private boolean putHeadOnStake(Player p) {
        if(!getConfigManager().getConfig("main").getBoolean(getBaseConfig()+"onStake")){
            return false;
        }
        //head location
        Location head = p.getEyeLocation();
        //block the player's head is in
        Block headBlock = head.getBlock();

        //don't do anything if below the world
        if(headBlock.getY() < 0) {
            return false;
        }

        //get the closest non air block below the players feet
        Block ground = getClosestGround(headBlock.getRelative(BlockFace.DOWN, 2));
        if (ground == null) {
            return false;
        }

        //get the block 2 above the ground
        Block skullBlock = ground.getRelative(BlockFace.UP, 2);

        //if it's not empty we can't place the block
        if (skullBlock == null || !skullBlock.isEmpty()) {
            return false;
        }

        //teleport the player to the skull location
        p.teleport(skullBlock.getLocation());

        //check the player's permission for the stake here, used for position based permissions
        //TODO this doesn't appear to work as a valid way to check permissions for a coordinate
        if (!p.hasPermission(PLAYER_HEAD_STAKE)) {
            return false;
        }

        //set the skull block to an actual skull block
        setBlockAsHead(p, skullBlock);

        //get the space for a fence and set it if there's nothing there
        Block fenceBlock = ground.getRelative(BlockFace.UP);
        if (fenceBlock != null && fenceBlock.isEmpty()) {
            fenceBlock.setType(Material.NETHER_FENCE);
        }
        //made successfully
        return true;
    }

    /**
     * Sets the block given to head of the player
     * @param p the player
     * @param headBlock the block to set
     */
    private static void setBlockAsHead(Player p, Block headBlock) {
        //set the type to skull
        headBlock.setType(Material.SKULL);
        //noinspection deprecation
        headBlock.setData((byte) 1); //TODO depreacted but no alternative yet
        //get the state to be a player skull for the player and set its rotation based on where the player was looking
        Skull state = (Skull) headBlock.getState();
        state.setSkullType(SkullType.PLAYER);
        state.setOwner(p.getName());
        state.setRotation(ServerUtil.getCardinalDirection(p));
        state.update();
    }

    /**
     * Gets the closest non empty block under the block supplied or null if none found
     *
     * @param block Block
     * @return Block
     */
    private static Block getClosestGround(Block block) {
        Block loopBlock = block;
        //recurse until found
        while (true) {
            //if below the world return null
            if (loopBlock.getY() < 0) {
                return null;
            }

            //if it's not empty return this block
            if (!loopBlock.isEmpty()) {
                return block;
            }
            loopBlock = loopBlock.getRelative(BlockFace.DOWN);
        }
    }

    /**
     * Generates a player skull itemstack for the given name
     * @param name the player name
     * @return ItemStack
     */
    private static ItemStack playerSkullForName(String name) {
        //1 skull item
        ItemStack is = new ItemStack(Material.SKULL_ITEM, 1);
        //3 is a player skull
        is.setDurability((short) 3);
        //set the metadata for the owner
        SkullMeta meta = (SkullMeta) is.getItemMeta();
        meta.setOwner(name);
        is.setItemMeta(meta);
        return is;
    }