The Key To Gaining Permission

In this great hobby of ours, there's a key element that plays a deciding factor in being successful. Everyone can be successful and find great stuff, but in order to find great stuff there is a price to pay. This price is "obtaining permission".

 To many obtaining permission isn't an easy task. Lets face it, not everyone is a salesman, and some aren't the out spoken type. The way I see it, and I hope others will set back and really think about this, you only live once, if you don't ask, somebody else will follow behind you and will. I have found through my years of asking for permission, most folks are decent people. Its always a good thing to know the fellas name before walking up to the door and introducing yourself. Why? well, first off, this fella you just called by name gets the first impression your either a local which makes him more comfortable, or you know somebody that knows him.

It is high priority to make the land owner comfortable when first approaching. Always look the man or lady in the eyes. No eye contact makes land owners very uneasy. Couple of other pointers, dress decent, clean shaven, and well groomed. Just put yourself in their shoes and what they are looking at. First impressions play a huge roll right off the bat. Its also a great idea to ask the land owner if he knows some of the locals that you know, this helps carry conversation and you never know he might think highly of this person, if not, which I have run into this before just play along with his feelings towards this person, but don't dwell on it, make a salesman's move and skip to another subject without breaking stride. 

I'm always up front with land owners in what I'm searching for. Believe it or not, land owners are just as interested as you are for the most part. Many times I have told the land owners there's a civil war camp on their property. There first response is "really"? With this said it gives you a lead to follow up with some of the history. Another key element is putting the guilt treatment on the land owner to say yes. Now this may sound crazy but it can be done and works. For instance, you have been reading on the activity in your area for a long time. Maybe not on this particular piece of property, but in general the area and time frame. You have also been searching in the area for old sites, this isn't the first piece of property you have looked, so a key line is, "I've been looking for this place for 3 years now and I know I'm getting close. I also will say this right afterwards, "It may not be here, and if its not, I have just eliminated this property and can move on". What this does to a land owner is, one, he knows you have been searching for this site for years now, and saying NO will make him look like a horses butt, which he probably isn't. Secondly, you told him "it might not be here" which leads him to believe this might not take long so what's the harm. This also builds curiosity with a land owner. 

I also tell the land owner if its there, this is what we will find. At this point and time I show him a small sampling of the GOOD stuff I have found at other sites. Don't show him a bunch of junk, whoop out the great stuff. Many times land owners have looked at the stuff and said, "this could be out there"? or "what is this, or that thing," This leads to more conversation. Throw some humor into the conversation by telling a story about one of your previous hunting trips. Laughing, smiling, and showing confidence is a must.

 It is crucial to take along some of your cool relics to show a new land owner, you would be surprised at their reactions to this stuff. Many have never seen this stuff before, and with you telling them this could be out there, it makes them even more curious, plus, it shows your an honest person and have nothing to hide. Now this guy feels a little more at ease with you being a stranger. It also helps to incorporate a little about yourself here and there. I always offer the land owner what ever I find. Most just say they just want to see it, and some could careless. Old coins are good to show. There's something about the money that really catches their eye versus the relics. I guess its the way our society revolves. 

Once permission is granted lets say, there's one key line every land owner wants to hear come from your mouth. This should be the first thing you say once he says okay. "I will never come here without contacting you first and making sure its okay to return". That one line will be the most important line you could ever say. This property is their land which they take pride in. They don't want it abused, taken advantage of, and they want you to respect it.

Being shy, timid, or scared has no role in being successful in any type of hunting. Most great sites are on private property, and we must be the salesman to get permission to get on there. Its always a good thing to tell the land owner your leaving for the day when finished. This shows respect which the land owner wants. If the site pans out, there's only one way to protect for future hunts. Show the guy some of what you found. This shows the land owner its there, and your honest. Most think your going to find gold, well we know the chances of that. I always offer my seated coins to the land owner. I tell them I'm not interested in the coins. Now we are back on the money issue which most think old coins are worth a lot because they are old. I tell them I'm only interested in the relics. I always give eagle buttons and bullets to the land owner. Heck, most have never seen an eagle button. Take the time to explain just what it is. 

Being successful does have a price, its the price of selling ones self. Success doesn't come over night, if you fail, try again. If you don't, somebody else will, and what might have been yours, will be somebody else's. How many times do we live? once. 

Texasrebel