Newbie Hide Cache Question

[+Aeowyn & Koric]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are finally thinking about hiding some caches and I've read the guidelines but have a question regarding the following paragraph:

 

Did you seek permission from the land owner or manager? If you place a cache on private land, you must ask permission before hiding your cache. If you place it on public lands, contact the land manager to find out about any rules or restrictions. Please note: You will be in violation of federal regulation by placing a cache in any area administered by the National Park Service (US). The National Park regulations are intended to protect the fragile environment, and historical and cultural areas found in the parks.

 

The question is land owner/manager on public lands. What exactly is the definition of public lands? Would this be a playground or small park in my area or something more than that? If this is, how would I ask the owner for permission?

 

Thanks.. sorry for the dumb question.

[+briansnat]

Public lands would be things like parks, state forests, wildlife management areas, historic sites - basically any land owned or managed by a government agency where the general public is invited to visit.

 

Who to ask depends. In a state park, it might be the park superintendent. For a town park it might be whomever manages the parks. You can usually find out by checking websites for the area in question.

[+Team GeoBlast]

Hi Everyone,

 

We are finally thinking about hiding some caches and I've read the guidelines but have a question regarding the following paragraph:

 

Did you seek permission from the land owner or manager? If you place a cache on private land, you must ask permission before hiding your cache. If you place it on public lands, contact the land manager to find out about any rules or restrictions. Please note: You will be in violation of federal regulation by placing a cache in any area administered by the National Park Service (US). The National Park regulations are intended to protect the fragile environment, and historical and cultural areas found in the parks.

 

The question is land owner/manager on public lands. What exactly is the definition of public lands? Would this be a playground or small park in my area or something more than that? If this is, how would I ask the owner for permission?

 

Thanks.. sorry for the dumb question.

 

Not a dumb question at all. As stated, the approach of the land owner or property manager is going to vary. Your example of the National Park Service is an exception in that there is an all out ban on hiding in National Parks. You can review the guidelines to learn about others.

 

One short cut to finding out the correct person to check with is if there is already a cache on the property somewhere. Write that hider and ask how they did it. When you do this, you very well could run into "assumed permission" where the hider has determined that it is public land and therefore okay to not have formal written permission. It is very possible that the majority of the 600k cache placements in existence fall into this category and with a higher instance of urban caches falling into this category.

 

A very gray area in quite a few instances.

Edited October 27, 2008 by Team GeoBlast

[+Renegade Knight]

...Please note: You will be in violation of federal regulation by placing a cache in any area administered by the National Park Service (US). The National Park regulations are intended to protect the fragile environment, and historical and cultural areas found in the parks. ...

 

NPR Regulations are intended to allow for the maximum public enjoyment of the environmental, historical and cultural areas found in the parks. Preservation serves no purpose without first meeting the main reason they exist. Preservation from the people is no way to run a park. May as well disband the park service and sell the land to the highest bidder in that kind of environment.

[+Renegade Knight]

... What exactly is the definition of public lands? Would this be a playground or small park in my area or something more than that? If this is, how would I ask the owner for permission?...

 

This is no simple question. There are the obvious public lands. Parks, Open Space, and and other publicly accessable lands owned by Federal, State, Local, and Quasi Government agencies.

 

All lands owned by these agencies are public. Not all are for the use and enjoyment of the public (A Military Base being a good example of public land but with a purpose that's not open to the public).

 

Another concept is public accessabilty. Many private lands accomodate the public with little or no restrictions.

 

What constitutes adequate permission will vary. I'd not hesistate to place a cache in a location that allows casual recreation becasue that's what caching is. When I placed a cache inside the local Zoo, I worked with the Zoo's Director.

Edited October 27, 2008 by Renegade Knight

[+Aeowyn & Koric]

Thanks so much for taking the time and answering this question. I was thinking of just starting with some micros in my area where there are playgrounds etc.

 

Thanks again everyone

[+trainlove]

I was thinking of just starting with some micros in my area where there are playgrounds etc.

Playgrounds are kind of not good places for scary old men with what look like digital cameras to be skulking around. Kind of the reason for the 'schools' wording in the guidelines. Pluss kids are so inquisitive, a cache, even a pico, would only last 1 or 2 finders before getting taken by them.

[+Team GeoBlast]

Thanks so much for taking the time and answering this question. I was thinking of just starting with some micros in my area where there are playgrounds etc.

 

Thanks again everyone

 

Koric...

 

Another hot button. Consider this* scenario in today's climate before consider hiding a cache in the proximity of a playground.

 

*You are a young muggle mother sitting on a public park bench watching your two children play on the playground. From the parking lot you notice a car pull in drive slowly into the lot. The driver is looking in the direction of the playground. Your senses immediately go on alert and you instinctively elect to watch the situation closely. The car parks, a gray haired man with a slight bot belly and wearing a tin foil hat emerges from the car. He walks around in a circle a few times and starts moving towards the playground. He is behaving oddly and moving irregularly. His glance is alternating between a handheld device and where your children are playing.

 

What is going to be your reaction? Do you have 911 on speed dial?

 

PS: I just threw the tin foil hat in for effect but if you have been to any Geocaching event, you know that a wardrobe equivalent of this is not out of the question.

Edited October 27, 2008 by Team GeoBlast

[+Aeowyn & Koric]

I was thinking of just starting with some micros in my area where there are playgrounds etc.

Playgrounds are kind of not good places for scary old men with what look like digital cameras to be skulking around. Kind of the reason for the 'schools' wording in the guidelines. Pluss kids are so inquisitive, a cache, even a pico, would only last 1 or 2 finders before getting taken by them.

 

Thanks Ray.. you're right.. appreciate the info

[+Renegade Knight]

I was thinking of just starting with some micros in my area where there are playgrounds etc.

Playgrounds are kind of not good places for scary old men with what look like digital cameras to be skulking around. Kind of the reason for the 'schools' wording in the guidelines. Pluss kids are so inquisitive, a cache, even a pico, would only last 1 or 2 finders before getting taken by them.

 

Ignoring the artificial paranoia this socity has over single guys in parks regardless of what they are doing (like reading a book during lunch hour), as was pointed out. playgrounds don't make good locaitons for caches. Kids notice everthing and poke into everything. Parks are good locations for caches, you just have to factor in where the kids play.

 

The point of a cache is for cachers to find them and non cachers (muggles) to not find them. It saves so much trouble that way.