Taboo, or not taboo....

There have been several posts on this forum regarding the ethics of detecting in and around graveyards. This question is simply a deviation on this issue to get a feel for how the TQ community thinks.(OK, I'll be honest, it is raining and I am bored).

How do you feel about hunting on the site of a natural (or unnatural) disaster? A few examples would be downstream of the Johnstown Flood, the Rhode Island coast after the Hurricane of 1938 or N.O. after Katrina, or the site of a local disaster of smaller proportion. An event that involved a great loss of life or suffering.

Are these areas taboo, or are they akin to a CW battlefield that posesses the same elements but are sought after by hobbyists? I would be interested to know what everyone thinks on this.

HH,
HJ

[JoAnne]

My personal thoughts are that if you are not breaking any laws then go for it. If it was a current disaster and you find soemthing that you know belongs to someone it would be a nice idea to return the item if you can. However if it is the flood of 1938 obviously those finds are non traceable so I say if you find it it is yours. I would not detect grave sites but other sites are OK. This is just my humble opinion. JoAnne

[INDY]

I feel that if it is soon after the disaster, then I would frown upon it....so what defines "soon after" in my book? I honestly couldn't tell ya, maybe as early as a year. ANd it also depends on the what the disaster is, an airplane crash would seem so bad to me unless it was many years ago. That's just my opinion.

[ButchB]

I'd say the time frame would be the important thing and depends on your motives. I have no problem hunting older grave yards, but have never found anything of significance in the ones I've hunted.........

[JoAnne]

Well said Boobie - that was what I was trying to say but you said it better. JoAnne

[ButchB]

So how do you determine that? I'd say everyone has hopes of finding the expensive ring or the rare artifact or the jar of old gold coins,wouldn't you? I don't see that as making them greedy..........

[elkco]

Since I live close to Johnstown, I've also had thoughts of going downstream and searching. Of course that covers a pretty good area, too! I wouldn't have any second thoughts, since it's been so long ago, as long as it wasn't on anyone's private property or getting permission beforehand, if it was. I've seen the posts of those that try graveyards, too and questioned what they would expect to find there.

[Monk]

Ethics, Whose? Before detectors I hear some people did go to Aunt Bee's grave and hid a cache, or around the yard. Becouse they felt no one would be digging in a grave yard. And if they needed the money they could just go see Aunt Bee. There has been caches found in grave yards in the past. Ethics! Everyone will have to be there own judge. If you find an old out of the way grave yard and feel it might be worth a shot. Go for the gold baby. They used to use pine boxes to bury a person, so there won't be much if any metal there. Or will you be digging very deep, carry a probe. Remember the ethics you feel is what the person that may have a cache there used to protect his cache. Plus they wouldn't tell anyone there was something there unless they would want the person to find it, and it wouldn't be hard to find if you knew the name on the grave.
I guess what I'm saying is it could make your day. But you will have to be the judge.

[ButchB]

The ones I was refering to are the really old ones. You aren't digging very deep to start with so I don't see it as a problem.....

[rip]

I'm with Boobie on this one ! I just recently found 4 brass markers that were buried about 4 inches down.I returned them to the surface,but i also found 1 barber quarter 1 barber dime 1 mercury dime 5 large cents 1 indianhead 1 liberty nickel and a few weaties ! I always take out ALL trash and clear out any fallen limbs(been pretty windy lately).I also like to read the diferent inscriptions.An example is one that i read of that goes somthing like Here lies our 9 year old son,he will be missed but we wouldent want him back ! Makes ya wonder !