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Private property: trouble getting permission

DenverPio

Junior Member
Joined
May 8, 2016
Messages
40
Location
Denver, CO
Hi all, I'm a first-time poster and relatively new to the hobby. I'm posting here to get some tips and advice about detecting on private land.

Backstory: I love detecting in old Colorado ghost towns and have done extensive research on these forgotten places. The problem is that many of them are owned in a "patchwork" of sorts; some parcels are Forest Service, others BLM, some private, etc. Coloradans are VERY concerned about privacy and property rights, so I don't want to detect on someone's land without prior permission. Many of the landowners in these towns are out-of-staters who don't live in Colorado or near the sites, so the only way of reaching them is by letter.

I've written probably two dozen letters to these property owners (sent over 6 weeks ago) with only two responses: One "No" and one big, fat, "NO!".

Any tips to accessing this private land? It's a shame to me that so much of our state's rich history is locked away in the ground behind barbed wire and "No Trespassing" signs.

Thanks all!
 
First sounds like your doing the research , keep writing and asking , hope you get some positive response 's . Don't feel cheated that what seems important to you is not for the land owners at this time . Chances are someone else will discover all the hidden treasures as the land passes hands , nothing getting wasted .
HH
 
A couple thoughts:

Maybe try altering the content of the letter? I don't know exactly what or how you are asking but there might be a better way of wording the question so that the owner feels more comfortable about letting you on their land.

I would maybe try to focus on finding local land owners that you could talk to in person. I think you'd have a higher success rate that way, if you can find anyone local that is.

Lastly, don't give up. Keep trying and you're bound to have at least one "Yes". It might take a while, but persistence is usually rewarded in the end.
 
Thats a tough one...getting permission via letter and not 'face to face'...
I know some ranchers out West charged a 'trespass fee' for anybody that wanted to recreate/hunt on their property....It was generally $100 back in the late 80's, and intended for Deer/Elk/Antelope hunters....

I could imagine myself striking up a relationship with an Out of State Landowner as a local 'Property Mgr' of sorts...somebody that walks their fences occasionally and keeps an eye on their place even? Makes them aware of any situations or foolishness, runs off trespassers etc...Maintains the gate and signage...

Even charge THEM a fee for this service! Write a report and submit pictures to them a few times/yr even...

If I was an Out of state property owner, I'd want to have a local keeping an eye on my place and would pay for this service...This may be an angle to try...do a great write up introduction with pictures of yourself and 'letters of Marque' so to speak...

Mud
 
Ha-ha-ha your post made me laugh. I tried writing letters to, but I was flabbergasted by how some people were offended by it, and they responded very aggressively and angrily, I guess they think we are trying to steal something from them.

I would just call them and say you want to detect the property (don't even give a reason why, just say you want to "use your metal detector on their property") and if you find anything valuable they can have it. Worst you will get is a no.
 
I don't know how your letters were wrote, or their contents, but I would make sure that they included the club/organization you belong to, and press the "saving state history" looking for artifacts that pertain to history, etc. etc. stay away from talking about valuables. Now there has been alot of negative press about detectorists with all these detecting shows making us all look like greedy clowns just out after treasure. It is going to be hard to get around that in a letter. Much easier to do it in person. honestly in your area it is going to be real tough, with the absentee landowners, and the fact that most of them are considering their land their retirement homes, and don't want it messed with except by themselves. see you are asking permission to hunt their dreams and their goals. gonna get alot of no's as knee jerk reactions. remember alot of these are city folk(no offence to anyone) that think about land differently than most country people do. thery seem to have a more "it's mine, stay the heck away" attitude vs. a more country attitude of "yeah, knock yourself out" attitude. this is just my personal experience.
 
I have hunted many private properties, and have found that letters/phone calls have not worked. Face to face gets me in better than 4 out of 5 times.
 
I have hunted many private properties, and have found that letters/phone calls have not worked. Face to face gets me in better than 4 out of 5 times.

Exactly!

There's a small church less than a mile from my house. It was a 1 room church that in the early 1920's was moved from it's original location around the corner to where it sits now and attached to a one room school already on the site.

The preacher is only there on Sunday for services and for an hour or so midday on Wednesday or something so I haven't been able to speak to her face to face. A few weeks ago I finally sent her an email asking permission. She responded that she had to forward my request "the Board" who would get back to me the next week.

The next week while I was waiting for a response I met an older (retiree) MDist and while we were talking he mentioned that he had permission to detect that same church. As it turns out he had just by chance, caught her at the church and asked for permission. She granted him permission on the spot without having to check with "the Board". :ohwell:

It's a small churchyard so I've backed off to give him time to hunt it for a while. I'll check into it again in the fall but it'll be face to face next time.
 
I'm sure the out of state landowners have a local landowner or a renter that watches over the property. Just have to ask around the area, somebody knows.
 
Thanks for all of the help, folks. I received another rejection letter in the mail yesterday, but I'm not giving up! The owners who haven't yet responded will be written or called again.
 
Thanks for all of the help, folks. I received another rejection letter in the mail yesterday, but I'm not giving up! The owners who haven't yet responded will be written or called again.

Send me a copy of your letter I am sure I can help you with your wording. I have excellent luck sending letters through the mail as well as emails... it's all in how you word things and words you do and don't say
 
I agree that face to face is the best way. Letters are too one-sided and once they're sent, you can't change them. Let them meet you in person, see how professional you are, how you dress, etc. Being in person will let you tailor your request to the individual, instead of the same letter to 10 -20 individuals. Something I try to do is offer to help them somehow, whether it's picking up litter, or some chore that's easy but appreciated. Don't get discouraged. Curt
 
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