We here at Spectral Review as you might imagine enjoy the “reality” based ghost and paranormal shows. These shows include Most Haunted, Ghost Hunters, Paranormal State and Ghost Hunters International. These shows in their own way each try to find answers to questions about the paranormal. One could argue about their methods or motivations but they do try to show how they search for ghosts.

These shows are just representations of real people who do paranormal research. Nearly 100% of these people do this paranormal research for free. That tells us that these researchers are not only dedicated to this research but passionate about it also.

We want to know more about these people. Why do they do this research? How did they start? What expertise do they have?

Our next article in the “People in Paranormal Research” series is from Chris Warneka of Carroll Area Paranormal Team (CAPT). Chris is the founder of CAPT.

We hope you like this series. If you have any suggestions or want to participate in our series, use our contact form. And as always you can leave your comment here.

Onto the questions and Chris’ great answers.

How long have you been in paranormal research?

I have been into paranormal research since 1998.

Where are you located, what area of the world do you do investigations? What is the farthest you have traveled to do an investigation?

CAPT is located in Carroll Iowa. We investigate Iowa and surrounding states which include Eastern Nebraska, Southern Minnesota, Western Illinois, Northern Missouri, and some of Eastern South Dakota. The farthest I have traveled for an investigation was 4 1/2 hours one way but with supportive donations we can travel anywhere.

Was there a particular reason or event that lead you to do this research?

That is a good question, I have had many events in my youth that lead me into this field. While I was in High School a figure would appear in the corner of my bedroom, this was almost a nightly thing. It would just stand there and I got so freaked out by it that I would throw knives at it. My sister told me once that she woke up and hit her head on the headboard of her bed and saw me standing in the corner looking out her window. I turned and smiled at her with red glowing eyes then she went into my bedroom which was just across the hall and I was asleep but I rolled over and smiled at her again. My brother told me of a night he saw the fabled goat figure with the horns and hair and goat head walk into his room. He had hard wood floors and he heard the hooves on it then it snorted on his arm and moved the hairs there. These and some very real dreams I have had were the major factors in my entering this field of study.

Why do you continue to do this work?

I continue to do this work I believe for the same reasons as all the other investigators, to find answers to my questions. I have a very strong faith base and I know there is something out there for us when the body passes on, I am attempting to confirm this and do so with every investigation our team completes.

What would be the most compelling evidence you have seen or heard?

The most compelling I have both seen and heard was a few pictures I got of a mist and of a suspected face and our EVP’s. We captured some in-human EVP’s and they are very compelling just by themselves.

(Editors note: You can see the teams case reports including pictures and EVPs on their main page, in the column on the left).

What is your role in your group? Is that where you started? What other roles would you like to learn and do?

My role in the team is many. I am the Founder of the Carroll Area Paranormal Team, Lead Investigator, basically the boss in a word though I hate to act as such (I would rather we all work together and my team ALWAYS has input for us and their ideas are good as well. I like the team concept not the monarchy concept I have no worries about my team members they are wonderful people and have talents they show every time so I have an easy job. CAPT members are OUTSTANDING! I started in Spencer Iowa with the Great Lakes Paranormal Team and then moved to Carroll and started over so yes in a way this is where I started. I would like and am doing this is to become a demonologist. Train to handle the more difficult cases and to be able to assist anyone with anything.

Have you taken any formal training in your life that has enhanced your skill set for your paranormal work?

There really isn’t a certification for paranormal investigations. You can attend seminars and such to expand your knowledge base but experience is the real teacher so no I have not.

What advice would you give someone who wanted to get into the paranormal field?

My advice to someone coming into this field is this…. READ, STUDY then STUDY, READ more. Have an open mind and limit the biases you may have. Paranormal research and investigation is a new and exciting science but it can be dangerous as well. You can come into contact with things you can not see or hear and you have to be ready to expect the unexpected at all times. Be skeptical, do not go into an investigation trying to prove the claims but rather to dis-prove the claims. If you intend to only prove them then everything you experience will be evidence, if you dis-prove the claims what you have left over (if anything) is something to look at harder. BE ETHICAL ALWAYS!!!

Is there some aspect or point of view about the paranormal field that you wished that everyone in the field followed?

I wish everyone would learn ethical and respectful behavior. Ethics is what keeps us honest and true to the trade and have respect for other teams. No one is an expert at anything but some know more than others so without respect for the small community of investigators we plan to fail ourselves. Helping people isn’t all we do and it should not matter if your in a group or not, we should hold no secrets from each other. One’s experience is another’s chance to learn something new. CAPT is lucky to have affiliate groups we work with and they assist us anytime this should be the norm for all groups.

What misconceptions do the public and/or media have about the paranormal field you wish you could dispel?

The misconceptions is that we are ghost busters, fakes, and crazy. For one we are NOT ghost busters, we “bust” nothing. We research it and investigate the claims of activity using real science based approaches and expensive equipment to capture what is being told to us that is happening on the site. We do not have proton packs and drive old ambulances to an investigation so thank Hollywood for the stereotype. Next any reputable group would NEVER fake evidence as a way to get noticed or similar things. We are not in this to get rich or famous, we do this as a community service and free of charge so faking isn’t an option. And finally that we are crazy. That is just silly, we are everyday people like anyone else with an interest in something you can not see or hear. Like religion you take it on faith alone without proof if the stories you hear and we attempt to dis prove the claims people have about paranormal events. If we can not explain it away them we might have something but in no way does that qualify any paranormal research team or its members to be classified as crazy.