Pay to play?

[PaJim]

I'm new to the hobby, so please excuse any ignorance on my part... I just had a property owner contact me with several acres with old buildings, some already in ruin state. Sounds kind of promising depending on if it's been hit before or not. I of course asked what the buildings were, how many acres, and if it's been hunted before. The thing that threw me was that he asked how much I would pay per acre. Is this common? I understand why a property owner would want money for someone else to dig on their land, I was just curious if that is common practice. If it is common, how much do you pay?

 

[buzzhead]

Not common at all. I can understand a hunting lease but a detecting lease sounds ridiculous unless there is 100% proof there was loot buried there.

 

[kingskid1611]

Sounds ridiculous. Does he have something there that is guaranteed to be found?

 

[relic nut]

I'd move on. There are more places to hunt. Some people only care about $$$. Thats his right, but I wouldn't be interested. We have several private property's that have CW history that we hunt and have put together presentation boxes with a few finds from the property, a few bullets and button or two. The owners love this and it keeps the history alive for the site. We do it because we choose to. Makes you feel good and keeps us in the owner's good grace's

HH, Relic Nut

 

[Terry Soloman]

Offer him $20 per acre for the EXCLUSIVE right to hunt them for Two-years.

You'll see a lot more of this by land owners going forward because of dumb-%$#@! television shows that portray dumb hillbilly's digging up "treasure" with their metal detectors.

 

[Loco-Digger]

Move on. Plenty of other Terra Firma to detect.

 

[Nitric]

I would have flipped that around..."you called me? How much are you going to pay me to detect it?". Charge him to detect it and he gets to keep all the finds! SO, how much does he think is actually in the ground? If he's willing to do that then he might really think something is there. Unless, he was just returning your call? That would be a little different. If your asking for permission. I've offered to split, or they pick. Most of the time I was doing it for fun. I wouldn't pay anyone.

I've never heard of that yet, I've heard of people doing it for free for historical places to put the finds on display. I've heard of splitting with the property owners and every other kind of deal. But never heard of paying someone per acre that calls you to detect. I'd mess with him a little, to try to figure him out. Then just move on, there are plenty of places! Can't blame the guy for trying to be creative and make a buck though!

On the other end of it, if he was returning your call? He might have people asking him to detect that property. After a while I could see how someone might say."well.... How much are you going to give me?". My Dad lives on a historical property, we have hit it hard over the years. And every once in a while someone knocks on his door to ask to detect. Some he allows, some he doesn't, kind of depends on the day. So, I could see him getting fed up on a bad day saying"How much are you going to pay me to look?".

 

[RustyGold]

Tell him it's an even draw as he has to pay for the rental of your detector.

 

[Beans]

How did he get your information and know your hobby was MDing?

 

[PaJim]

How did he get your information and know your hobby was MDing?

He responded to a wanted ad of mine. My ad stated I was looking for properties to MD on.

 

[PaJim]

Just got his email back. He has 85 acres, old stone buildings on it, probably over 100 years old and no one has been on it before that he is aware of. It sounds really good and I'm new so I don't want to pass up a potential great spot... hmm

 

[Cassews]

Oh my what a hard decision ... NOT .. LOL sorry ... I would move on as no one out here on the Western Slope of Colorado has ever asked for dollars for detecting. Everyone I have ever talked to have been very grateful, especially if you find anything and give it to them. Even if its half (per your consensual verbal or shake), many are excited just to have things found for them.

 

[oneguy]

The way I usually handle privates is to tell the owner that I'm after any older coins and they can have all the rest? Sometimes I'll offer up $1 per silver coin (never had anyone take me up on that) or $10 for a silver dollar (knowing that most likely won't happen). Sometimes I tell them if I have a good hunt with 4-5 silver dimes or 4-5 old coins I'll buy them an apple pie (and I've bought quite a few for owners). I've also given several gold rings back to private owners as I could care less about anything but older coins for the most part. I live in the middle of nowhere and word travels fast so this has helped me get some privates and also helps by being able to "name drop" because everybody knows everybody around here. When you can tell a landowner that so and so got a gold ring and a pie outta the deal it'll sometimes open up another private or two?

It just kinda depends on the location and/or how the owner(s) respond? ALL MY HOBBIES cost $ so sometimes a $10 pie for maybe 3-5 silver dimes is a loser money wise....it's a small price to pay for some enjoyment and the HOPE that you might be in a spot that hasn't been hit?

Tracking down privates is a royal PITA and mine are usually more miss than hit but sometimes you just gotta get away from the grind of all the public places, you know.....hunt all day for 1-2 good coins the masses have missed.

PS....I've got a treasure box full of silver jewelry and have been known to "salt" a hunt on private that was the usual crappy hunt, just to make the owner feel like they got something outta the deal. This also helps get some crap outta the treasure chest....lol

 

[Keppy]

Offer him $20 per acre for the EXCLUSIVE right to hunt them for Two-years.

You'll see a lot more of this by land owners going forward because of dumb-%$#@! television shows that portray dumb hillbilly's digging up "treasure" with their metal detectors.

You are right and there are so many that watch and support those dumb-%$#@& TV shows and still do not under stand all they do is hurt us .. It only helps the dealers.. And of course the ones on TV and youtube pulling in cash from all of you fool enough to watch ...........PAY FOR DETECTING NEVER

 

[PaJim]

Well.. I hate to pass up a potential great spot. I offered $20 to be on his property regardless of how many acres I can cover. I also said if I'm paying, I have exclusive rights to hunt there for one year. If he doesn't like that, I'm moving on. I know everyone is saying don't pay, but getting private property is proving difficult.

 

[Beans]

Well.. I hate to pass up a potential great spot. I offered $20 to be on his property regardless of how many acres I can cover. I also said if I'm paying, I have exclusive rights to hunt there for one year. If he doesn't like that, I'm moving on. I know everyone is saying don't pay, but getting private property is proving difficult.

Just another thought here, you may want to clarify since you are paying you get to keep what you find. I had read on TNet somewhere about contracts between the MDer and land owner. I hope it turns out to be a great place and you have a great time . Good Luck.

 

[relic nut]

Good luck with the site! Hope it turns out to be a great place. Keep us posted.[emoji256]

HH, Relic Nut

 

[PaJim]

Yes, I did say I get to keep all finds as well

Sent from my N800 using Tapatalk

 

[PaJim]

Well, got his response..... In his words.... "$20 your f*cking crazy!"

I responded with an offer of $100 per acre. If he accepts it, I'll just copy and post his email back to him.

 

[Crappies-n-Coins]

Well, got his response..... In his words.... "$20 your f*cking crazy!"

If you're trying to strike a deal with this guy to pay to detect his property, one question comes to mind.











Well, are you? LOL

Seriously, go find a place to hunt that isn't owned by some greedy nutjob. I also bet he's lying to you about the property never being detected.

Shoot, in a month we might see a thread titled "Just made $100 an acre to let a guy detect my hunted-out property"