I am giving up trying to get permissions through door-knocking

[RIdirtdigger]

For the past year I have been trying to get myself to knock on a door and get a permission. So far I've done it less than 10 times and was only accepted once with people being not home most of the time. People tell me Its easy and the worst they can say is No. That may be true but I have never felt more awkward in my life going up to the door and asking if I can dig holes all over someones lawn. I don't say those exact words but that is what I feel I am doing. I watch other people do it easily but I will not even go to the door with them as I feel so incredibly awkward and feel I am bothering them. The fact is the time I get a Yes, I never truly felt welcome and felt I was going to be yelled and kicked out at any moment. I have been told letter writing is ineffective but it can't be any more ineffective than what I am doing now. I would rather get 1 yes through letter writing and 100 rejections/no responses then go up to someones door. It just doesn't work for me. I'm sorry but it isn't fun and I almost feel as if I am doing something wrong by knocking on the door. Because I have been unable to obtain permission, I have been denied access to other peoples permissions several times and have been very upset each time. But I still can't do it and I doubt I ever will be.

[Robbie]

I know what you mean about feeling awkward. I never tried door knocking but I have received permission to detect friends of mines yards before and they have found out later that even the cleanest plugs that I`ve made will still die leaving brown spots. One time, I was told that the guys wife tripped over a divit in the dirt.(Which told me she didn't like me there) That was a real bummer, because I found a 1877 trade dollar in his yard before. I`m looking forward to cooler temps so that I can go back to the farm field where another friend of mine said ok. No worries there.

[Isaac]

Well if you've tried and can't succeed after a certain number of tries, stop worrying about it. There's many other divisions of the hobby besides door knocking. GL and HH!

[Skamaniac]

Well if you've tried and can't succeed after a certain number of tries, stop worrying about it. There's many other divisions of the hobby besides door knocking. GL and HH!

I agree. Don't feel like you have to door knock to engage in the hobby. If it makes you uncomfortable, don't put yourself through it. There's still parks, playgrounds, beaches, swimming holes, schools, etc. I've never door knocked a stranger and I do lots of detecting.

Good luck. Don't give up on the hobby. From your signature line it looks like you're finding some great stuff without the door knocking!

[MangoAve]

It is hard sometimes. I know you are at a different school than what I went to, but there might be a similar class. There was a physics writing class where we presented results in a slideshow after performing an experiment. It was more geared toward the "business" aspect of presentations. However it is possible that business majors never take a similar course in business presentations, because sure as heck every company meeting I have been to they read directly the words from the screen verbatim where the audience sees, and you are taught not speak exactly what was written. A possible elective course for ya??

...I guess that means learning what to say and what not to say will help. One recent that was a no I realize after it was because I used the words "wouldn't mind". I should have only said "I hope I can detect the yard". That, and prob asking for her by name might have caught her off guard. I knew it from the assessor site, but saying it prob automatically put up her guard...who is this guy and how does he know my name?. Be short and to the point. Don't get onto whether or not finds will be split unless it gets mentioned by owner, cuz then they will automatically think 'Oh my yard can have a buried gold treasure in it? I wanna find it myself'. Pointers should you want to use them. It is always a little awkward, yes, but some people just have that charisma where they can walk up to anyone and talk to them no problem. The main aspect I feel holds weight is that you have to ask to be at ANY old house. You don't need permission on your own property (altho that is not always 100% too), You don't need it at public parks (with many being subject to ridiculous rules or some banned not even due to a detectorist not filling holes)..but to be able to do any old property with a standing house you need to ask. As like a requirement. Or chore. Something you don't want to do but you know needs to.

Like others have said, there are always other places you can detect without needing permissions. I have a bunch of those, too. Mainly I have those when it's spur of the moment I get a text to get out after I finish work and we need a place quick. Driving around from place to place can kill the amount of detecting time you have in an afternoon. Esp now the days are about an hour earlier sunset than it was in June. And not always will you get the best luck at a permission house either. That's what some don't get. The aspects it has going for it are that the house hasn't fallen yet and being a permission: not everyone can go there and swing away. But it too is subject to yards being graded and reseeded, fill being added or dirt removed, or a lot of trash. Roofs and siding (or shakes) have to be replaced from time to time and there's bound to be dropped nails. People have parties or gatherings and there's bound to be a few bottle caps. I littered my fire pit area with nails and staples by getting rid of my 60 year old cabinets. Many of these houses burned down and were rebuilt on the existing foundation. Not just from candles either. The early wiring too in the late 1800s burned many houses. Obvi you know what that means, but being a forum Ill explain that it means trash from the old structure being removed and new construction trash will make hunting these places a little tougher. So don't be as strung out about not wanting to do it. There's always a gamble when checking any site. Losing out permissions, or not asking as you mentioned, may not be that bad.

[Bucknut]

I agree with everyone here...if you are not comfortable door knocking then why put yourself through the anxiety of it. There are many other ways to go out detecting without needing to door knock. Some people have that gift and some do not...I do not have it BUT I have forced myself every so often to go out and do it. To me it is almost a rush to get that "yes".

[freemindstuck]

I have a little social anxiety and used to hate door knocking. I found drinking a beer before i did it helped a lot but not always a good idea to show up at someones door smelling like booze. But door knocking is so productive i went and got a script for Xanax. I don't really like it, it makes me sleepy, but i take it before I go metal detecting and it works. In terms of leaving brown divots, when it's hot and dry, I just bring milk jugs with water in them and water my divots as i go. It makes a huge difference. I've really worked on being able to dig a clean plug using a dirt rag. And have never had anyone trip over one because you generally can't see them.

[Digger Don]

90 % of my detecting is on private property that I've door knocked on. I really don't have anxiety because most people say YES. The hardest part is with all the houses with no one home. When I talk to the home owner, I like to show them an old coin from a previous hunt. This usually gets them interested in what I might find on their property. Once I get a yes, I always explain that I dig a plug to retrieve the coin, but assure them that they won't even notice. This takes care of that uneasy feeling that I used to get when I dug that first plug. The hobby is supposed to be fun, so hunt where ever you are comfortable.
Just Have Fun.

[RaZR]

I have asked for permission twice. Both were old farm houses that are un-occupied. The first one said no, and part of that may have been that I interrupted dinner (I think) and I had just come from detecting the fairgrounds so I had my kneepads on and was a bit dirty. The husband looked like he would be interested to see what I could find, but the wife inherited the house so she nixed it.

The second place I actually got permission and I covered the whole yard around the house and got .84 in recent coins. :(

Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to hire a kid to go with me so I can say " my son and I would like to detect your yard, it's something we like to do together." But the kid would probably do like my wife, detect for about 15 minutes then sit and watch me.

[Bucknut]

Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to hire a kid to go with me so I can say " my son and I would like to detect your yard, it's something we like to do together." But the kid would probably do like my wife, detect for about 15 minutes then sit and watch me.

I have brought my youngest boy with me before just for that reason... And I got the ok to detect!