The key to getting permission... How do you ask?

[SteveOnTheHunt]

Hi...New to MD'ing and have a few questions on getting permission for private property.

What do you say? Do you offer a portion of finds?

Also..

How do you gain permission to detect on beaches? Or do you even need it.

Sorry if these questions seem a bit stupid, but a teacher once told me there are no stupid questions. =)

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

On private property, not necessary to offer a split of your finds, in my opinion (unless they say so, of course). Because to conjur up images that you are going to find something valuable of theirs might just work against you. I usually just say "you're welcome to anything I find", but I have YET to have someone take anything, even when showing them the coins at the end. Or simply, I will put coins, doo-dads, etc... in their hand (if the subject even comes up to begin with, but it usually doesn't).

The tactics to getting on to private land, vary with the type site and type person you're talking to. I mean, are you talking about the well-manicured lawn of an old house? A cow pasture with thousands of acres where you heard a stage stop was in the middle of nowhere? Are you talking about a coorporate concern (ag fields owned by nameless faceless entities, etc..) or grandma buffalos vacant lot? So you gotta be more specific. But generally, I find that posing as a "history buff" works good. (rather than "I wanna metal detect"). If you volunteer in local historical societies, or docent activities, name-dropping opens a lot of doors

As for public beaches, you don't need to "ask permission", anymore than you would need to "ask permission" to play frisbee, drink from the fountain, etc.... Unless it's specifically dis-allowed, just go. (be discreet of course, don't be a nuisance, don't be in the middle of holes when busy-bodies are watching, etc...).

 

[Willee]

If you have access to a sandy beach ... THAT is where you should be hunting for now.
You will need a long handled beach scoop but the beach is where you should be to learn your new detector.
Leave your pin pointer probe at home as you wont need it there.
Hunt early mornings or evenings when the beach is less crowded.
Always fill in any little hole you make ... yes even in the sandy beach ... no that kid digging a 5 foot hole with a plastic shovel dont matter cause he wont get banned for doing it.
It wont take you long on the beach to learn the basic skill required to use your detector elsewhere.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Tom in CA pretty much covered it.

You don't have to mention splitting finds, if they don't bring it up first.

Heck who knows if you talk to them, they might offer new sites as well.
Especially elderly people enjoy a good chat, not just about history but generally.

History interested person makes on some a better impression then if you say you're a metal detectorist.
However they can feel a bit fooled when you then bring your detector along.

 

[sniffer]

NEVER, EVER, call them on the phone, always talk to them face to face, so they know exactly what kind of person wants access to his property

 

[mlayers]

I talk to people at work and tell them about detecting and show them some of my finds. Tell them you are looking for older properties to detected and looking for older places where people gather. Be surprise how many will tell you that you can detect their place or tell you about places that they know about. Try it talk to them for a while at different times for the next month or so and then see about lining up places for the fall and winter. Good luck.....Matt