CEMETERY ETIQUETTE ??

[fastfingers]

What are the rules for MD'ing cemeteries? There's an old one down the street. The headstones are from the 1700's. I would love to get in there.

 

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[BobPA]

Eventually you will spend a LONG time in a cemetery. For now, try to stay out of them.
Bob

 

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[ivan salis]

CEMETERY ETIQUETTE----DON'T

 

[Scott (Upstate NY)]

Guidelines I use: 1. Get permission 2. Is it active or not? 3. Is the location going to attract a lot of curiosity or criticism-use tact when selecting prospective sites-only because, though you may have legal access, you may be offending others who don't understand your motives/hobby.

 

[roswellborn]

Thing is, just because something looks abandoned, doesn't mean it is abandoned.

My great-grandfather's grave has a foot marker, the shape looks like the Iron Cross - and has the letters CSA - one letter to each "arm" of the cross. The foot of the cross is in the ground (that top 3 or 4 inches...). I'd be mighty uh - cranky to find that cross had gone missing. Actually, I'd be closer to downright surly.

This graveyard looked abandoned; it was overgrown with vines, some flowers, and we discovered after we'd cleared it out, it had poison ivy all over the place. There are also a couple of graves without headstones, one smack up against the iron fence around the graveyard.

I vote for "no" re detecting cemeteries. Just outside the fence, and with permission? Knock yerself out.

 

[DFX-SE Gregg]

Do we not have enough places to hunt without having to go in cemetaries? There seems to be enough ground elsewhere.

 

[gallileo60]

Yep, and since cemeteries are off limits, stay out of any battle sites, any skirmish sites, any parks where someone has died, any yard where someone has died, any carwreck, any plane crash since these are just as sacred as a cemetery. I don't see a problem is you do it respectably and get permission. If you get permission to detect then detect. Stay away from graves and detect the vacant areas and the road and walk ways. O, I almost forgot to mention any boat that has sunk or any beach where someone has drowned or died.

Yep, gotta agree, if you can obtain permission go for it, the dead dont care..

 

[Sandman]

Hunting cemeteries is despicable.

 

[Jeffro]

I can think of maybe, ummmmmm, like 10,000 different sites that would be more productive without being distasteful?

 

[diggerfororo]

Heres my 2 cents worth:
I say no,no. Forget about what anyone thinks about religion or whatever. What you need to worry about is PUBLIC OPINION! 99.9% of all the hunting places is either private or public land. You need to have permission to metal detect. If someone sees anyone detecting in a cemetary, it's his perception of what is right or wrong that counts, not yours. This is the person whom you will be asking if you can detect his yard or on his farm or wherever. We don't need to get the public up in arms about where we can hunt.

Les

 

[lucky1777]

I can think of maybe, ummmmmm, like 10,000 different sites that would be more productive without being distasteful?

Hunting cemeteries is despicable.

If done with permission and not hunting over graves, I don't think it is either distasteful or despicable. But we all have our own opinions on this.

 

[Waco Kid]

I hate these subjects too...but....I dont think the actual hunting is the problem. Its what people will think when they see you. Whether you agree with it or not. NOONE seeing you will understand. :O)

I agree. Most people who have no experience with metal detectors have no idea of what a detector can and can't do. For all the general public knows, you might be scoping out which coffin contains the most jewelry.

 

[finderzzs]

I hate these subjects too...but....I dont think the actual hunting is the problem. Its what people will think when they see you. Whether you agree with it or not. NOONE seeing you will understand. :O)

I aree. Most people who have no experience with metal detectors have no idea of what a detector can and can't do. For all the general public knows, you might be scoping out which coffin contains the most jewelry.
Really, do you think we dig down 6 feet?

 

[Waco Kid]

No. I repeat my last sentence: "For all the general public knows, you might be scoping out which coffin contains the most jewelry."

 

[shadow0966]

What are the rules for MD'ing cemeteries? There's an old one down the street. The headstones are from the 1700's. I would love to get in there.

OMG what is wrong with society nowadays ,this is sick to even think about.
Now I am seeing alot of these questions and I cannot believe that some people would go into a sacred place like a cemetary and think of looking for goodies that others may have left behind for their loved ones.

 

[silverswede]

My experience is that the actual plots have been purchased by families and even have a kind of a "deed" recorded. This in itself would deter me and i'm not going to call someone for permission to go dig around on their mothers grave for old coins. However; if there is a public parking site seperate from the cemetary that would be a possibility and probably the most productive. Still I guess I would give it a Maybe. Wise words from all the posters here, consider them carefully.

 

[1Arkie]

I don't know what's OK in your part of the country, but in this part you better be planting flowers or somebody if your digging in a cemetery around here. Folks around here wouldn't see it anyway but just wrong. Good Luck

 

[Kentucky Kache]

I don't know what's OK in your part of the country, but in this part you better be planting flowers or somebody if your digging in a cemetery around here. Folks around here wouldn't see it anyway but just wrong. Good Luck

Even if you were an Archaeologist?

 

[lucky1777]

What are the rules for MD'ing cemeteries? There's an old one down the street. The headstones are from the 1700's. I would love to get in there.

OMG what is wrong with society nowadays ,this is sick to even think about.
Now I am seeing alot of these questions and I cannot believe that some people would go into a sacred place like a cemetary and think of looking for goodies that others may have left behind for their loved ones.

I get tired of these same typical answers. A cemetery is no more sacred than a battle site, sunken ship or many other places where people have died. Just remember that there are most likely remains still in battle fields and sunken ships. But I guess if there isn't a stone saying there name, they do not deserve the same respect. If you have permission and do not hunt over graves then go for it. Also I could care less what someone thinks of me detecting there. Just as many people get pissed if you hunt a park, so maybe we should just hunt our own yards and no where else.....

 

[diggerfororo]

What are the rules for MD'ing cemeteries? There's an old one down the street. The headstones are from the 1700's. I would love to get in there.

OMG what is wrong with society nowadays ,this is sick to even think about.
Now I am seeing alot of these questions and I cannot believe that some people would go into a sacred place like a cemetary and think of looking for goodies that others may have left behind for their loved ones.

I get tired of these same typical answers. A cemetery is no more sacred than a battle site, sunken ship or many other places where people have died. Just remember that there are most likely remains still in battle fields and sunken ships. But I guess if there isn't a stone saying there name, they do not deserve the same respect. If you have permission and do not hunt over graves then go for it. Also I could care less what someone thinks of me detecting there. Just as many people get pissed if you hunt a park, so maybe we should just hunt our own yards and no where else.....

Like I said before!!! You had better care what other people think about where you hunt or the only place you will have left to hunt IS your own yard. Plus, it is not just you that the public is precieving, it is all detectorist in the hobby.

Les

 

[John (Ma)]

I hunt outside of the main walls or fence of Cemetary's. Insinde I feel people are laid to rest and I respect that!