Posted by Speed This. Theres a very good chance that if I find someone in my home they are not leaving under their own power. I'd expect the same if I was in someone else's home I didn't belong in. I'd add any active government or government contractor facility. (Federal Gov kicks this up even more) Wont fuck with it. The risk to reward scale is tipped too far to risk there. I don't want to end up in "that" database or be on those types of peoples radar. I remember several years back a couple explorers explored an active military installation in New England. While their explore went off without a hitch they were paid a visit by some less than amused men a few weeks later and got some serious charges levied against them.

Well put. I'm intolerant of home intruders and avoid houses unless obviously abandoned.

Active military, Federal/contractor facilities are no goes. The retaining fee for an attorney for federal criminal court starts around $6G. Smart cams on some of these facilities can tag you and you'll never know it until FBI Agents are knocking on your door.
No thanks...

After a military base is turn over to the county, it's fair game... or at least safer game.

Sneaking in other peoples active homes is just creepy, Charles Manson style creepy crawly.

Somebody will probably shoot your nuts off someday and you'll deserve it. On the bright side, you wont be able pass the creepy moron gene on to any future generations..

The laws vary depending on the region, so everybody may have a different approach.

My usual thought process before exploring something:

1. The possibility of Squatters/Homeless/Crack heads?
Avoid. Rather not get stabbed with a needle or some rusty piece of metal.

2. Abandoned house?
Avoid. More likely to find Squatters in these. Usually not too interesting. Very often have black mold, I have had enough bad air quality through my earlier years to learn my lessons.

3. Any type of activity/residence/use/purpose?
Avoid. An abandoned property, here in Ontario, is considered trespassing. If it is active or secured and you gain entry, even if it is an unlocked door, you "can" be charged with break and enter if caught(depending on location/person), which is a criminal offense here instead of a $65 trespassing ticket.

4. Is it accessible during daylight?
In Ontario, it is a criminal offense to gain access to a building at night. It, unfortunately, is classed as using the cover of darkness to commit an offense. If it's too risky during the day, don't risk attempting and getting caught at night.

5. What Steed said. I have crawled through a torn down wall to gain access to a building, but once it reaches a certain point of demolition or is no longer structurally sound, I avoid it. This is another reason I avoid exploring houses. Too many rotted floors. Rather stick to industrial/commercial explores with concrete.

Well I mean are you even an actual explorer if you’re not exploring peoples active homes while of course live streaming it on IG for all the likes?

Posted by Beebs Well I mean are you even an actual explorer if you’re not exploring peoples active homes while of course live streaming it on IG for all the likes?

Whether you're an actual explorer or not all depends on the number of IG followers you have.

Posted by Steed Whether you're an actual explorer or not all depends on the number of IG followers you have.

Reeks of troll. I know, for I too enjoy tip toeing past sleeping children whilst live streaming. *rolls eyes*

Another thread reminded me of another no-go for me. Even though most here don't seem too interested in my rando bando house posts, I enjoy them. Milwaukee is FILLED with bando houses. However in the city proper, not a chance I am going in. Bando houses here are in shit neighborhoods, and I am not risking a confrontation with mentally ill homeless, squatters, bangers, drug dealers, and tough guy wannabe banger teens with a gun for just a house. Not. A. Chance.

As for the rurals I hit, they are scoped prior, and GIS maps will tell of delinquent taxes, town ownership, bank ownership, etc. They will also show the previous owner's name, which you can plug into Wisconsin's free online Circuit Court Access Program, and confirm they lost the house. Toss in a few broken windows and weeds that are now trees, and I am not too concerned with a confrontation.

I just thought of one site I decided not to enter, specifically because it was a historic site that had caught fire and I knew a guy whose great-grandfather built it in the 1800s and whose grandmother was murdered here by communist Korean partisans right before the war. I figured if I entered and found anything particularly interesting, I couldn't ever share it without running the risk of disrespecting this guy's memories of his family if it inevitably got back to him.

Unfortunately, a lot of good locations here are seasoned with the elements most of you seem to want to avoid. Compromised infrastructures are a dime a dozen here. Whether it be remnants of Katrina or simply a building ran under old code, second stories in this city are questionable unless it has a concrete deck like a big hospital.

And then other people are a problem, too. The homeless ones are usually nicer than the street rats. There are too many gangs of kids around here looking out for people with cameras and backpacks and where you leave your car. It sounds wild but locations here can sometimes turn into a feeding ground for your personal effects.

Active dwellings are a no-go for me unless it is like a decommissioned location that runs tours or something in which case I may veer off on my own path
Other than that I don't really have "no-go's" per say. It's just more about feeling the situation out.

Not really "no go's", but several tunnels in my area have a lot of satanic referenced graffiti, or an abundance of candles burned down, and yet another called the Burrow of the Beast where it was rumoured a child was kidnapped in the early 90's and sacrificed down there. If I do decide to enter these tunnels you better believe I'll have a few friends watching my back, although I do prefer exploring by myself.

Cheers,
CMF

Posted by JokerSpecter There are too many gangs of kids around here looking out for people with cameras and backpacks and where you leave your car. It sounds wild but locations here can sometimes turn into a feeding ground for your personal effects.

This is one of the biggest things I try to pay attention to when exploring in urban areas. Let's face it, a lot of the neighborhoods we explore in we already stick out, so why add to it by opening running around with a big tripod and camera attached to it, so they can watch you enter that abandoned building.

My "no-go" or don't want to list is:

rooftops - I just don't really get into rooftopping on active buildings

drains/mines - just not my thing. Not too interesting to me

active buildings/esp homes - this isn't really exploring

active (or heavily watched) govt / military sites - just not worth it.

Posted by lonewolf34 My "no-go" or don't want to list is: rooftops - I just don't really get into rooftopping on active buildings drains/mines - just not my thing. Not too interesting to me active buildings/esp homes - this isn't really exploring active (or heavily watched) govt / military sites - just not worth it.

I love exploring abandoned mines it is the best, especially with a group of friends

If its active I won't do it, I also am not a fan of drains or sewers

IDK, I suppose just anywhere the risk isn't worth it, be it "the law", dangerous people, of other dangers (ex. an obviously decrepit crumbling mine).

Another take: off limits for me = carrying around a bunch of gear. I ain't in it to take fancy shmancy pics. I just like to check shit out, same as when I started doing this stuff in the 70s...

Posted by Mr. Bitey Milwaukee is FILLED with bando houses. However in the city proper, not a chance I am going in.

Agreed. I'm fine with exploring a bando house out in the middle of the desert, which is pretty common out here - but if it's in a neighborhood that's still heavily populated, I'm avoiding it.

Mines and drainage tunnels are also not something I'm willing to risk. Far too much opportunity for injury (or worse).

The one definitive thing I am fairly certain in my head I will not do is TTC property. Ninjalicious' zine on TTC subway tunnel running was fun and all, but the TTC has noticeably tried to crack down on people running in the tunnels. The fleet yards are cool, but being what they are, there's tons of open space. Either way, it's pretty much a guaranteed ride in the back of a police cruiser.

I'm kinda superstitious, so I don't really do insane asylums or old jails unless they really sound worth it and I have at least three other people. And abandoned buildings in really bad parts of town as squatters can be dangerous around where I am.

Posted by lonewolf34 This is one of the biggest things I try to pay attention to when exploring in urban areas. Let's face it, a lot of the neighborhoods we explore in we already stick out, so why add to it by opening running around with a big tripod and camera attached to it, so they can watch you enter that abandoned building.

I've done this more times than I can remember, including times where large groups of them, usually on porches, watched with interest as I parked my car in front of them, walked past and then entered a nearby building with some obviously expensive camera equipment in tow. usually you just have to go for it and hope for the best, remembering that the vast majority of people in the world are not out to hurt others