Danger - what won't you touch for a cache?

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Anything next to a hornet's nest! They're just entirely too willing to give you a severe "warning" that you're to close.

[+Cornerstone4]

Snakes - I will NEVER touch a snake to get a cache.

 

I wouldn't touch a snake, but I have found a foolproof method of getting them to slither off into the brush. All I have to do is reach for my camera, and off they go, never to be seen again.

 

Now bees ... I won't mess with bees.

 

Bees are no problem!

 

I bought this suit to remove a hive that was in my shed...now I carry it with me so I can handle bees!

 

 

 

(Edit to add picture link)

Edited May 30, 2007 by Cornerstone4

[+wimseyguy]

I am only interested in caches in the woods, so electrical equiptment is really not an issue.

 

That gives me an idea for an amusing cache

Sort of like this one, "What's This?."

 

I once found an old rotary phone used as a cache in a tree by a creek. I suspect yours is something like that?

[Pacific NW]

What won't I touch for a cache?

 

Poison oak!

 

I've also seen a few caches where I decided not to bother. Those that are in areas full of trash, located on busy roads/highways without safe parking, etc. Some folks can't seem to grasp that not ALL areas are good cache hiding spots.

[+DammitNanet]

Snakes - I will NEVER touch a snake to get a cache.

Dont go caching with this guy then!

 

Knight2000, you've just traumatized me for life. That was so gross.

[+Sileny Jizda]

I think it is a fine line. Some i can see as being dangerous or too much. Others if put together well, wouldn't bother me. For electrical stuff what i was thinking is that if you have to take apart stuff with tools to search- its a bad idea. Here is one that we did that i thought was especially cool. It did have a geocaching sticker on the side of the box which gave it away though.

 

We found this same cache the same day you did as well. I think we found it earlier on than you did judging from the time stamp. We thought it was that spot right away. The decal verified it as well. If it's a questionable looking cache and has a decal we go for it. If not we look it over cautiously before preceding. As of present date only one cache we held back on because it was part of a memorial in the area. Our personal caches that we've placed only one would make a person think initially and it does get a reaction when opened. However, we also marked it in kind in two locations on the hide to verify it's contents.

[+Knight2000]

Knight2000, you've just traumatized me for life. That was so gross.

I actually didnt go looking for that clip. It was part of one of the survival shows that my kids and i watched this week.

 

That would be hard for me to do too.

[knowschad]

Oh, get over it!! I'm so tired of these "it isn't safe" posts! You won't be able to get into a real electrical box anyway. Besides, life isn't safe, and safe isn't a life. If you want to live in a padded cell, fine. You will probably be safe. But that isn't for me, and I don't want you advocating that it should be. Relax, and if a cache looks dangerous to you, just walk away.

[+Jedi Cacher]

Knight2000, you've just traumatized me for life. That was so gross.

I actually didnt go looking for that clip. It was part of one of the survival shows that my kids and i watched this week.

 

That would be hard for me to do too.

 

Knight2000-That is Bear Grylls in the TV show Man versus Wild. I have seen that episode before, a good one. My kid and I also love that show. All new episodes starting June 15th on Discovery channel. sweeeeeet!

[+dark_onyx1982]

I think for caches that are disguised in a questionable manor, a small geocache sticker on the item would clear a lot of confusion. Not on the front, but on the side or something. The person would still have to locate the cache, and the sticker would let a person know it is OK to handle, that is is a cach and not a real outlet or something.

[Clan Riffster]

After many decades of the world failing to kill me, I'm pretty comfortable assessing real vs. perceived dangers. Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything I wouldn't touch for a cache.

[+Isonzo Karst]

I can't think of anything I wouldn't touch for a cache.

 

Hey, Riffster, I'm here to prove you wrong - no, I guess you're right regardless - you can't think of anything you wouldn't touch for a cache....at least until you read about the magnetic micro on the dog s**t collection container that we did not access one day last week. Nope, NOPE, nope, just didn't need a smiley that bad.

[+Vinny & Sue Team]

I think for caches that are disguised in a questionable manor, a small geocache sticker on the item would clear a lot of confusion. Not on the front, but on the side or something. The person would still have to locate the cache, and the sticker would let a person know it is OK to handle, that is is a cach and not a real outlet or something.

Good point; I would NEVER enter a manor (whether it appeared to be a questionable manor or an upstanding manor) nor ANY kind of house or home in order to find a cache! Easy way to get into big trouble fast!

[Elaur]

I imagine unsafe "looking" containers are great for some, adds to the interest. But on the other hand, is this geocaching or fear factor? Maybe it's both to some, maybe not to others. I think I've noticed in rl over the years that everyone is different.

[+good'nplenty]

i was once caching with my nephew and he, being a brave man, stuck his hand in a tree trunk and pulled out the cach and some fur, when he placed the cache back in he found the rest of the dead animal or at least its jaw bone and decaying flesh. he was not a happy camper but he does like to tell the story.

[Clan Riffster]

until you read about the magnetic micro on the dog s**t collection container

Considering the, uh, "quality" of the cache container itself, I'd say it was in a most fitting spot. Besides, it's just poo. Poo washes off.

[+Rev Mike]

Oh, get over it!! I'm so tired of these "it isn't safe" posts! You won't be able to get into a real electrical box anyway.

 

That is far from true.

 

I have opened many real electrical boxes while looking for urban caches in the past. This is with no tools or force involved. They are not always secured properly. In the end it is all a matter of responsible placement and search methods. There is just about nothing that will keep me from finding a cache other than a really good hide but at the same time I have enough common sense to tell me when something is not a good idea. I usually proceed to do it anyway but I may take some small precautions.

 

- Rev Mike

[drstan00]

I've only searched for ones in wooded areas, but it's interesting to know that people hide them in places like that (fake electrical outlet).

 

I tend to not try and stick my hand in places that I can't see into, such as trees. Sure the cache may be in there, but so might other stuff and that's not cool since I sometimes go looking alone. I'm also not a big fan of moving old and rusty metal objects. I don't bring a backpack full of supplies or anything so I never have gloves or anything.

 

I'm kind of interested in some of these urban caches though, I'll have to look for a few.

[+dew cache]

After many decades of the world failing to kill me, I'm pretty comfortable assessing real vs. perceived dangers. Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything I wouldn't touch for a cache.

 

I agree I will touch almost any thing as long as I can see it I don't however like to reach up somewhere that I can't see like a hole in some rocks where God only knows what 4, 6, 8 up to 1000 legs not counting things without legs are up there other than the cache which might not even be there. I have walked away from a cache that might have been up a hole without looking for it. Here in Texas there are too many criters that don't like you invading their home. If I can see the criters they don't bother me it is just the ones I can't see that bother me.

[+MickEMT]

The only cache I've walked away from as being unsafe to touch was one that had a rattlesnake curled up on the ammo can, very much alive and VERY pissed that I had uncovered it!

[Abigail]

Did this cache and saw a SNAKE when I got to the top. UGH. A huge snake in the middle of a swamp and I am on the top of an oil derrick. WHOOOEE!! I love to cache. Of course, the kids were at home.

 

GoatEyeLand

 

Abigail

[+DocDiTTo]

I touched this guy while looking for a cache. Not so much to find the cache, but to take a picture. He wasn't coiled up until I touched his tail, then he got all defensive and stuff. These guys always go super defensive immediately if you touch their tails, best way to get a good shot. He's about 5' long.

 

[+reptlcal]

Snakes - I will NEVER touch a snake to get a cache.

 

I WILL!!!

 

 

Me too! I laughed when a baby garter bit me

 

Oh come on I catch rattlers withs snakes and other snakes by hand. I like snakes. Check out my website at http://www.zachszooanimals.blogspot.com

[+reptlcal]

Snakes - I will NEVER touch a snake to get a cache.

 

I WILL!!!

 

 

Me too! I laughed when a baby garter bit me

 

Oh come on I catch rattlers withs snakes and other snakes by hand. I like snakes. Check out my website at http://www.zachszooanimals.blogspot.com

[+reptlcal]

Snakes - I will NEVER touch a snake to get a cache.

 

I WILL!!!

 

 

Me too! I laughed when a baby garter bit me

 

Oh come on I catch rattlers withs snakes and other snakes by hand. I like snakes. Check out my website at http://www.zachszooanimals.blogspot.com

[+reptlcal]

Snakes - I will NEVER touch a snake to get a cache.

 

I WILL!!!

 

 

Me too! I laughed when a baby garter bit me

 

Oh come on I catch rattlers withs snakes and other snakes by hand. I like snakes. Check out my website at http://www.zachszooanimals.blogspot.com

[+Confucius' Cat]

OMG, that is exactly what I mean! How would you know if it's okay to open that? In your case there was a sign. But I see many that have no indication until you open it.

 

You have to admit, that WAS pretty clever.

Couple of things...

 

- The Geocache sticker on the side.

- The flexible conduit under the cache went nowhere. (It was a dummy end.)

- The cover plate is meant for inside use only and it was outside.

- It was not an electrical outlet but a light sensor switch (couldnt get hurt touching it)

- Upon getting there it easily opened and no tools were needed.

 

If a screwdriver was necessary then i would have not touched it. I liked the hide. Very cool. Its been there for a couple of years i think.

The cache pictured had all the right attributes and was clearly recognised as the cache before you attempted to open it.

 

My only issue is what are those two kids likely to touch when you are not there? I hope you have made it clear to them and have confirmed that they clearly understand why and under what conditions you allowed them to get in to an electrical box.

 

With kids it is really scary. You just never know.

 

My pet beef with fake anything caches is that they can encourage cachers, especially kids, to fool with things they shouldn't.

 

Oh, get over it!! I'm so tired of these "it isn't safe" posts! You won't be able to get into a real electrical box anyway.

 

That is far from true.

 

I have opened many real electrical boxes while looking for urban caches in the past. This is with no tools or force involved. They are not always secured properly. In the end it is all a matter of responsible placement and search methods. There is just about nothing that will keep me from finding a cache other than a really good hide but at the same time I have enough common sense to tell me when something is not a good idea. I usually proceed to do it anyway but I may take some small precautions.

 

- Rev Mike

 

Correct! A blanket statement that you cannot access live electrical wires without tools is simply foolishness. There are many poorly maintained and vandalized electrical installations out there.

 

A common example is lampposts with the hand hole cover MISSING. You can reach right in and possibly grab a wire with 277 volts to ground on which the wirenut has fallen (or been pulled) off. You don't need to be standing in water to get killed at that voltage, just have your other hand (or your head) touching the metal pole.

 

A key word in the OP is "touch". Many things you can touch are dangerous or annoying, but the only thing that is likely to KILL just from a TOUCH is electricity.

 

I don't TOUCH unknown electrical equipment- especially when looking for a cache.

 

Another consideration reference "not always secured properly" is that perhaps one could dislodge an old or poorly fastened box from its mounting with very little force whilst searching for the cache- a box that WAS quite happily hanging on where it was supposed to be till the caching community got involved.

[+kyk96]

This has been a fun and enlightening topic to read! I've been laughed at by my friends MANY times because I won't take my son fishing. I make my less-girlygirl friends do it However, when it comes to caching, those same friends are baffled that I will do almost anything for a cache. Of course, we live in SE Michigan/NW Ohio area, so we do not have problems with spiders as big as your head, rattlers, crazy grass that goes through your clothes (what on earth??? egads!), etc.

 

I am deathly afraid of snakes, but have had several garters slither across my boots while caching and I just took a deep breath and continued on. If they were poisonous snakes, I would have gone back to my truck and dnf'd. I've reached into places that were dark and slimey. I've gone through poison ivy (long pants, long sleeve shirt, a little bit of cussing at the cache owner) and reached my hand into a tree hollow that was way to high for me to see what was in it and it was full of slimey water and no cache container. i've gone through briar patches in which other cachers have left blood in the log book. I will cheerfully cross small bodies of water (not raging rivers, tho) on slippery logs and crawl under just about any downed tree or bush.

 

mostly, we really read all prior posts, or as many as possible, before we go into a situation we aren't sure about. Hopefully the cache owner is responsible enough to state clearly that there will be briars and then I wear appropriate gear. I always figure the cache owner should state in the description if special equipment (even a screwdriver) will be needed for the cache. If not, then shame on that person and it doesn't look at all impressive for a cache owner to have tons of DNF's on their cache.

 

The one cache I refused to do (good thing, because it turned out the cache was actually 200 feet off coords) was reach into a hole in the ground that looked like an animal's home and I couldn't see anything. I poked with my walking stick a few times and felt nothing like a cache container and I was NOT going to reach in and have my arm bitten off or get rabies.

 

After reading all these posts, I can see other caches we've done that we probably shouldn't have. We don't really consider the danger. From reading prior logs about specific caches, we usually have a pretty good idea of what we're getting ourselves into before we get to the cache site.

[+geomann1]

"My pet beef with fake anything caches is that they can encourage cachers, especially kids, to fool with things they shouldn't"

 

I totally agree, my biggest pet peeve with cache seekers is the willingness to mess with things they should not or commit outright vandalism (intentional or non-intentional) in search of a cache.

 

As for cache placers, an obliviousness or indifference to the problems that their cache may cause, either as damage to the cache site or by encouraging irresponsible behaviour.

 

There are tremendous numbers of options for placing caches, for the life of me, I can't see why people still choose the relatively few irresponsible options.

[Cracker.]

The only cache I've walked away from as being unsafe to touch was one that had a rattlesnake curled up on the ammo can, very much alive and VERY pissed that I had uncovered it!

 

Where was this cache? Just wondering if it was in western NY?

[+wimseyguy]

The only cache I've walked away from as being unsafe to touch was one that had a rattlesnake curled up on the ammo can, very much alive and VERY pissed that I had uncovered it!

I'm shocked that someone would have put a cache in a location like this and exposed you to the potential dangers.

[+Sioneva]

I think it is a fine line. Some i can see as being dangerous or too much. Others if put together well, wouldn't bother me. For electrical stuff what i was thinking is that if you have to take apart stuff with tools to search- its a bad idea. Here is one that we did that i thought was especially cool. It did have a geocaching sticker on the side of the box which gave it away though.

 

OMG, that is exactly what I mean! How would you know if it's okay to open that? In your case there was a sign. But I see many that have no indication until you open it.

 

You have to admit, that WAS pretty clever.

 

I've seen that one too. In my opinion, in the absence of geocaching sticker real bad idea, no matter how clever. Bad precedent to set that electrical equipment should be openned in search of a cache. Same with fake sprinkler heads, as I have seen vandalized heads near cache sites, which very may well have the work of cachers.

 

No kidding. I once found a sprinkler head within twenty feet of a cache. Being inexperienced with sprinkler heads, and since it was where my GPS zeroed out... well, I found out it wasn't a fake one. I still feel really bad about that, but mostly annoyed with the person who hid the cache there! Left a cautionary note in my log for the next cacher!

[+wordnerd]

 

No kidding. I once found a sprinkler head within twenty feet of a cache. Being inexperienced with sprinkler heads, and since it was where my GPS zeroed out... well, I found out it wasn't a fake one. I still feel really bad about that, but mostly annoyed with the person who hid the cache there! Left a cautionary note in my log for the next cacher!

 

Yes, I'm always worried about that. Last week, I actually asked a cache owner for a hint because the cache was hidden in a beautiful memorial park. Knowing what I know about cache containers, just about anything in that memorial could have been a cache -- i.e. power box, sprinkler heads, acorns, rocks. I actually pulled on a lot of things I shouldn't have and started turning over large stones before deciding I better get a better hint. It turns out the cache container was not a "fake" box at all, but just a simple magnetic keyholder hidden behind a water meter.

 

See, this owner hid his cache in a nondestructive location. But because of all the fake cache boxes out there, geocachers are accustomed to being fooled and are now in the habit of taking apart EVERYTHING.

[+schristi69]

It seems around here a lot of folks like hiding things in bushes and under rocks. I have gottem very leary of poking around in places like this in this area. Never know what kind of critter is hiding under that bush or rock. A good poking stick and a pair of gloves should be added to the equipment list. Rocks and metal can get quite warm here in the summer. Electical boxes are a definate no-no for me.

[wvnewbie]

desperate to find a cache as darkness fell last evening (and storm clouds with that tell-tale wind blew in), I started putting my hand under any rock I thought might conceal the cache - and any holes in trees that might also be good hiding spots. Probably shouldn't have - but really didn't want the DNF. (see thread "disappointed")