Permission Granted . . . Permission Retracted

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Hello Everyone

I've been hunting my neighbours yard, front and back for about two weeks now with some very interesting finds. So far I've found a silver 1907 quarter, a 1940 English Large Cent, 6 pennies dated 1940 & earlier, also a replica British Mercenary Hessian Soldier Button. The fourth picture is the yard I've been hunting for 2 weeks. The last three photo's are of the yard I hunted today where I got scolded!

Yesterday afternoon while I was detecting, my other neighbour two doors over walked over and asked me "what was I looking for in the ground"? I told her, "I was looking for coins, jewelery or anything interesting". She said, "that if I wanted to I could hunt her front yard for coins too"? I thanked her very much and told her that I'd show her anything interesting that I might find. She then jokingly said, "that we could split any coin finds 50/50"!

So this afternoon I headed over to her yard and hunted for about 1.5 hours. I probably dug 20+ holes! Not a whole lot to show for my time except for a lot of trash, which I didn't photograph. I did find a 1938 penny and a 1950 Wheat. I included the 1907 silver quarter I found in the other neighbours yard, since I didn't post it earlier.

I was just about done her yard when she pulls up in her car. She gets out, comes over to me, looks at her lawn and says . . . "I don't think I want you to do this anymore"! I could tell that she was pretty upset about some of the dirt on her grass. I told her that, "I'll be raking the grass after I'm done and that the rain overnight tonight will wash away the dirt, by tomorrow it'll be hard to tell that I was ever here". She just looked at me and said, "don't bother" and walked away.

Has this ever happened to any of you? I think I do a pretty good job of "cleaning up after myself" when I'm detecting! I even make the effort to put down a drop-cloth when I dig soil out of a hole! This hunting experience left me feeling confused and somewhat angry!

Thanks for letting me rant and happy hunting to everyone!

Dave

 

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[cyberborikua]

[
Try not to get discouraged or take what people say to you personally. In my opinion, they need to mind their own business, but generally people don't, so I have to take what they say in stride and ENJOY the hobby.

Breezie
[/quote]

Lovely pic Breezie! I like your vest idea. Mine is black, but with plenty of pockets. We all have good, bad, and ugly detecting stories. People sometimes don't know what we are doing and show concern. I've had the police called several times when neighbors see me in small parks or tot lots. Cops don't do anything, just watch me for a while and then leave. One officer approached me just to tell me he also metal detected; he wished me luck and even gave me some good spots to detect. He finally asked me to be courteous to concerned neighbors and explain our hobby to them. I always do!

 

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[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

People are funny creatures indeed.

Just curious Dave, if you used a drop cloth why would there be dirt on top of the ground ?
Is the picture before or after ? If you though you needed to come back with a rake....

Your first yard doesn't look too big, and you've been there a few times over a couple of weeks, I suggest if you keep going back you might also get asked to stop there as well.

Hope you don't think I'm itching on you, I'm NOT. The thing is there is no real incentive for anyone to give permission in the first place.

Breezie, I do like the orange vest idea, but I wouldn't take a shovel to a lawn, I can see that would freek out a lot more people than a small trowel, which is all I use even in fields.

 

[allen]

I had permission given to me one day by the female owner
and went to detect the next day and the male owner went
ballistic on me and threatened to kill me, even before I dug
a single hole in his yard !
I tried explaining to him that the woman who answered the
door said I could detect and he said %&#@ her, I am the
one who owns this property, not her %#@&*ing @$$ !
I left and never went back to that site !

 

[novafinder]

thats why i detect away from people, may not have the best locations but i also don't get the strange folks mood swings either. it would have to be a real good site for me to have to deal with people and there strange attitudes

 

[rottonr]

Had it happen a couple of times myself, it sucks the joy right out of the day for me. When I am doing a privet yard I always put my back to the house (windows) to cover what I am doing, just in case. I also do the best potential looking areas with the best looking grass first. The good finds get carefully slipped into my pocket and the commen and junk finds go into my pouch just to avoid the temptation of the home owner deciding to claim them.

Unless I really know or get to know the owner i figure better safe then sorry.

 

[Hunthicks]

I just stay away from yards and parks now. It wasn't worth the trouble compared to the finds. I've even had a farmer tell me to go ahead and dig his lawn, but I didn't. Just too easy for him or his wife to get upset and pull the plug!

 

[prolab69]

My neighbor gave me permission one day to do his lawn, I did it for about 3 hours and called it enough. Im sure theres plenty more good finds there, but there is a point where you need to realize if your wearing out your welcome. I mean come on people, digging holes in someones yard every day for 2 or 3 weeks is going to upset people Yeah some people are cool with it, but some are not. If your not explaining to the homeowner that you plan on coming back again and again and again and again? then you can only expect them to get a little edgy. If its a site where you just knocked on the door? Then you should be checking in with the homeowner each time before you start hunting. Its just common courtesy and respect.

 

[Monty]

About 2 years ago I went by my childhood home and spoke with the new owner. She was an elderly lady whose husband had recently passed away. I explained how I grew up in the house and she invited me in. The old place brought back a lot of memories of my good and bad times when I was a child. I asked to hunt the yard as I thought I might dig up one of my childhood toys or something similar. I showed her how I dug out a plug and replaced it and she said, Sure, go ahead." I hunted about 30 minutes and dug about 3 or 4 plugs that I nicely replaced and was just getting to the old patio area where I knew I played with my little metal cars and things when she came out and said,"That's enough, go home now." I asked if something was wrong and she said, "No, I just don't want to step in a hole and fall". I pointed out there weren't any holes, but she insisted that I leave. To this day I have no idea what changed her mind except maybe she was a little nervous about me being there when she was alone? Yes, people are strange creatures. Monty

 

[jeff of pa]

About 2 years ago I went by my childhood home and spoke with the new owner. She was an elderly lady whose husband had recently passed away. I explained how I grew up in the house and she invited me in. The old place brought back a lot of memories of my good and bad times when I was a child. I asked to hunt the yard as I thought I might dig up one of my childhood toys or something similar. I showed her how I dug out a plug and replaced it and she said, Sure, go ahead." I hunted about 30 minutes and dug about 3 or 4 plugs that I nicely replaced and was just getting to the old patio area where I knew I played with my little metal cars and things when she came out and said,"That's enough, go home now." I asked if something was wrong and she said, "No, I just don't want to step in a hole and fall". I pointed out there weren't any holes, but she insisted that I leave. To this day I have no idea what changed her mind except maybe she was a little nervous about me being there when she was alone? Yes, people are strange creatures. Monty

That's an easy One

She Probably Took for granted You found 3 or 4 Goodies

That She will never get now.

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Its been said already but I'll add, bring a dinner napkin or rag with you put all dirt on that. also keep plug size to a minimum. and lastly I'll add, in an area where the sod is thin i would rather not dig than leave a bad impression

I completely agree with everything you say cellar dweller! I did dig a hole in an area that had a bare dirt patch and I probably made it look a lot worse then it was. I'll think twice next time before I dig in a spot like that again!

Thanks,
Dave

 

[PA John]

I haven't tried hunting others personal property yet but I gotta think this will happen quite often.

I think I am going to make up a laminated pamphlet to show what I am about to do so they are prepared when I start digging in their lawn. I gotta think this might stop some from allowing me to hunt but avoid getting thrown out soon after I start.

I use a frisbee to put my soil in.
I never cut the entire plug out but leave one side attached.
I have dug the hell out of a local park and no one knows it.

Good luck to all!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

That's why I prefer hunting woods and fields.

I hear yeah buddy!

Thanks for sharing. I'm basically new to this great hobby (10 months) and the only yard I have detected is my own. The reason why I have not asked for permission from any of my neighbors and friends has been for keeping in mind the possible legal consequences of finding something really valuable. One possible reason why people grant and then revoke may reside on their expectation that the detectorist will unearth a great treasure in their property and when that doesn't happen, they may regret giving permission. I don't know just thinking. That said, I have heard of folks carrying contracts with them to make an owner sign. I don't know about making things so serious or scary for a neighbor or friend. Splitting goods found sounds funny, but that could easily be an expectation and the reason for granting permission. I know of yet another folk that pays money for allowing him to detect on private property. Again, that could bring legal issues because allowing you to detect does not mean keeping what you found! Is like paying $10 bucks for a roller coaster ride. You paid for the ride, not for the roller coaster. I replied to a folk here the other day about how he closed the deal to detect on private property and the response was that he does not think about that and just had fun while detecting. No doubt that detecting is fun, but you never know what goes in the owner's mind while you are at it. I'd be very careful when it comes to other people's property. Just my 2 wheaties!

Thanks very much for the good advice cyberborikua!
I agree 100%!

Happy hunting to you,
Dave

Already this year, I've had the police called once, an out of town home owner called, and the next door neighbor curse me out! (not my neighbor, but the neighbor of the yard) I had permission for all 3 yards, yet nosy people find it necessary to call to report. The one who bothered me the most was the neighbor who yelled: What in the H*LL are you doing I"m going to call the POLICE!!! You have NO d*mn business digging up this yard . . .yada . . yada . . .yada. I simply walked up to him, and told him I had permission, and that he had better not ever talk to me that way again. My sister and I got in my SUV and left and have never gone back, even thought I had permission. It's just not worth the hassle.

I try to find places where older homesteads were located that do not have close neighbors that are basically secluded, yet places I feel safe. Not very many people are supportive of our hobby. I think they must think we're finding the Hope Diamond or the Star of India and are getting rich, and they're not.

Some things I have found most helpful is to wear a bright safety vest, a name tag, and carry a 'short' shovel. Most by-passers will think you're a hired yard maintenance person when seeing the vest and shovel. Below is a pic of one of my vest & short shovels.

Try not to get discouraged or take what people say to you personally. In my opinion, they need to mind their own business, but generally people don't, so I have to take what they say in stride and ENJOY the hobby.

Breezie

I forgot one other thing. . . .I have 2 pockets: One with rusted nails, pull tabs, and junk. The other pocket is for valuables. Whenever nosy people want to see what I have found, you know which pocket gets shown!

Hi Breezie!

Thanks very much for posting and for the terrific advice! Whenever somebody asks me what I've found I always show them the stuff in my junk pouch. The only people that are privy to what I really find are my friends here on Tnet!

That's a great photo with you in the vest. I usually wear one of those during deer hunting season in the fall, that way I stay alive!

Happy Hunting,
Dave

Never. Must be a Canadian thing.

I had one guy who told me with a smug, irritating sneer on his face, that I could detect,
but wasn't allowed to dig ANY holes.
Nothing.
Just detect.
I left, and detected a yard nearby where the owners were kind enough to let me hunt there.
About an hour later, the original guy comes over, he remembers that he lost a set of keys,
(or something important, I honestly don't remember what it was), and would I want to hunt his yard.

I just laughed and laughed.

Carl

Loved your story about the lost keys Carl! I bet if you'd taken him up on his offer to hunt his yard that he would of wanted to keep anything of value that you found too!

Thanks,
Dave

PS. The only uniquely "Canadian thing" I can think of that sets us apart from the U.S. is that we wear "tuques" in the winter to keep our heads warm! You hear what I'm saying eh!

Hi Dave,
Just as well, 'Nothing good found there'.
The Grass looks great!
With all the trash finds that go into our pouches, I can understand a degree of suspicion that we're finding dozens of gold & silver coins
I rarely hunt yards, often I will just scan the edges of Conservation area paths & along stone walls in the woods, usually come out with something worthwhile and no prying eyes or nosy neighbors.
Great idea on the Official Outfit Breezie
dig and you shall find

Hello Herbie

Thanks for the compliment on my digging technique! I think this is probably going to be my last "neighbourhood yard" dig that I'll be doing for a while.

Great looking sterling spoon you found yesterday buddy!
Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Yeah well...it's an invasive hobby when your doing yards and some people just can't realize that it's not that bad. The dig holes disappear in a day or two. I worked a yard over yesterday and had a blast... I gave all the finds to the owner who said I could have them, but I insisted that he take them. It was just fun to dig at an old house and make some good discoveries! He was very grateful. HH M

Thanks for your post Michelle! I only show the owners what I've found if they specifically ask to see my finds. Otherwise all I ever find is "junk" where that's concerned.

Thanks,
Dave

Try not to get discouraged or take what people say to you personally. In my opinion, they need to mind their own business, but generally people don't, so I have to take what they say in stride and ENJOY the hobby.

Breezie

Lovely pic Breezie! I like your vest idea. Mine is black, but with plenty of pockets. We all have good, bad, and ugly detecting stories. People sometimes don't know what we are doing and show concern. I've had the police called several times when neighbors see me in small parks or tot lots. Cops don't do anything, just watch me for a while and then leave. One officer approached me just to tell me he also metal detected; he wished me luck and even gave me some good spots to detect. He finally asked me to be courteous to concerned neighbors and explain our hobby to them. I always do!

I completely agree!

People are funny creatures indeed.

Just curious Dave, if you used a drop cloth why would there be dirt on top of the ground ?
Is the picture before or after ? If you though you needed to come back with a rake....

Your first yard doesn't look too big, and you've been there a few times over a couple of weeks, I suggest if you keep going back you might also get asked to stop there as well.

Hope you don't think I'm itching on you, I'm NOT. The thing is there is no real incentive for anyone to give permission in the first place.

Breezie, I do like the orange vest idea, but I wouldn't take a shovel to a lawn, I can see that would freek out a lot more people than a small trowel, which is all I use even in fields.

Hey Rick

I hear what you're saying man. I try to be as respectful as possible when I'm searching a persons yard. What can I say . . . sometimes dirt gets on the ground and it looks a bit messy. I think that's what freaked out this lady when she came home. I did come back and rake the lawn after she told me to stop my search, I just thought it might make things look better. The photos are of the lawn after I raked it.

Dave

I had permission given to me one day by the female owner
and went to detect the next day and the male owner went
ballistic on me and threatened to kill me, even before I dug
a single hole in his yard !
I tried explaining to him that the woman who answered the
door said I could detect and he said %&#@ her, I am the
one who owns this property, not her %#@&*ing @$$ !
I left and never went back to that site !

Thanks for posting Allen! That's why I always carry a freshly sharpened digging knife with me!

HH,
Dave

that's why i detect away from people, may not have the best locations but i also don't get the strange folks mood swings either. it would have to be a real good site for me to have to deal with people and there strange attitudes

Hello novafinder!

Good advice!
Of course, the reason I go detecting is just to get away from my wife for a while!

Dave

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

My neighbor gave me permission one day to do his lawn, I did it for about 3 hours and called it enough. Im sure theres plenty more good finds there, but there is a point where you need to realize if your wearing out your welcome. I mean come on people, digging holes in someones yard every day for 2 or 3 weeks is going to upset people Yeah some people are cool with it, but some are not. If your not explaining to the homeowner that you plan on coming back again and again and again and again? then you can only expect them to get a little edgy. If its a site where you just knocked on the door? Then you should be checking in with the homeowner each time before you start hunting. Its just common courtesy and respect.

Thanks very much buddy!

"you should be checking in with the homeowner each time before you start hunting.
Its just common courtesy and respect."I'll keep this in mind in the future for sure!

Dave

 

[jyt2017]

Some are scornful. I evaluate whom I even talk to detecting about based on a few hues. One is a fake smile/interest. Best answer to nosy person is "my wife's band...and its hard to hear/talk with headphones on..." Then do an about face and keep detecting.

More or less...I don't talk to people when I am doing this. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in small or large numbers. The more info you volunteer, the worse it could get.

HH -Joe

Hello Everyone

I've been hunting my neighbours yard, front and back for about two weeks now with some very interesting finds. So far I've found a silver 1907 quarter, a 1940 English Large Cent, 6 pennies dated 1940 & earlier, also a replica British Mercenary Hessian Soldier Button. The fourth picture is the yard I've been hunting for 2 weeks. The last three photo's are of the yard I hunted today where I got scolded!

Yesterday afternoon while I was detecting, my other neighbour two doors over walked over and asked me "what was I looking for in the ground"? I told her, "I was looking for coins, jewelery or anything interesting". She said, "that if I wanted to I could hunt her front yard for coins too"? I thanked her very much and told her that I'd show her anything interesting that I might find. She then jokingly said, "that we could split any coin finds 50/50"!

So this afternoon I headed over to her yard and hunted for about 1.5 hours. I probably dug 20+ holes! Not a whole lot to show for my time except for a lot of trash, which I didn't photograph. I did find a 1938 penny and a 1950 Wheat. I included the 1907 silver quarter I found in the other neighbours yard, since I didn't post it earlier.

I was just about done her yard when she pulls up in her car. She gets out, comes over to me, looks at her lawn and says . . . "I don't think I want you to do this anymore"! I could tell that she was pretty upset about some of the dirt on her grass. I told her that, "I'll be raking the grass after I'm done and that the rain overnight tonight will wash away the dirt, by tomorrow it'll be hard to tell that I was ever here". She just looked at me and said, "don't bother" and walked away.

Has this ever happened to any of you? I think I do a pretty good job of "cleaning up after myself" when I'm detecting! I even make the effort to put down a drop-cloth when I dig soil out of a hole! This hunting experience left me feeling confused and somewhat angry!

Thanks for letting me rant and happy hunting to everyone!

Dave

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Never had that problem Anti q Dave with out trying to be a smart @## One homeowner left and returned with the a huge spade shovel . He said my WW 2 shovel was too small

 

[HISPAN]

Nice finds....
I'm sure your neighbor wanted something and get angry ..... maybe a romantic dinner and then tell the whole neighborhood.
You did well.
H

 

[sscindercoop]

Bummer!!! Hope your next spot is loaded with silver

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

About 2 years ago I went by my childhood home and spoke with the new owner. She was an elderly lady whose husband had recently passed away. I explained how I grew up in the house and she invited me in. The old place brought back a lot of memories of my good and bad times when I was a child. I asked to hunt the yard as I thought I might dig up one of my childhood toys or something similar. I showed her how I dug out a plug and replaced it and she said, Sure, go ahead." I hunted about 30 minutes and dug about 3 or 4 plugs that I nicely replaced and was just getting to the old patio area where I knew I played with my little metal cars and things when she came out and said,"That's enough, go home now." I asked if something was wrong and she said, "No, I just don't want to step in a hole and fall". I pointed out there weren't any holes, but she insisted that I leave. To this day I have no idea what changed her mind except maybe she was a little nervous about me being there when she was alone? Yes, people are strange creatures. Monty

Thanks very much for posting your story Monty! Now I don't feel quite so bad after what happened to me!

Dave

I haven't tried hunting others personal property yet but I gotta think this will happen quite often.

I think I am going to make up a laminated pamphlet to show what I am about to do so they are prepared when I start digging in their lawn. I gotta think this might stop some from allowing me to hunt but avoid getting thrown out soon after I start.

I use a frisbee to put my soil in.
I never cut the entire plug out but leave one side attached.
I have dug the hell out of a local park and no one knows it.

Good luck to all!

Thanks for posting John! A buddy of mine "Steelheadwill", suggested that I get some very positive and friendly business cards made up to explain what we do when we ask for permission to hunt a private yard.

HH,
Dave

Some are scornful. I evaluate whom I even talk to detecting about based on a few hues. One is a fake smile/interest. Best answer to nosy person is "my wife's band...and its hard to hear/talk with headphones on..." Then do an about face and keep detecting.

More or less...I don't talk to people when I am doing this. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in small or large numbers. The more info you volunteer, the worse it could get.

HH -Joe

Thanks very much for your post Joe! I also agree, I consider people like that on a need to know basis as well . . . I'm polite but I offer very little information about my finds.

HH,
Dave

 

[rusty nail]

i dont know why she would be so upset, her yard looks to be 75% crab grass anyways.you know what they say crab grass outside crab ass inside!!