petitions-Ohio state government

[+buteo]

Has anyone at the Geocaching organization ever organized a petition to send to the State of Ohio to allow caching in State Wildlife areas.I find it disturbing that you can hunt,trap,fish,hike on Ohio state land but not be allowed to hide caches.I have talked to my local wildlife officer about this and he said the best way too change policy is a grassroot petition.I don't feel quailfed enough too start such a project but would be glad too help in what ever way possible. The same project should be started with the National Park Service and other federal lands,They are public land after all

[+mtn-man]

The NPS has been a tough one. I speak from experience there.

 

I am going to move this to the regional forum for Ohio. You might get better responses there.

[+buteo]

The NPS has been a tough one. I speak from experience there.

 

I am going to move this to the regional forum for Ohio. You might get better responses there.

 

thanks for the help

[+The Leprechauns]

State Wildlife Areas are one of four land management categories under the auspices of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The others are Natural Areas, State Forests and State Parks. ODNR has adopted a geocaching policy that allows caches in State Forests and State Parks on a prior permission basis, but does not allow them in State Natural Areas and State Wildlife Areas. In my dealings with ODNR, I have found them to be great friends of geocaching in the State Parks and Forests. The best example of this is the series of 20+ caches hidden by the ODNR as part of a summer-long contest. Those completing the series get free camping for an upcoming event cache to be held by ODNR a few weeks from now.

 

Any effort to change the current policy ought to take into account the several years of very positive partnership between geocachers and the fine folks at ODNR.

[+Mr. 0]

Any effort to change the current policy ought to take into account the several years of very positive partnership between geocachers and the fine folks at ODNR.

 

I agree with this statement. While not allowing caches in wildlife areas does take a sizeable chunk of land off the allowable Geocaching map, it's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

The way it has been explained to me the ODNR made this decision in part to help limit the danger to Geocachers, among other reasons. Their concern was that a Geocacher would be out doing their thing during any of the various hunting seasons and be mistaken for game. Certainly the same could happen to other hunters, and hunting is allowed in State Parks, but they wanted to limit having our paths cross. I'm not saying this is 100% etched in stone, just my understanding of some conversations I've had

 

In addition hunters and anglers have had free reign on a lot of this land (especially the wildlife areas) so the ODNR was wanting to avoid letting Geocachers (the newbies in the ourdoors world) encroach on the areas that others already feel is "theirs" to play a game. Again, just something I've taken away from various conversations.

 

I also have to believe that a third part of their decision was due to the fact that hunters and anglers pay for their respective licenses which provides funding for these areas. Since we don't have to purchase a license to Geocache we're not really contributing financially to the parks. I can't really complain there since the ODNR is having some money troubles, as evidenced by the fees they were very close to instituting at the beginning of the year.

 

Would I personally like to cache in Wildlife Areas, sure...I can think of at least 5 caches I would place the same day it was allowed, but I'm happy with what we do have, and I am concerned that trying to have it all may do more harm than good to our current relationship with the ODNR. That's just my personal opinion, and not worth much when converted to USD.

[+BVCY Swim]

I'll have to agree with both Lep and 0. There's still plenty of places to put caches. Share the wealth

[+Runaround]

In addition hunters and anglers have had free reign on a lot of this land (especially the wildlife areas) so the ODNR was wanting to avoid letting Geocachers (the newbies in the ourdoors world) encroach on the areas that others already feel is "theirs" to play a game. Again, just something I've taken away from various conversations.

 

I also have to believe that a third part of their decision was due to the fact that hunters and anglers pay for their respective licenses which provides funding for these areas. Since we don't have to purchase a license to Geocache we're not really contributing financially to the parks. I can't really complain there since the ODNR is having some money troubles, as evidenced by the fees they were very close to instituting at the beginning of the year.

 

As an avid birdwatcher this topic comes up from time to time in birding discussion boards. In a few cases, hunters and anglers have been openly confrontational to birders for using "their" land. IIRC, there was even a discussion on this board last year about a hunter leaving a threatening note in a cache and another cache on the receiving end of a shotgun blast. It only takes a small number of people to create a problem for everyone.

 

I enjoy birding and hiking in these areas. In order to help maintain them, I support the area by buying hunting and fishing licenses even though I do neither. I also buy a duck stamp, partly as a collectible, partly for the admission to NWR's, and partly to help support those areas that are good for birds. I carry all 3 in my birding field bag. This has helped me out on more than one occasion. Most recently I was harassed by a guy checking for deer sign prior to hunting season. The dope didn't know how to resond when I flashed my hunting license.

 

All that said, I don't mind that a few areas are closed to caches. There are plenty of other good areas out there.

[+dwmurphy]

Being a Geocacher and a hunter, I would have to agree that the 2 should not mix during the hunting seasons, too much could go wrong.