cemeteries

[gator_bait]

Most of us have been in cemeteries many times in our lives to see off family and friends. The plots and lots are owned by families like your own.
You would not be happy if a person drank, threw empty bottles around, your family plot, did his business in one end and slept in another.
Last year, I was called by a nearby city and asked if I could come over and find markers in their cemetery. I did find quite a few, but they ended up having it surveyed to be sure of the lines. The place began around 1850ish on a 80 acre parcel of land south of the center of town. For the last couple week, and again at 8:00 am tomorrow I will be there helping to take lines, plotting gravesites and GPSing the entire place. Ground sounding the cemetery is due to begin in about 6 months. They will locate unmarked graves. Every grave will be photograghed and put into a data base at city hall for families to view and find forgotten relatives.
I have walked around, for weeks taking notice of names, dates, and conditions of grave sites. Some have been driven over by trespassing cars and trucks to go drinking and to get aquainted with others. Quite a few of the flat markers in the pauper section have been pushed into the Florida sand by the vehicles till they were no longer visable. Some of those were Civil War veterans whose sites became obscure little by little over the passage of time.
Vandals have pushed over 500 lb stones, thrown corner markers, stolen bronze veteran markers, broken bottles, and dropped their trash in their tracks. The maintanence crew is kept busy picking up trash and cutting grass. The good news is for anyone entertaining the idea of entering and detecting a cemetery, you will find as much canslaw and pull tabs as anywhere else. While I was scanning for markers, the DFX sounded off everywhere. Targets I would have gladly dug had I been in a park. Personally, I won't detect there, cause there are just too many other places just as productive where I would feel more comfortable. If you want to detect, go ahead, I will be the one not waving to you when I go by...Gil

[leesumm]

Personally I would ask and get verbal then written permission as a back up from the residents of the cemetery , untill then stay out unless there is a relative within. If no relative or friend there I would consider it trespassing untill haveing permission in writting .

[Graw]

Not Me --- Who's afraid of the big bad Ghost ? ME---- Graw

[WOOD GUY]

!!!rest In Peace!!!

[Bryan Jon]

That would be a BIG no-no for me. Just does not seem or feel right. Just my humble opinion.

['E']

Definitely NOT for me, too creepy & disrespectful.

[alabamaslim]

I dont think families would be to kind to see someone with a shovel or a small digging tool walking around their deceased, Definitely not a good idea, way to many good places to go to consider that.

[Dug D]

This subject seems cut and dry to me, I look for lost items with no owner, I believe anything I might find in a cemetery was not lost, it was put there, the owner is the one that it was left for. I can't imagine handing a silver dollar to someone to look at and saying I found it in a cemetery.

[The TINMAN]

No for me to, Way to many other places to hunt. Matter of personal choice but even with permission I would Pass on It.