Permission without them thinking its theirs

[montypyfly]

Permission without them thinking it's theirs

I have only been doing this for about five months, but every time I ask permission from homeowners in this old neighborhood, I get a lot of "Sure"s, but they all seem to think everything I dig up is theirs.

I tried mentioning to a few before I started that what I find will be mine, and then the deny my detecting.

Then I tried a few saying I would split anything of value over $100 (Knowing that was pretty safe bet :-) )

One out of three agreed to that, but then he said he wanted the ring I found.

How do you get these people to let you detect, but not expect you to hand over what you find?

 

[Roger Mn.]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

I think I've only asked permission to hunt peoples yards less than a dozen times.
The first one was around twenty years ago. I knocked on the door and an older man answered and I asked him if I could detect his yard. He said $5.00 and I could keep what I found. I got the wallet out and payed him and I detected around 3 hrs not finding much. I think someone else beet me to it. This might be the way to get permission and 5 bucks is not that much and if your lucky you could easily get that back in finds.

 

[gleaner1]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

You're probably making the mistake of suggesting there will be something worth finding! What you have to do is build a display of the most normal junk new finds and go total geek on them when you're showing the type of things you find, and how great it is. Hell go on and on and on and make them be happy to send you on your way to dig more. It's a no brainer if you tell someone you are looking for silver and gold they're going to want some because they figure you probably expect to find it.... why would you be there if it's not.

Good advice which I will use, never thought of that before. But, read the first original post. The OP clearly stated that he is getting a lot of "SURE!!" responses when asking for permission. He is not making any mistakes getting permission. What the OP really is asking is "how can I get permission and keep all the crap?" NOT GONNA HAPPEN. Greed FORCES the devil to play his hand in these situations.

But it's not like they say sure and nothing else is said. Before the "sure" happens you have to explain yourself, and usually answer a few questions. In 11 years and having talked to probably 150 land owners we have never been asked to split. I'd say maybe a dozen times they asked to see what we found but that was it. It wouldn't be a big deal for me anyway because I'm lucky to find one target I like per site and the rest I would have no problem giving away.

Iron Patch and rodgerdodger, good strong points, these are of the essence and you strike deep into the heart of the true, albeit enigmatic, nature of this question put forth by our friend montypyfly. And it was his fouth post! What a gas! montypyfly, you are a hoot! I have searched about 30 or 40 private properties, with face to face permission. I knew all the people, it was easy, and not once was there any mention about treasure or splitting of treasure. I admire you, montypyfly, it seems you have the knack for getting permission from strangers with a great big fat SURE!!!! Work with that as best as you can. It will be tough on you but somehow I am confident you can do it!!!!

 

[oldcoon]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

I ask for permission to hunt for "old silver coins." If I dig anything else and the property owner wants it, they can have it. Keywords: if I dig anything else. They are more than welcome to all the clad that I recover.

 

[Ronfrommichigan]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Most people including yourself probably want to keep the finds of value found on your property.Most new hunters don't factor in that property owners don't want people even metal detecting on their property or pestering them for permission. HH Ron

 

[Jackalope]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

There are two choices when on private property: rely on the goodwill of the owner to not take everything or rely on your ability to fool or defraud the owner. If you are morally upright then only the first choice is acceptable. Life is full of choices.

Jackalope

 

[Goes4ever]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Most people including yourself probably want to keep the finds of value found on your property.Most new hunters don't factor in that property owners don't want people even metal detecting on their property or pestering them for permission. HH Ron

hmmmmm thats odd, if they don't want me detecting why do I average 8 out of 10 people giving me permission then? Oddly enough most people are nicer than you may think.

 

[Noodle]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Put it in one pocket or another. Don't tell the landowner what you found. Ignore the agreement, or disguise it, you had with the landowner.

"You're probably making the mistake of suggesting there will be something worth finding! What you have to do is build a display of the most normal junk new finds and go total geek on them when you're showing the type of things you find, and how great it is. Hell go on and on and on and make them be happy to send you on your way to dig more. It's a no brainer if you tell someone you are looking for silver and gold they're going to want some because they figure you probably expect to find it.... why would you be there if it's not. ..... "

Glad you don't live in my neighborhood. What you have to do is.... someday find it within yourself to be honest. In the meanwhile, I hope you find nothing....

 

[Jason in Enid]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Get off your sanctimonious pedestal. Your "quote" never said anything about hiding things from the owner. If you show someone a ton of crap you dig out, they won't care much about a few dimes and pennies. If you show them a display off all the silver you've found in the past, they are going to want everything because they think that you are going to find hundreds of dollars in silver on thier property.

Personally, I'm fine with a 50/50 split. Half of something is better than all of nothing.

Noodle, I hope your detector suffers a motherboard failure.

 

[KLGourley]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

thats why my pants have 2 pockets....good stuff in one pocket and junk in the other, guess which one the homeowner gets

Great answer! I like it!

 

[KLGourley]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

One way to do it is to make up an agreement, signed by both parties.

I did this many times, with a stipulation in the contract...the landowner gets the first keeper, I get the next, and so on.

On a serious note, I actually like this idea. Having a signed agreement is not a bad idea.
I've not yet hunted any private properties, but I have eye-balled some old homesites recently I would just love to hunt.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

KL, if you haven't read the other posts... Asking a property owner to start signing documents is a VERY quick way to get a "no". Just go and be honest. Ask if you can hunt thier property, say "thank you" and go hunt. If they never asked for a split, don't offer it. Take you finds and go home. If they asked for a split, be honest about it. If you have found a good spot and want to keep going back, prepare a small display of some older coins and relics to give to them as a way of saying thank you and showing them whats in the ground.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Jason, well said Handing a contract to a total stranger to sign, is the fastest way to get a "no". Now it would be different if THEY asked you to arrange a contract (because in that case, it's asked for). But otherwise, no contracts. They just conjur up legal implications, that you are about to go on their land, and be some sort of a dangerous nuisance, and thus "needed a contract" blah blah

 

[Goes4ever]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

KL, if you haven't read the other posts... Asking a property owner to start signing documents is a VERY quick way to get a "no". Just go and be honest. Ask if you can hunt thier property, say "thank you" and go hunt. If they never asked for a split, don't offer it. Take you finds and go home. If they asked for a split, be honest about it. If you have found a good spot and want to keep going back, prepare a small display of some older coins and relics to give to them as a way of saying thank you and showing them whats in the ground.

great advice!

 

[dogpound]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

agreed, i know if a total stranger knocked on my door askin me to sign anything i'd be slammin the door

 

[maipenrai]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Yeah, asking someone to sign a contract, 50/50 of everything you find on his property doesnt sound like a good deal to a property owner, and as I mentioned earlier, do you really know if he is the propety owner? Seems like a lot of legal issues coming up. If someone came to my house, with a contract, I would think he knows something that I dont know and wants half of it. I would go out and buy a detector and search my own property, and get 100%. Of course 100% of nothing isnt very much, but if its on my property, then its mine, and I wouldnt be accepting 50%.

Im sure there are more diplomatic ways of asking property owners, but shoving a contract into someones face is not the best way. I might ask someone that I knew or someone he knew, but wouldnt make a habit of it.

I remember high school days, when we would sit on a lawn near the school, and im sure, lost a lot of coins there, but since they always tried to run us off, I doubt they would be happy if I asked for permission to hunt for my coins!

 

[Noodle]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Get off your sanctimonious pedestal. Your "quote" never said anything about hiding things from the owner. If you show someone a ton of crap you dig out, they won't care much about a few dimes and pennies. If you show them a display off all the silver you've found in the past, they are going to want everything because they think that you are going to find hundreds of dollars in silver on thier property.

Personally, I'm fine with a 50/50 split. Half of something is better than all of nothing.

Noodle, I hope your detector suffers a motherboard failure.

Well, generally when you slip something into a pocket and don't show it to the owner, you're hiding something.

Jason, even though you sound a little bit paranoid, I wasn't addressing you in the first place. - Noodle

 

[Tnmountains]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

Boy this topic rears its ugly head all the time. I have been invited back and given other places to hunt by being honest. I enjoy sharing civil war bullets and such with landowners and we even make them shadow boxes on sites we hunt a lot that has good things. I have dug gold rings and silver and put it in a zip lock on the owners porch with a thank you just to have them call me and tell me to come get it all. They did not want it. I have never dug a renters yard. It is a good time to hit some old yards right now is the ones with the for sale signs in them. They could care less.

 

[freddy williams]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

when the homeowners act like that I give them the finds from the second hunt I tell them and everything from this first hunt is mine and the 3 is mine and 4 is theres. On your hunts keep your valuables in a seperate pouch just in case they renig I pull out 5 or 10 pennies and some clad money for them and never go back.... Most of the time they give it all to you if you are willing to give up all your finds. even suggesting 50 / 50 split and if they still insist for all of it, it's best to just move on even though the older neighbor hoods offer some really nice finds.... HH and good luck

 

[gleaner1]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

when the homeowners act like that I give them the finds from the second hunt I tell them and everything from this first hunt is mine and the 3 is mine and 4 is theres. On your hunts keep your valuables in a seperate pouch just in case they renig I pull out 5 or 10 pennies and some clad money for them and never go back.... Most of the time they give it all to you if you are willing to give up all your finds. even suggesting 50 / 50 split and if they still insist for all of it, it's best to just move on even though the older neighbor hoods offer some really nice finds.... HH and good luck

I love this crap. When the landowners act like what? Greedy? Like they own the stuff? Is that it? You know, when you say they act like that? Like that want all the crap? I see, you are being clever. I see! Frikkin brilliant! If they (the landowners) aren't very smart, and don't put too much thought into that and agree, you can fool 'em and get ALL the crap, can't ya? Your first hunt, all of the crap is yours as agreed (dummy landlord fell for that?), so dig to China. The second hunt, you don't dig the good sounds, you can sandbag the poor landowner. Now, on your third hunt, it's all yours again, so dig away! Next hunt, oops, nothing for big dummy Landowner slob. This deal is NOT GONNA HAPPEN, especially when the landowner wants to protect his property, you know, wants to "act like that". Nobody will fall for that crap.

 

[dnewbury2]

Re: Permission without them thinking it's theirs

The first place I hunted on the old guy said sure go ahead will split it 50-50,so I said sure,then when I got back with my/our treasures he said 80-20 and then when I protested he said 90-10 and I said here just take it and left.

If someone had treated me this way I would have flung everything back into the grass and told them to keep it all and to find it themselves again.