looking building surrounded by trees with just the roof visible, looks like it was an old Inn back in the day. Found that some big company in New York has a lien on it, I almost want to hunt it anyway since no one is around to complain but don't feel right being there without an OK, shame because it will sit for decades before anything is done with it.

 

[Dan Hughes]

it's just so hard to find GOOD places to go, sure I could go to the local park for $1.00's worth of clad but I wanna find places from the 1700-1800's.

The best EASY places to go are to the yards of older downtown homes.

Rural homes are full of relics and junk but few coins. Older city yards are full of coins. I owned a house near downtown (Urbana, IL) that was built in 1917, and I pulled over a hundred coins from the yard. Several were Indian head pennies, buffalo nickels, and Mercury dimes.

If you have friends or relatives who live in such homes, it shouldn't be hard to get permission. And I've had neighbors see me digging and ask if I'd do their yards next!

 

[Produce Guy]

I usually don't write letters,I tend to just talk to them or some of my best places to hunt came from working at an senior center and just asking.I 've found that allot of older people(guys),have old metal detectors in their garages that they have used on their land,but don't use 'em anymore,but don't mind if you come out to their land/lot an detect.
'

 

[Goes4ever]

I hunt farm houses 95% of the time, and I door knock everytime I go out, farm houses are always good for old coins, this year I have dug 116 silver, 63 indians 400+ wheats from farms.........here is a link to my personal site with a "getting permission FAQ"

http://goes4ever.mymdforum.com/permission-faq/

 

[jeff of pa]

Best permission is a Handsahake

Only thing I like to sign is,
if it comes from a Land owner
& it was his Idea.

 

[TheNewCatfish]

Finding where to treasure hunt and getting permission can be as simple as a hand shake and a smile. Remember not to talk too much and LISTEN. It may take 30 minutes to an hour of small talk before you get down to business. Take your time and be patient. If you are looking for OLD artifacts.. talk to elderly people. They know tons of stories going back decades.

While investigating the story of a stagecoach robbery in the PanHandle of Texas where a strongbox was never recovered, I inadvertantly ran across a triangular shaped stone enclosure in a ravine near the Old Comanche War Trail. The locals told me the stone walls had always been there as long as anyone could remember.. and some of these people were pushing 80.

This information led me to abandon the stagecoach strongbox treasure and excavate the "fort" as i now called it. What i found was a 2 lb. two and 1/8th inch Spanish cannon ball dating from the 1700's. Further investigation revealed that many years earlier Spanish armor, a sword and 32 other same sized cannon balls were discovered at Moss Creek not more than 9 miles away. All this information was developed by talking to local people in the immediate area.

 

[Baggins]

Here is what I usually use when I post on Craigslist...it has turned up some great properties for me...
My friend and I both are avid metal detecting enthusiasts....We love to hunt for old relics, coins, etc. Not for profit, just for the excitement of digging up pieces of history.
We are currently looking for a few more places to detect. Mainly older homes and properties built before the 1950's, or land that used to have a house or other activity on it.
We are both adults with years of experience in the metal detecting hobby, and will respect your property if allowed to detect on it. We only dig holes large enough to retrieve the item and then refill the holes.
Some of our finds include: Revolutionary war relics, Civil War relics, coins, jewelry, old bottles, toys, trade tokens, dog tags, lost items, etc.
If you have an old property, farm, or land that you wouldn't mind us detecting on, please drop me an email. You would be surprised what is buried in the dirt that you didn't even know was there. We are willing to do some traveling in and around the state, so drop me an email, and we will set it up.
We are also more than happy to share in some of our finds as well.



Good luck, and hope it all works out!
Baggins

 

[Goes4ever]

that ad looks strikingly familiar to MY ad............HMMMMMMMMM

 

[nowwhat]

a smile always works best for me, and I always use two pockets " theirs & "mine"