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I thought I found a great area to place a cache. So I did a search and there was not one located near it. So I decided that I would go place one there today. Well when I got to the place I found the worst thing you could find. The whole hill was covered from end to end with poison ivy :rolleyes: . Guess that’s why no one had placed one there. Well guess I need to keep searching. Good things come to those who wait I hope.

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Go ahead and place it there. Just add a star to the terrain rating plus put a poison plant attribute on the cache page.

 

No problem.  :rolleyes:

I second that. I seem to be immune to poison ivy, so I would still go find your cache. You could put a bold note in the cache description warning people, and those who are allergic could do it in the winter when the ivy wont be an issue. :lol:

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Ditto the Tecnu rcommendation, but beyond that make sure it's poison ivy! You will rarely see "fields" of poison ivy, you'll mostly see individual or small clumps of plants - fields of it are more likely to be Virginia Creeper.

 

We have several caches around here wher cachers are constantly complaining about the poison ivy, yet there's not a poison ivy plant in sight - there is, however, lots of kudzu!

 

See this site for info on properly identifying poison oak, ivy and sumac.

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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Poison ivy sucks, and has ruined many a good cache.

 

Good thing you decided against placing the cache...

Yes, poison ivy does suck for alot of people. But i wouldnt hesitate about putting a cache there if it is a nice area otherwise. Just make sure to mention in the cache description that the stuff may be encountered!

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Go ahead and place it there. Just add a star to the terrain rating plus put a poison plant attribute on the cache page.

 

No problem.  :lol:

I second that. I seem to be immune to poison ivy, so I would still go find your cache. You could put a bold note in the cache description warning people, and those who are allergic could do it in the winter when the ivy wont be an issue. :rolleyes:

At some point your immune system for poison ivy will not help you..

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Ditto the Tecnu rcommendation, but beyond that make sure it's poison ivy! You will rarely see "fields" of poison ivy, you'll mostly see individual or small clumps of plants - fields of it are more likely to be Virginia Creeper.

 

We have several caches around here wher cachers are constantly complaining about the poison ivy, yet there's not a poison ivy plant in sight - there is, however, lots of kudzu!

 

See this site for info on properly identifying poison oak, ivy and sumac.

You can get large growths of poison ivy. I've seen it grow several hundred feet along the edge of a farm field. I also do not react to the stuff. I guess as long as it is put on the cache page I wouldn't have a problem with it being placed in the area. If people are just downloading the coordinates without viewing the cache pages they will be in for a surprise though!

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Poison ivy sucks, and has ruined many a good cache.

I'LL SECOND THAT!!! I'm currently suffering through the single worst case of poison ivy that I've EVER had...

 

But finding the cache was worth it...

 

Sad, isn't it.

 

Thanks for NOT putting the cache there.

Zanfel cream is now available for treating poison ivy after you been exposed. Its expensive but it works. More info on Zanfel

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Poison ivy sucks, and has ruined many a good cache.

I'LL SECOND THAT!!! I'm currently suffering through the single worst case of poison ivy that I've EVER had...

 

But finding the cache was worth it...

 

Sad, isn't it.

 

Thanks for NOT putting the cache there.

Zanfel cream is now available for treating poison ivy after you been exposed. Its expensive but it works. More info on Zanfel

Do I need a prescription?

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Poison ivy sucks, and has ruined many a good cache.

I'LL SECOND THAT!!! I'm currently suffering through the single worst case of poison ivy that I've EVER had...

 

But finding the cache was worth it...

 

Sad, isn't it.

 

Thanks for NOT putting the cache there.

Zanfel cream is now available for treating poison ivy after you been exposed. Its expensive but it works. More info on Zanfel

Do I need a prescription?

No its over the counter.

 

I think its about $30 for a 1 ounce tube. Expensive but works!

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Go ahead and place it there. Just add a star to the terrain rating plus put a poison plant attribute on the cache page.

 

No problem.  :rolleyes:

Good idea. While you're at it, maybe you could also place a few lovely caches in toxic waste dumps. Perhaps a nice "active minefield" cache or maybe even a "missile test range" cache (just be sure to add an extra star or two to the terrain). After all, not EVERYONE is going to get blown up.

Edited by ParrotRob
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Aluminum Chlorhydrate, a packet costs under a dollar or so at your pharmacist (or it used to), mix with water, make a compress, soothes the itch and dries up the rash. I SWEAR TO IT!!!

(a trick learned from guys who climb trees for a living)

They say (they is those people google pulls up) that you can also use an antiperspirant that has aluminum chlorhydrate in it, but that would cost more that's better if you already have some, but use a cotton sab to apply it, no need to spread it to your pits now is there?

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Funny how things like Poison Ivy, Snakes, Black Widow Spiders, Bears, etc bring out the fear in many of us, but driving down the freeway at 80 mph to get to a FTF is just part of the game. [:(]

You took the words right out of my mouth! :D

 

Seriously though, some people don't bat an eye when they see poison ivy in a cache description. There are those that are deathly allergic to the plant and therefore dont have much of a choice in the matter. Then there are some people that are just skeered of everything. Poison ivy, snakes, spiders, ticks, bunny rabbits, etc,,, put the fear in em! :blink:

 

Poison ivy near a cache is like any other challenge. A person has to make the decision as to whether the cache is one they are able to do. It's easy, just step away if it's something you cant handle!

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Ditto the Tecnu rcommendation, but beyond that make sure it's poison ivy! You will rarely see "fields" of poison ivy, you'll mostly see individual or small clumps of plants - fields of it are more likely to be Virginia Creeper.

As an ex-archaeologist who has worked alot in in the eastern US, in the summer, I can say that there are huge concentrations of poison ivy in some places, chest high and so thick that there would be no way of working through it.

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Ditto the Tecnu rcommendation, but beyond that make sure it's poison ivy! You will rarely see "fields" of poison ivy, you'll mostly see individual or small clumps of plants - fields of it are more likely to be Virginia Creeper.

Large fields of poison ivy are extremely common in the Mississippi Delta. In the Delta National Forest and various NWRs and state WMAs it is often one of the dominant understory plants. Any cache hidden in a non-urban (heh, even the "cities" in the delta are rural) area will definetly have poison ivy around it.

 

Virginia Creeper isn't that common here.

 

sd

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Good idea. While you're at it, maybe you could also place a few lovely caches in toxic waste dumps. Perhaps a nice "active minefield" cache or maybe even a "missile test range" cache (just be sure to add an extra star or two to the terrain). After all, not EVERYONE is going to get blown up.

Because I compare toxic waste and minefields to a non-lethal plant.

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Good idea.  While you're at it, maybe you could also place a few lovely caches in toxic waste dumps.  Perhaps a nice "active minefield" cache or maybe even a "missile test range" cache (just be sure to add an extra star or two to the terrain).  After all, not EVERYONE is going to get blown up.

Because I compare toxic waste and minefields to a non-lethal plant.

Ivy, Oak & Sumac Facts

 

"The leaves of Poison Ivy, Poison Oak and Poison Sumac contain urushiol, an irritating oil that causes severe itching and blistering on contact. Poison Sumac causes an immediate reaction, but it may be many hours before a victim notices the effects of Poison Ivy and Oak.

 

Contrary to common belief, Poison Ivy or Oak is not contagious through contact with the blisters of a person who has broken out in a rash, since the blisters contain only body fluids. However, if an infected person still has the oil on their skin or clothing, it may be transferred thereby affecting others.

 

Many people say they're "not allergic" to these plants. About 20% of the population has little or no reaction after contact. However, one's immunity can change over time. It is best to just avoid these plants because though you may not be susceptible, you could transfer the oils to others who are."

 

And yes, there HAVE been cases of death from poison ivy. Any kind of allergen can lead to anaphylaxis, which can be quite deadly.

 

Ok, maybe the minefield was a reach, but would you put a cache where there are KNOWN to be a concentration of rattlesnakes? Still too extreme? How about right in the middle of a couple of nice beehives, after all not everyone reacts to bee stings either? Sure, poison plants, like bees or rattlesnakes, can be ANYWHERE. But this OP is talking about a place that is described as:

 

The whole hill was covered from end to end with poison ivy

 

Which of these caches would you approve:

 

"Watch out, there is occasionally a rattlesnake in the area"

 

"Look out, the place is covered from end to end in rattlesnakes"

Edited by ParrotRob
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Caches can range in difficulty from child friendly to extreme.

 

Ive read about caches in FAR more dangerous places than a patch of poison ivy. That is why we give caches difficulty ratings. Each of us can decide whether a particular cache is within our comfort range to seek out.

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Good idea. While you're at it, maybe you could also place a few lovely caches in toxic waste dumps. Perhaps a nice "active minefield" cache or maybe even a "missile test range" cache (just be sure to add an extra star or two to the terrain). After all, not EVERYONE is going to get blown up.

 

You're trying to compare the threat of poison ivy contact with "active minefields", "toxic waste dumps", or "missile test ranges". Those three things that you mentioned are lethal/dangerous to everyone. Poison ivy is not! Yes it does affect alot of people, but only for a very very few would it ever be detrimental. Those few people know who they are and should probably pass up a cache placed near poison ivy.

 

I dont mean to say that a person should find the biggest patch of poison ivy just to place a cache in. But if the area is otherwise interesting, then the pi would take a backseat to my decision on placing a cache there. Again, i would just post a warning on the cache page! :blink:

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Poison ivy sucks, and has ruined many a good cache.

I'LL SECOND THAT!!! I'm currently suffering through the single worst case of poison ivy that I've EVER had...

 

But finding the cache was worth it...

 

Sad, isn't it.

 

Thanks for NOT putting the cache there.

Zanfel cream is now available for treating poison ivy after you been exposed. Its expensive but it works. More info on Zanfel

I just want to let everyone know that I went out lastnight and bought some Zanfel. IT'S AWESOME. The rash was significantly reduced (and almost gone) this morning after just one use. No more itching either...

 

And no, I'm not being paid for this.

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I just want to let everyone know that I went out lastnight and bought some Zanfel.  IT'S AWESOME.  The rash was significantly reduced (and almost gone) this morning after just one use.  No more itching either...

 

And no, I'm not being paid for this.

 

This is the most useful post i've seen in this thread.

Edited by Marcie/Eric
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My wife used to get that rash everytime she got near the stuff. She tried so hard to be careful while out caching but still always got into it somehow. Well i have to say that those days are past her now since she found out about Rhus Tox. Takes a dose every six months and so far (knocking on wood here), she hasnt had a flare up in the last couple of years. :rolleyes:

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PLACE THE CACHE! I am extremely sensitive to PI but that wouldn't stop me from going after the cache! There are several cheap and easy remedies for those of us that are deathly allergic to PI. The cheapest is to scrub youself down with Dawn dishwashing detergent then rinse off with a COLD shower. Works evey time. All of the more expensive solutions such as Tecnu and others mentioned in this thread all do the same thing as Dawn. Remove the oils from your skin. The biggest trick is to wash immediately with COLD water. Hot water will open your pores and drive the PI oils deeper into your skin thus promoting the rash.

 

I have had many cachers complain to me that Tecnu doesn't work at all. They tell me they pour Tecnu all over themselves and sit for hours with it on and still get the PI rash. Unfortunately for them this is NOT the way you are to use Tecnu. Leaving Tecnu sit on your skin will do nothing to remove the oils. You need to rinse it off immediately with COLD water.

 

I used to have get 10 injections a year for PI since I used to get covered in it. Since I started on the Dawn or Tecnu treatment with an immediate COLD shower I never get PI anymore unless I forget to apply and rinse and I get no more injections.

Edited by RoyalRed
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