For any aspiring ghost hunter, it’s essential to start with the basics first. Though you’re probably eager to jump in and explore paranormal activity at the earliest opportunity, it’s important 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.
Table of Contents Show
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 set out to ensure that you’re ghost hunting in an ethical and safe way.
Carry out research about 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 with no clue as to what it entails.
Try and research as much as possible about the location’s history and its layout – this will be a big help for once you arrive as you’ll know your bearings, even just a little bit.
Another key bit of research is to check whether you can access the location legally to begin with. If you need permission to visit a location, 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 for 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 key. Though it’s certainly the less thrilling part of the activity, it is completely necessary as it’ll ensure that the investigation runs smoothly.
When learning how to become a ghost hunter, you should never overlook the smaller details.
Planning ahead requires equipment checks, liaising with the people in your group, and familiarising yourself with the location you’ll be exploring. All of this preparation will increase the chances of a successful, memorable ghost hunt.
For any ghost hunter that’s attending a hunt with a paranormal event planner, you won’t have to worry too much about this step. Instead, make sure that they definitely have the insurance required for the hunt, are professional, and are reputable.
Bring along the right equipment
Your equipment is essential for ensuring a good ghost hunt, without you’ll be lost in the dark (literally!). Ghost hunting equipment is easily accessible with many retailers selling the tools you’ll need.
Of course, if you’re attending a ghost hunt with an organiser, they will likely have their own equipment that they bring. With this said, you should always double-check and bring a torch with you anyway.
We suggest that in addition to a torch, you also bring an EMF meter, camera and a voice recorder as a minimum. These pieces of equipment are bound to come in handy and there’s no doubt that you’ll get your use out of them.
As well as this equipment, we also encourage you to consider bringing trigger objects to encourage 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 up a ghost hunting kit that you can use again and again. In fact, all of 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 some 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 certainly won’t regret packing more to be safe.
Finally, you should ensure that your phone’s battery is fully charged before heading out on your ghost hunt. When participating in a group ghost hunt, make sure that every member follows this advice. It can be quite easy to get lost in dark locations.
If you’re travelling to a rural place to carry out your ghost hunt, it can also be useful 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 offence at your shoe choice but for your own sake (and safety), dressing appropriately is really important.
Without the extra chill from ghosts, remote locations can be particularly cold. We recommend wrapping up with layers and wearing closed-toe footwear for protection.
Locations such as the Edinburgh Vaults that are underground 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 just in case you experience more than just a ghostly breeze!
Stay together as part of a group
When researching how to become a ghost hunter, you’ve likely heard the common advice to go out as part of a group on your first ghost hunt. We have to back this, especially 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, make sure 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 about peace of mind and help to prevent any issues from occurring.
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 important 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.
At the end of the day both the living (and dead) will appreciate you demonstrating your respect for the location. Never investigate a location without the permission of the owner, though this may seem like common sense, it’s an important rule of ghost hunting!
Set boundaries and know your limits
If you are investigating as part of a group, there may be other members with 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 both mentally and physically with symptoms such as dizziness, sickness, and general negative feelings.
Therefore, you MUST know your limits particularly if you are prone to suffering from claustrophobia or are generally quite anxious.
Set up a base with your group with lighting as a ‘safe place’ to retreat to if ghost hunting becomes overwhelming. You could prepare in advance by laying out hot drink-making facilities along with juice, water, and biscuits to keep energy levels up.
If at any point you feel unsafe or that you need to take a break during the investigation, go back to the safe place to rest for a while. This is something that both beginner and advanced ghost hunters do often.
Take care not to damage 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! The last thing you’d want is your torch cutting out in an eerie corridor, trust us.
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 then that they can have quite 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 that you have found this guide helpful. As always we want to emphasise that ghost hunting can be a lot of fun, especially if you manage to capture evidence of the paranormal!
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.
