Ghost Tracker
Insider Info
Do you believe in ghosts? Real-life ghost trackers sure do. In fact, modern-day
ghost trackers, also known as ghost hunters, don't just "believe" in paranormal
activity, they "know" there is life beyond the grave.
They know this because of personal experience. Many spend countless hours
investigating reports of hauntings and other unexplained events. They hunt
for ghosts and often find them. Ghost trackers know the truth is out there,
and they do whatever it takes to find it.
Ghost trackers do their work wherever ghosts, poltergeists, spirits, and
other paranormal activity is reported. There are ghost trackers around the
world, including the U.S. and Canada.
Some work alone, but most belong to clubs or societies. Many of these organizations
have a wealth of resources and experience available for the junior ghost tracker
to draw upon.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands of ghost trackers exist throughout the U.S.
and Canada. No one knows for sure exactly how many there are. One big reason
for this is because few ghost trackers want to be identified.
Ghost hunters tend to be very secretive about what they do. Ghost hunter
organizations and clubs can have just a handful of members or several hundred
members.
Ghost hunting, at least as a hobby, appears to be growing in popularity.
An increasing number of people are taking an avid interest in the paranormal,
perhaps spurned on by popular television shows like The Ghost Whisperer and
Medium.
Another sure sign of growing popularity is the sheer number of Web sites
devoted to the activity. Thanks to the Internet, joining a ghost hunter club
has never been easier to do.
As with many recreational hobbies, ghost hunting can be done without spending
too much money. But you can also spend thousands! It just depends how far
you want to take it.
When it comes to cost and equipment, the sky is the limit. Some ghost trackers
conduct investigations simply with a pen and paper, and maybe an inexpensive
35-mm camera.
Others can spend thousands of dollars on specialized equipment including:
infra-red cameras, infra-red lighting, camcorders, audio recorders, heat generation
light equipment, motion detectors, special thermometers to record temperature
fluctuations, and electromagnetic frequency (EMF) detectors.
Ghost trackers use such equipment to obtain hard evidence.
The most important skills a ghost hunter needs include patience, a good
eye for observation, and, as ghost hunter and architectural historian Dale
Jarvis says, "A healthy dose of skepticism."
Investigations can be very time-consuming, lasting days, weeks, and even
months. Ghost hunters must have an open mind, and be prepared to question
everyone and everything. Preconceived ideas about ghosts and what they are
must be set aside.
Any reasonably fit person can become a ghost hunter. Fitness of mind is
more important than anything else. Physically challenged people can become
ghost trackers too, but there are situations where they may need some help.
Ghost hunting requires travel to haunted sites, sometimes in remote locations.
There is also the equipment to consider. It has to be carried to the location
and set up. This can be inside a haunted house or outside in a cemetery. Usually
there is no heavy lifting required.
There are no specific injuries common to ghost hunting. But you still have
to be careful, not just with the undead, but with the living.
Always get permission before hunting on someone's private property. That
way you won't be greeted by an angry person with a shotgun!
As for the ghosts themselves, they can be unpredictable. There have been
reports of injuries caused by flying objects.
Ghost trackers are for the most part self-employed. Most do it to satisfy
their own curiosity more than anything else. Some do it to help people in
trouble with bad spirits. Some ghost hunters may charge a fee for investigations,
usually to help offset the cost of the equipment.
Very few ghost trackers make a living at it. Those who do may include professors
of parapsychology who teach university courses, or well-known ghost hunters
hired to speak at various functions.
Getting Started
If you want to try your hand at being a ghost tracker, the first thing
you have to do is your homework! You need to educate yourself. Learn all you
can about haunted sites in your area.
Read books on the subject and make contact with clubs and organizations.
This is really easy to do over the Internet. One organization, the International
Ghost Hunters Society, even offers a ghost hunter home study course leading
to a certified ghost hunter diploma.
There is one thing that all ghost trackers end up facing at one point or
another -- ridicule from people who don't believe. This can be tough, especially
on the beginner. When that happens, experienced ghost hunters say the only
thing you can do is prove them wrong.
But remember that ghost hunting is an activity that requires a great deal
of patience. Proving the existence of ghosts doesn't usually happen overnight.
Associations
Professional Association of Ghost Hunters
Internet
:
http://www.paghosthunters.com
Links
The Atlantic Paranormal Society
Check out this list of links
The History of Ghost Hunting
Discover the history and science behind ghost hunting
Center for Paranormal Research and Investigation
This site has loads of resources
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