Private ranch hunting in Sonoran Desert

[Tucson Dan]

I introduced myself to, met with, and asked the owner of a very old ranch (turned dude ranch resort) if I could hunt on his property for whatever relic I could find. The offer up front was that he could keep anything I found and that it would be cool to have it in his lobby for guests to see. He accepted and I spent a few hours digging around the hundred year old buildings. Lots of unidentifiable ferrous stuff found so far as well as one '44 wheatie. I have dig permission for all 3000 acres whenever I want to come out and there is no end date. I just want to find relics and what a cool way to do it. Anyone do this type of offer with property owners?

 

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[austin]

Used to do it all the time here in San Antonio when I was younger. Found some old spanish stuff, coins, more recent artifacts. Had a great time, got introduced to other ranchers whose property contained parts of the old Camino Real, Texas Ranger camps. Made a lot of friends back then who ended up showing me native american campsites, mounds, points. You are doing the right thing by helping them out. They will spread the word and you will be surprised how much fun you will have. I had summers and weekends off and got lunch, dinner invites, hunting and fishing invites and got shown a couple of old mines too. Just enjoy, smile and be polite. You are in an area rich in history, dry enough to preserve things and, who knows, you may even find that iron door...

 

[Tucson Dan]

I am really looking forward to the possibility of finding some interesting pieces out there. It's also only a few miles from my house.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Yes, I always say something like "you're welcome to anything I find, as it's just a hobby". Because even though we md'rs think we should get 50% (or whatever), yet that kind of talk about how you're going to go carting off their stuff, (even if just a percent) often-time just meets with resistance. Or conjurs up images that you expect to hit something big (cache or whatever). So I always just start off with saying "you get all/anything you want".

I know this sounds crazy, because, afterall , why the heck detect, if you don't get one red cent? Because my experience is NEVER does someone truly take everything. They may say they want it all, when you start, but invariably, when you show back up at their door with a variety of things (be sure to show them lots of pulltabs), they chuckle and say "keep it". And if I find something I want, I'm sure to show them some shiny mercs, a buffalo, etc... but if there's a trade token or whatever, I'll say "this is one I don't have in my collection, can I hold this one out?". And usually property owners are never so cold to truly send you packing with nothing.

An exception would be historic monuments, where .... yes .... you'd give everything for the on-site museum.

 

[Tucson Dan]

Yes, I always say something like "you're welcome to anything I find, as it's just a hobby". Because even though we md'rs think we should get 50% (or whatever), yet that kind of talk about how you're going to go carting off their stuff, (even if just a percent) often-time just meets with resistance. Or conjurs up images that you expect to hit something big (cache or whatever). So I always just start off with saying "you get all/anything you want".

I know this sounds crazy, because, afterall , why the heck detect, if you don't get one red cent? Because my experience is NEVER does someone truly take everything. They may say they want it all, when you start, but invariably, when you show back up at their door with a variety of things (be sure to show them lots of pulltabs), they chuckle and say "keep it". And if I find something I want, I'm sure to show them some shiny mercs, a buffalo, etc... but if there's a trade token or whatever, I'll say "this is one I don't have in my collection, can I hold this one out?". And usually property owners are SO cold to truly send you packing with nothing.

An exception would be historic monuments, where .... yes .... you'd give everything for the on-site museum.

Very well said. I think he'll let me keep a lot in the long run.