Your thoughts please.

[bkydmech]

I have been thinking of laying out a cache or two. Being the honest person I am (choke), I sent off a letter to the director of the board at our local county's conservation district regarding their stance on geocaches. His response was the following ;

 

"The District hasn’t adopted a formal policy, but the topic has been discussed. We currently consider the caches as being covered by other ordinances including littering. Typically, the caches are harmless, but we have had several patrons find metal boxes and report them as suspicious packages. After 911 we have to treat every circumstance seriously. So, we really do not want them out there.

We also realize that there is a growing number of people who enjoy family outings using their GPS units to locate these items. I believe that letter boxing is a similar activity less the cache. "

 

Now, I understand some people may freak out if they see an unmarked ammo can and have never seen one before. But most caches in the park districts are tupperware/rubbermaid containers, the very same containers used in letterboxing.

Letterboxing is also a fun activity, but geocaches out number letterboxes in our parks 10 to 1. I do believe there is a conflict of interest because the district is hosting a letter-boxing hunt.

 

Has anyone else experienced this with their conservation or park districts? Or is there something I'm missing?

[+Cedar Grove Seekers]

First of all, the District is incorrect, letterboxing is caching less the GPS, not less the cache.

 

Why don't you place a letter-box hybrid associated with their event?

[Neos2]

It sounds like the man is being cautious, but you might be able to sway him, yet. He didn't actually say no, just that they didn't want metal containers. Ask if you can meet with him, or the group. SHow them an array of attractively cammouflauged containers, nicely labeled with gc or other official-looking stickers, your contact info..containing harmless and interesting swag and a laminated "what's this" note--in other words a very very nice cache.

 

While you are there, you can discuss the pros and cons of various containers. Ammo cans last longer and don't have to look threatening. Plastic containers can look suspicious or bland, but usually do seem less threatening to most people.

 

Take along a map showing the geocaches that are located nearby. Offer to take anyone who wishes to join you on a hunt for one or two that you know of nearby (particularly if there is a nice ammo can nearby) to let them know how the game is really played. Be prepared to discuss how letterboxing is also an enjoyable experience, but not the same as geocaching because of the lack of gps use. Explain combination leterbox-geocache hides, too.

 

Most people are only afraid of the unfamilar. Once they see that you are a nice normal person and the caches don't really look that scary, they may welcome the caches with open arms.

 

Hey, it's worth a try at this point.

[+Snoogans]

I have been thinking of laying out a cache or two. Being the honest person I am (choke), I sent off a letter to the director of the board at our local county's conservation district regarding their stance on geocaches. His response was the following ;

 

"The District hasn’t adopted a formal policy, but the topic has been discussed. We currently consider the caches as being covered by other ordinances including littering. Typically, the caches are harmless, but we have had several patrons find metal boxes and report them as suspicious packages. After 911 we have to treat every circumstance seriously. So, we really do not want them out there.

We also realize that there is a growing number of people who enjoy family outings using their GPS units to locate these items. I believe that letter boxing is a similar activity less the cache. "

 

Now, I understand some people may freak out if they see an unmarked ammo can and have never seen one before. But most caches in the park districts are tupperware/rubbermaid containers, the very same containers used in letterboxing.

Letterboxing is also a fun activity, but geocaches out number letterboxes in our parks 10 to 1. I do believe there is a conflict of interest because the district is hosting a letter-boxing hunt.

 

Has anyone else experienced this with their conservation or park districts? Or is there something I'm missing?

 

Looks like your Parks Dept. needs some Geo-edu-ma-cation.

 

Organize a CITO Event or two and do a presentation to their officers before.

 

Things will change quickly.

 

It worked for me.

 

Just about every metro area park surrounding Houston for 50 miles in ANY direction now has blanket geocaching approval thanks to ONE presentation that ParkerPlus & I did.

[+BlueDeuce]

It sounds like the man is being cautious, but you might be able to sway him, yet. He didn't actually say no, just that they didn't want metal containers. Ask if you can meet with him, or the group. SHow them an array of attractively cammouflauged containers, nicely labeled with gc or other official-looking stickers, your contact info..containing harmless and interesting swag and a laminated "what's this" note--in other words a very very nice cache.

 

While you are there, you can discuss the pros and cons of various containers. Ammo cans last longer and don't have to look threatening. Plastic containers can look suspicious or bland, but usually do seem less threatening to most people.

 

Take along a map showing the geocaches that are located nearby. Offer to take anyone who wishes to join you on a hunt for one or two that you know of nearby (particularly if there is a nice ammo can nearby) to let them know how the game is really played. Be prepared to discuss how letterboxing is also an enjoyable experience, but not the same as geocaching because of the lack of gps use. Explain combination leterbox-geocache hides, too.

 

Most people are only afraid of the unfamilar. Once they see that you are a nice normal person and the caches don't really look that scary, they may welcome the caches with open arms.

 

Hey, it's worth a try at this point.

 

Good post. I Agree.

[+biosearch]

This is a little off topic, but I'm curious and it somewhat follows the thread.

 

Understanding that there has been issues with geocaches and suspicious packages, why do officials not get a lat/long coordinate for anything they find and simply check it quickly on the geocaching website to see if there is something located at that coord. I know that they may still have to check/remove it, but they would more than likely be able to take care of most circumstance without destroying things and calling out teams and cordoning off areas and... It would take nothing for a dispatcher to do a simply search on the internet. I wonder if police forces have thought of this or is this something that cachers could volunteer to help the police understand.

 

? Just curious ?

[+BlueDeuce]

Compare:

 

People who speak Esperanto vs people who geocache.

 

Bonan tagon al vi!

[bkydmech]

These are some really good suggestions. Mabey he is not aware of the different sizes and shapes caches come in from the size of an ammo can to the size of 10 dimes stacked. And hosting an event might also be the thing we need.

 

Are neighboring county has a park where it costs you $5.00 a year to lay a cache. They provide a sticker to place on your cache which states that it is an "OFFICIAL GEOCACHE/LETTERBOX Placed With Permission Of Davis Park for more info, call ***-****" Putting the parks phone number on it lays to rest any fears someone may have of it being a dangerous package.

 

Again, I like letterboxing too, but geocaching is far more popular resulting in far many more hunts.

 

Just two questions,

first, what exactly is a letterbox/geocache hybrid (I don't think I've ever seen one)

and second, how does one go about hosting some kind of event?

 

Thanks.

[Iwuzere]

Has there ever been any discussion about actually informing local police of all cache locations in the area, so that they will know what's what if someone reports a cache as suspicious?

[+sbell111]

Has there ever been any discussion about actually informing local police of all cache locations in the area, so that they will know what's what if someone reports a cache as suspicious?

You would have to update them daily. Better ideas would be to make them familiar with the website and to get officers involved in playing the game.