This should be a hot topic .....

[1235CE]

Hello all.....new to this site and I absolutely love it, I have learned a lot. Thank you all.

Question: If I were to tell you that I have detected over 300 similiar locations while getting permission for EVERY location that would be just fine, right?......of course it would.

If I were to tell you that these 300 locations were old cemeteries, would that not be fine?

Anxiously looking forward to everyone's thoughts here.

Greg

 

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[detectorgirl]

I would strongly advice against detecting a cemetery.

The reason being, I would not like anyone detecting over my fathers, grandfathers, aunts, cousins, friends burial sites, much less digging holes.

Sorry, I know this is not what you want to hear

 

[hollowpointred]

it is a personal decision really. if you have permission you went about it the right way. i myself would not detect a cemetary because of my personal feelings on the subject, but if you are cool with it and have permission, knock yourself out!

 

[Mighty AP]

This is a touchy subject to be sure! You got permission, thats a good thing. If you are getting permission to hunt a cemetary, it must be abandoned & has had no new burials for quite some time. I assume there are no relatives visiting the dead, leaving flowers, etc. We see so called archaeologists digging up the dead everytime we turn on the Discovery Channel, only difference is the relics end up in a museum for a few years before being auctioned off or in some wealthy jackasses mansion. If these cemetaries are long forgotten I wouldnt have a problem with it at all, just my oppinion. In fact 1235CE, let me lay for 5 good years & you can come dig my stinking corpse with my blessings! And for a little incentive, I plan to be burried with all my detector findings................clad, pulltabs, rings & all!

 

[Burdie]

I have no problem with it when following these guide lines. One do not search over the grave. Two do not search when a funeral is going on. Three must have written permission. I personally would not hunt a cemetery but would not object to someone else hunting.

 

[Gypsy Heart]

This topic has been discussed at length before....See Dead men Sandwiches

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,27504.0.html

I personally would not do it.

 

[diggit 65]

I have had permission and still didn't detect it .That's just me though .

 

[1235CE]

O.K., I have read all the posts so far (as well as previous posts, thank you)...... Here are my thoughts..., yes, I have detected hundreds of old cemeteries, found hundreds of unbelievable coins, and have hundreds of unbelievable memories........ I will start with this..... I am in the Northeast and very rural so please picture what an old, run-down cemetery looks like for this story.......I have a computer program called TravelMaps and it let's you zone in on any street, building or cemetery you like.......My brother and I pick out an area, print the map, and crosses show up wherever there is a cemetery. We DO NOT detect any cemetery that someone has been buried in, in the last 100 years.....that is OUR cut-off.......We have no desire to dig anything other than coins, and I personally have never dug more than 7 inches.......we will ALWAYS find the town constable, cemetery super., or sometimes even just the guy mowing the lawn where it's o.k.......no exaggeration, we have been told "no" maybe 5 times out of 300.....some are curious, and some others just say "don't make a mess......."........I will put the following in CAPS just because both my brother and I are VERY PROUD THAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO DETECT JUST BECAUSE THESE FOLKS WERE JUST LOOKING FOR SOME ELBOW GREASE TO HELP PICK UP STONES, CUT FALLEN LIMBS, HELP CEMENT STONES BACK ON THIER BASE....ETC...AND WE'VE DONE IT ALL.... WE ARE ALSO VERY PROUD (as quirky as it may seem) that we say hello to these people as we're passing by and just hope that they appreciate the temporary company.....yes, we detect right over the stones as we generally go row by row and just generally soak up the history of the place. We are not weirdos, just realists that can understand that we are all going to end up here eventually and I sure hope someone stops by my final resting place after all the drama is over. If your conscious will allow you, and you could spare the time to have fun at the same time you are doing something very good.... AND YOU HAVE PERMISSION, please visit some old cemeteries in your neighborhood, say hello to some old hero's, and have fun with the hobby that God has given us.

Again, just my humble opinion.

Happy hunting,
Greg

 

[1320]

My detecting mentor and coach asked of me that upon his death and burial, that I bury a Morgan Dollar on top of his grave. Obviously, I asked why. His reply, "I love this hobby so much that I want to look up and see the joy of whom ever finds it".

This caring gentleman, who drove over 100 miles round trip, to sell me my first detector, passed away last year. I honored his request and then some. I pray that someday, someone will have the courage to ask for permisson to hunt the Cemetary in which he is buried. You may not find him or his coins, but he'll know you're there trying. He would want that.

Love and miss you Danny. Hope they have internet in Heaven!

Colton loves his Ky Colonel status.

 

[1235CE]

"You may not find him or his coins, but he'll know you're there trying. He would want that."

You just can't know what saying that means to me........thank you, thanks so very much.

Greg

 

[1320]

I do know Greg! Dig all of them.

Regards;

Jamie Wexler

 

[RON (PA)]

There is small family cemetary next to my brother-in-law's house. It is at least 100 years old and well defined by a waist high stone wall around it.. I would love to detect it, but I won't. I have thought about going in to cut the grass, plant some flowers, and say a pray. I would want someone to keep my grave looking nice if my family was not alive to do it.

When a car drives by a cemetary and sees you with your detector, they don't care and they don't ask if you have permission. They automatically assume that you are a grave robber looking for jewelry on the dead. It does not matter if the cemetary is used within 100 years or not, in the city or in rural areas. A few people detecting in a cemetary will quickly stereotype all of us as graverobbers and will do more harm than good for the hobby. It will quickly close up areas to us

As stated before, it is a personal preference. I never would. Hope it helps.

 

[neilo]

Let them rest in peace, there could be items laid in amongst the graves that could be valuable not in money values but spiritually are priceless to the families of the lost love ones.Respect those people and stay away from cemetries.
It comes down to common decency and respect, thats my view on it seeya Neilo

 

[1235CE]

You have a valid point. I can see your point of view....but only briefly. Correct me if I'm wrong but it is my belief that metal detecting as a hobby as well as the large community that surrounds the hobby has grown tremendously in the last 20-30 years, we are much more visible, and I would venture to say that I think at least most people have an understanding about what our hobby is all about and we are no longer all looked upon as "looters", "stealers" or (heaven forbid ......"graverobbers". That statement alone is a great indication that we all have done a great job sharing our hobby, teaching about our hobby and respecting our hobby. Of the thousands of people that have passed me in cars while detecting cemeteries you would have thought that if someone truly thought I was committing some sort of crime that I would have long been in handcuffs. I would feel badly for the narrow-mindedness of a person who saw me detecting a cemetery and thought I was a graverobber before he thought I was enjoying my hobby.

Greg

 

[1235CE]

Neilo, Do you mean decency and respect like cutting up fallen branches, replacing or helping fix old stones, lugging my own weed wacker through the woods to spruce up a long forgotten place or helping place hundreds of flags out (just last night) at the local large cemetery for Memorial Day? That kind of decency and respect?

Greg

 

[Born2Dtect]

In Maryland all burial sites are regulated by the state. Not even the land owner can disturb the body. Get caught and you go to jail, loose everything you have with you and pay a hefty fine. I would think most states also regulate burial sites. I have hunted closed to grave yards but I just would not go in them or disturb the interned. As a lot of grave stones say " Rest In Peace", So I let them undisturbed.

Ed Donovan

 

[Mighty AP]

1320, nice post, my condolences...............you can dig up my corpse with Greg, split the booty with him! 1235CE, I think you are being respectful, you arent strewing bones all over the place & as I said before its all good as long as these are old, long forgotten sites. I would stay away from digging the actual bodies/skeletons myself. My girlfreind read these posts & said you, me & 1320 are ghouls.........................can it be true?

 

[1235CE]

Mighty, thanks for the invite, lol.....I was not intending to get anyone riled up, just wanted to share where I hunt (among other places) WITH PERMISSION but was curious about the general consensus. Have a good day all.

Beep, beep and be deep.

Greg

 

[wmas1960]

There have been many threads on this and as others have mentioned, it is a touchy subject. While I would never search a cemetary to begin with, I think it depends on a few things. First, you have permission so that is a good start. However, I wouldn't even have thought of getting permission,so to speak, as, as I indicated, I am one that thinks that it isn't right to detect in cemetaries to begin with.

Some think it is OK under certain circumstances and that, I guess, is your call. Yaou should think of where you are detecting. Graves should be definately off limits. Things that are found on grave sites are not always lost items. They can be things deliberately left there as a gift of sorts to the deceased. A war medal for a veteran. A prized toy for a lost child. Children often leave items like jewelry for their mother etc. Looking for and taking these items would, I feel, be theft. Some people say that walking paths, picnic areas that might be there and parking lots are OK. I might be able to draw that line but would caution about any detecting, ANYWHERE when there are other people around. If any of the cemetaries are still actively visited, I would use a lot of discretion. When services are being held or when people are paying threir respects. It is best to keep discrete about your detecting and never disturb others when they are around. I would take that to the point that if others are around, don't be there. Think of how you would feel if your loved one was buried there and someone was poking around with a shovel and a metal detector.

I have read of some legitimate times when detectorists were actually solicited by cemetaries to go search them. During a survey for example when they need to find markers. I don't know how it works but I understand that they put metal markers in the ground to mark where the individual graves are. I guess, so that in case a headstone goes missing, they can remark it accurately. I have heard of people with detectors being asked to go find those markers. But then, you might only be locating and marking something, not doing any digging.

In the end, as I mentioned in another recent thread on this subject, there are so many other places that one can search. Around me, I have about 20 miles of Lake Michigan beaches and almost 70,000 acres of forest land. I can look for houses that are slated for teardown and try and get permission to search those and other construction sites. There are street projects all over. With all that, I could go an entire lifetime searching and never have to detect in a cemetary.

Those are my feelings though. Despite what others advise, it often comes down to an individual and their conscience.

 

[Maverick]

This is a touchy subject to be sure! You got permission, thats a good thing. If you are getting permission to hunt a cemetary, it must be abandoned & has had no new burials for quite some time. I assume there are no relatives visiting the dead, leaving flowers, etc. We see so called archaeologists digging up the dead everytime we turn on the Discovery Channel, only difference is the relics end up in a museum for a few years before being auctioned off or in some wealthy jackasses mansion. If these cemetaries are long forgotten I wouldnt have a problem with it at all, just my oppinion. In fact 1235CE, let me lay for 5 good years & you can come dig my stinking corpse with my blessings! And for a little incentive, I plan to be burried with all my detector findings................clad, pulltabs, rings & all!

Mighty AP, you and your coffin is going to look like a souvenier bucket.