Dangers with caching

[+bones1]

This is just a wake up call to all cachers to mind where they put their hands and fingers as i have been very close to needles four times in the last month.take care when caching.patandjeff=bones1.

[Edgemaster]

I should watch out. Were these urban based caches?

[+bones1]

I should watch out. Were these urban based caches?

Three were urban and one was in the countryside,the point is that they could be anywhere.bones1

[+Haggis Hunter]

This is a good warning, you also need to be aware of glass and other sharp objects, also animals such as adders, as they love Gorse bushes and so does the Geocacher.

I always look with my eyes first. If I can't see the cache a stick is used, I can't think of any time that I have put my hand anywhere blindly, far to many dangers!!

 

Also if you use your eyes first, then I think it helps to bring out a good outcome that fits in with this thread?

[+Gralorn]

When I first started on the forum there was always a thread about Pokey Sticks! used to search out the cache box, useful in holes, parting nettles and gorse bushes, courage amongst young hefers, snake beater or flicker, walking aid and prodder, but nobody seems to mention using one now. Is it because most have these ski poles instead? What has happened to the natural, carved, whittled pole used for a hundred and one uses by geocachers? Very useful to flick away needles from where you are about to put your hand!

[+Bear and Ragged]

Animal life isnt really a problem. Snakes are as scared of us as we are of them, give them a warning, make a noise -shake the bush or rustle the foliage-and they will slither away given a chance.

 

If the area around a cache hide is littered with empty cans, broken bottles, needles, is it really the sort of place we would like to show other cachers?

 

Is the cache really safe from being muggled, and what would happen if a cacher arrived when the sort of people that leave the rubbish are around...

 

G

[+Hillhappy1]

Not just needles, which i have encountered three or four times, but, i also found half a broken bottle in a cache hole, several rusty tins etc.

Last year at a countryside cache, an Adder slid away quickly over my foot.

I slid away extremely quickly in the opposite direction.

So make sure your Tetanus is up to date and always look before you leap.

[+Simply Paul]

I had a similar problem with one of my rural caches. Had to be responsible and archive it in the end, which was a shame as I thought it was quite a fun one. The 'good' news is you're far more likely to get tetanus off a needle than you are anything else, unless it's a 'fresh' one. Not much reassurance, granted...

[+douglasf]

Myself and Westie Walker also were attacked by a horse recently (here). Granted they are easier to spot than snakes etc but we never claimed to be smart. We also got chased by a herd of wilderbeast once...

[+Alibags]

I slashed my hand open on a broken bottle buried in the dried leaves near a cache last summer. It bled like a very bleedy thing. I am up to date on my tetanus and I now rely far more on my handy stick of poking.

[+macroderma]

I usually post a warning in my log if it is bad

 

Not just urban caches though

[fraggle69]

You'll be in for a surprise if you do any of my caches in wycombe Muhahahaha.....

 

BIG CAT SIGHTING

[+Alibags]

You'll be in for a surprise if you do any of my caches in wycombe Muhahahaha.....

 

BIG CAT SIGHTING

 

As I have seen it twice, and possibly a third time myself, not a suprise! A scare? yes!!

[+Haggis Hunter]

You'll be in for a surprise if you do any of my caches in wycombe Muhahahaha.....

 

BIG CAT SIGHTING

 

As I have seen it twice, and possibly a third time myself, not a suprise! A scare? yes!!

The big cat society were interested in the location of this sheep's carcass I found near a cache in the Pentland Hills. Take note that there is no front legs and although it was frosty the white clumps you can see is wool.

[fraggle69]

You'll be in for a surprise if you do any of my caches in wycombe Muhahahaha.....

 

BIG CAT SIGHTING

 

As I have seen it twice, and possibly a third time myself, not a suprise! A scare? yes!!

The big cat society were interested in the location of this sheep's carcass I found near a cache in the Pentland Hills. Take note that there is no front legs and although it was frosty the white clumps you can see is wool.

 

hahaha that's ace another dead animal. It reminds me of that film dogsoldiers hehehe. You know the locals in them there hills cut the frount legs off a sheep for a reason?

[+Firth of Forth]

This is a good warning, you also need to be aware of glass and other sharp objects, also animals such as adders, as they love Gorse bushes and so does the Geocacher.

I always look with my eyes first. If I can't see the cache a stick is used, I can't think of any time that I have put my hand anywhere blindly, far to many dangers!!

 

Also if you use your eyes first, then I think it helps to bring out a good outcome that fits in with this thread?

 

I ALWAYS poke first with whatever stick or branch I can find. Recently at a cache (which we never found) at Bracklinn Falls near Callander, Jack put his hand in a hole and took it out very quickly when he felt a warm wet nose!

[nobby.nobbs]

i can think of other things and creatures i'd be more worried about around wycombe! ah those hapyy (not) years when i lived there...

[+TheRoundings]

...I now rely far more on my handy stick of poking.

 

We've also come across some needles and other unsavoury items in the undergrowth on occasions. I always take my stick along with me and use it to poke around to loavcte the cache.

 

I also like walking with my stick and my wide brimmed (jackaroo) hat, I think I look quite 'countrified' sometimes! (Just need to work on getting a country estate somehow though! )

[Nediam]

With regards to "Pokey-sticks"...

 

Usually I try to find a small bit of branch lying around to use for poking about but it's not always possible to find one. I had thought about carrying a stick around with me but the vast majority of the time it wouldn't be needed and would just get in the way.

 

So I was wondering, does anyone know of any telescopic "sticks" that I could buy that would be less cumbersome and fit in a rucksack/large pocket. I have a monopod for photography but that's a little too large and a bit expensive for poking in holes. I also thought of an old car aerial but they are a little too flexible. Any one got any ideas?

[+Haggis Hunter]

So I was wondering, does anyone know of any telescopic "sticks" that I could buy that would be less cumbersome and fit in a rucksack/large pocket. I have a monopod for photography but that's a little too large and a bit expensive for poking in holes. I also thought of an old car aerial but they are a little too flexible. Any one got any ideas?

How about of of those extendible magnets that fold away to the size of a pen?

[+The Forester]

Nowadays "Leki" poles are quite cheap. They are telescopic and are easy to stow on the outside of even a small diddybag.

[Nediam]

How about of of those extendible magnets that fold away to the size of a pen?

You've just reminded me about a screwdriver I've got (somewhere! ). It has a magnet on the end of an extending "pole" similar to a car aerial. It's a bit more heavy duty and might be worth a shot. Thanks for the reply

______________________

 

Nowadays "Leki" poles are quite cheap. They are telescopic and are easy to stow on the outside of even a small diddybag.

An extending walking pole would fit in my rucksack quite nicely. Might check them out at the local store. They're a little larger than I was thinking of carrying but the extending ones might go small enough to be practical. Thanks for your reply as well

[+PopUpPirate]

So I was wondering, does anyone know of any telescopic "sticks" that I could buy that would be less cumbersome and fit in a rucksack/large pocket. I have a monopod for photography but that's a little too large and a bit expensive for poking in holes. I also thought of an old car aerial but they are a little too flexible. Any one got any ideas?

How about of of those extendible magnets that fold away to the size of a pen?

 

Now I'm thinking of hiding a magnetic nano down a thin, 3 foot deep hole

[nobby.nobbs]

or instead of the magnet one you can get a small mirror that extends from the size of a pen.

[+Haggis Hunter]

or instead of the magnet one you can get a small mirror that extends from the size of a pen.

Great for seeing if a cache is hid in the corner of a hole!!

[+Cache U Nutter]

Whilst on the subject of dangerous caches, Motorway Mayhem GCTX68 [M40 jct 11] must rate as one of the filthiest cache locations in the country. The usual detritis from a nearby burger van is everywhere, but add to this used nappies, condoms and hyperdermic needles and you have all the elements required for a trip to the local A&E. On my visit I also found a beer can that had been converted into a drug dispenser having a tube inserted and a 'hood'!!

I was a newbie when I looked for this cache and it could have put me off caching for life. The signal was not too good and I was crawling around in this filth to look for this micro. If you look at the comments from other cachers you will see similar comments, -- suprised it is still in existance.

 

perhaps we should have a forum on ' Filthiest caches in the UK ?'

[+V70T5]

Whilst on the subject of dangerous caches, Motorway Mayhem GCTX68 [M40 jct 11] must rate as one of the filthiest cache locations in the country. The usual detritis from a nearby burger van is everywhere, but add to this used nappies, condoms and hyperdermic needles and you have all the elements required for a trip to the local A&E. On my visit I also found a beer can that had been converted into a drug dispenser having a tube inserted and a 'hood'!!

I was a newbie when I looked for this cache and it could have put me off caching for life. The signal was not too good and I was crawling around in this filth to look for this micro. If you look at the comments from other cachers you will see similar comments, -- suprised it is still in existance.

 

perhaps we should have a forum on ' Filthiest caches in the UK ?'

 

I'm a newbie just now (probably not for very long, I am thoroughly enjoying geocaching!) so these tips and stories are really quite interesting.

 

Its a shame theres no method of highlighting a potentially dangerous cache location to the admin team on gc.com. Surely if there are multiple logs all saying the same thing, that would be enough evidence to archive it?

 

I suppose you also have to question the general sense of the cache owner for placing it there in the first place!!! (Assuming it was unsuitable to begin with of course).

 

We've so far visited really lovely, interesting and worthwhile cache locations.. but am prepared to come across less desirable ones in time.

 

Gavin

[+Haggis Hunter]

We've so far visited really lovely, interesting and worthwhile cache locations.. but am prepared to come across less desirable ones in time.

 

Gavin

Gavin, welcome to the addiction. I would like to invite you along to this filthy cache location. I am sure you will enjoy the day immensely? I know I will!

[+V70T5]

Could me in for that one. Water of Leith sure could do with multiple CITOs ! (it's a lot better than it used to be though)

 

Any chance you will be cache hunting tomorrow (Saturday)?

 

Work permitting, I'll most likely be taking a trip up the Fife coast area again with my wee brother. Let me know if you were planning anything and perhaps we could rendezvous somewhere

 

Gavin

[+chizu]

 

 

Its a shame theres no method of highlighting a potentially dangerous cache location to the admin team on gc.com. Surely if there are multiple logs all saying the same thing, that would be enough evidence to archive it?

 

Gavin

 

If you think there is a dangerous cache, you can always drop a note to a either the cache owner or a reviewer about it. If you think it's really dangerous and have had no response from the cache owner you can log a "should be archived" (SBA) note on the cache which the reviewers will see.

And welcome to yet another Edinburgh cacher!

[+V70T5]

I'm learning fast

[+Haggis Hunter]

Could me in for that one. Water of Leith sure could do with multiple CITOs ! (it's a lot better than it used to be though)

 

Any chance you will be cache hunting tomorrow (Saturday)?

 

Work permitting, I'll most likely be taking a trip up the Fife coast area again with my wee brother. Let me know if you were planning anything and perhaps we could rendezvous somewhere

 

Gavin

email sent

[+Cache U Nutter]

 

 

Its a shame theres no method of highlighting a potentially dangerous cache location to the admin team on gc.com. Surely if there are multiple logs all saying the same thing, that would be enough evidence to archive it?

 

Gavin

 

If you think there is a dangerous cache, you can always drop a note to a either the cache owner or a reviewer about it. If you think it's really dangerous and have had no response from the cache owner you can log a "should be archived" (SBA) note on the cache which the reviewers will see.

And welcome to yet another Edinburgh cacher!

 

Perhaps someone who has visited the cache recently can confirm the state of the cache and report to a reviewer? I have not been there since last Spring. It was certainly dangerous then and I notified the guy who placed the cache [ via a log] and he promptly removed it!!

[+Alice Band]

Filthy cache sites are now sadly part and parcel of a few cache sites, with some regions worse than others Having cached with other people I've noticed that some cachers find a site more revolting than others. Even woodland in the middle of nowhere can have rubbish strewn everywhere by bone idle passers by. Mind you I have cached in Europe and some sites there (human excrement everywhere) can make the odd crisp packet, plastic bag and coke can seem mild in comparison. Saying that I did one in Bedfordshire in November and the locals seem to be very keen to use the site as a toilet - it was so bad that the filthy ****** even used the local children's play area and I was forced to drag off my son and the daughter of another cacher off it to clean and disinfect them Believe me, the thought of the kids catching hepatitis was more worrying then them finding needles.

 

I placed one last year in a wooded area which was relatively OK, but in a year its accumulated rubbish and now I am considering moving it. Would love to CITO the whole area but it would take a large team.

 

I tend to use sticks when poking into holes, even in remote spots. I once found a pile of hypodermics discarded in a wood in the middle of nowhere and emailed the owner privately to let him know. I have also found some stuffed down a rabbit hole on a grassy plain. In Urban areas I use a handy pen or nearby stick if possible.

Edited March 3, 2007 by Alice Band

[+pirate_matt]

Thankfully I have not come accross anything like broken bottles or needles but it is really upsetting when a cache site is covered with litter, I try to pick up bits and piecs as I am walking but sometimes theres just too much, my hope is that if cachers really stick to the CITO mentality then it may just start to have an effect on other users of the are.

 

on a lighter note, anyone ding my paddle and walk cache on Windermere may want to be aware of this:Lake monster

[+vix92008]

I went out to a multi earlier this year that I had several close calls with broken glass at the micro then found the final hidden amongst litter, using litter as camo. I told the tale in the log and provided a photo but nothing has changed, in fact other cachers have commented on liking the camo!!?? I have also been to a cache where litter has been used as the cache. For me, this is not what caching is about and not what I like to do in my spare time with my daughter. More responsible cache placing please....