What's your permission granted success ratio?

[Chriskend]

Ask you permission owners if they get on with the farms around them, farmers mostly go by what their farming friends think of you. Works every time, and the fact every Christmas I do the rounds with a boot full of whiskey…. Always helps ..just costs me a few bob in bottles once a year.

[Ollie K]

Cold calling- 0%
Family, friends or work connections- 100%
Personally it's that black and white!

[paul50]

my success rate is rubbish,very hard going getting permissions,ive come to the conclusion,its not what you know but who you know,really does my head in,worst part of the hobby but i will keep on asking when the oppurtunity arises

[carlburt78]

For me it's 100% and that's because I was a delivery driver for 10 years in the same rural area , I got talking to my customers who were farmers and built up a relationship with them and then one day ask if I could detect the land , the benefits of being a courier in the area is I could see whether the fields were in crop , harvested, or ploughed ect whilst driving around. I have recently left this job but I'm still in contact

[dondo]

I started detecting in public parks in Birmingham few people were metal detecting in the 1970s, by the 80s i had moved to a rural location my kids went to school with the children of farmers so got to speak to a lot of them but the real stroke of luck was asking the lady from a local dairy farm that delivered our milk who said yes, went to the next farm asking for permission telling them (her name) had given me permission and so on i ended up with the land either side of the road for about 3 miles, I've not visited some of them for a few years so don't know if i still have permission I've recently moved house so will be seeking new permission, I'll let you know how I get on.

[Captaindan]

Hi All,
I have run my own bearings and hydraulics company for the last 35 years, so deal a lot with farmers. It puts me in a very lucky position with permissions and have almost a backlog of people saying I should go to theirs. Never been refused ( so far )
I know how lucky I am when so many struggle, but cultivate a relationship and if you treat people well one thing leads to another, especially as they realise you will treat the land with respect, just ask for a single field - anything,, once you get one, include them with your finds and have a giggle, they are only folk just like us,

Dan

PS. Perhaps if members of this forum put their town on their account for folk to see, others in the same area could offer to share or introduce to certain permissions already gained.

[paul50]

good idea that captaindan,be nice if people would share there permissions if possible,some people have loads of land and would help a great deal of detectorists who have nothing could have a day here and there

[Bradrick]

good idea that captaindan,be nice if people would share there permissions if possible,some people have loads of land and would help a great deal of detectorists who have nothing could have a day here and there

People often obtain a permission purely because they are known to the landowner, and don't want to risk losing their permission by asking the landowner for another favour. Two of my landowners would definitely not give permission to anyone else.

[EsoxGold]

I have asked twice and got 2 yes , I like to go on group digs around leicestershire, warwickshire, northamptonshire ,cambridgeshire and norfolk. I always search group digs in these areas , I love going there and travelling around the country as research gives you a better chance of the older finds.

[buster76]

I suppose I've been lucky but I'm three for three however I will point out that I have set my bar very low, knowing that I'm not going to find anything outstanding on these permissions but more to gain experience and potential more permission from surrounding land.

First permission 29 acres of former pasture but now public accessible land
Second permission 1 acre of paddock that is 1 in 3 gradient
Third permission (only just got acquired) not sure of how many acres yet but has been detected several times before.

[KevinB]

I suppose I've been lucky but I'm three for three however I will point out that I have set my bar very low, knowing that I'm not going to find anything outstanding on these permissions but more to gain experience and potential more permission from surrounding land.

First permission 29 acres of former pasture but now public accessible land
Second permission 1 acre of paddock that is 1 in 3 gradient
Third permission (only just got acquired) not sure of how many acres yet but has been detected several times before.

How bad is that?? Plus more possibilities. Sounds good to me.... When you least expect that is often when you get a nice surprise.....You will get a few bits for sure. Good luck....

[buster76]

How bad is that?? Plus more possibilities. Sounds good to me.... When you least expect that is often when you get a nice surprise.....You will get a few bits for sure. Good luck....

Thanks Kevin, anything other than cast iron, moo tubes and general junk is a bonus

[Montana]

Here in my state of Missouri in the US, the public parks and those types of areas are pretty much hunted out, so I try to hunt the front yards of homes by going to the door and knocking. If i get an immediate no or hesitation, I tell them I will split with them in clad coins what I find or offer them two dolllars for the permission, an amount I tell them more than not is more than the trash and common coinage I find in most yards. I tell them also the usual about care not to dig holes and so forth. I also judge the possibilities by the appearance of the house, and look for less than well taken care of yards or homes, for obious reasons. In other words, when my offer works, I consider it a small amount to pay for the fun no matter what I find. Just a suggestion for consideration. Stay well and good hunting.

[KevinB]

Here in my state of Missouri in the US, the public parks and those types of areas are pretty much hunted out, so I try to hunt the front yards of homes by going to the door and knocking. If i get an immediate no or hesitation, I tell them I will split with them in clad coins what I find or offer them two dolllars for the permission, an amount I tell them more than not is more than the trash and common coinage I find in most yards. I tell them also the usual about care not to dig holes and so forth. I also judge the possibilities by the appearance of the house, and look for less than well taken care of yards or homes, for obious reasons. In other words, when my offer works, I consider it a small amount to pay for the fun no matter what I find. Just a suggestion for consideration. Stay well and good hunting.

I like the sound of that it sounds a great idea if you can make it work and I guess it works for you. I can`t see offering someone in the UK £2 is going to work maybe £30 which compared to a free permission or a club dig which is around £22 is not the best way forward unless it is open until until you have covered all the land. New idea to me, I like it... Good luck....