Knockers

[wainzoid]

How many of you are door knockers ?

See a good spot to detect, pull in, knock on the door.......

Whats your sucess rate?

I dont have any trouble finding hunting sites. In fact I have only been turned down once in 6 or 8 yrs of avid detecting. That was because the landowner had just got a detector at xmas, and wanted to be first on his property. Anyhow.... Ive lived my whole life in a rural dairy farm area, I either know everybody or know someone who knows them. Ive never stopped or called anyone yet for permission. I just wait till I see them, then bring it up in conversation. I kinda like to feel them out before asking the question. Once or twice I got a bad vibe and didnt bother to ask. But I dont actually remember them.
My problem is, there are some excellant places to hunt, but I never see the owners to bring up the subject. Ive been tempted to call or knock on the door, but Im afraid I may be denied when my chances the other way are nearly 100%.

So how do you knockers make out? no pun intended

 

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[Keppy]

I have been doing this for over 40 years and i have never knocked on a door yet ........ And i always have a place to hunt...... To me that is like begging and i don't beg..........

 

[spartacus53]

Boy was I duped, this is not the type of knockers I was thinking about

 

[GrizLeeBear]

I don't just cold call by knocking on doors. I, like you said, like to see people outside so I am approach them slowly. When you just go up and knock on the door you are bound to catch them at a bad time. They are napping, watching TV, eating, reading or doing something that you are interrupting. I know this because I hated it when people knocked on my door when I was in the middle of something. I have better luck when I catch them outside. About half the time I am turned down and then I talk about half those into it be asking a few questions. The last time I was turned down flatly a man told me he had seen Randy "BOOM BABY" on TV and he did not hold with such. Thanks Randy!

 

[302guy]

I don't just cold call by knocking on doors. I, like you said, like to see people outside so I am approach them slowly. When you just go up and knock on the door you are bound to catch them at a bad time. They are napping, watching TV, eating, reading or doing something that you are interrupting. I know this because I hated it when people knocked on my door when I was in the middle of something. I have better luck when I catch them outside. About half the time I am turned down and then I talk about half those into it be asking a few questions. The last time I was turned down flatly a man told me he had seen Randy "BOOM BABY" on TV and he did not hold with such. Thanks Randy!

A few years ago I worked for a company doing Underground Utility locations for the Miss Utility system. So Detecting and Locating are synonymous with me. And in the past few weeks I actually have a better track record by asking people if they would mind me "locating on their property." The rest of the spiel is the same as if I said "metal detecting". The one guy that played wise asked me if that is what I was doing, and I said "I use a metal detector to do the locating, but depending on what I find I'll use a few small tools to do the extraction." He said "Do you use a shovel?" so I showed him the Lesche, and told him "This is the biggest tool I use, but if I find a box with Gold Bricks in it I'll use a shovel, but not without asking". He said if I found that to get a backhoe in there and holler, and he would do the shoveling. Said he has turned down a few guys that wanted to come in there with metal detectors and dig up his place. His property is one of the oldest and most historical in my town, he wouldn't even let the local museum send people in there. I'm not being dishonest, I'm just creating a distance between myself and the perception of what 60 years of Metal Detecting has created. They think a metal detector means a shovel and big holes.

 

[Keppy]

Boy was I duped, this is not the type of knockers I was thinking about

spartacus..... You did..... you have been staying away from the metal detecting forums of late ....... But i see you posting in the other forums................... I missed your wit over here........

 

[LinkHylian]

Yeah I figured it was the Twin type of knockers too hahaha.
I actually knock ALL THE TIME of folks's doors. I can't think of any time I've been told no. I have been told to come back another day, but never no.
Then again, I'm pretty odd when it comes to befriending people.
Normally I start at the corner house at the end of a street and I mention to them I'll be visiting their neighbors soon and to please let them know. I have always had good responses from people about that. Neighbors wait and anticipate you as they watch over the fence while your combing next door.
I have even gone as far as to buy the family pizza for dinner if I end up staying too late in the evening out back or something.
Give their little son/daughter your Pro Pointer while your detecting and woah boy are you guarenteed to be allowed to come back. Of course, make sure to get it back.

 

[spartacus53]

spartacus..... You did..... you have been staying away from the metal detecting forums of late ....... But i see you posting in the other forums................... I missed your wit over here........

Keppy, sorry, I was answering to a higher priority and had to straighten a few things out elsewhere

Back to the topic, regrettably I took the time to read the whole and replies.

I can leave you with this useful information too. If you do intend to knock on someone's door, it's always a good idea to never, and I mean never peer though the windows first to see if anyone's home

#1 I'll agree with Griz, it's much easier to talk to people when they are outside, their guard is relaxed for the most part, and they can't slam a door in your face

#2 I can understand where Keppy's coming from too, but then again, I don't consider it begging, I look at it as a challenge. If, and when I have to knock on a door, I'll make up a story to hold their interest on the spot. Believe me, the story is never metal detecting related either, I'll slip that in at the end

P.S. You will note I also have a disclaimer below too

 

[digthis]

And if you do knock on a door when they open it don't startle them by yelling Booommm!.... Baaaaby!

 

[WVARelics]

I'm not a door knocker yet because I asked people I knew first and got a few referrals from them also. Its a huge difference between knowing everybody to not knowing anybody. The more people you know and that know you your chances of getting a no are near zero.

Just yesterday I was coming out of a property I hunt and another farmer was there delivering hay. He asked what I had found and proceeds to pull 2 cannon balls and several handfuls of bullets that he found on top of the ground at his property. I was thinking to myself man ask him to hunt stupid. But I didn't have to, his wife sitting in the passenger seat said you should come over and hunt sometime. I started scrambling for a pen and paper to get their address. The farmers wife said give me your cell # and I'll shoot you the address and you can go whenever you want. SCORE!
I'm thinking about having anal glaucoma Thursday this week. Just can't see my a$$ going to work.

 

[relicmeister]

.......and be sure NOT to knock and ask if you can look for juice in their nectar sector!!!

 

[Skinsfan]

Oh...door "knockers"....**smacks head****

Catching people outside is usually better than hitting the door. Feels less intrusive than to have to stand at the door.

 

[302guy]

Oh...door "knockers"....**smacks head****

Catching people outside is usually better than hitting the door. Feels less intrusive than to have to stand at the door.

Don't be surprised if they run in the house when you pull up though. After all, they have watched your car ride by their house real slow for the past two weeks .....

 

[Skinsfan]

Don't be surprised if they run in the house when you pull up though. After all, they have watched your car ride by their house real slow for the past two weeks .....

true! Harder for them to be mean when I have my 12 year old daughter with me..school project research!

 

[302guy]

true! Harder for them to be mean when I have my 12 year old daughter with me..school project research!

Ooooh, Nice. Tug at them heartstrings. But what will they say when she is sitting in the truck texting while you spend four hours locating their yard?

 

[Rudy74]

yah that wouldnt be a great ice breaker LOL! how you doin relic i am living in oklahoma but i am from North western,Pa.

 

[Skidder]

My dad taught me and I taught my girls if you want something ask for it. What's the worst someone will say? No. And that's fine but if you never ask you will never know.

 

[spartacus53]

My problem is, there are some excellant places to hunt, but I never see the owners to bring up the subject. Ive been tempted to call or knock on the door, but Im afraid I may be denied when my chances the other way are nearly 100%.

OK, it's time to set you straight. Your biggest problem is not rejection, it's rather that you are too shy. Since you already know most of these people it's easy enough to knock on their door and BS a little. Hey, I haven't seen you much around town, etc. Make up a story, then get to the chase.

Another thing, for only $4.95, plus $3.00 shipping and handling you can own one of my best sellers, "Shyness, Get Over It". It has 10 chapters dealing with shyness, and how to overcome this obstacle. The first chapter, Baby Steps, walks you through how to converse with people, by just starting with writing.

Look, I too, was very shy, until I wrote this book, read it and most of all, believed it. It helped me and can help you too.

 

[GrizLeeBear]

My dad taught me and I taught my girls if you want something ask for it. What's the worst someone will say? No. And that's fine but if you never ask you will never know.

Once they say no, that is usually it. However, if you wait a day you may catch them outside where it is easier to approach thm.

 

[302guy]

Once they say no, that is usually it. However, if you wait a day you may catch them outside where it is easier to approach thm.

Pretend to break down out front of their house and see if they come out. Then pretend to call a tow truck and then ask if they mind if you play with your detector while you wait. Four hours later after no truck just claim vapor lock and go home...don't forget to thank em though...