Thought I'd Love It But I Hate the Woods

[Geoing Mobile]

I thought I would love this hobby. Get some fresh air and look for "treasure". I haven't found alot of caches in the past year because 9 times out of 10 they seem to lead me to a wooded area and I hate the woods because of ticks. Most of them don't go far into the woods, but isn't that where ticks are? On the edge?

 

Are most geocaches placed in the woods? Does anyone else worry about Lyme's disease? I know at least 2 people that have it... one isn't with us anymore. Am I just paranoid?

 

Thanks!

Janet

[+kymarkh]

I'm probably in the minority, but I enjoy caching much more in the wintertime than I do in the summertime. I don't do 90 degree heat and humidity very well.

[+roiegat]

Well, this sport does seem to cater to the non-woodlen folks as well. Seems like around me there are tons of parking lot caches. Just plan in advance to only visit those outside the woods.

[+edscott]

I thought I would love this hobby. Get some fresh air and look for "treasure". I haven't found alot of caches in the past year because 9 times out of 10 they seem to lead me to a wooded area and I hate the woods because of ticks. Most of them don't go far into the woods, but isn't that where ticks are? On the edge?

 

Are most geocaches placed in the woods? Does anyone else worry about Lyme's disease? I know at least 2 people that have it... one isn't with us anymore. Am I just paranoid?

 

Thanks!

Janet

 

In my opinion, yes.. Do you know anyone that died in a car accident? Do you still drive?

[+kunarion]

Are most geocaches placed in the woods? Does anyone else worry about Lyme's disease? I know at least 2 people that have it... one isn't with us anymore. Am I just paranoid?

 

Yes, most Geocaches are in the woods. Yes, everybody worries about Lyme disease. And yes, you're paranoid. Hope that clears things up

 

I do not want a tick on me, even on the outside of my clothes. Ever. He might be the most sanitary tick in the forest -- I just don't want him suckin on me. And the same goes for those skeeters. So it's heavy-duty Outdoor DEET spray for all exposed skin, and clothing spray (Permethrin). And the moment I get home, all that clothing goes straight into the wash.

 

With this plan, I can Geocache to my little heart's content, with no unwanted critters.

 

As kymarkh mentioned, you can go tickless after the first frost. There are many caches that specify "no ticks", and you could Geocache for many years without ever setting foot in a forest.

Edited September 25, 2009 by kunarion

[+Chrysalides]

Are most geocaches placed in the woods? Does anyone else worry about Lyme's disease? I know at least 2 people that have it... one isn't with us anymore. Am I just paranoid?

I can't answer the question about whether you're paranoid, since (1) I'm not a psychologist and (2) it'll be hard to arrive at a diagnosis without at least a consultation.

 

As for whether most geocaches are in the woods, I'd say it depends on your area. Over here, there are enough urban caches, and some of them in really great locations. Yes, you have your fair share of guard rails and lamp posts, but there are also those in city parks, near public art, and so on. Don't pay any attention to any purists (also known as Real Geocachers ) who insists that only a geocache in the woods is a real geocache.

 

Now, whether this hobby is for you, only you can tell. Give it a try. If you're not having fun, it's not for you.

 

I'm probably in the minority, but I enjoy caching much more in the wintertime than I do in the summertime. I don't do 90 degree heat and humidity very well.

 

I highly recommend striking Singapore off your list of places to go for geocaching. That pretty much describes the weather there - year round

[aniyn]

You're being paranoid. From wikipedia: "Attached ticks should be removed promptly, as removal within 36 hours can reduce transmission rates to close to zero."

 

If ticks really worry you, wear pants tucked into your socks and long sleeves. Toss your dirty clothes in the wash as soon as you get back, and check yourself over in a mirror. That should keep you plenty safe.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I will not tell you that there are no ticks in the woods, BUT, ticks are mostly in tall grass and weeds. That is how they transfer to a host. They cannot jump or fly and they are almost as slow as a slug. They climb high as they can on grass (sorry, weeds and bushes too) as that enables them to transfer over to another animal host.

 

If they lived primarily in the woods, they would starve to death having an extremely small chance of transferring themselves. Is why people started cutting their grass, to keep ticks at bay!

 

Be afraid of the woods if you wish, but ticks in the woods are not the problem. Ticks are a problem in fields and overgrown city lots, and quite possibly your neatly trimmed hedge!

 

[+briansnat]

Be afraid of the woods if you wish, but ticks in the woods are not the problem. Ticks are a problem in fields and overgrown city lots, and quite possibly your neatly trimmed hedge!

 

True. I've spent probably thousands of hours of my life in the woods and rarely see ticks there. After a day of hiking, trail work or caching in the deep woods I don't even bother to check myself for ticks.

 

Where I do see them in droves are fields, grassy meadows and border areas where the woods meet the fields.

 

I'm concerned about Lyme disease, it's nasty, but I'd be more concerned about ticks if I was golfing or doing yard work than I would be when I'm in the woods.

 

In any event the risk can be mitigated by using insect repellents, wearing light colored clothing (so you can see them before they crawl inside) and checking yourself after spending time outdoors.

 

And as EdScott pointed out driving is much more of a risk than ticks, but that doesn't seem to stop people from doiing it.

Edited September 25, 2009 by briansnat

[+Markwell]

This past week I got poison ivy. I've probably been exposed a gazillion times, but this is the first reaction I've gotten. I got it on a stupid little "warm-up" cache on a day off, before I went on a spree of hitting 10 pretty hard caches in a major forest preserve. I didn't realize I had a reaction until well after the big hike.

 

When I started caching, I hit an area that was covered with ticks, but I didn't know about it. When I got back to the car with my 8 year old son, we counted 16 ticks on our shirts. We got them all off with no problem and no infection.

 

I was out on the Cumberland Trail in Signal Mountain, Tennessee visiting a cache I had been to before. I was a 45 minute hike from civilization. I twisted my ankle and it took me a good 2 hours to get back when I should have been back 45 minutes previously. It hurt like heck for the next month.

 

===========================

 

Anything in life includes some risk. You do what you can to prepare for problems and minimize the risk to an acceptable level for yourself. If you are not comfortable with going into the woods and exploring places like the picture below, then there are plenty of caches in parking lots and city parks that will suit your fancy. I personally wouldn't have missed the stories above for the world, and relish in reliving them.

 

[+Curioddity]

The last time I was deep in a 'real' forest for any significant amount of time I was dropping and limbing big sugarpine and white fir in a steep canyon with 6 other fallers and 9 choker-setters working around me. There were lots of rattlesnakes and white-faced hornet nests in the area and we had a high-lead rig yarding logs out of the canyon over our heads.

 

Do you think I spent much time worrying about ticks?

 

Pete

[knowschad]

Anything The best things in life includes some risk.

 

 

If I may...

[+ChannelFadge]

COme geocaching in the UK. the worst thing you have to worry about over here is doggers

[+humboldt flier]

COme geocaching in the UK. the worst thing you have to worry about over here is doggers

 

Well, my coastal caching haunts have ticks and poison oak. My inland caching haunts have the same PLUS one added feature >> slithery things with rattles on their tails.

 

I don't like any of the extras, however, I still play the game because of where I am taken and the neat places I would never have found on my own. Hang in there, find your comfort level and enjoy the entire journey ... some of my best experiences have been where I have gleaned a purple frownie or those places where I stopped short of the cache site and soaked in the incredible beauty.

[8ball9ball]

I hunted in Pa for 30 yrs and never had a tick on me. This past year in Ohio I have had 4 of them. Go figure, we no longer use the good old pesticides so something has to survive. Do I worry about it? No, I still go out and have fun. If taken to extremes we all would never step foot outside our doors. Relax, enjoy and have fun.

[Mr.Yuck]

I thought I would love this hobby. Get some fresh air and look for "treasure". I haven't found alot of caches in the past year because 9 times out of 10 they seem to lead me to a wooded area and I hate the woods because of ticks. Most of them don't go far into the woods, but isn't that where ticks are? On the edge?

 

Are most geocaches placed in the woods? Does anyone else worry about Lyme's disease? I know at least 2 people that have it... one isn't with us anymore. Am I just paranoid?

 

Thanks!

Janet

 

Are all caches in the woods? Well, you know, some of us would say there was a day when they were.

 

Looked up your town, sounded very familar. I guess I just got an Ebay item from someone there a couple of weeks ago. So yeah, you're a somewhat rural area, and I suppose you'd be mostly in the woods. The very first reply is helpful. I do most of my caching in the fall and early winter. No bugs, most overgrowth is dead. It's very invigorating to go out caching in 35 degree weather. Now when the snow flies, that complicates things a little, but you won't have to worry about that for a few months.

 

I have to admit, I think you sound a little paranoid.

[+DonB]

Are most geocaches placed in the woods? Does anyone else worry about Lyme's disease? I know at least 2 people that have it... one isn't with us anymore. Am I just paranoid?

 

Yes, most Geocaches are in the woods. Yes, everybody worries about Lyme disease. And yes, you're paranoid. Hope that clears things up

 

I do not want a tick on me, even on the outside of my clothes. Ever. He might be the most sanitary tick in the forest -- I just don't want him suckin on me. And the same goes for those skeeters. So it's heavy-duty Outdoor DEET spray for all exposed skin, and clothing spray (Permethrin). And the moment I get home, all that clothing goes straight into the wash.

 

With this plan, I can Geocache to my little heart's content, with no unwanted critters.

 

As kymarkh mentioned, you can go tickless after the first frost. There are many caches that specify "no ticks", and you could Geocache for many years without ever setting foot in a forest.

I agree with Kunarion 100%, I always use the Permethrin. I spray my pants from the knees down, spray my socks, and spray my hiking shoes. I also spray my hat and the shoulder area of my shirt.

[+off-camber]

The OP may be paranoid but that doesn't there aren't ticks out to get them....

 

Seriously there is risk in everything...

[the3gmen]

If you don't want to cache in the woods, just check out the hundreds of other threads around here complaining about all of the lame urban and light pose caches.

 

Perhaps they may be more to your liking

[+Matt_B_Good]

I thought I would love this hobby. Get some fresh air and look for "treasure". I haven't found alot of caches in the past year because 9 times out of 10 they seem to lead me to a wooded area and I hate the woods because of ticks. Most of them don't go far into the woods, but isn't that where ticks are? On the edge?

Ticks sure but don't mistake wood ticks that are almost harmless for deer ticks. The species are very different and only the deer ticks carry Lyme's disease. Here is how you tell Wood ticks are brown and are usually pretty big and also very common. Deer ticks are little red things that look like they are from the bowels of hell. (if it existed) I see Wood ticks all the time. I have only seen a deer tick to times in my entire life. There is info at many doctors and online references to back up what I am saying just google deer tick and wood tick.

 

Are most geocaches placed in the woods? Does anyone else worry about Lyme's disease? I know at least 2 people that have it... one isn't with us anymore. Am I just paranoid?

 

Thanks!

Janet

I do feel your paranoid. I am cautious of Lyme's disease but do not worry about it. The chances of dying from it are slim. It is a valid fear but you don't want to dwell on it. Don't let it take more joy out of your life than it has to. If a deer tick does bite you though head straight for the hospital. Don't chance it. If all else don't go for caches in the woods.

[+Curioddity]

I do feel your paranoid. I am cautious of Lyme's disease but do not worry about it. The chances of dying from it are slim.

I have a fairly good friend who has been battling Lyme Disease for over a year. To paraphrase him, there are days he's afraid he'll die and days he's afraid he won't. It's treatable enough if you catch it early, but he waited far too long before he sought treatment.

 

The thing to watch for is an expanding ring of raised redness around the bite area. This can appear days to a couple of weeks after the bite. That's when to see the doctor.

 

It's important to note, though, that about 1 in 4 people don't get this inflamation. It's also important to note that the inflamation and early symptoms will usually clear up after about a month which leads many people to think that it's over. But untreated, the disease starts in earnest on the joints, heart, and nervous system in another few weeks or months.

 

Pete

[+Cherokee Bill]

Your ride from point -A- to - B- in an automobile is FAR more dangerous, than a LONG walk in the woods. At 62-yo, I have been in the woods since the age of 8, with do serious problems. I'll take the woods over the highway anytime

 

Your odds of contacting Lymes is about as great as winning the Mega Lottery

[+agentmancuso]

COme geocaching in the UK. the worst thing you have to worry about over here is doggers

 

There are ticks here too, at least there are in Scotland, but always associated more with long grass than woodlands as such. Maybe it's a different subspecies. As for Lyme's disease, well yes by all means be careful to check for ticks, but you're far more likely to get hit by a bus.

[+Mr&MrsQuixote]

Actually, it never crosses my mind.

 

I go camping, and hiking, and crawling in bushes and only once have I had a tick. The worst thing I got for it was the heebee jeebee's (I am a girl afterall, and the thought that I can't brush a bug off me gives me the chills).

 

If you are very worried you could... just use bug spray... Or just some skin so soft.

[+Crafty Turtle]

Here in Australia, in the "bush", we have no poison oak, no poison ivy, no ticks, no bears, no coyotes, and nothing that wants to eat you.

However, we do (I believe) have 4 of the 10 most poisonous snakes in the world, some deadly spiders, and huge areas of land where there's no civilised settlement for 100s and 100s of miles.

 

Meh. You win some, you lose some.

 

But the real issue is, you don't often encounter this stuff. Oh, it's out there, but I think in 40 years, I've seen 1 redback spider, and one copperhead snake. ...and the redback was cos my Dad saw it and wanted to show us kids what it was. His advice was "Don't touch it." Sensible man.

 

Personally, I LOVE the bush. I am, however, taunted by the urban caches - the ones in car parks, bridges, posts, pylons, derelict buildings, abandoned railway stations, etc. I think "what's the point of those?" I mean, you can see the exact spot on google earth, with the streets, the buildings, etc, so you go there, hunt for a bit, and voila!

At least with the bush caches, you have to rely on your GPS to get you in and out. On google earth, one tree looks like the next, in a 4 square mile forest.

 

I tell ya what - let's be a dual - you do the urban stuff, and I'll stay in the woods.

[Mr.Yuck]

COme geocaching in the UK. the worst thing you have to worry about over here is doggers

 

There are ticks here too, at least there are in Scotland, but always associated more with long grass than woodlands as such. Maybe it's a different subspecies. As for Lyme's disease, well yes by all means be careful to check for ticks, but you're far more likely to get hit by a bus.

 

No, they're associated with tall grasses and brush on this side of the pond as well. And they don't "jump", you must brush up against against the vegitation they're sitting on. They sit pretty low, usually less than 2 feet off the ground. But once they're on you, they will crawl all over you. I once grabbed on ready to attach under my hair near my ear.

 

Man, I think this thread is probably making the OP even more paranoid.

[+PSHAX]

COme geocaching in the UK. the worst thing you have to worry about over here is doggers

 

We've never seen any "doggers" while out caching... Must be in the wrong area!! LOL!!

[irenfrea]

I heard that bee poison inhibites the Lyme disease effects, so if you have to go caching to the woods just get a couple of bee stings

[+StarBrand]

Deep woods off. A quick self check when you get home.

 

I've gotten ticks on me mostly from medium height mostly dry grassy areas. Of course, I live out on the plains.

 

Having said that - you should not go caching anywhere that makes you uncomfortable to be at. Plenty of caches in all kinds of locations.

[+Wogus!]

I can't be the only cacher here that actually researches target caches using GoogleEarth (not to be confused with Google Maps), can I?

 

Pop the lat/long into the Fly To/Search bar of Google Earth and in a few seconds I'm scoping out potential GZ's via glorious, color, satellite imagery. Would this not help one separate the potentially tick-infested woodsy-type caches from the ones located at, say for instance, 5th and Main? Using GE to check things out before leaving the house is de rigueur for me; but then my last hunt had me in a desert ghost town barely this side of the Mexican border. And the desert can be an odd place. Very, very odd.

[+Night Stalker]

Where I do see them in droves are fields, grassy meadows and border areas where the woods meet the fields.

 

I'm concerned about Lyme disease, it's nasty, but I'd be more concerned about ticks if I was golfing or doing yard work than I would be when I'm in the woods.

 

 

Now I can quote briansnat whenever my wife wants me to do yard work.

Edited October 2, 2009 by Night Stalker

[Crash'n'burn]

Here in Australia, in the "bush", we have no poison oak, no poison ivy, no ticks, no bears, no coyotes, and nothing that wants to eat you.

However, we do (I believe) have 4 of the 10 most poisonous snakes in the world, some deadly spiders, and huge areas of land where there's no civilised settlement for 100s and 100s of miles.

 

Meh. You win some, you lose some.

 

But the real issue is, you don't often encounter this stuff. Oh, it's out there, but I think in 40 years, I've seen 1 redback spider, and one copperhead snake. ...and the redback was cos my Dad saw it and wanted to show us kids what it was. His advice was "Don't touch it." Sensible man.

 

Personally, I LOVE the bush. I am, however, taunted by the urban caches - the ones in car parks, bridges, posts, pylons, derelict buildings, abandoned railway stations, etc. I think "what's the point of those?" I mean, you can see the exact spot on google earth, with the streets, the buildings, etc, so you go there, hunt for a bit, and voila!

At least with the bush caches, you have to rely on your GPS to get you in and out. On google earth, one tree looks like the next, in a 4 square mile forest.

 

I tell ya what - let's be a dual - you do the urban stuff, and I'll stay in the woods.

 

I'd just like to say there are ticks in Australia - I've had them before. We have 4 types - the Paralysis Tick, Bush Tick, Cattle Tick and Brown Dog Tick.

[+Wild Thing 73]

If you noticed, most caches that are placed in the woods are placed in the winter or fall seasons...I was guilty of this before I wised up....I like Micro type hides, but will tackle any "Traditional" cache.....Multi's are mainly dumb cache hides.....You travel about 15 miles or so, more or less for just one smiley.....Don't not make sense to me.... Large caches in the woods are covered with sticks or rocks....too easy.....POW or POR.....Good luck and stay safe....

[butterchurn]

There are plenty of Urban caches if you don't like the woods. I hate ticks too ever since I was covered with them once. That happened in a grassy area, not the woods. In Minnesota we are polluted with'em.

 

Here in Minneapolis there are many caches right in downtown.

[+The Cache Checkers]

I apologize if this is a repeat, I didn't read all the posts, but I almost always bring up the coords in Google Earth. That way I can get a bird's eye view of where I'll be going and what's in the vicinity, parking and such.

 

You can also send the CO an email and ask them questions.