What is the recommended way to contacting a Private Property Owner?

I used to live in Cantaffordya..What I remember most is the number of NO TRESPASSING, KEEPOUT, POSTED, PATROLED BY ARMED GUARDS, GO AWAY, and a lot of other signs that all say if you trespass on this property there won't be a warning shot...Yes the "South" is more friendly Y'all

If you're going to stake out a house waiting for the owner to come home just sit in the rocking chair on their front porch with a 12 pack in a cooler on ice waiting for him/her to arrive. When they pull in the driveway just hand him/her a cold and and politely ask for permission. Hopefully they won't be gone too long or you may need to go on another beer run.

normx2 said:

I used to live in Cantaffordya..What I remember most is the number of NO TRESPASSING, KEEPOUT, POSTED, PATROLED BY ARMED GUARDS, GO AWAY, and a lot of other signs that all say if you trespass on this property there won't be a warning shot...Yes the "South" is more friendly Y'all

Click to expand...

*********************************************************

This is due to criminals, (and their schieyster lawyers), claiming that there wasn't a "No Trespassing" sign posted, so they had no reason to believe they couldn't violate the sanctity of some else's property and expect repercussions. Then the courts agree with them, opening up lawsuits against those that do take action to protect themselves and their loved ones. This leads to criminals getting to "steal" money, utilizing the courts, rather than stealing goods illegitimately and convert them to cash.
It's a damn shame that this is the world that we live in today, but to a certain extent, we have brought it upon ourselves, by allowing elected reps, judges, and law enforcement to dictate this kind of craap to us.

Just my P.O.'d 2-pence.....Roger

T-Man said:

If you're going to stake out a house waiting for the owner to come home just sit in the rocking chair on their front porch with a 12 pack in a cooler on ice waiting for him/her to arrive. When they pull in the driveway just hand him/her a cold and and politely ask for permission. Hopefully they won't be gone too long or you may need to go on another beer run.

Click to expand...

it's kool that you find humor in this! we all need a good laugh!
because if you are serious, you would probably get shot, and the morgue
would be called! just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.

Thanks for an honest response GS225, unfortunately the craziness is spreading..

Personal contact seems to be the best especially if the owners are already outdoors cutting grass or something...….…..

It would no doubt be illuminating if we could compare Tom's finds to those who are critical of his methods...just sayin'

Funny story about the "This is going to sound like a strange request," permission letters. They aren't a very effective way to get permission but I can't say I was totally shut out when I mailed a few.

When I first started detecting in 2008 I sent out about 10 of those letters to various properties that were close to me and on the county's historical register. The one success I had was when I drove by the house (not going out of my way, it was on a street I drove by often on my way home from work) and the owners just happened to be outside when I drove by. I stopped and introduced myself to the husband who turned to his wife and said "honey we decided we're ok with this guy detecting in the yard aren't we?" The house was built in 1908 and turned out to be my first killer old property and the owners really nice people. Earlier this spring, I found a lost bracelet for their now college aged son whose girlfriend had lost his gift to her in a park. He was one happy young man when I found it!

As for the other letters, there were three people who called to most emphatically tell me no. The rest didn't respond and the couple of ones that I followed up on were also a no.

Frosty said:

When you figure out who owns the property, what method do you guys recommend using to contact them? A letter or phone call? I feel like a letter would be less intrusive.

Click to expand...

Personal contact. People get enough unwanted calls/emails.