Advise Please, Treasure Hunter

[Rexoy]

A few days ago, a treasure hunter approach me regarding a farm lot of mine, he said he suspect that something very significant is buried there, he also claims to have used a machine to get a reading. He is requesting that he be allowed to do some more testing/scanning in my property and that he may need to do some digging, what should I do?

 

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[maccounty]

I'd let him. You never know. Did he tell you what he thought it was?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Sounds like someone is dreamy-eyed chasing a superstition/legend. But , heck, doesn't hurt to let him go knock himself silly and look.

 

[kcm]

Is up to you. Not sure what your laws are there, if everything found belongs to you or to the gov't. You could also make request that he(?) show you ALL finds, and that anything of value be split. This agreement MUST be made beforehand, to avoid problems later. Would be even better to get agreement in writing. ...Or, just let him keep his finds.

 

[digger460]

Kind of an interesting way of getting a permission too. Get an owner wondering if there is something. I'd follow kcm's advice. Ask him if he has a loaner and could you join him in the hunt. But I think you would have to have some idea of what it is he's looking for GL

 

[Peyton Manning]

digging with a shovel or backhoe?
I would get detailed clarity

 

[jeff of pa]

well Since you are No where near Ric Savage, I would say go for it
just advise him 50/50 if a Treasure is found.

that would be my offer if I were to approach a Landowner on Hunting Their Property.

Like others suggested though, You may want to Question the extent he will go to prove/disprove and hopefully recover the treasure . and decide if you are ok with it.
after all it is your property.

 

[RustyGold]

Get more intell on the guy and have him explain what he thinks is there. Buy or rent a detector and always accompany him on these digs. Make sure others close to you know what's going on.
Unless you know him already just be careful.

 

[Terry Soloman]

A) It is YOUR property.

B) Anything on that property (unless stolen or a "national treasure") belongs to you.

Make sure the treasure hunter understands the agreed upon split of anything found; and that the treasure hunter will completely restore your land to its original condition at the end of the search regardless.

 

[digger27]

Definitely ask about what they are looking for, could be something cool...or shocking.

In KC there is a great museum dedicated to just such a find.
The story I know is that one day a farmer had a knock on his door and a couple of guys stood there with a similar request...something is likely to be buried deep under one of his fields and could they have permission to look.
When he asked what they were looking for they told him a large 171 foot long steamboat that sank in 1856 while traveling along the Mississipi river which at one time cut right through his property.
Likely to have plenty of treasure on board, too.

I would have liked to have been there to see the look on that farmer's face at the time.
Turns out they were correct and here is the story about it.

The Steamboat Arabia Arabia Steamboat Museum ? Kansas City

 

[can]

bring in the back hoe

 

[austin]

Get his name and address and tell him that if he disappoints you, you will go to your Internal Revenue Service job and have him financially castrated, for the rest of his life...

 

[1637]

please keep us posted.sounds fun.
brad

 

[Rexoy]

Thank you for the replies and advises. I met with the treasure hunter and his Filipino colleague and asked for a detailed proposal. From what I got from them this morning they will just be digging with shovels, they are looking for gold bars but further added that it is not part of the famously searched Yamashita treasure, it is not in anyway relate to Japanese soldiers during world war 2. They are asking for a 70-30% split, I get 30% of whatever they find, they will cover all expenses, is this fair?

 

[jeff of pa]

whether or not it's fair depends on your attitude

you have 2 alternatives. Bluff them and say "No !..50/50 or I'll do my own digging" & Hope they don't sneak on your property to dig.

or accept.

as a Land Owner I'd go with the Bluff.

if they are confident the treasure is there, 50/50 should still be worth it to them.

Keep an eye on all their digs though.

as a Treasure Hunter(s), I'd be hoping you'd accept

 

[kcm]

If looking for gold bars, and if they threw out the offer of 70/30, then "I" would probably counter with 60/40. While it IS "your" land, you wouldn't even know to dig had it not been for these people. So let them do the work, and end up with 40% of whatever they find. They might decide to skip your place or try to sneak in if they feel you're trying to take advantage. ...Taking advantage of your own property. Yeah! But, I suppose that's how they might think.

In any case, Jeff is correct - watch your property...even if they choose to not accept any deal. Greed can cause people to re-write laws in their own minds in order to justify their actions (greed).

 

[Rexoy]

Haha, thanks, I googled local laws on treasure hunting, if found in a private property, the share is equal 50/50

 

[bigfoot1]

so you say he admits to tresspassing on your property and detecting before contacting you.he then offers nearly 1/2 what the law requires as a split?
Seems like you would need to have a rigid schedual and be there every second they search and dig.But I would go for the 50/50...might be interesting and fun.dont get your hopes up tho....buried gold stories are common and worth exactly 50% of nothing nearly all the time.

 

[Rexoy]

Thanks everyone, I am having second thoughts now. When the person I was dealing with brought the MOA draft to me, there was too many names in their party, when in fact I was only meeting with a foreigner treasure hunter and his Filipino colleague, in the MOA there are 3 additional names whom I have not met and have no idea who they are.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Yeah I'm with Bigfoot on this. If they were on your property before hand, that's Trespassing. If they have that little regard for that one, who's to say what other things they will ignore or lie about.

Problem now, even if you say no, you'll have to be out there 24/7/365, as you know you can't trust them.

Fool me once...