How To Do Your Own First Time Ghost Hunt

Scare something different into your life. Go on a ghost hunt. It's really cheap and it will give you something to talk about for a little while. In a previous post, I wrote about my first ghost hunt with some friends. We are going to go on another one eventually. But, this blog is not only about me leaving the confines of home and work to experience life, but also you.
   So, what will you need to go on a ghost hunt? The first and foremost - another person or a group of people. A lot of supposed haunted locations are abandoned and in the thought of safety, having someone with you is the best thing to do. Not only for environmental safety (the building may be falling apart) but also for potential unforeseen dangers. Wild animals sometimes like to dwell in abandoned buildings. Normally, that's all well and good, but some might be feral or have rabies. Not to mention spiders (YUCK!). Spiders generally are harmless but if you run across one of those evil brown recluse or black widows and get bitten, it's good to have someone close by. But the biggest threat would be a squatter. Entering an abandoned building, there is a possibility that a member of the living might have taken up residence there.
   Second: A light source. Flashlights are recommended. You don't want to trip over something in the dark.

   Third: An EVP (electronic voice phenomena) recorder or EMF (electromagnetic field) detector. Now, you can go out and spend money on one or both of these. Or you can download a free app on your smartphone. Mandy had both downloaded on her Galaxy and she said she got them for free. I have an iPhone 4 and I could only find one free app that looked decent enough to download for our adventure. And I did not even use it. Mandy had hers out and running at all times.
   Fourth: A video camera. I used a camera that was the size of my iPhone. Very convenient and portable and I was able to review the video afterward, in case my eyes missed something as I was walking around. Plus, it's fun to watch.
   Now, if you have everything, go online and Google search haunted locations in your area. Once you have found one, check to see if it is under ownership. If it is, you will have to contact the owner to gain permission to hunt there. Otherwise, you are looking at breaking trespassing laws and that's bad ju-ju. Also, check out your state's trespassing laws. Be sure that whatever you do does not break any of them.
   It's always good to do some research on the history of your location. It will give you some knowledge and increase the creep factor of the location. If your spot is secured, you are good to go. It's best to go at night, primarily for the atmosphere. Things are always creepier in the dark.
   Once you get inside, turn on whatever equipment you might have. Starting with the room you are in, ask questions of any spirits who might be there. Make them generic and vague - "Is anyone here?" "Would you like to make contact with us?" Will you see or hear something? I can't answer that. But, if you don't, go to the next room. You don't have to rush from room to room. Take your time.
   One of the apps Mandy was using was asking the questions for us and recording any EVP that might occur. It might have been better to ask the questions ourselves, but everyone was too busy checking the place out.
   Stay as long as you deem necessary and get as much recording as you can. When you leave, review everything at home and see if you captured anything.
   I am, by no means, an expert in ghost hunting. I only did it once. But, this is the advice I can give you based on my

experience. I encourage you to contact any local ghost hunting organizations or individual ghost hunters (whether professional or amateur) in your area for tips and tricks. The organizations are there, trust me. They're everywhere!

   Now, grab some friends and go out and have some different kind of fun!