Hold Harmless

[Roz]

Does anyone carry around a release of responsibility agreement?

Has it actually changed a land owners answer from no to yes? I

have been curious about this.

I am planning to get some blanks and have them in my car, just in case.

I wouldn't offer it though, unless the person seemed hesitant. Seems like

a good idea to me.

[Guest bmorefossil]

what is it? this release of responsibility agreement is that like saying if i get hurt while im on your property then you will not be held responsible?

[Serack]

what is it? this release of responsibility agreement is that like saying if i get hurt while im on your property then you will not be held responsible?

yup.

As for the original question, danwoehr's stickied post in the general discussion Site Prospecting 102 - Closing The Deal discussed this, specifically for quarries.

-Quarry operators vary widely in their access stipulations and policies. Some say to just go on in and make yourself at home, others want to escort you. Some require hard hats, steel toed boots and/or safety glasses while others make no such rules. I like to reassure them that I’ll stay away from quarry rims. If they don’t tell me to stay away from quarry walls due to falling rock I usually like to look at the walls, but often the spoil piles and floor are all you need. If they are hesitant I rattle off a list of quarries in my state I’ve visited without issue. These guys know their business and will be able to tell that if you’ve been all those places without issue, you won’t present legal problems for them. It is best to assume all these guys are afraid of being sued for your injuries on their property. I’ve produced my own waiver in the past if they wanted one but didn’t have one. Assume the smaller the head count of your group and the more experienced each person is in this pursuit, the more comfortable the owner/operator will be with your presence. Stated simply, choose your company wisely.

[Guest bmorefossil]

well as for us in maryland its really not gonna help any, as long as you're below the highest high tide line you are fine, and when sometimes in a year the tide will reach all the way to the cliffs basicly the whole beach is yours to search.

[Guest N.AL.hunter]

"as long as your (you're) below the highest high tide line you are fine". Wouldn't that mean you have drowned? Ha Ha.

[Auspex]

"as long as your (you're) below the highest high tide line you are fine". Wouldn't that mean you have drowned? Ha Ha.

Been close to it at Stratford Hall...

[Guest bmorefossil]

"as long as your (you're) below the highest high tide line you are fine". Wouldn't that mean you have drowned? Ha Ha.

well sometimes it seems like that, we went to brownies one day and the water was up to our sholders in one spot!!!, I later trip on a rock and go swimming for a few seconds lol!!!

[Roz]

Thanks for the link, Serack! Lots of good suggestions on there.

I think I will write up a short one with just the basics....

bmorefossil, u might want one if you ever run across somewhere

you want to try on private property. If mine comes out (going to write one), I will send it to

you if you want, to have it handy, just in case..

[Guest bmorefossil]

Thanks for the link, Serack! Lots of good suggestions on there.

I think I will write up a short one with just the basics....

bmorefossil, u might want one if you ever run across somewhere

you want to try on private property. If mine comes out (going to write one), I will send it to

you if you want, to have it handy, just in case..

i think the only place i would need to use them would be at a land site, and i really dont know any, i know of one but there are million dollar houses there now lol

[Auspex]

I think I will write up a short one with just the basics....

Let's refine a generic one and make it available on the Forum for download.

[Roz]

Sounds good to me

This is what I wrote. I know it's short, but just want a basic one.

What do you think? Anything I forgot that is important?

******

Hold Harmless Agreement

I hereby release the owner/leasor, from any and all responsibility, should

I injure myself in any way, while on the property.

This form shall be legal and binding

Name: ___________________________________

Name: ___________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

[jax]

Hey Roz, Do you know how to find out who owns what property, and how to contact them???

I always see areas that I want to get into but they have fences or signs up and I dare not cross them. Matter of fact, one of my spots I like to hunt they just put up a ton of no trespassing signs. Only because of the people in the big trucks and dirt bikers. They rip down the fences and tear up the land in there.

anyways Id like to get back in there legally.

[Serack]

Sounds good to me

This is what I wrote. I know it's short, but just want a basic one.

What do you think? Anything I forgot that is important?

******

Hold Harmless Agreement

I hereby release the owner/leasor, from any and all responsibility, should

I injure myself in any way, while on the property.

This form shall be legal and binding

Name: ___________________________________

Name: ___________________________________

Date: ___________________________________

I suggest that you put a place for the owners name in the text, add a line for your name above your signature, and add a place to include the address of the property. Someone on here is probably more qualified to give legal advice than me though. Also I think I would change the title to "Release of Liability Form"

[Roz]

Thanks, Serack, both good suggestions and I will change it. As far as legal, I just want

something for a backup plan, if the owner says no. I have never brought up signing anything to owners yet.

I think release of liability is what most of the forms say. I may try to see if there is a short one already

online that I can post here. I have seen some that are way too long and complicated.

Jax, the times I have asked if I could hunt on private property

in Arkansas, the person lived in the closest house next to the creek.

I just drive to the nearest house and ask if they owned it or if they know who did.

I don't usually ask at most creeks because they have been in isolated areas with

no one around. I think in some waterways, you don't have to ask anyway. Another

owner of a quarry in AR said yes but I couldn't hunt there during deer and other animals

seasons. He leased it as a hunting club. I also asked at another creek only for the reason

there was no safe place to park, on the side of the road. There was an auto body shop

very close, so that guy let me park on his property to hunt.

In Texas, the few times I have asked, one had a number on the gate which I called.

Another place I completely lucked out because it was a tiny town with only a restaurant,

and the property owners name was given to me at that restaurant. One guy who was

leasing a good hunting spot said no, then within 5 minutes, called back and said yes. You never know.

There is a way to look up owners on some county maps which Lance can probably explain,

in Tarrant County anyway.

Are you talking about the quarry? I have never asked because the way I have entered in the past was

that open road with no signs at all. Of course it was inactive at the time. If you mean another place,

is there a number posted to call? Maybe a company name on one of the signs?

Hope this helps you somewhat.

[Xiphactinus]

I've found the best form to get onto property is made by Anheiser-Busch. It's a 6-part form.

[jax]

I've found the best form to get onto property is made by Anheiser-Busch. It's a 6-part form.

THats funny

Roz, im not talking about that quarry. I have been in there plenty of times, and wouldnt even know who to ask. I was approched by a cop one day who thought I was dumping garbage there, He told me I was fine to hunt fossils there.

The spot im talking about is in dallas county. maybe I can look it up on the property records.

I have been kicked out of a certain neighborhood that was under construction before. Not sure why, or even who the person was that kicked me out. ( you and lance have been there) but I returned about a week later and talked to a construction guy and he had no problem with me there. Cause I was picking up rocks off his landscape

[Ordovician]

Interesting form but some owners might unwilling to sign it to let you in.....form might make some owners think that you are looking for trouble! Most people don't know about fossils and rocks! Best might be to know someone or your friend know someown who own land!

What about what if the owner said okay and sign but perfer get some cash like 20 dollars to let you in....would you accept it? Me.....depends on how good the rocks out there!

Illinois that you can kayak or canoe in small river or creek on private land but I wondered what if I fell down and need go to shore then what? I have kayak and will plan go to Pine Creek near Polo in Illinois and I Heard there's lot of fossils! I might go there when the creek get very low and more rocks would show up! Pine Creek State Park is the place I can go then padding to private land!

[Serack]

Interesting form but some owners might unwilling to sign it to let you in.....form might make some owners think that you are looking for trouble! Most people don't know about fossils and rocks!

This made me think that it might be a good idea to add a line stating "for the purpose of collecting fossils."

[Roz]

Yes, will add that for sure, Serack

And Ord., I would pay to hunt if an owner asked, but would want to

first check to see what kinds of fossils were present and in what shape.

More fun to hunt for free though.. I have never been asked to pay to hunt,

yet anyway.

[LanceH]

Jax,

In Tarrant County you can look up property owners online at the Tarrant Appraisal District website.

Hey Roz, Do you know how to find out who owns what property, and how to contact them???

I always see areas that I want to get into but they have fences or signs up and I dare not cross them. Matter of fact, one of my spots I like to hunt they just put up a ton of no trespassing signs. Only because of the people in the big trucks and dirt bikers. They rip down the fences and tear up the land in there.

anyways Id like to get back in there legally.

[Maryland Mike]

In Maryland you can look up a property owner, if you know the address, and county, on this state website Maryland Real Property Lookup

In many states, you can look up property owners if you know the address, on a county by county basis. In a few states you would have to subscribe to a fee-based service to look this up. And of course in some of the less populated areas, you may not be able to find any info online. In some cases you can look up property info on a county's Map based GIS system.

If you are looking for a specific county in a specific state, private message me as I have links, or know how to find the links for many of the of the ones that are available online. They are just too numerous to try to post in a thread.