Do girls have better luck?

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Newtothiss

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I have maybe a 1/10 success rate in securing permission. I am unsure if its my methods, appearance (me in general) or just the crazy times we live in..

Do girls have better luck?
I feel like they are just all around more "non threatening"?



Frustrating stuff...
 
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CanadianBottles

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I'm sure it would help. I've never tried door knocking to get permission for dig sites but for my work I occasionally have to do door knocking to get permission to access land to collect plant and animal specimens, and I always try to make sure one of the women from my team is there as well. It definitely helps to reassure them that I'm not a serial killer or something. Appearance and demeanor matter a lot too, like being well-dressed (in an outdoorsy sort of way, not a Jehovah's Witness sort of way) and coming across as friendly and humble. It's also helpful to have something physical to show them which explains who you are, like a printout showing pictures of what you're looking for or even just a business card. So far using these strategies I've never been turned down by anyone, not even the military when I wanted to get into a restricted area (though that one took a bit more than just showing up and saying hi). I doubt I'd be able to pull off a 100% success rate if I told them I was looking for old bottles for my collection instead of rare plants for a restoration project, but I'm pretty sure that by using the same techniques I've learned I'd be able to have more than a 10% success rate.

I don't know what the culture is like in your area though, people might be less trusting of strangers than they are around here. I see people on the forum worrying about things like getting shot at for wandering onto the wrong person's land, and I can't imagine having to worry about that in my area - unless it was hunting season and I was wearing a deerskin jacket, maybe.
 

crwncrk

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I think you might have more success if you “sell” it well, ie “don’t you want to know the history of your property?”, and having hold harmless waivers on hand and ready to sign (check with your lawyer to make sure you’re not totally screwing yourself) certainly can’t hurt.
 

Newtothiss

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I'm sure it would help. I've never tried door knocking to get permission for dig sites but for my work I occasionally have to do door knocking to get permission to access land to collect plant and animal specimens, and I always try to make sure one of the women from my team is there as well. It definitely helps to reassure them that I'm not a serial killer or something. Appearance and demeanor matter a lot too, like being well-dressed (in an outdoorsy sort of way, not a Jehovah's Witness sort of way) and coming across as friendly and humble. It's also helpful to have something physical to show them which explains who you are, like a printout showing pictures of what you're looking for or even just a business card. So far using these strategies I've never been turned down by anyone, not even the military when I wanted to get into a restricted area (though that one took a bit more than just showing up and saying hi). I doubt I'd be able to pull off a 100% success rate if I told them I was looking for old bottles for my collection instead of rare plants for a restoration project, but I'm pretty sure that by using the same techniques I've learned I'd be able to have more than a 10% success rate.

I don't know what the culture is like in your area though, people might be less trusting of strangers than they are around here. I see people on the forum worrying about things like getting shot at for wandering onto the wrong person's land, and I can't imagine having to worry about that in my area - unless it was hunting season and I was wearing a deerskin jacket, maybe.
Where I'm at now is very back-woodsy. I am equally concerned with large predatory game, as I am with getting shot by a property owner.

I love it out here! It's a sea of friendly white faces; but at the same time, these people don't fuck around..
 

UnderMiner

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Just show up wearing a hazmat suit and holding a clip board. Give the homeowner your business card and present yourself as the "Hazardous Waste Inspector". Tell the home owner there is a potentially toxic privy pit on their property but you will excavate it free of charge to remove any contamination should you find any. If they still say no get an old nuclear fallout detector and start waving it around and start walking away while saying to yourself "dang glad I don't live here". If this doesn't immediately get them to reconsider then I'm all out of ideas.
 

CanadianBottles

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Where I'm at now is very back-woodsy. I am equally concerned with large predatory game, as I am with getting shot by a property owner.

I love it out here! It's a sea of friendly white faces; but at the same time, these people don't fuck around..
Yeah those big cats are one thing I do not miss about living in the Pacific Northwest. Not that I ever actually ran into one, but it's nice not having to think about whether there might be one stalking me when I'm alone in the woods.
 

Newtothiss

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I saw a bear yesterday day, across a big pond. I thought it was a dog, until he stood up...

Big cats are scary, but there are tons of bears out here.
 

willong

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I'm sure it would help. I've never tried door knocking to get permission for dig sites but for my work I occasionally have to do door knocking to get permission to access land to collect plant and animal specimens, and I always try to make sure one of the women from my team is there as well. It definitely helps to reassure them that I'm not a serial killer or something. Appearance and demeanor matter a lot too, like being well-dressed (in an outdoorsy sort of way, not a Jehovah's Witness sort of way) and coming across as friendly and humble. It's also helpful to have something physical to show them which explains who you are, like a printout showing pictures of what you're looking for or even just a business card. So far using these strategies I've never been turned down by anyone, not even the military when I wanted to get into a restricted area (though that one took a bit more than just showing up and saying hi). I doubt I'd be able to pull off a 100% success rate if I told them I was looking for old bottles for my collection instead of rare plants for a restoration project, but I'm pretty sure that by using the same techniques I've learned I'd be able to have more than a 10% success rate.

I don't know what the culture is like in your area though, people might be less trusting of strangers than they are around here. I see people on the forum worrying about things like getting shot at for wandering onto the wrong person's land, and I can't imagine having to worry about that in my area - unless it was hunting season and I was wearing a deerskin jacket, maybe.
Sounds like you have an interesting and admirable vocation.
 

Mailman1960

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I have maybe a 1/10 success rate in securing permission. I am unsure if its my methods, appearance (me in general) or just the crazy times we live in..

Do girls have better luck?
I feel like they are just all around more "non threatening"?



Frustrating stuff...
"Men smart, Women smarter " Sounds about right. Hey it might make a good song.
 

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