The Life of a Real Ghost Hunter

In my late teens, I had a deeply rooted interest and obsession with the supernatural and everything to do with witchcraft. I had always been curious about (and perhaps obsessed with) magic in all forms, and part of that interest included the possibility that ghosts exist.

I remember as a child, all of my favorite stories and shows rooted in the mystical and the unknown. From bone-chilling tales in Are You Afraid of the Dark to R.L. Stine's series of Goosebumps books, I wanted to devour everything that had to do with everything that had no solid, scientific explanation. I wanted to explore and possibly understand the unknown, and I made it my mission to enjoy and study everything to do with the wonderful events in life that have no obvious explanation.

Around the age of seventeen, my wonderful grandmother discovered a local ghost trackers group that was advertising its next public meeting in the newspaper. We talked it over and we agreed that I needed to go; she mentioned that even if I didn't think it was for me, at the very least, I would have tried something different. She dropped me off, wished me luck, and I walked into the local library with an excitable hesitance I'll never forget.

From the moment of that first meeting on, I learned that ghost hunters weren't all they were made out to be in movies and television. The whole idea of being labeled as a "ghost hunter" is, in fact, a lot less exciting than one might think it would be. Although the experiences are definitely adrenaline-pumping fun, the title of "ghost hunter" is no more exciting or special than any other title associated with an unusual hobby.

What Our Organization Offered

The group I joined to learn about ghost hunting was a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that set up investigations in well-known "haunted" locations while offering free, in-home private investigations for individuals who believed their homes to be haunted. Free investigations provided clients with a collection of evidence after the investigation with a full summary report that either suggested haunting activity or the possibility of other influences. As a smaller side offer, the organization also offered free education on spirit investigations, with one free ghost hunt per potential new member.

What It's Like to Hunt a Ghost (Major Haunting Locations)

Perhaps the most interesting part of being a ghost hunter was setting up investigations in places with heavy rumors of haunting experiences being told by locals for years upon years. Infamous graveyards, 1800's jails, a mansion that took part in the Underground Railroad, and many other unique places were overnight homes for me as I journeyed through my life as a ghost hunter.

Story Time: During an investigation of an Underground Railroad home, myself and others felt the suffocating sensation of being burnt alive, only to later discover that the basement we were in had housed several burn victims of a nearby train wreck.

On television, you'll see ghost hunters/trackers experiencing action and event after event in such a rapid experience that you end up believing they're stirring up spiritual activity with their provocations of the afterlife. In reality, the large majority of a ghost hunt is incredibly quiet: some are spending time recording for EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena), others are moving slowly and quietly while studying an EMF meter (Electromagnetic Field Meter). Sometimes, a friend might have a notepad to take down the times of specific events, such as a spike in the electromagnetic fields at the same time someone felt a cold breeze. Some are taking silent photographs while the hunters with recorders are asking questions to the spirits and making verbal notes of noises that have explanations, so as not to be confused when reviewing the tapes later. It's too easy to mistake a noise for something supernatural when reviewing the evidence later; you won't always remember what was and was not a naturally occurring sound.

Of course, things can get emotional and excitable when someone experiences something unusual, like a cold chill down the spine or what felt like hair being tugged on, but for the most part a ghost hunter spends plenty of time in a calm, gentle environment.

Story Time: During an investigation of a home that had been abandoned by the owners (pictures, clothing, furniture, literally everything left behind in fear of the haunting experiences), I walked up to a closet door that chose to open on its own right in front of me. Or, at least, something chose to open it at that moment.

Private Investigations

Private investigations had their own unique excitement, even without the glamour of being recognizable by location or a special nickname. Nothing is more fascinating than the stories and experiences of real people who have nothing to gain or lose by sharing their phenomenal tales with people they trust to understand and, hopefully, help them.

These investigations were also a treat because they provided a great deal of specific activities in specific areas. Larger, more "popular" haunted locations tended to have copious stories from multiple sources, many difficult to believe. It made it more challenging to narrow down a good area of the location to investigate heavily.

Story Time: The greatest private investigation I have ever experienced was in the home of a deaf couple. Their lack of hearing only made their vision sharper, and their stories (shared by a translator who later became a tremendous friend to me) were extraordinary in a way I've never found elsewhere. I won't detail their experiences, as I prefer to maintain privacy.

The problem was finding enough people willing to allow us "creepy" ghost freaks in their house long enough to help. A lot of stigma came with what our cause was, and many people viewed us as devil worshipers or witches (not that witches are even bad, but you know how it goes.)

Ghostly Education is Pretty Scientific

As a ghost hunter in an officially established non-profit organization, I was able to share education with new or aspiring members as well as educate people during private investigations. Education ranged from examining your surroundings for sources of noise and other ways to debunk potential evidence on the spot to proper photography during an investigation. We liked to give the basics to our clients as we worked, but in addition to this, ghost hunters themselves are put through regular training to keep up-to-date on the best and latest on how to successfully gather evidence of an afterlife.

Besides the aforementioned subjects, ghost hunters have to study electromagnetic fields and how EMF meters work, how to debunk potential evidence in photographs, how to analyze surroundings and their impact on your ability to gather evidence, what can impact accurate EVP evidence, and several other things. While the ghost hunting part can be incredibly fun, the process requires education and execution of techniques that are practiced weekly in smaller investigations throughout local cemeteries.

Story Time: I traveled nearly two hours to attend eight hours of ghost hunting training. This stuff is absolutely taken seriously.

You Do What?!

The funniest part of being a ghost hunter is simple and requires no detailed explanation:

People find out what you do and are so beyond incredulous, you cannot help but enjoy the shock and amazement.

Story Time: On our way to an investigation, in a car that had our organization's ghost hunting decal on the back, we witnessed a car from out of state recording us and slowing down to zoom in on the decal. You truly do pick up a lot of attention for being a little bit of a weirdo!

Unfortunately, There's a Lot of Boring Stuff

Behind the scenes the investigation has completed, but there is still the entire process of reviewing the evidence. That tape player you left alone for two hours in the basement suddenly means you have two hours to spend focusing on silence, searching for a noise that shouldn't be there, which can be an insanely long and tedious process. It's even more disheartening when the entire two hours gives nothing noteworthy in the end.

Story Time: A friend of mine asked, during an EVP session, if anyone needed help. The tape played back a little girl's voice that said, "Help me. I'm dead."

With all of the education of spotting false evidence and debunking, many more countless hours are spent over every last photo, sound clip, EMF reading, videos, and notes taken by investigators that list times of events and how they might intertwine. Once that was completed, summarizing events and creating a conclusion of whether or not a haunting was occurring was the final step. Putting the full portfolio together was another tedious part, but still somewhat enjoyable if you're like me (the type who likes to organize and assemble a well-rounded report.)

Overall...

The experience of being a ghost hunter is, without a doubt, an invigorating life to live. However, to call it a glamorous or nonstop enthralling and adrenaline-pumping experience is an exaggeration. Hopefully my uncommon knowledge on what it's like to live as a ghost hunter gives others a better understanding of what the whole life is like behind the scenes, without any flashy editing or Hollywood touches.