Interesting job offer

Well this last weekend I had a forensics class that was focused on geoforensics and the use of technology for use in locating clandestine grave sites. We spent a large portion of the class using GPS units and learning the ArcGIS software (wich we all got a one year copy of SCORE).

Anyway when we introduced ourselves we had to say an interesting thing about ourselves. Do to the nature of the course I mentioned I was a detection dog handler. This actually caused a request for me to discuss detection dog work with the class. Later a former mayor of one of the small towns near here pulled me aside to ask about a project she is working on. Apparently there is an old grave site where they buried children back in the early 1900s. In the mid 1950s a rancher tore down the fence and let his cattle graze on the land. Most of the grave markers are gone now and no one really knows the boundry of the cemetary either. She wants to try and use the detection dogs to see if we can determine a perimiter at the very least if not identify locations of the graves so they can put up new markers and a fence line.

Im discussing it with the others in my group to see if we can figure out how to train the dogs for the job. We have narc dogs, bomb dogs, scats dogs heck we even had a whale dog but no really old body dogs. Anyway it could be an interesting opprotunity.

Sounds like a blast. If you enjoy it, it could lead to other jobs... those types of activities lead to news articles. Supposedly, people still read newspapers.

What, and you didn't mention you were a car-nerd? 2000+ posts on GRM wasn't relevant to the nature of the course?

Sounds like a great opportunity to me.

As an aside, GIS work is interesting stuff. I'm taking a unit on that now, (pertaining to oceanography, though.)

Luke I was wondering if anyone else on the board had experience with GIS I will be taking the more in depth class on it in the fall but since I have the software I want to play with it over summer. Any good references you know of?

My wife uses GIS a ton. I'll ask here when she gets home.

I believe PHeller on here has his degree in GIS. He would be the one to ask; I'm only half a semester through the basics.

I work in GIS and find that for basic information the manuals that come with ESRI software are actualy pretty good. If you do not have hard copies, all of the same information is available at

ESRI Support Site

Are you using version 9.3 or 10?

http://training.esri.com/gateway/index.cfm?fa=search.results&searchterm=&search=Search&CourseTypeID=1&cannedsearch=8&orderby=price%20asc

was the link she sent me with the list of online courses available, free ones at the top.

Of particular interest may be the "Getting Started with GIS (for ArcGIS 10)" or "Getting Started with GIS (for ArcGIS 9.2-9.3)" options, then expanding from there as needed/interested.

Mapper they are upgrading the school computers to 10 over the summer so I opted for a copy of 10. The computer I was using this weekend had 9.3 installed.

Thanks for all the help guys. I really want to integrate the dog work with the GIS to have the abilty to map out hits the dog make.

I was kind of thinking that to make myself kind of a practice exercise as I scout this spring and summer for deer and elk I would input the locations into GIS to look for patterns and possible locations for good places to fill my tags.

rebelgtp wrote: Im discussing it with the others in my group to see if we can figure out how to train the dogs for the job. We have narc dogs, bomb dogs, scats dogs heck we even had a whale dog but no really old body dogs. Anyway it could be an interesting opprotunity.

Could you not use a cadaver dog?

spitfirebill wrote:

rebelgtp wrote: Im discussing it with the others in my group to see if we can figure out how to train the dogs for the job. We have narc dogs, bomb dogs, scats dogs heck we even had a whale dog but no really old body dogs. Anyway it could be an interesting opprotunity.

Could you not use a cadaver dog?

i think they pick up the smell of decomposing flesh, but not sure, so 100 year old graves would probably not work that way.

have they thought about ground penetrating radar?

I took a class in undergrad on GIS and specifically using ArcGIS, its a really powerful piece of software that can be used for a lot of different things. texas and most other states have public sites where you can get statewide gis data like roads, county lines, even geologic maps.

texas site: www.tnris.org

We could if we had one. Basically I will have to train one. The closest we have done is dogs trained to find cougar kill sites. Also many cadaver dogs would have issues with sites where the body could be pushing over 100 years old and buried several feet underground. Not saying it couldn't be done but we are talking much fainter scent than most are used on.

Strizzo GPR was considered though I guess from what they said so far it is cost prohibative to bring someone out to do it. I live near the area and I am familiar with the terrain around here.