Getting permission.

RIdirtdigger

RIdirtdigger

New member
I seem to have a fear of asking permission to detect to strangers. Does anyone else have/had this fear and how did they get over it?
 
I think am nervous everytime but the first two times I door knocked I got big fat NOs but I think that actually helped cause now all I tell myself the worst that can happen is they say no lol after that ive not been turned down the last 3 times asking......I think its the best way to hunt I like hunting parks but nothing beats a good old permission GL hopefully you can beat the nerves and get some permissions :cool:
 
I hate it too, my wife knows when I'm headed out to ask permission...she says, "I see you have your wooing clothes on." :lol:
I rehearse my lines right up until I say hello.
 
It was hard for me at first. I didn't think anyone would say yes. My son finally talked me into it. At our first door knock we got a yes and a Barber Dime.
Since then, we door knock a lot. Believe it or not, most people say yes. Once you start finding good coins on a regular basis, door knocking becomes very easy. You just have to be respectful of their property and dig clean plugs.
Like Nesdore said, the worst that can happen is they say No. ( Almost always politely )
Good Luck
 
You find some great stuff RI, why doorknock? :lol:

I'm almost 46, and haven't gone knocking on doors since Halloween back in the early 80's. Between getting used to detecting, and getting good at lawn surgery, I didn't try my 1'st doorknock until recently. #1 was a success with a Barber dime for me, and 1859 IH for Lee. That one was the homeowner outside. My 2 other attempts were fails. 1 actual knock, and the other a phone call.

Unless I want to spend my 2'nd season mostly in soccer fields and parks (I don't), or suddenly figure out how guys like Todd & Dave find holes out in the woods, it's time to grow a pair and get some permissions. I'm more comfortable with catching people outside, but maybe that's demographics. Yankees can be cranky. Seems like mid-western folk are friendlier and more laid back.
VistaPrint had good Cyber Monday deals, so I had 250 2-sided detecting business cards done up and delivered for $20. Thanks Skamaniac for the the assist. If I'm knocking, at least I'd like to leave a foot in the door behind. Or even tack a few up at the local breakfast nooks. This area is ripe for knocking. Hopefully age plays a part too.

Danhughes also has some good blogs at thetreasurecorner.com that addresses permission. I haven't dug through all of them yet (sorry Dan, not cold enough yet ;) ), but will soon.
 
I haven't been a door knocker but I gladly approach people when they are outside. I regularly drive by homes that I would like to hunt and if I see someone outside I stop to visit. Walking up to the home while they can see you approach gives them a couple of minutes to analyze me and see that I have a smile and am no threat. Ive only been told no one time but still spent over an hour visiting with the owner about the history of their home.
If you are nervous about door knocking, try approaching someone who is outside the home to build confidence.

Ron
 
RIdirtdigger said:
I seem to have a fear of asking permission to detect to strangers. Does anyone else have/had this fear and how did they get over it?
Click to expand...

You have no reason to fear anything. I routinely ask for permissions and have to do it in foreign languages (German and Croatian). I have only run into two buttheads, a German woman and a Bosnian man, both of whom tried to run me off of public beaches where metal detecting is permitted!
 
I use the GIS system and find the homeowners of the land I want to hunt. I will call them if the owner
does not life in the location. I tell them about who I am and what I do and I get permission about 50 percent of the time. In person I knock, how are you doing? I am enjoy metal detecting and like to hunt for coins. I have no interest in Artifacts so any I find I will give to you if you want them. If they say no you can say I will let you see everything that I found. If there is any item you want you can have it just let me take a picture first. It is better than not hunting at all. I tell the homeowner if I find a big treasure I will split the value with them. It is better to hunt with permission, than illegal or not at all.
 
There's still a bit of nervousness everytime I drive up to a house, but I have learned to cope a bit. Just learn what to say and what not to say. Obvi don't bring up splitting finds unless they say something like "what do I get out of it?". Don't tell them anything about digging unless they are worried about their lawn, and assure them that you will cut a plug so it will be as neat as possible. I'm not saying to deceive in any way, but the more things you bring up on your own will yield greater chance of being denied. I wouldn't say I am looking for treasure. In all reality no one knows what they will find before they get to the property. Sometimes tho it helps to have someone with you. I have seen a better reaction showing up with a second person with me. Having someone there might help with the fear. Still, a no is the worst you will get. Just shrug it off if they ever give you a snotty attitude like my #2 asking the last warm day we had. It's always best to have a few places to ask and/or a nearby park for the chance you do get a no from all permission spots.

I too use the GIS like nalc to see where the owner lives and if it's town property. I have found quite a few unoccupied houses that are prime to hunt, mostly older than 1800. Bri, I use a few resources to find whatever cellar holes I have found. They aren't the easiest to come by, especially since I focus on a small area of CT whilst Todd and Dave and Dan look at the whole state. The place we all went recently was actually a park.... but not a town I researched about.
 
Hobby cards seem to work well for me. Just today I left a card for a business owner so she could call me when my item was ready. Without me asking at all, when I returned to pick the item up she invited me to search the lot around her business any time. There's a thread on this site someplace about business (hobby) cards. It seems to lend credibility because you list your contact info. And if they say no you just move on. Like anything else, it gets easier.
 
A person gave me permission to hunt 2 homes they own and a vacant lot that a house burned down 2 years ago. I gave them a silver
half dollar from my coin collection as thnks. I found one large cent dated 184? but it was worth it to me. The half dollar was from
my coin collection and not from MDing.
 
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