getting permissions..

[fuzzy535]

i am wondering if having pre-made permission slips made up is a good idear? i figure if i get permission from an owner then i would have all handy with my info already on it. That way they just sign and i would have written copy of it being ok to be there. any thoughts on this?

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

.... any thoughts on this?

Yes. Any form of contracts, permission slips, etc... is the fastest way to get a "no". It only conjurs up images of legal hassles, etc.... A smile, handshake, and verbal "yes" is all that's needed.

 

[Truth]

I think it sounds like a great idea. If you decide to do it I’d love to steal, I mean see it.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I second Tom's post. Pulling out any form of contract is a great way to turn a "yes" into a "no". All you need is verbal permission. If another family member comes along and want you to leave, that paper wont mean anything anyway.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

No way, don't even ask. That's a huge turnoff and I agree with these guys hehe.
You're already bordering on trespassing just by knocking on the door so don't push it! Haha

 

[fuzzy535]

i had one for some company property i used to hunt, made it easier when the security guard caught up to us detecting or fishing. made life easier in that aspect but i wasnt sure about the owner of the an old farm house..i agree a handshake and verbal is easiest but sometimes not always enough proof..i appreciate the advice though

 

[Eu_citzen]

I always have a contract, because I'm required by law to have written permission. I've never gotten a 'no' due to the paper, once explained why I have it.
However, If it was not required - I'd certainly be more then happy with a verbal permission!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Fuzzy, whatever written contract you have in mind is fine if the OWNER brings up that he'd like the permission to be in writing. Then ... sure ... nothing wrong with written. But if he doesn't bring up wanting written, then I wouldn't bring it up.

 

[dts52]

Yes. Any form of contracts, permission slips, etc... is the fastest way to get a "no". It only conjurs up images of legal hassles, etc.... A smile, handshake, and verbal "yes" is all that's needed.

I have to agree with Tom on this one. You may as well ask someone to sign a blank check. Unless the landowner knows you personally, asking for a signature will scare most people away. Although it's risky, I also like to ask whether I can come back to the property more than once. I usually say "I'd love to come back and show you what I've found once I clean it up." I've offered some landowners some finds like square nails, ox shoes and horse shoes. They usually look at me like I'm nuts, (which is debatable).
HH
dts

 

[pepperj]

In doing this for close if not 50 yrs and I have never signed, nor being asked for a permission slip, I left those things behind when I left school.
I ask, if they grant me verbal permission and the one thing I ask is who do I refer to if I'm asked? They (the permission) will state their first name and usually say "Well you just tell them that ____ said it was ok to be on the property". I thought of a business card one time and had a few printed up as a sample, got more strange vibes handing the card over to them, so I threw the rest out. Keep it simple, informal, and life is good.

 

[HighVDI]

In a lawsuit happy world, this would just get a homeowners mind racing through many worst case scenario. I go for the verbal yes and offer a couple indian heads or wheats when found.

 

[sprailroad]

Good advice from all these fella's above. In all these years I have seldom hunted any private yards only because of me. To walk up and do door knocking is something I just could not seem to do. Having said that, a young fella I often now detect with, "Dirt Bandit Brian" has no such problem with it, and has gotten a good number of permissions of private yards doing just that, and we have found some pretty good stuff. When I go with him I make sure beforehand that I am very presentable looking, (nice shirt, trimmed beard etc.) and screw up my gut and walk up to the door with him, and, it has worked well most of the time. A new thing I have tried is that I have taken a flyer of Brian's and included a hand written letter and "mailed" it to a possible place, BUT, have had NO response, there has been only three mailings, and I may try a couple more, but so far....

 

[RW]

Another no vote here. Good luck getting me to answer the door much less sign something. Seems like a way to turn a nice, innocent, fun for both home owner and detectorist day into bad vibes situation. Have hunted down rumored caches on farmers land with nothing but a "good luck sucker!" from the land owner. Now if the owner suggested it, I would have no problem with signing a scribbled "contract". I can see the "permission slip" being a good idea in certain situations and this thread made me remember I actually was given one before to hunt a church but never needed it. That was before everyone had a phone on them and I would think these days a quick call would clear up most verbal permission confusions. So I guess I would almost never push the issue, but possibly use a permission slip in certain rare situations.

 

[pepperj]

I have it happen a few times where I left my contact info (name and number) only to have permission to call me and say: "I have been doing some thinking on this detecting and....(sinking feeling in the stomach of what is coming next) I'm not sure if you know about another homestead site in another part of the farm/field/bush, I'd be happy to show you anytime"

 

[BigWaveDave]

My rookie detecting season I fumbled around with the permission forms, courtesy of the easy templates that can be found online.... then I became more confident and casual regarding permissions and handshakes.
I hadn’t used one in 3 years.... but then 2 weeks ago I approached a contractor at a freshly razed old home, I was put on the spot.
Told no way could I ever, due to liability reasons. Just before I asked, I noticed all the legal warnings of the property, and was prepared for my rebuttal.
Permission granted for later today with my notarized waiver of liability, along with the fact that I gotta wear a hard hat.().
So, in rare circumstances a signature is required, but typically a handshake is all you need.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Permission granted for later today with my notarized waiver of liability, along with the fact that I gotta wear a hard hat.().
So, in rare circumstances a signature is required, but typically a handshake is all you need.

Yes, that is a rare situation indeed. Because whenever someone tells you : "No because of legal liability issues", that's just a polite way of saying "no". They simply don't want to be bothered.

I used to sometimes use the comeback line of "No problem, I carry 1 million liability ins. on myself" (as a business owner) and can provide proof of insurance. But guess what ? The contractor or whomever still says "no". That tells me that the song & dance of "liability" is just a polite way to say "get lost".

 

[Loco-Digger]

Fuzzy, permission slips are not necessary 99.9% of the time. I only get them for State parks and metro parks which are necessary according to their rules otherwise it 's a door knock, some small talk, and then the verbal permission request.

 

[BLK HOLE]

I feel that a permission slip is situational, if dealing with a contractor or business entity it probably can’t hurt but for simple door knocking I believe it would be a put off. I do have a few that I keep in the truck on the off chance that the homeowner brings up liability as a the reason to say no but have never had to use them. I did have business cards made up and did get a call later giving me permission so I guess it cuts both ways. Now to be completely open and honest I am by no way a pro at this and really haven’t been to successful getting permissions as it seems that people in the DC area are not the trusting type and no is easier than saying yes.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... I only get them for State parks and metro parks which are necessary according to their rules....

Loco-digger, I enjoy your posts very much. Not to hijack the thread here , but I have a question on this "according to their rules" : In the particular places where you think that exists, have you ever actually looked to see if it's really written there? Ie.: a chapter and verse that actually says that ?

Because there's been answers that come back, when persons, decades ago, went to compile lists. Where .... yes ... they got various entities saying "with permission". Or "at the discretion of .. " type effects. Yet if you look closely, the text saying such things is usually not accompanied with any sort of rule that actually said that (to our hobby, anymore so than any other hobby). Instead it appears to be someone answering an inquiry to a someone in the past.

We have something like that for CA state parks, for example (if the FMDAC state by state listing is to be believed). But when you go to click on the supporting links to actual chapter and verse, you see no such thing requiring that. So I am led to believe it's just commentary. Or ... kind of like : They could tell you to stop, if they wanted . Ie.: they have discretion to decide something isn't safe, or is harmful, or annoying another camper, etc.... Sure. But did that mean you had ask ahead of time ? No.

Someone, ages ago, answering an inquiry, was just pointing to the fact of ranger's discretion. But as time went on , md'rs (and the lists they compile) got morphed to think it meant "must get permit" or "permission" etc....

 

[ChampFerguson/TN]

Good advice from all these fella's above. In all these years I have seldom hunted any private yards only because of me. To walk up and do door knocking is something I just could not seem to do. Having said that, a young fella I often now detect with, "Dirt Bandit Brian" has no such problem with it, and has gotten a good number of permissions of private yards doing just that, and we have found some pretty good stuff. When I go with him I make sure beforehand that I am very presentable looking, (nice shirt, trimmed beard etc.) and screw up my gut and walk up to the door with him, and, it has worked well most of the time. A new thing I have tried is that I have taken a flyer of Brian's and included a hand written letter and "mailed" it to a possible place, BUT, have had NO response, there has been only three mailings, and I may try a couple more, but so far....

I've never asked detecting permission by mail (tho I intend to shortly on some out of state owners) but I have had very good success in other ventures when I include a self addressed stamped envelope. I try to make it as easy for someone to say Yes as I can.