A Plea

[+Major Trek & Co]

I have found a number of caches concealed in camo bags and all have been fine, as they tend to be, on the whole, hard wearing. They also make the cache harder to find due to the lack of uniform lines the typical cache box has, thus adding to the enjoyment of the hunt. It’s the black bin liner or supermarket bag that makes cache retrieval unpleasant.

 

According to the guidelines linked at the start of this thread, it states; ‘Cache containers should not be placed inside a polythene bag’. Camo bags are generally canvas or nylon thus allowing water to escape, slowly and therefore, arguably allowed. This is just my view. I’m off now to remove the poly bags from my caches!!!

[+Hi-Tek]

A 'camo' bag can be perceived as being much the same as a placcy bag. It will almost certainly take eons to decompose and is as much a danger to wildlife.

 

A bag is a bag whatever form it takes and hence could easily be deemed as "Geolitter".

 

Perhaps a ban on all forms of 'bag' should be placed

[+Pharisee]

A 'camo' bag can be perceived as being much the same as a placcy bag. It will almost certainly take eons to decompose and is as much a danger to wildlife.

 

A bag is a bag whatever form it takes and hence could easily be deemed as "Geolitter".

 

Perhaps a ban on all forms of 'bag' should be placed

 

I've used camo bags on a number of my caches, to actually camouflage them as much as anything else (surprise, surprise )

They've often been mentioned in finders logs, usually a positive comment along the lines of "neat bag... where do you get them?". I don't remember ever getting a log or email from anyone ranting about how 'bad' they are.

True, they're not exactly bio-degradable but when the cache is finally archived, the bag will be collected and responsibly disposed of along with the box (unless a muggle steals it first) so I don't see that as a problem. I have no intention of leaving them out in the wild for ever.

Personally, I see them as a much better alternative to trying to paint a plastic box or covering it with sticky tape. If I feel a cache will benefit from a camo bag, I'll continue to use them until TPTB tell me that they are no longer acceptable.

[+Flyfishermanbob]

 

Ah ha .... spot the cache....

[+The Hornet]

Bump!

[+Trucker Lee]

I've found two caches where the bag was instrumental to the hide. First was a plastic camo bag which hid the true container and provided the necessary cover. The area supported a few slugs, a couple which needed relocating before opening the cache. Not a major issue. The second was a net bag which held the cache contents safely off the ground away from moisture and critters.

 

That said, the thin plastic bags obtained at stores has no useful purpose in existence, much less caching. They end up blown into trees, pastures, bushes, and are slow to degrade if at all. Perhaps one of the most obvious examples of man's indifference to the environment, a far bigger threat to our planet than global warming (imho)

[+The Wombles]

I removed a plastic bag from a cache last week (transparent plastic type, of no camo value). There appear to be a steady flow of new cachers who make this mistake but this makes it more important that the "regulars" take action.

[+uktim]

I removed a plastic bag from a cache last week (transparent plastic type, of no camo value). There appear to be a steady flow of new cachers who make this mistake but this makes it more important that the "regulars" take action.

 

So those who think of themselves as regulars believe they have the right to remove bags off other peoples caches

 

I've visted caches with and without plastic bags. Bags are no big issue IME. If folks don't like a bit of damp or a musty smell they Seriously need to find a different hobby

[+The Wombles]

Plastic bags are a hazard to wildlife and should ideally be removed. If they aren't performing a camo function then I will do so.

[+careygang]

I removed a plastic bag from a cache last week (transparent plastic type, of no camo value). There appear to be a steady flow of new cachers who make this mistake but this makes it more important that the "regulars" take action.

 

So those who think of themselves as regulars believe they have the right to remove bags off other peoples caches

 

I've visted caches with and without plastic bags. Bags are no big issue IME. If folks don't like a bit of damp or a musty smell they Seriously need to find a different hobby

 

'Regulars' or anyone with a bit of common sense, should do their best to raise standards, be that removing plastic bags, or inappropriate contents. A suitable contact with the owner, either via the log or their proflile should explain the situation. We all have responsibility to maintain standards.

Going back long enough, long before I could possibly be regarded as 'regular' or anything other than a novice, I FTF on this Cache which was a cardboard box in a plastic bag hung in a tree!

 

Slightly off topic but still related in terms of responsible caching, I've also removed items from within caches, be they food, gas lighters, sharp objects like knives or in one case a 'porno' mag from a cache that was set up as a book exchange! (and it went in the bin because it wasn't my type )

 

Back on topic, there is always an exception to every rule, because you can't have rules to cover every eventuality, but generally plastic bags are bad news and should be CITO'd when found. This does not include 'camo' as they are breathable fabric.

[+vw_k]

I once found a small cache wrapped in one of those black dog-doo bags hidden under a bush in a public park, guess what I thought it was! I avoided it at first and only dared pole it with a stick when I noticed it had a right angled corner. Most people would think it was dropped by an irresponsible dog owner.

 

The cache went missing eventually, probably picked up and thrown away by council litter collectors!

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

I removed a plastic bag from a cache last week (transparent plastic type, of no camo value). There appear to be a steady flow of new cachers who make this mistake but this makes it more important that the "regulars" take action.

 

So those who think of themselves as regulars believe they have the right to remove bags off other peoples caches

 

 

Absolutely! Particularly when the caches are in nature reserves and such like.

[+Happy Humphrey]

So those who think of themselves as regulars believe they have the right to remove bags off other peoples caches

I wouldn't remove the bag if it's intact and dry. I would post a maintenance note, but it's up to the cache owner to put it right. He may have designed the container expecting it to be inside a bag, so me removing it may compromise the cache. The note would give the cache owner chance to find an alternative.

 

I have removed shredded and filthy bags in the past, however, when I've judged that they are doing more harm than good.

 

I've visted caches with and without plastic bags. Bags are no big issue IME. If folks don't like a bit of damp or a musty smell they Seriously need to find a different hobby

I don't agree. Plastic bags are unnecessarily unpleasant and, as has been mentioned, may be a threat to wildlife.

[+jerryo]

I remove them. Period. I don't always log that I have either, in case the owner comes back and replaces the damned thing.