# 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:** 9
**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, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/161 "2011-03-21T03:27:14Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Heck, belief in dowsing for water or other deep-buried commodities can persist because (paradoxically] they’re _hard_ to verify, i.e. a dowser is confident that water/gold/whatever is 55 feet down but nobody expects the dowser himself to start digging to prove or disprove this claim (and overall, claims that are difficult or impossible to very can do quite well in the marketplace of unsupported ideas). But since serial killers rarely bury their victims more than a few feet down, if at all, I fail to see why a grave dowser can’t pick up a shovel and verify his claim. I don’t get why he wouldn’t be _eager_ to demonstrate the validity of his beliefs, if those beliefs are sincere. > > If anything, I’d expect grave dowsers to be taking quite a risk in making such an easily provable or disprovable claim. I live in north GA, and invite anyone who wants to learn grave dowsing to join me.. Simple as that.. Wolfscratch/glenn adams [bonnieglenn@aol.com](mailto:bonnieglenn@aol.com) ---
**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, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/162 "2011-03-21T03:30:57Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What is the origin of the article you cut-and-pasted in post #156? Can you tell us which law enforcement agencies have used your help? > **[PickensProgress.com](https://pickensprogress.com/)** > > News for Pickens County, GA Joe chastain is the Grave Dowser that helped the Gwinett Co, GA Police Dept. I have taught families of missing & murdered victims grave dowsing. I posted the link for the Pickens county progress newspaper, GA archives - link. 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, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/163 "2011-03-21T03:41:40Z")
'Silence & missinformation by Law Enforcement and the Justice system, as well as the media(Local & National) was Gary Michael Hilton & associates, most Lethal Weapon… GMH was active for 47 years, with no victim profile… His words, not mine… 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, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/164 "2011-03-21T03:47:58Z")
FYI: The BAU of the FBI was originally named the Behavior Science Unit: BSU… The name was changed to the Behavior Analysis Unit: BAU, for ‘Obvious’ reasons… Their peers referred to them as the Witches Unit… Their office at Quantico was 60’ underground, no windows, and dimly lit… ‘Into the Darkness’… “Their must be darkness present, for the light to shine through” Stuart Chase 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, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/165 "2011-03-21T03:53:12Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FVRSmk7a1g](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FVRSmk7a1g) > > Bigfoot on a bike LOL > > ‘Seeing is believing, Jack Beaty’… > > Wolfscratch LOL, JB 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, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/166 "2011-03-21T04:01:32Z")
[http://cheryldunlap.bigboardlive.com/t12-meredith-hope-emerson-trail-angel](http://cheryldunlap.bigboardlive.com/t12-meredith-hope-emerson-trail-angel) Meredith Emerson, fought GMH by not giving him her ATM numbers for four days buying time for a rescue. The public via the media was led to believe by the UCSO/GA, and the GBI, that she had got lost on Blood Mountain, GA, although they knew that she had been abducted. Sheriffs would wave at him in passing, with Meredith ‘Hope’ Emerson, chained in his van. Obviously the rescue never came… Silence, and the neglect of a very valuable, yet free resource: ‘the American Public’ via the media, was GMH & Associates most Lethal Weapon… > **[Meredith Emerson - Obituary](https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/meredith-emerson-obituary?pid=100869042&view=guestbook)** > > View Meredith Emerson's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook. Wolfscratch ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/167 "2011-03-21T04:07:38Z")
**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] ---
**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, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/168 "2011-03-21T04:13:05Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > [http://pickensprogress.com/](http://pickensprogress.com/) That is a link to the front page of today’s paper. Please provide a link to the actual article. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/169 "2011-03-21T04:27:17Z")
One version of the article is found in the link that I substituted for the text in post 156. ---
**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, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/170 "2011-03-21T04:48:05Z")
What does “Till my dowsing rods point to me” mean? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/171 "2011-03-21T05:13:12Z")
> [@Fell\_through\_the\_Ice](#): > > What does “Till my dowsing rods point to me” mean? Isn’t that the song they played on the _Titanic_? > [@Wolfscratch](#): > > any forked green limb will function as a dowsing or divine rod, except the dogwood branch. Dogwood works - you just have to dowse seven times harder. (I have no intention of taking you seriously) ---
**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, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/172 "2011-03-21T11:41:12Z")
**Wolfscratch,** since you are so confident of your abilities, have you applied to win the [Million Dollar Prize?](http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge.html) For you, it should be a walk in the cemetery on your way to the bank. When you win it, come back and we’ll take you seriously. Until then, it’s just so much hot air. ---
**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, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/173 "2011-03-21T12:57:39Z")
Why not dogwood? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/174 "2011-03-21T13:14:44Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > Dowsing is a 5,000 year old art..and is referenced in the Bible. any forked green limb will function as a dowsing or divine rod, except the dogwood branch. Eighty percent of people have the ability to dowse, but can loose this ability. If lost, the ability can be regained by placing your hand on the Bible. To effectively grave dowse, one must enter a non ordinary state of reality.. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Gedd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gedd/32/4938_2.png) [@Gedd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gedd)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/175 "2011-03-21T13:29:16Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > **Wolfscratch,** since you are so confident of your abilities, have you applied to win the [Million Dollar Prize?](http://www.randi.org/site/index.php/1m-challenge.html) For you, it should be a walk in the cemetery on your way to the bank. When you win it, come back and we’ll take you seriously. Until then, it’s just so much hot air. They have had several people try dowsing saying they could find several different things; a Russian male hidden in a room (?), a specific playing cards, if a container had gold, silver, or nothing and one person who could dowse with a yo-yo. Guess how many passed. ---
**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, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/176 "2011-03-21T15:49:53Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > I live in north GA, and invite anyone who wants to learn grave dowsing to join me.. > Simple as that.. > > Wolfscratch/glenn adams [bonnieglenn@aol.com](mailto:bonnieglenn@aol.com) Wolfscratch, can you explain here your method of grave dowsing? How many graves have you found and what was in them when you excavated them? ---
**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 21, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/177 "2011-03-21T16:00:07Z")
> [@Wolfscratch](#): > > I have taught families of missing & murdered victims grave dowsing. Taking advantage of those families was pretty low of you. ---
**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, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/178 "2011-03-21T16:13:08Z")
**Wolfscratch** , did you bother to read any of this thread before you decided to drop in with your on and off topic press releases? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/179 "2011-03-21T17:04:42Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Why not dogwood? Because what kind of a tree would piss on a tree? A Dogwood. And that’s just not cricket. ---
**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, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380/180 "2011-03-21T17:36:32Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > That is a link to the front page of today’s paper. Please provide a link to the actual article. Czarcasm, The Grave dowsing article is archived in the Pickens Progress link. It is easy to access, but does not have a direct link.. sorry.. That is why I copied & posted the entire article. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-dope-on-dowsing-for-graves/572380.md?page=10)