Ohio Wildlife Areas - No Caching Allowed

[+CarlfromOH]

Hi All,

 

Hopefully this will save some folks some time and effort. I was seeking permission to place a cache in an Ohio Wildlife Area and was denied. It seems that the funding for these areas dictates what can be done there, and placing a geocache is considered illegal. I'm glad I checked. The local manager of the area said he thought it would be fine, but that he needed to check with the District office. Well, the District office delivered the bad news. Too bad - these are beautiful areas. But in the spirit of our sport, we must comply with the rules.

 

Just so you know, it seems that geocaching is just fine, indeed welcomed, in Ohio's State Parks, at least in the ones I have checked with.

 

Happy hunting!

[Keystone]

Yep.

 

See my profile page for the ODNR policy. Summary: State Parks, State Forests -- yes, with permission. State Nature Preserves, State Wildlife Areas -- no, with very limited exceptions.

Edited January 28, 2006 by Keystone

[+TeamGuisinger]

I had a talk with Dave about this policy when we first started caching. I can say that I was very lucky to get a straight forward answer about why caches are not allowed in these areas, but fishing and public hunting is. It seems that the state cannot figure out a way to make cachers pay to use their land. Hunting and fishing liscenses bring in money for upkeep of trails, trash, general upkeep of the properties. If cachers were allowed to use these lands for free, then supposedly, the traffic increase would offset the funding for upkeep, and the areas would deteriorate from hiking trails to caches. Now I know that this doesn't sound right, and yes I argued the CITO policy, and offered an event, and tried my best to test their policy to no avail. Even as an ODNR volunteer, it would be pointless to try it again, but like I've said before, there are usually signs in those places that could be used as part of a multi or puzzle if you really want to draw people there, just wont be able to take them passed the parking lot.

[+Lone Duck]

If Ohio ever does put in place a user fee or an entrance fee like they tried to do recently, then that might change. After all, the more traffic, the better! As it is right now, the wildlife areas are used by a huge number of people who don't hunt or fish, they are out there for the views or bird watching.