Protocol & Guidelines

1.  No smoking during an investigation.  A ghost hunt is no place for cigarettes or alcohol.  Cigarette smoke looks like ghostly forms in photos and alcohol can distort your senses.  That goes for any other form of mind altering substances as well.  If you just "have to" smoke, go to your car and/or off of the investigation site or out of the investigation area.  Also stay away from lit barbecues and open campfires.  In other words, avoid smoke and flames.

2.  No alcohol before during or after investigation if remaining on site.

3.  No Ouija boards or seances during or after if remaining on site.  In fact, the Lone Star Paranormal Society does not utilize or encourage the use of Ouija boards at any time.  Nor do we take part in "table tipping" or seances as you commonly see on the show "Most Haunted".

4.  Conduct investigations in a professional manner.

5.  Respect posted and private property, ask permission from owners or authorities and do not trespass.

6.  Do not take photos during adverse weather conditions (rain, snow, fog, mist, windy, dusty atmosphere, etc..)   Moisture or precipitation in the air can and will cause artificial anomalies to appear on film.  Also remember that precipitation is in the air before and after a storm.

7.  Do not take photos while traveling on a dusty road.

8.  Clean camera lens regularly.  A smudge can look like an anomaly.

9.  Keep fingers away from camera lens during operation.

10.  Keep long hair away from lens during operation.  Tie long hair back so it doesn't show up in front of the lens.

11.  Avoid shooting when foreign objects are floating around camera.

12. No horse play during investigations, in cemeteries or historical sites.

13.  Maintain reverence and respect during investigations.

14.  Use fresh audio tapes for EVP recordings if you are using a tape recorder.

15.  Compare anomalous prints with negatives for confirmation if you are using a 35mm camera and film.

16.  Flash is good for 9 to 12 feet from camera so focus on that range.

17.  Promote positive energy during an investigation or ghost hunt.  The good ghosts will sense fear and stay away out of kindness and the bad ones will feed off of your fear.  Either way, for best results and safety, always go into an investigation with positive and compassionate feelings.  In other words, think happy thoughts.   

18.  Take notes and record all activities and occurrences during investigations.   For a proper investigation you will need to note such things as the time that you are beginning the investigation, when you are entering and exiting the building and each of the rooms or areas.  Note where photos, videos and E.V.P.'s were taken and the time as well as any E.M.F. spikes or temperature changes.

19.  Hold your breath when snapping photos on a cold night.  Exhaled breath can show up as a mist or fog on film.

20.  Know where your camera strap is at all times.  Either have it around your neck or take it off.  Also be mindful of a tangling lens cover.

21.  Never go on an investigation alone.  Particularly in a secluded area.  Hunt with at least one companion.

22.  Avoid taking pictures of shiny objects.  This means glass, mirrors, reflective objects and anything that shines or that could cause a reflection.

23.  If you are using a camera with night settings, use that setting when taking pictures in the evening and inside of dark buildings.

24.  Avoid lens flair.   Never take pictures in the direction of the sun or a strong light source.  Try to have light sources behind you when snapping a picture.  Avoid photographing reflective surfaces.

25.  Never dare spirits to come around.  You might get your wish and they aren't always friendly during these situations.

26.  You can let the ghosts know what you are doing and why you are there.  Invite them to have their picture taken.

27.  Be objective about the things you encounter!  Try to find other rational for everything.  If there is no other explanation for what you witness, you may be on to something!

28.  It's always a good idea to keep a cell phone with you just in case.  However, you can't always rely upon cellular phones in haunted settings.  Often, they won't work.  Step across the street and the phone usually resumes power/range.

29.  Verify location, accessibility, safety and related issues ahead of time.  Check each site during daytime hours to identify parking, paths and hazards.  Carry a working flashlight even during daytime ghost hunts.

30.  Leave immediately and cheerfully if the police or owners ask you to, even if the property is not posted.   Provide photo ID if the police ask.

31.  If you become unreasonably frightened, leave.  Always follow your gut instinct if you are prompted to leave.  As Jay & Grant from TAPS says, "When in doubt, get the hell out!"

32.  Remember, you have more to fear from the living than from the dead.  Haunted sites are often isolated and deserted.  That makes these sites attractive to people engaged in illegal activities.   Use caution and common sense.

33.  As your mother taught you, never speak ill of the dead.  Avoid sarcasm and jokes in haunted settings.   Sometimes, the spirits "get even".

34.  Remember that you are visiting a location that a ghost considers "home".  Behave politely as you would in someone else's home.

35.  Generally, you cannot help a ghost.  You can advise them to move on, but don't waste more than about ten minutes discussing this.  If you aren't making any progress, it's best to leave that kind of work to a professional.  Most ghosts are tied to their earthly locations because they want to change something that happened in the past.

You can't change the past, and most ghosts aren't really interested in anything else.

And frankly, some ghosts just like attention.  Don't take their ploys seriously.

36.  There are no documented cases of someone being seriously physically harmed by a ghost.  If you're worried about this, choose a different hobby.  Ghost hunting should be fun.

Above all, use your common sense.

This page may be updated from time to time as we may find the need to do so.