Who, how, where, etc ?

[+Howlingmoon]

I'm really new to geocaching (been doing tis for little over two weeks now), and I want to start placing a few (have 41 finds now!). I know you're supposed to get permission to place caches but, from who ? Which situations require what kind of permissions ? How do you go about it ? Tis there any examples I could use ? I'm thinking of a national forest/park for one definitely, and others as I get an idea. I would just like some general ideas for several different types of situations/locations. Thank you,

[+mikey1959]

Just ask politely, the worse they can say is "No" Mike

[+Howlingmoon]

Thank you very much for the extremely vague reply! I'll make sure I ask every Tom, Dick, and Harry I pass along the way!

[+mikey1959]

It works for me ! just always be polite when asking . Mike

[+Lasagna]

You need to track down the owner/land manager for the area where you want to place a cache.

 

National Parks (anything under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service) is off limits unless the local ranger for the park has decided to permit it.

 

State Parks, etc. there is usually a state agency which cares for them. For example, here in Pennsylvania, the Department for Conversation of Natural Resrouces (DCNR) is responsible for state parks and they have an official geocaching permitting policy documented on their website.

 

Local parks -- start with the municipality responsible for the park (i.e. the people you go to if you want to rent a pavilion in the park for instance -- which can usually be found on a sign in the pavilion or near the entrance of the park near where the park hours and rules are posted).

 

Some areas, for example, here in PA, State Game Lands kind of have a hands off policy. They don't really say one way or the other and have no agency which really regulates land use. So, as long as you don't interfere with hunting uses of the land (for instance, many here will disable their caches on SGL's during the height of rifle season -- to prevent interference and accidentally getting shot at).

 

National Forests ... I read somewhere that there may be a policy for placement here (not National Parks), but as I've not had the occasion to place a cache in one yet, I haven't researched it.

[+Howlingmoon]

Thank you for the very informative post, Lasagna! I did find the geocaching rules, permit app, etc for the state parks in my area (The one I want to place a cache in tis a state park, not national. Oops!) So now I gotta figure out where in the park I want to place the cache, then fill out the permit and submit it. I will remember your advice for the other locations when I get ideas for those. Thank you!

[+briansnat]

Here is the Arkansas State Parks geocachng policy. There is a link to the permit on the page.

[+mikey1959]

try this http://www.arkgeocaching.org/index.php