Arrowheadology.com: Arrowheads, Indian Artifacts and Early Man

Field Guide: Finding Arrowheads, Part 5

Posted on 14. Mar, 2010 by Big Ed in Archeological Excavations, Artifact Finds, Flint Artifacts

Sometimes finding the right place to look for arrowheads will land you on someone else’s property. And, in these sensitive times, how you approach land owners can make the difference between a great haul of arrowheads and an ass full of buckshot! What would your reaction be if you saw a stranger fossicking around in your backyard? Would you shrug your shoulders, or would you call the cops? Chances are you’d call the cops. For the same reasons, the owners of the land where you intend to hunt don’t expect you to trespass on their land.

You must always seek permission from landowners before you hunt on their land. Even if you’ve been there before, it’s polite to re-introduce yourself. Otherwise they might just accuse you of trespassing.

Landowners can be your most valuable resource in terms of securing a place to hunt and learning where to search for arrowheads. It should go without saying that you want to do everything possible to establish and maintain a good relationship with the property owner.

Don’t be shy about approaching a farmer to ask for permission to hunt. After all, if you don’t ask, chances are someone else will. Always be up-front with your intent. Don’t ask for permission to do one thing – such a take photographs, snake hunt, search for fossils, etc. – and then instead remove arrowheads from the property. After all a property owner can only say ‘no’, so you don’t have anything to lose.

Being forthright with landowners can yield many benefits. Aside from owning the land and being the ones to grant permission, they can usually advise you where to search. In many cases the land has been in the same family for generations. There is a common knowledge among the family where arrowheads have been found over the years during seasonal plowing and ranching activities. They can also tell you where to search based on information they’ve received from their neighbors. Farmers and ranchers are typically a pretty close-knit network in the rural farming community. A good reference from one farmer to another can go a long way towards getting access to a new spot. If you’ve proven yourself at one location and this is known, it can open the door for you elsewhere. It’s this information that can save you much time in finding the right place to focus your search.

Maintaining the relationship is just as important and it doesn’t require a lot of effort outside of common courtesy and respect. It’s always a good idea to let the landowner know in advance when you’ll be on the property. A simple phone call lets the property owner know who will be on the premises and when. This puts them at ease if they see an unknown vehicle on their property as they then know who it belongs to and the nature of the visit. Even if you have an open invitation to hunt anytime, it’s a good idea to let them know when you’ll be on site.

There’s another way you can get their respect and trust. If you’re calling a farmer or rancher who lives a good ways from town to seek permission to hunt on their property, always ask them if there’s anything you can bring them from town. This might mean bringing a gallon of milk, some eggs, or batteries from the grocery store, or picking up a part they need from the tractor house. Or, when you’ve finished your search, there may be some little job around the farm that you could lend a hand with. It’s these little things that add value to the relationship.

By following these simple guidelines, you’ll do yourself many favors. Make a point of going out of your way to thank landowners who allow access to their property. They have no obligation to do so, and really have nothing to gain from it. In fact, given the litigious times we live in, they are putting themselves at risk from a liability standpoint. Many landowners have been sued by folks who are injured while on someone else’s property.  By showing some courtesy and respect, you can develop good friendships and get access to ancient sites. If you’ve built up such a relationship, the farmer may even go out of his way to call you when some new land is being cleared or when he’s about to plow up a coastal field that’s been known to yield arrowheads. The landowner / hunter relationship is all what you make it to be.

Stay tuned for more arrowheads field guide goodness, coming soon!

Related Posts

1. Field Guide: Finding Authentic Arrowheads, Part 4
2. Arrowheadology.com Field Guide: Where To Look, Part 1
3. Field Guide: Where to Look for Arrowheads, Part 3