I’ve been exploring something new lately.

Private Property.

For years I’ve been *mostly* limiting my detecting to the “easy” spots.  You know – public parks, schools and tot lots.  Sites that have been swung hard and hung up wet for the past 40 some-odd years.  But I read the forums.  I get foamy mouthed at posts about the old farmhouses, the turn of the century yards.  Hand fulls of old coins.

Last weekend I went freestyle knocking.  I drove to 6 private houses and walked to the door.  My heart pounded as I ran the script through my head while waiting for someone to answer the door.  Well, the first 4 houses NO ONE answered the door.  But let me tell you, it got easier to approach the door.

On the 5th house a nice lady answered the door.  I vaguely remember rattling something off about looking for a spot to metal detect, and that I would love the opportunity to search the yard.  Heck, I even offered to give her (are you sitting down?) EVERYTHING I found.  She told me that she didn’t own the land, but gave me the name of the man who did, and she told me where he lived.  She did tell me that he wasn’t available that day.  She was very nice and asked me for my name.  I nearly cursed myself for not introducing myself FIRST! (note to self…) .  I walked with my tail between my legs back to the car, but in hindsight it wasn’t bad at all.

I was determined at this point and decided to hit one more spot – an old bed and breakfast.  I figured at least someone would answer the door.  No such luck, and I struck out again.  So my time allocated to detecting was spent knocking, and I didn’t even get to swing the coil.  Still, the experience was invaluable.

I’m going to hit those spots again this weekend.  Maybe someone will be home.

So I’m asking you:  What’s your secret to getting permission to hunt private property?  Do you have a great opening line?  Is there a way of asking that seems to work better than others?  Is there something you NEVER say?  Do you offer to split the finds?  Ever offer to give ALL the finds?

Please share YOUR tips on gaining permission!

Hey folks.  I’m very thankful to my friend Bill Bertke for writing an awesome guest post regarding metal detecting and public property.  A lot of you may know Bill (Beetle662) from some of the detecting forums.  Well, Bill is also a police sergeant in the great state of Kentucky. 

In his post, Bill presents the topic of metal detecting and “public property” from the perspective of a police officer.    Again, thanks Sgt. Bertke for your time!

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Detecting and “Public Property”

Metal detectorists are always looking for new places to check out.  Private property seems to be the key to good finds, but gaining permission to privately owned property is not always easy, let alone granted.  So, we look for easy spots… spots we take for granted that we can hunt anytime.  School yards, playgrounds, and city and county parks.  But I ask you, have you asked for permission to hunt those? I’d be willing to bet most detectorists haven’t!

Here’s the deal.  All of that publicly owned property is governed.  Not by us, but by those we elect.  And those elected officials enact laws and ordinances that prohibit us from doing things that, in general, are not good for one reason or another.  They may have dedicated a street as being one way, or perhaps they regulate parking to only one side of street.  Those matters concern safety.  Do you know if your local government has enacted any laws or rules regarding detecting on public property?  You had better check, because the repercussions could range from a fine all the up to forfeiting your hunting equipment, and maybe even both!

So, if this is “public property”,  I have a God-given right as a tax-paying citizen to detect on it right?  WRONG!  Think about this.  “Public property” is actually owned by your city, county, state, or even federal government.  The “use” of that land is governed by that agency.  And that governing agency sets into place rules and regulations regarding the use of that land.  You couldn’t go build a new house in the middle of that city park you like so much.  What makes you think that being able to detect on that land should be any different?

Rule of thumb… check the ordinances and laws in your area to see if there are any on the books concerning metal detecting.  If you find out that there are laws, then abide by them.  If you don’t like them, do the right thing and petition the appropriate governing agency for a change.  And if there are no laws on the books about detecting that old 1800’s park you’ve been eyeballing over the winter, then you are free to go detecting!

What if there are laws that say I can’t detect there and I want to anyway? Don’t do it!  Fight for change, but fight in the council chambers.  Do your research.  Find out why there is a law in the first place.  Educate the governing agency about your hobby, stressing the positives as much as you possibly can.  Take some of your finds from other areas and show them how rewarding it can be.  Buddy up with a councilman/woman.  Get them on your side by showing them that when done properly, detecting is fun and brings no harm to the public property. Chances are that if there are laws regarding detecting on public property, they are there because of abuse by previous detectorists.  Don’t be a hindrance to future detectorists and cause laws to written because of your failure to fill your holes or leave your trash behind.  Treat public property as if it is your own.  Yes, you do have a stake in by being a taxpayer!  Don’t ruin it for the other taxpayers that want to hunt it too!

Bill Bertke

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Again, thanks “Beet”!  Comments are more than welcome…they’re encouraged!

The Metal Detecting Code of Ethics is a guide as to what you should and shouldn’t do when metal detecting.  It is printed in most metal detector operating manuals and plenty of sources online.  I’ve revised it a little bit to reflect some of my detecting do’s, don’ts, and pet peeves.

Here’s the iDetectorist.com Metal Detecting Code of Ethics

1. If in doubt, don’t.  If you’re not absolutely sure that you can legally detect somewhere, don’t detect there until you ARE sure.
2. If you have to keep looking over your shoulder while you’re detecting, you’re probably violating the first code.  That, or you should be there with a buddy and not by yourself.
3. Don’t take a shovel onto a park or school ground.
4. Don’t take a knife onto a school ground.
5. Dig your plugs the right size the first time.  A larger plug that gets the goodies is neater than a smaller plug that you have to make larger.
6. If the landowner asks what you found, show him.  Don’t have a secret pocket where you keep the really good stuff.
7. While you’re at it, show the landowner the trash also.
8. Sometimes it’s OK to leave it in the ground.  That ten food pipe doesn’t have to come out.
9. Don’t bust on the guy with a low cost detector.  All detectors are toys – the $150 one and the $1500 one.
10. Leave the place like you found it.  Go back later and assess your damage.  Hopefully there won’t be any.
11. Just dig up a piece of trash?  Don’t toss it into the bushes.
12. If you’ve dug a foot down and a food wide, and the detector is telling you it’s a coin 2 inches deep, its probably not a coin.  Get your back-hoe and move on.
13. Found a silver coin?  Don’t rub the dirt off.  Wait till you get home and soak it in water.

So there you have it.  Surely I left off a couple and that’s where you come in.  What would you add to the list?

Hey folks, a quickie today.

I’ve driven by this drive-in for years and never bothered to pursue permission to detect it. The place closed down in the 80’s after being open since the 50’s. I envisioned the place packed with classic Chevys, guys on dates with the friends hiding in the trunk (ok, before my time, by I’ve heard stories from my dad).

I’ve also imagined the TRASH that must be in a place like this. Old style pull-tab heaven. I’m thinking that narrow, slow sweeps, a small coil, and reduced sensitivity would be the way to go.

What’s your experience with old drive-ins? Ever detect them? Any luck? Any advice?

Permission.

You gotta have it to metal detect. Sure, we could discuss “public” property like parks, beaches, schools, and so forth. But I want to talk about those other places where we all want to be able to detect. The old houses. The fields. The churches.

Taking a slightly different approach, I’d like to ask the non-metal detecting landowner a question:

Would you let a stranger dig on your property?

You’re minding your own business and there’s a knock on the door. You open it up, and there’s a guy standing on your porch. He seems a little apprehensive, but he introduces himself and begins talking about his metal detecting hobby. He says he likes to look for things that people may have dropped over the years – coins and whatnot. All seems OK until he mentions digging. The grass isn’t exactly golf course quality, but it looks good. After he says that he’ll cover his holes he says that he’ll split whatever he finds.

How generous!

So Mr. Landowner, what do you say?

Now let me propose another question:

What would it take for you to let him metal detect on your property?

• I trust him.  I’ll give him permission!

Ah, the ultimate landowner – a detectorist’s dream.  This is the landowner that gives permission without any discussion of giving over or even sharing finds.

• Go ahead and detect, but I need a cut of the finds.

There might be some valuable objects in my dirt!  Before he goes you’ll need to see what popped up in case you want to keep some of it.

• Have at it, but we’re going to split the finds!

You’ll check on him every once in a while to see what he’s found, and before he leaves you’ll divvy-up the finds.

• The only way he gets to detect my land is if I keep ALL of the finds!

It’s your’s anyway!  He can have fun detecting.  Take pictures if he wants.  But anything found is your’s!

• Get outta my yard!

Nope.  You can’t metal detect here.  You don’t want some stranger walking around your house, digging holes and scaring the kids!

Ok, now that we’ve covered the “traditional” method of gaining permission (or getting turned down), let me offer an alternative:

Mr. Landowner, what if you were PAID to allow someone to metal detect your yard?

It’s your yard.  You’re letting someone dig some holes, enjoy themselves, and maybe even have some financial gain if they find something valuable.  There’s nothing wrong with asking “What’s in it for me”?

So what if the guy on the porch said “I’m looking for some good new places to metal detect.  Some of my research suggests that there could be some interesting history involved with your property.  Would you allow me to metal detect your property and keep anything I find if I paid you $10 an hour?

How likely would you be to grant permission then?

Detectorists…what do you think about this?  Would you be willing to pay someone in order to metal detect their property and keep anything you find?  If it was a place with awesome potential I sure would!  Think of similar “pay to play” pastimes – golfers, for example, happily pay similar amounts for a few hours on the links.

So landowners, what do you think?  Under what condition would you allow someone to metal detect your property?

Detectorists, what would you be willing to do to gain permission to metal detect private property?

Comments please!