How to gain Landowner permission to access cave?

[LiteHedded]

Hell no!!, I do not want to be in the same county as anything referred to as "Mat's Gloryhole"

isn't that in a rest stop off of I10?

[Webmaster]

Or maybe this would make you a better diver, because you'd want to spend ALL your time underwater and the landowner would be so thankful for taking his wife off his hands that he grants unlimited access and buys all your new stage bottles.

I've checked for liability waivers for TN & VA and coming up blank. For Pennsyltucky, check with a local caving grotto. They can probably also help with info on the state's cave protection laws. I know there are several strong grottos in the state and probably would be glad to help you with advice and exploration of any accessible sections of dry cave that are related to the spring.

We have some forms here http://www.caves.org/grotto/tcbg/forms/forms.htm The landowner release form is what you're looking for, I've used it before for cave diving by just explicitly adding cave diving as a listed activity.

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Hell no!!, I do not want to be in the same county as anything referred to as "Mat's Gloryhole"

Jefferson Co, don't mean to ruin it for ya :P

isn't that in a rest stop off of I10?

Watch yo mouth, oh wait!

[jkaterenchuk]

We have some forms here http://www.caves.org/grotto/tcbg/forms/forms.htm The landowner release form is what you're looking for, I've used it before for cave diving by just explicitly adding cave diving as a listed activity.

Excellent.

Thanks, John

[adam0321]

when we want to bow hunt land we offer to help with chores and farm work. might start there

[jkaterenchuk]

If I was an auto mechanic or a Cat nanny I might have some skills to offer in return since the land is used for storing scrap cars and is occupied by more Cat's then can be counted. Ummm on second thought maybe the bow hunting idea has some merit.

[FW]

I don't know if this would work everywhere, but we got access by offering a map, so the landowners (farmers) could access the water for irrigation.

[bigken462]

when we want to bow hunt land we offer to help with chores and farm work. might start there

Adam, dang it. You beat me to this comment. While I never have been in a position that I needed to ask permission for diving, I've been granted some of the best hunting land available over a hand shake and a promise to be a good steward of the land. You'll find many old farms are in some need of fence repair, trash collection, a few hours behind the mower etc. However the best thing about these folks are the handshake, cup of coffee on their front porch and getting the free history lesson of the past generations of families that used the land and lived there. I can't begin to count the countless hours of just visiting with some of these folks who think the younger generation has forgotten about them. You'll be surprised just how generous some of these older folks are. Just back it up with a firm handshake, a smile and a promise to leave their land in better shape than when you found it.

Ken