For any aspiring ghost hunter, starting with the basics first is essential. Though you’re probably eager to jump in and explore paranormal activity at the earliest opportunity, it’s necessary to think about safe ghost hunting.
In this guide, we talk you through some of the most handy tips for any newbie to the ghost hunting scene and provide our expert insights on how to become a ghost hunter.
How To Become A Paranormal Investigator
If you’re curious about how to become a ghost hunter, our list of ghost-hunting tips below will help you to get started. Follow the advice to ensure that you’re ghost hunting ethically and safely.
Research your location
Every ghost hunt begins with research, specifically location-based research. If a location has caught your interest and you want to visit, you’ve got to be clued up about it beforehand.
The biggest mistake any novice ghost hunter can make is arriving at a location without knowing what it entails.
Try and research the location’s history and layout as much as possible – this will be a big help once you arrive, as you’ll know your bearings, even just a little bit.
Another critical bit of research is to check whether you can access the location legally, to begin with. If you need permission to visit a site, get this beforehand to avoid any possible repercussions.
We always advise checking out the location in daylight if you’ve never visited it before; this will help significantly when you plan to visit during the darker hours.
Carefully plan your investigation.
Before you start your ghost hunt, it is vital to have a plan in place, especially if you’re new to exploring the paranormal world.
Every experienced ghost hunter will tell you that planning is critical. Though it’s undoubtedly the less thrilling part of the activity, ensuring the investigation runs smoothly is essential.
You should always consider minor details when learning to become a ghost hunter.
Planning requires equipment checks, liaising with the people in your group, and familiarising yourself with the location you’ll be exploring. This preparation will increase the chances of a successful, memorable ghost hunt.
For any ghost hunter attending a hunt with a paranormal event planner, you won’t have to worry too much about this step. Instead, ensure they have the insurance required for the search, are professional, and are reputable.
Bring along the right equipment.
Your equipment is essential for ensuring a good ghost hunt, without which you’ll be lost in the dark (literally!). Ghost hunting equipment is easily accessible, with many retailers selling the necessary tools.
Of course, if you’re attending a ghost hunt with an organizer, they will likely have the equipment that they bring. With this said, you should always double-check and bring a torch with you anyway.
We suggest that you bring an EMF meter, camera, and a voice recorder as a minimum, in addition to a torch. These pieces of equipment are bound to come in handy, and there’s no doubt you’ll get your use out of them.
Various Ghost Hunting Apps are free to download onto devices you already own – such as smartphones and tablets. Some popular apps include GhostTube, EchoVox, and ParaTek.
As well as this equipment, we encourage you to consider bringing trigger objects to promote action from the spirits. This could include cat balls or marbles to be rolled across the floor. Many ghost hunters find that these objects are often interacted with!
You won’t have to spend a fortune to build a ghost-hunting kit that you can use repeatedly. All the equipment we’ve listed is relatively cheap and guaranteed to last if bought from a reputable company.
With these pieces of equipment in your possession, you’ll increase your chances of locating paranormal evidence.
Another thing to bear in mind is that torches can run out of battery relatively quickly. Therefore, buy spare batteries, at least for your torch, and consider bringing additional batteries for other electronics.
Ghosts have been known to drain batteries in haunted environments, so you won’t regret packing more to be safe.
Finally, you should ensure your phone’s battery is fully charged before heading out on your ghost hunt. Ensure every member follows this advice when participating in a group ghost hunt. It can be pretty easy to get lost in dark locations.
If you’re traveling to a rural place to carry out your ghost hunt, it can also be helpful to have two-way radios to hand; mobile phone reception isn’t always reliable.
Make sure that you dress appropriately.
Not that a ghost will take offense at your shoe choice, but dressing appropriately is essential for your own sake (and safety).
Without the extra chill from ghosts, remote locations can be cold. We recommend wrapping up with layers and wearing closed-toe footwear for protection.
Locations such as the underground Edinburgh Vaults can also get quite damp, so keep this in mind! Dudley Castle is another popular ghost-hunting location, but since it is open to the elements, you may want to consider waterproofs if you’re embarking on a ghost hunt in this spot.
Don’t underestimate how cold it can get, even during the summer months. Temperatures can significantly drop overnight, and this is something that you should always be prepared for. Pack gloves and a hat in case you experience more than a ghostly breeze!
Stay together as part of a group.
When researching how to become a ghost hunter, you’ve likely heard the standard advice to go out as part of a group on your first ghost hunt. We must back this until you become more confident in your ghost-hunting abilities.
Ghost hunting as a group provides safety in numbers in case of emergencies, but it can also make for a more exciting experience.
Since everybody responds to spirit energy differently, there will be plenty of activity, and you may just find yourself sharing a sighting of a ghost with another person.
If you are intent on a lone vigil, ensure that somebody else travels with you to the haunted location and that you carry radios. Two-way communication during a solo ghost investigation will bring peace of mind and help prevent any issues.
As part of a group ghost hunt, should you decide to explore on your own, inform all of the group members and ask them to check in with you regularly? It’s also worth setting a meeting point within the building or the location so that you can easily find each other.
Be respectful of your environment.
Many haunted locations have a rich history, so it is essential to be respectful of your surroundings. Whether the house you are exploring is somebody’s home or a grade-I-listed building, the same principle of respect should apply.
Steer clear of picking up any objects in the environment and be mindful of local laws and regulations.
Both the living (and dead) will appreciate your respecting the location. Never investigate a place without the owner’s permission; though this may seem common sense, it’s an essential rule of ghost hunting!
Set boundaries and know your limits
If you are investigating as part of a group, other members may have more ghost-hunting experience than you. We recommend setting boundaries surrounding your limits before heading out after dark.
Ghost hunting is not for the faint-hearted, and though it can be intriguing and fun, it also can be intense. Spirits have been said to affect many investigators mentally and physically, with symptoms such as dizziness, sickness, and general negative feelings.
Therefore, you MUST know your limits, mainly if you are prone to claustrophobia or are generally anxious.
Set up a base with your group with lighting as a ‘safe place’ to retreat if ghost hunting becomes overwhelming. You could prepare in advance by laying out hot drink-making facilities, juice, water, and biscuits to keep energy levels up.
If you feel unsafe or need to take a break during the investigation, go back to a safe place to rest for a while. This is something that both beginner and advanced ghost hunters often do.
Take care not to damage the equipment
Again, this may sound like common sense – but mind your equipment and look after it. It is very easy to get caught up in the moment and forget about your equipment or, worse, damage it.
Equipment can be expensive, so you should aim to take care of it. Keep all of your ghost-hunting tools in padded bags to prevent them from dampness, and be sure to monitor battery levels often.
Even if you feel that you are being too attentive to your battery levels, it’s always better to be safe than sorry! Trust us, the last thing you’d want is your torch cutting out in an eerie corridor.
Be aware of your surroundings.
Since you’ll be exploring unknown territory, though we do advise familiarising yourself in daylight before the hunt, extra care is required.
Haunted locations are often old, and there’s no surprise that they can have distinctive features, including uneven flooring, low-hanging beams, and other hazards.
We advise that you keep your eyes on your surroundings at all times to prevent any accidents from happening. It can be very easy to trip up during a ghost hunt and not because of any mischievous spirits!
Ghost Hunting Tips & Advice – Further Reading
If you’re interested in learning how to become a ghost hunter, we hope you find this guide helpful. As always, we want to emphasize that ghost hunting can be fun, especially if you capture paranormal evidence!
At the same time, it’s very important to always put your safety first and to do your research. We recommend the UK Paranormal Society for further reading and advice to get you started. Good luck with your first ghost hunt; we’re sure it won’t be your last.
