Do I need Permission?

hns11550

Jr. Member
Sep 23, 2006
58
2
St Louis Missouri
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250
There are a few high schools in my area that are public schools and the buildings are rather old. I am wondering if it is required to ask permission from the school to hunt there or not. Is it considered public property? I would be hunting the weekend and I am not sure if I should try to contact someone or just go. Also I have found that there are alot of properties around my area that are demolitions and are for sale, I have found and contacted the realty company and they gave me info to contact the owner of the 7 acres and 2 abandonded old homes and an old abandand store. When I contacted the owner she said there was still some things in one of the homes and I would have to talk to her husband. Both homes and store are going to be taken down if the property sells, and I want to get inside and search the inside as well as detect the outside. The easy part is going to be asking about detecting the outside, but how would I bring up about going through the inside of the homes as well. I will post pics of the properties this weekend. Any help is appreciated!
 

Gribnitz

Hero Member
Aug 1, 2004
920
11
I live in Warren County and have detected a few school properties. I have never had any problems, even when the police have driven by. I do it on a Sunday of course when all the kids are out of school. I guess if they ask you to leave, move on the next one.
 

Stroover

Full Member
Mar 28, 2006
119
1
Canadian East Coast
I'm a public school teacher. It is public property, so yes, you can md there. If you feel paranoid about it, just ask the principal for permission. He/she will no doubt say yes, but they will likely tell you, however, that you should only do it when school is not in session for various reasons, but mostly for security reasons (there are a lot of whackos out there who could be posing as md'ers, but are really pedophiles, terrorist, or who knows WHAT). Plus, you don't want a couple of hundred kids scattered around you like flies on poop, trying to watch you.
 

G

garbage digger

Guest
Along with that just make sure you are courteous. No smoking on campus, don't leave holes etc.etc. and like I have said before if they try to give you trouble just show them all the garbage you are removing from there schools. ;) Good luck on you're adventures.
 

Functional

Hero Member
Feb 16, 2007
512
3
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Detector(s) used
A Compass Magnum 420 recently brought back to life. And an untested "in the wild" Teknetics.
hns11550 said:
There are a few high schools in my area that are public schools and the buildings are rather old. I am wondering if it is required to ask permission from the school to hunt there or not. Is it considered public property? I would be hunting the weekend and I am not sure if I should try to contact someone or just go.

I would ask, but make a list of the reasons it would be a good idea for them to let you. Like, how they would benefit by the removal of all the nails and pieces of metal that lay just beneath the surface of the field, waiting for some young childs hands, or knee's to lacerate.

Make it clear that any minor hole made by yourself would help areate the soil, thus loosening the soil to increase water penetration. And how you would replace the small semi circular patch and carefully tamp it back down into place.

Also I have found that there are alot of properties around my area that are demolitions and are for sale, I have found and contacted the realty company and they gave me info to contact the owner of the 7 acres and 2 abandonded old homes and an old abandand store. When I contacted the owner she said there was still some things in one of the homes and I would have to talk to her husband. Both homes and store are going to be taken down if the property sells, and I want to get inside and search the inside as well as detect the outside.

The easy part is going to be asking about detecting the outside, but how would I bring up about going through the inside of the homes as well. I will post pics of the properties this weekend. Any help is appreciated!

If he knows your going to be MD'ing the property anyway, then maybe see if he'll let you in the house when its empty to see if there are any old coins that slipped under baseboards and other crevices, such as between gaps in the staircase. Also indicate that your interested in historical items such as old newspapers that are sometimes found in the walls, ceilings and attics of old buildings, having even been used at one time for insulation.

F.
 

OP
OP
hns11550

hns11550

Jr. Member
Sep 23, 2006
58
2
St Louis Missouri
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250
Well The buildings I have looked at, I have done some research on them and I have found out that the first home was built in 1908, the second home in 1938 and the third is a store with an apartment above it was built in 1940. all three are next to each other and as I said, I will post pics this weekend, probably tomorrow. Thanks for all of the advice, I have really gotten alot of research done this winter and can't wait to really hit my new spots hard!
 

OP
OP
hns11550

hns11550

Jr. Member
Sep 23, 2006
58
2
St Louis Missouri
Detector(s) used
Garrett Ace 250
After alot of time trying to get a hold of the owner of the properties, I finally talked to him this morning. I asked him if I could get permission to run my detector through the yards of the three properties in question, and He asked what I was looking for. I told him nothing specific, just a hobby on the weekends and He told me Sorry, I wish I could let you but I just can't give you permission. I said "hey it never hurts to ask, thanks anyway" and he hung up. I could almost tell he was intrigued by the idea and he is now probably going out today to get a detector as this looks like a very good site. I am kind of ticked but the are so many more places to go. Oh well, the worst they can say is no.
 

eagle77

Sr. Member
Jan 23, 2007
458
5
Nebraska
Detector(s) used
Teknetics T2, 3300, XTerra 70
hns11550 said:
After alot of time trying to get a hold of the owner of the properties, I finally talked to him this morning. I asked him if I could get permission to run my detector through the yards of the three properties in question, and He asked what I was looking for. I told him nothing specific, just a hobby on the weekends and He told me Sorry, I wish I could let you but I just can't give you permission. I said "hey it never hurts to ask, thanks anyway" and he hung up. I could almost tell he was intrigued by the idea and he is now probably going out today to get a detector as this looks like a very good site. I am kind of ticked but the are so many more places to go. Oh well, the worst they can say is no.

Let a little time pass and plan that "oh hey how are you doing" approach. Sometimes it has panned out that they have a change of heart. It worked on one property, I got to detect her property and she found out how much trash she had. (I purposely dumped all the trash finds in her trash can at the end of each hunt.) She thanked me for cleaning up her yard. I now exclusive permission to hunt whenever I want on her property. She even passed on to her church friends and I gained a couple more properties.
 

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