How to Ask Permission
The Key is Preparation
Asking permission to search a landowner's
property is essential. REMEMBER Every piece of land is owned by someone and
to trespass is illegal.
Laws on trespassing hold stiff penalties.
You could get arrested, Be fined, Loose your equipment, have legal fee's
and time off from work or even worst.
GET THE PICTURE
We suggest that if you really want to detect
a site GAIN PERMISSION FIRST.
Well, How do I ask? We will outline some simple steps you can take to increase your chances. The steps will be broken into three sections to make it easy.
Step One:
Making your own Detectorist cards.
Making your own cards is an excellent way to show a prospected land permission granter you are serious. Making cards is a simple affair. One can purchase inexpensive Software programs on the Internet or local Computer store designed to create your own detectorist cards. Another alternative is visit a local Printer. For around $30-$40 dollars you can have cards made for you. A small price to pay to detect virgin ground.
Example of card format
When you approach the front door of a house
of a land owner you introduce yourself and give the landowner your card.
"A card with information about you."
Things to include in your cards:
- Your Club Name or Affiliation( if you belong to any.)
- Your Name, Full Address, Telephone Number and e-mail address ( if you have one.)
- If you want you can include a simple saying such as: "I Find lost articles"
Good now we have our cards lets move on to Step Two
Step Two:
Making a simple script:
Taking a few minutes to write down what you would like to say to the land owner is sound advice, especially if you are not use to introducing yourself to strangers. Successful sales people always have a script that they follow.
Things to include in your script:
Hello, my name is(YOUR NAME HERE) I have been
driving by your home, farm, land, vacant lot, etc... every day to and from
work. I noticed that you are moving out, moving in etc.. Is the land owner
home?
( If you can obtain the true land
owner's name before hand you will be that far ahead.)
Metal Detecting is my hobby and I enjoy finding old coins and relics in the ground. I was wandering if you would mind if I searched you land today? Wait for reply...
(If the answer is
NO,
then thank the land owner for his or her time leave them with a copy of your
Detecorist card and tell them if they need help in locating a septic cover
or lost pipes feel free to give you a call.
If you or one of your family members lost
anything of value I would love to try to find it for you. I really enjoy
the challenge that metal detecting brings me of not knowing what I can find.
Metal detecting is way that I relax after being cooped up in work all week
long. I have spent many hours in practicing proper recovery techniques.
( Make a copy of Proper Recovery Methods
within our Web page and have a copy to the Land Owner so they can actually
see what you are talking about.)
I will not damage or leave holes in your lawn and will remove any trash that I find or dig. " If you get this far your chances of detecting on there property are pretty good". If you are granted permission do so immediately if time permits".
Some times the land owner's curiosity may
have them follow you around their property asking questions. Be polite and
answer the questions to the best of your ability. You may not be able to
do much detecting the first time out but, if you build up a repore with the
land owner the benefits are very rewarding. A land owner may ask You to find
a septic tank cover do so. Later if your lucky they might tell you some history
of the house or area. Take along an additional detector just in case the
land owner wants to check one out. Once you gain the land owner's trust he
or she may tell you about a relative or friends house to detect at.
Step Three:
Final Preparation "You"
Your appearance will ultimately be either an asset or a hindrance. If you take time to shave, wear clean clothes and pack all your equipment with you before hand you will be prepared. For example; I walk up to your house unshaven, Wearing dirty clothes, Wearing my dark sunglasses and knocking on your door what would you think?.
1.) You Don't answer the door hoping that
I will go away ?
2.) Talk to this stranger through my screen door suspicious of what he wants?
It is best to make eye contact with the land
owner from the start.
Folks you have only 10 seconds to make a good first impression make the most of it.
If you look non-threatening most folks will give you a couple of minutes. But, If you look like someone from the FBI'S top ten list? What would you do if someone was calling on you?
In certain instances you will want some sort
of compensation to search a land owners property. We strongly suggest both
parties sign a Contract or Agreement outlining exactly what both parties
expect in return. Finding a potential cache or lost article is one of the
best parts of metal detecting and everyone has Good intentions. Good intentions
are great But, In the real world people tend to become greedy. At the least
have the land owner sign a permission slip giving you permission to be on
their property for the purposes of using your metal detector and
equipment.
Please let us know what you think of our site, Your feedback is very helpful. Mail us at the Bottle Cap at the bottom of the page.
© 1998 OTMDA
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