When knocking on doors

[HuntNdig]

I have only done this a couple times but what is your approach when asking permission to hunt someones yard? The first guy had seen me in the area around town and when i walked up to him in his garage he already knew what i was going to ask so it was pretty easy. The second time a woman had been watching me hunt an abandon house and "invited" me and a friend to hunt her yard, so there was no real asking involved i guess. There are several houses in my town that i am dying to hunt and looking for a good approach.

 

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[fistfulladirt]

Here's my approach:

"Hi, I'm ------, my hobby is ------, would you mind if I scanned your yard with my detector?"

Anything more is just overkill.

Keep it short and simple.

That's it ... gets me in 9 times out of 10.

 

[ivan salis]

look clean and neat , be polite -- and keep it simple -- hi my name is ----, my hobby is metal detecting and if its ok with you I'd like to detect your yard.

remember you will get some no's but you will get some yes's too --but if you do not ask the "answer" is always "no" ---so you can only improve your chances by asking and if they say "no" move on to the next one --that way you know which places to focus your research energy on . (the ones you got the "ok" to hunt on . )

 

[HuntNdig]

Thanks!

 

[Placer1]

Always be polite, approachable, and take your sunglasses off before knock on the door

 

[deathhare]

I usually wear a black hoodie and some dark sunglasses. Some black leather gloves to hide my dirty, digging-fingernails and go to the backdoor or just knock on one of the side windows.
Typically like to go after 10pm to be sure to catch them at home so to most likely get a yes answer to hunt their yard.

If they say no I usually tell them where they can stick their relics and stomp off. Of course not without a few hand gestures from the road to make myself clear.
If they say yes, me and the boys show up Sunday morning with the shovels, backhoe and Bobcat and get busy in their front yard.




Seriously though...use your sense and think how you might feel if someone strange came to your door nowadays to ask to do something strange (to most people) in their yard.
Essentially, be the person they want you to be and you'll probably get a yes.

 

[fistfulladirt]

I usually wear a black hoodie and some dark sunglasses. Some black leather gloves to hide my dirty, digging-fingernails and go to the backdoor or just knock on one of the side windows.
Typically like to go after 10pm to be sure to catch them at home so to most likely get a yes answer to hunt their yard.

If they say no I usually tell them where they can stick their relics and stomp off. Of course not without a few hand gestures from the road to make myself clear.
If they say yes, me and the boys show up Sunday morning with the shovels, backhoe and Bobcat and get busy in their front yard.




Seriously though...use your sense and think how you might feel if someone strange came to your door nowadays to ask to do something strange (to most people) in their yard.
Essentially, be the person they want you to be and you'll probably get a yes.

Nominated for best of: when knocking on doors

 

[HuntNdig]

thanks for the "turning the tables" point of view. I haven't thought of it that way and sure does bring some light to the situation!

 

[Viddy]

I have a Etrac and a F2 as my back-up. I take them both up to the front door. When the curious looks start, I simply offer the F2 to the property owner to participate in. "sir, I also have a top of the line machine that is turn-&-go that you might have fun using and also find some great things". The 'F2 offer' does a few things...
#1 it puts him on a more comfortable level, like 'hey I can do that too!' (curiosity becomes personal for him)
#2 it's a little easier if finding things. he keeps his, you keep yours. no pressure with property rights.
#3 they might just suggest a 'hey, lets go over to my neighbors also. I'll go tell him what we are doing!' (new hot-spots!)

I also take an extra digger (my old one after I upgraded to my Lesche) for him/her to use. It's amazing how good networking gets rolling...LOL

 

[pennyfarmer]

My and a friend like to drive around town and look for people working in their yards. If they are about to re-plant the yard we get out and ask. We also like to approach someone in the yard so that we are not intimidating by knocking on their door. If the approach is casual in the yard the chances go up.

I have had some real good experiences this way.

 

[HuntNdig]

My and a friend like to drive around town and look for people working in their yards. If they are about to re-plant the yard we get out and ask. We also like to approach someone in the yard so that we are not intimidating by knocking on their door. If the approach is casual in the yard the chances go up.

I have had some real good experiences this way.

this was how my second offer was given. We were hunting an abandon house and the lady next door to it was doing yard work. She came over and wanted to see our finds, then offered to hunt her yard!

 

[Produce Guy]

I went to a Heritage festival awhile back and asked a couple of the older people there about the town and how long they lived in their houses and if anybody has ever swung a coil over their yard.Their first respond is usually,what is a coil ? after you tell them,you can kind of tell them what you might find,and if it's a ring or something of value to them,then you can give it back to them.Some don't want you digging up their lawns and others have told me,go right ahead,will split it 50/50.
You might even make somekind of business card and just give it to them.

 

[HuntNdig]

another great idea, thanks!

 

[deathhare]

What do you guys do when its a building that is not occupied and there appears to be no way of contacting an owner?
I have an old medical building that I want to hunt the yard of but the place is closed down and appears to have been closed for many many years. The place is totally run down.
From my research, this could be a prime CW relic spot so I really want to hunt it.

Any ideas? My first idea is to show up at 7am on a Sunday morning and just hunt it but I'm open to your suggestions.

 

[HuntNdig]

if its not fenced it or there are not any no trespassing signs and there is absolutely no way to contact anyone to get permission, i would probably hunt it early one morning anyways. In no way an i saying break the law or any of that, but if its in the poor condition like you say its in, nobody is probably going to care anyways. I have come across a few places here that are like that and found out the land is for sale for commercial use. I have hunted them without anyone saying anything.

 

[shack24]

Deathhare: your post along with your profile picture gave me some much needed laughs tonight. Thanks

Having been a Mormon missionary for 2 years, knocking on doors or talking to random people I don't know seems to come pretty natural.

There are a few things I have observed that have helped me get a yes every time (except once)

One of the first things I do when I introduce myself is add in there that I am the new Spanish teacher at the local high school. I have noticed when I say that, the uneasiness I see in their eyes just seems to goes away. Make it clear that you belong to the community in some way. Even if you are in a different town this still helps them feel more comfortable knowing you are established and respectable.
Someone mentioned having a business card. This is also good because when the homeowners sees that they know that you aren't going to tear up their lawn and then just disappear, never to be seen again and with no way to find you.

Finally, network it! When you are wrapping a place up and thanking the owner, ask them if they know any other places that might be good to hunt. Often times they will tell you of another home, or lot where an old home used to stand, etc. This is also good because when you show up at the next place you already have a reference to back you up, someone who they already know and trust.

Best of luck and HH!

 

[deathhare]

Deathhare: your post along with your profile picture gave me some much needed laughs tonight. Thanks

Glad to help a fellow Tennessean.

 

[Killer Angel]

I'm a salesman so asking for the close is no biggie. You can't score without taking shots on goal.

I haven't gone door knocking yet, but might try it for a few properties in areas of interest. It can't be harder than what I do for a living.

Lastly, some good appraoches here. Simple, honest, and straight forward.