How to go about it ?

[PogoPop]

First, I'm new to all of this so bear with me, please. In my dad's papers I find that I have inherited mineral rights (only) to less than 20 acres in the middle of a section of farm land in Oklahoma. There's a farm house on it so I would guess they are the owners of the surface rights to the section and probably the mineral rights to all but mine. I've already satisfied myself that there's no oil or gas anywhere near it. I used a land man friend to confirm that. Because of a series of odd things in the family history before and after a flurry of activity about a century ago, I'm beginning to wonder if someone buried something there.

I've read enough to know that I shouldn't just knock on the farm house door and spill my guts. However, I don't have a clue how to proceed. A metal detector should probably be run over the ground first but how do you get permission to do that without tipping your hand. I would gladly share whatever might be there with the farmer in a fair split but getting to that point is the question.

Advice ?

 

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[wild eyed willey]

My advice ( Not an expert by any means) is to simply be honest. talk with the property owner, tell your story and ask permission to detect the parcel, you might also offer to detect the main property for them. as far as mineral rights goes, I don't know what anyone could have buried there that would be mineral related. whatever you decide to do, honesty is always the best policy.

 

[Joe hunter]

My advice ( Not an expert by any means) is to simply be honest. talk with the property owner, tell your story and ask permission to detect the parcel, you might also offer to detect the main property for them. as far as mineral rights goes, I don't know what anyone could have buried there that would be mineral related. whatever you decide to do, honesty is always the best policy.

unless the police are involved

 

[PogoPop]

Thanks guys,

Good point, it didn't occur to me that mineral rights wouldn't apply to manmade buried stuff. The odd things in the story do hint at something buried. Maybe just knocking on the door is the right thing after all.