# What's the dope on "dowsing" for graves? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 23, 2011, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380 "2011-02-23T20:58:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Wolfscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Wolfscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/181 "2011-03-21T17:44:24Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Well, that settles the issue for me. > > Speaking of ordinary states of reality, I’m still kicking myself for missing a Gift Of Light Psychic Fair and Holistic Health Expo in Ohio over the weekend. Surely someone there could have taught me grave dowsing (it wasn’t specifically cited on the agenda, but I divine that it was there nonetheless), and I would have been able to give up my day job for fun dowsing for graves in the forest along with my faithful Labrador retriever (but no dogwood allowed). Fortunately there is [a new fair in Cleveland](http://giftoflightexpo.com/gift_of_light_9th_annual_009.htm) in April, featuring (among many other and varied sorts of woo) “Tomstones” and “Ms. Margo, The Bone Reader”. > > Maybe Randi can oversee a death match between Ms. Margo and Wolfscratch for the Big Prize. My money is on Ms Margo..🙂 Wolfscratch ---
**Author:** ![Wolfscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Wolfscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/182 "2011-03-21T17:47:48Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:177, topic:572380”] Taking advantage of those families was pretty low of you. [/QUOTE] 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wolfscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Wolfscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/183 "2011-03-21T17:49:02Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Why not dogwood? > **[The Dogwood – Visual Forces Christian Photography, Art, Gifts, and...](https://www.visualforces.com/christian/photography/nature/the-dogwood/)** ---
**Author:** ![Wolfscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Wolfscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/184 "2011-03-21T17:57:21Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:177, topic:572380”] Taking advantage of those families was pretty low of you. [/QUOTE] The family requested to learn. I do not charge a fee to teach others, or judge the motives of others… Believe me, I am very sympathetic of the plight of the families of the missing/murdered, and have sadly met too many… Wolfscratch ---
**Author:** ![Submerged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Submerged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Submerged)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/185 "2011-03-21T18:08:02Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > I am very sympathetic of the plight of the families of the missing/murdered, and have sadly met too many… > > Wolfscratch Which families have you met and how many graves of missing people have you found so far? What is the reaction of law enforcement to your activities with the victims’ families? Also, in the websleuths thread cited in the OP of this thread, you state the following" _**I am a grave dowser and have the ability to locate graves. Due to GMH’s evil or demonic aura the dowsing rods will indicate his past movements as well as anything he buries. The dowsing rods indicated that GMH, had been at the location, indicated his icebox and several graves with multiple remains in the campsite. I then located his garbage pile buried in black garbage bags. I contacted the Dawson Sheriff’s Dept., and you know the rest of the story.**_ Can you tell us more about this incident? What is the rest of the story? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/186 "2011-03-21T18:10:01Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > The family requested to learn. I do not charge a fee to teach others, or judge the motives of others… > Believe me, I am very sympathetic of the plight of the families of the missing/murdered, and have sadly met too many… > > Wolfscratch What _do_ you charge a fee for? What police departments have consulted you? Can you name a case that involved you finding a grave for them? ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/187 "2011-03-21T18:14:08Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > [The Dogwood – Visual Forces Christian Photography, Art, Gifts, and Inspirational Stories](http://www.visualforces.com/christian/photography/nature/the-dogwood/) Oh, so you’re tellng me that we can’t use dogwood to make a dowsing fork because the tree is cursed? I’d buy that for a nickle. Thanks for responding. Have a nice day. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/188 "2011-03-21T19:00:57Z")
The claim is made that dowsing is in the Bible. The spurious path goes like this: divination is in the Bible and dowsing is a type of divination, therefore dowsing is in the Bible! Using this “logic”, I have determined that kangaroos are in the Bible, because a kangaroo is an animal, and animals are in the Bible. Such a fun game this is! ---
**Author:** ![Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9adbd/32.png) [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fell_through_the_Ice)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/189 "2011-03-21T19:45:25Z")
Wolfscratch, could you possibly take a moment to answer my question about what it means when a dowser’s rods point back at the dowser? Thanks so much. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/190 "2011-03-21T23:44:27Z")
**Wolfscratch,** I posed a simple question in post #172. Please answer. Have you applied to win the Challenge? If so, when; if not, why not? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/191 "2011-03-21T23:50:42Z")
I always wondered how you distinguish the dogwood tree from others unless it’s blooming. There are so many different kinds in the woods. Then a friendly naturalist set me straight. How can you tell it’s a dogwood? “By its bark,” he said. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/192 "2011-03-22T02:25:02Z")
> [@Submerged](#): > > Can you tell us more about this incident? What is the rest of the story? I posted instructions that he not continue that hijack and you have to ask him to expand on it? If someone wants to discuss crime events rather than the possibility of grave dowsing, open a new thread (in the appropriate forum). Do not continue that discussion, here. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Submerged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Submerged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Submerged)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/193 "2011-03-22T02:40:14Z")
Tomndebb, hello, just wanted to ask, b/c I’m baffled here. What instructions? What hijack? Where were they posted? I’m sorry, if there was a post or comment or something from mods, I didn’t see it prior to posting. My comment/question is directly related to grave dowsing, I don’t understand what the objection is. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Wolfscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/194 "2011-03-22T03:53:08Z")
I have been banned from 100’s of forums for conjecture or speculation… No worries… "What I post is not speculation or conjecture, only beyond some folks realm of understanding… > **[Are police liable if they fail to warn the public about a serial killer on...](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=601419)** > > In following the case of the serial killer Gary Hilton, in Florida, there seem to be a huge number of people who believe that they guy has killed dozens, maybe even hundreds of people in the southeast US. And that the authorities knew about it but... #55 Today, 07:53 PM samclem Moderator Join Date: Aug 1999 Location: Akron, Ohio Posts: 17,072 This one is closed for now. I might reopen, but I doubt it. Wolfscratch. Don’t start this monomaniacal screed anywhere else on this Board. samclem Moderator. * * * Last edited by samclem; Today at 08:05 PM. * * * Damn, that didn’t take long… "Silence was GMH & associates most Lethal Weapon… Wolfscratch “Up yours samclem” ---
**Author:** ![Wolfscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Wolfscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/195 "2011-03-22T04:16:05Z")
> [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](#): > > Wolfscratch, could you possibly take a moment to answer my question about what it means when a dowser’s rods point back at the dowser? Thanks so much. It means that you no longer have a heartbeat… Wolfscratch - ‘You have sacrificed your Life for others’… ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/196 "2011-03-22T04:19:10Z")
This is going to end well… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/197 "2011-03-22T04:19:32Z")
> [@Submerged](#): > > Tomndebb, hello, just wanted to ask, b/c I’m baffled here. What instructions? What hijack? Where were they posted? I’m sorry, if there was a post or comment or something from mods, I didn’t see it prior to posting. > > My comment/question is directly related to grave dowsing, I don’t understand what the objection is. The instructions were posted: > [@tomndebb](#): > > **Wolfscratch** , this is a discussion about the purported efficacy of dowsing for graves. Your serially posted anecdotes about serial killers has nothing to do with that topic. > > Knock it off in this forum. > > [/Moderating] Wolfscratch had used the topic of dowsing graves to post a whole series of irrelevant comments about a serial killer he purports to have tracked or something. The post to which you replied was on that topic, (against my instructions), not on the topic of dowsing. His serial killer fixation might be a legitimate topic, but not in this thread. If he survives his current fit of recalcitrance, he is welcome to actually comment on dowsing in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfscratch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Wolfscratch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfscratch)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/198 "2011-03-22T04:21:15Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > The claim is made that dowsing is in the Bible. The spurious path goes like this: divination is in the Bible and dowsing is a type of divination, therefore dowsing is in the Bible! Using this “logic”, I have determined that kangaroos are in the Bible, because a kangaroo is an animal, and animals are in the Bible. > Such a fun game this is! Not a game to me Czarcasm.. 'The families of the missing/murdered belong to a involuntary fraternity of a new Life’s Normal… Their lives will never be the same as it was the day before their loved ones became missing or were murdered.. Wolfscratch “Til my dowsing rods point to me”… ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/199 "2011-03-22T04:24:10Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > Wolfscratch “Up yours samclem” Insulting another poster, (and Mods are posters), is prohibited outside The BBQ Pit. Posting an insult to a Mod in a wholly different forum than the one in which you were Moderated is being a jerk. You can either behave yourself or add one more message board to your bragging list of how many places you can fail to fit in. This is a Warning that you are out of line. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [March 22, 2011, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/200 "2011-03-22T04:28:21Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > Not a game to me Czarcasm.. 'The families of the missing/murdered belong to a involuntary fraternity of a new Life’s Normal… Their lives will never be the same as it was the day before their loved ones became missing or were murdered. That’s right. They won’t. And since dowsing (for graves or anything else) is pseudo-scientific hocus-pocus that doesn’t work, don’t you think it’s inappropriate for you to raise their hopes? That’s rather cruel of you, in fact. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380.md?page=11)