Hidding a cache on a duck island?

[cookiefox]

Hello everyone, newbie here with what is probably a stupid question.

 

In my neighborhood we have a few small ponds (maybe 10m across), one with a small "duck island" (Only trees and shrubberies on it though). Now, I'm considering putting a cache there, but since there are no boats or water-going vessels around trackers would need to bring their own boat/ladder to reach the island. It is perfectly legal so swim/boat in the water.

 

Would it be acceptable to place a cache in such a location and if so, which difficulty rating would be appropriate?

 

Thanks a bunch!

[+Lil Devil]

Yes and 5 stars for terrain. Difficulty should be rated according to how hard it is to find the cache once you are on the island.

[cookiefox]

Fast and clear answer, thanks very much

[Luckless]

My first thought was about the wildlife. Are there ducks nesting there? If so you may want to wait until after nesting season and any ducklings are grown and moved on.

[+Castle Mischief]

Do the ducks nest on the island? I know this isn't a guideline issue- but it is something to consider.

 

Most of the duck ponds I've ever been around were slathered in a thick layer of duck spackle. Not the first place I'd swim, but that's just me.

 

This might be one of those times were explicit permission might be the way to go.

[+wimseyguy]

a few small ponds (maybe 10m across),

 

Yes and 5 stars for terrain. Difficulty should be rated according to how hard it is to find the cache once you are on the island.

 

Those are pretty small ponds-it's 5* for terrain only if a boat or other special equipment is required. If I can take off my shoes and roll my pant legs up and wade in knee deep water to the island then it may not warrant 5*. just sayin..

[+Castle Mischief]

a few small ponds (maybe 10m across),

 

Yes and 5 stars for terrain. Difficulty should be rated according to how hard it is to find the cache once you are on the island.

 

Those are pretty small ponds-it's 5* for terrain only if a boat or other special equipment is required. If I can take off my shoes and roll my pant legs up and wade in knee deep water to the island then it may not warrant 5*. just sayin..

 

Water and duck spackle. That makes it a 5*.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

I would also consider the impact on the ducks(and the habitat they are using there), even if it's allowed, it may not be the best idea, but you can figure that part out.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Go for it!

 

You'll get some 'don't disturb the ducks' responses... mostly from people who live in cities and suburbs where the land has been raped of natural flora and fauna and replaced with concrete, asphalt and neatly manicured lawns, where any sign of 'nature' is eradicated post haste. Let a duck land in their yard and they'll call animal control, if not 911, but they'll tell everyone else to stay off of that duck island so you don't disturb a duck.

 

Place your duck cache and don't worry about the loons.

[+Castle Mischief]

Go for it!

 

You'll get some 'don't disturb the ducks' responses... mostly from people who live in cities and suburbs where the land has been raped of natural flora and fauna and replaced with concrete, asphalt and neatly manicured lawns, where any sign of 'nature' is eradicated post haste. Let a duck land in their yard and they'll call animal control, if not 911, but they'll tell everyone else to stay off of that duck island so you don't disturb a duck.

 

Place your duck cache and don't worry about the loons.

 

Hi. I live in a town of 491 people on a gravel road. I don't have access to broadband, cable TV, or bus service. I find it funny that you, who lives mere minutes from the center of the largest city in Alabama, in what could only be called a suburb, would phrase your response as if our zip codes were reversed.

 

So yeah, I will take a moment to consider the duck.

[cookiefox]

I'd like to point out that there isn't actually any ducks on the island except maybe the occasional retarded one. You can't walk to the island as the water is at least 3 meters (+sludge) deep. And yes, the pond is very small, but still, as long as you can't jump or walk there you'd need a boat or a long ladder to get there.

 

And to slam the point home; No duckies, only shrubberies!

[+Castle Mischief]

I'd like to point out that there isn't actually any ducks on the island except maybe the occasional retarded one. You can't walk to the island as the water is at least 3 meters (+sludge) deep. And yes, the pond is very small, but still, as long as you can't jump or walk there you'd need a boat or a long ladder to get there.

 

And to slam the point home; No duckies, only shrubberies!

 

Then why is it called a duck island?

[cookiefox]

Then why is it called a duck island?

Because that's what its called around here and I have no reason to question to validity of casual rumors. Besides, I'm sure there was a duck nesting there at some point, hence it can fairly correctly be associated with ducks. Perhaps a better term would be "abandoned duck island" or "ex-duck island". You take a pick

[+cw1710]

I'd like to point out that there isn't actually any ducks on the island except maybe the occasional retarded one. You can't walk to the island as the water is at least 3 meters (+sludge) deep. And yes, the pond is very small, but still, as long as you can't jump or walk there you'd need a boat or a long ladder to get there.

 

And to slam the point home; No duckies, only shrubberies!

 

Then why is it called a duck island?

 

Thats usually the name for a small island in the middle of a small pond. People put them there when they build the pond as a safe place for the ducks to 'hang out'. That particular island may never see a duck or it may see them at certain times of the year.

 

As for the placement of a cache there, like TAR said, go for it. If someone doesn't like it, they don't have to find it.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Go for it!

 

You'll get some 'don't disturb the ducks' responses... mostly from people who live in cities and suburbs where the land has been raped of natural flora and fauna and replaced with concrete, asphalt and neatly manicured lawns, where any sign of 'nature' is eradicated post haste. Let a duck land in their yard and they'll call animal control, if not 911, but they'll tell everyone else to stay off of that duck island so you don't disturb a duck.

 

Place your duck cache and don't worry about the loons.

I hope I'm not Quackers for suggesting that one consider the ducks...I have no knowledge of the islands, so I would just say keep it in mind, the person hiding the Cache(or anyone familiar with the local wildlife) can make the determination for themselves.

[+wimseyguy]

Then why is it called a duck island?

Because that's what its called around here and I have no reason to question to validity of casual rumors. Besides, I'm sure there was a duck nesting there at some point, hence it can fairly correctly be associated with ducks. Perhaps a better term would be "abandoned duck island" or "ex-duck island". You take a pick

 

Perhaps the ducks are merely

? Edited April 27, 2010 by wimseyguy

[+Team Cotati]

These small ponds, would they be surrounded by public or private land?

Do you know who the owner might be?

Edited April 27, 2010 by Team Cotati

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Go for it!

 

You'll get some 'don't disturb the ducks' responses... mostly from people who live in cities and suburbs where the land has been raped of natural flora and fauna and replaced with concrete, asphalt and neatly manicured lawns, where any sign of 'nature' is eradicated post haste. Let a duck land in their yard and they'll call animal control, if not 911, but they'll tell everyone else to stay off of that duck island so you don't disturb a duck.

 

Place your duck cache and don't worry about the loons.

 

Hi. I live in a town of 491 people on a gravel road. I don't have access to broadband, cable TV, or bus service. I find it funny that you, who lives mere minutes from the center of the largest city in Alabama, in what could only be called a suburb, would phrase your response as if our zip codes were reversed.

 

So yeah, I will take a moment to consider the duck.

Exactly! I grew up in the country 2 miles up Paint Creek on Lay Lake, nearest neighbor down 7 miles of dirt roads, nearest store 18, but now I live in a city suburb where nature is apparently to be avoided at all costs.

 

That's why I call it hypocrisy when someone who lives in a city where nature has been eradicated cries 'don't disturb the ducks'. In another recent thread folks were begging a cacher not to kill a poison ivy vine... but I betcha they'd kill a poison ivy vine in their yard in one quick hurry!

Edited April 27, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

 

And to slam the point home; No duckies, only shrubberies!

No need to be defensive and slam any points, no one is attacking, just saying that you should CONSIDER the ducks. Clearly you already have CONSIDERED them enough to know that there are none on this island. I'm guessing that if you had seen 20 nesting pairs there, you wouldn't be placing the Cache.

 

I'll admit...I'm from an urban area, and the things we call Duck Islands are usually manmade in restored wetland areas within an urban setting, and are designated FOR the ducks, since we have already destroyed all their natural nesting areas.

Edited April 27, 2010 by WRITE SHOP ROBERT

[+Castle Mischief]

Then why is it called a duck island?

Because that's what its called around here and I have no reason to question to validity of casual rumors. Besides, I'm sure there was a duck nesting there at some point, hence it can fairly correctly be associated with ducks. Perhaps a better term would be "abandoned duck island" or "ex-duck island". You take a pick

 

I pick "musk ox island". As long as you have adequate permission, go for it.

 

(Casual rumors? That just makes me giggle. "Hey, Larry... you see that island over there. I heard once, you're not going to believe this, but my mom used to tell me it was once occupied with... ducks. Can you dig that? Ducks! Town's never been the same since.)

[+Castle Mischief]

Hi. I live in a town of 491 people on a gravel road. I don't have access to broadband, cable TV, or bus service. I find it funny that you, who lives mere minutes from the center of the largest city in Alabama, in what could only be called a suburb, would phrase your response as if our zip codes were reversed.

 

So yeah, I will take a moment to consider the duck.

Exactly! I grew up in the country, nearest neighbor 7 miles, nearest store 18, but now I live in a city suburb where nature is apparently to be avoided at all costs.

 

That's why I call it hypocrisy when someone who lives in a city where nature has been eradicated cries 'don't disturb the ducks'. In another recent thread folks were begging a cacher not to kill a poison ivy vine... but I betcha they'd kill a poison ivy vine in their yard in one quick hurry!

 

Ah. Gotcha. I missed the subtle meaning of the "" emote.

 

I'm not trying to go all treehugger on you, but if I was the park manager/land owner and there was a "duck" pond with a "duck" island (replete with actual waterfowl) in the middle and poison ivy growing around it, I'd be pretty hacked if somebody came along uninvited and unannounced and started spraying the poison ivy so they could place a cache in the middle of said waterfowl. More-so because they did it without me knowing why than because they might be harming the flora and/or fauna.

[+J the Goat]

You should put the cache in a duck decoy....

 

As far as terrain, I'm of the opinion that just because you need a little inflatable raft a few feet across the poo pond doesn't necessarily make it a 5 star terrain. I know, special equipment and all, but that just doesn't ring right for me. Maybe rate it 4 stars and state in the description that a raft is highly suggested. It does sound swimable, and while maybe not the cleanest swim in the world, the distance could probably be done by my 5 year old.

 

Oh man, now I'm gonna get yelled at by those in wheelchairs, those who don't know how to swim, and anyone else who has a valid reason to stay out of the duck pond. My apologies beforehand...

[cookiefox]

(Casual rumors? That just makes me giggle. "Hey, Larry... you see that island over there. I heard once, you're not going to believe this, but my mom used to tell me it was once occupied with... ducks. Can you dig that? Ducks! Town's never been the same since.)

Ironically, that isn't that far from the truth, its like one of those myths that someone ought to bust... on TV! ... or something

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

You should put the cache in a duck decoy....

 

Perfect, of course...how about a pink flamingo?

[+J the Goat]

You should put the cache in a duck decoy....

 

Perfect, of course...how about a pink flamingo?

 

Dude, I love that. I'm gonna do that!

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

(Casual rumors? That just makes me giggle. "Hey, Larry... you see that island over there. I heard once, you're not going to believe this, but my mom used to tell me it was once occupied with... ducks. Can you dig that? Ducks! Town's never been the same since.)

Ironically, that isn't that far from the truth, its like one of those myths that someone ought to bust... on TV! ... or something

Sometimes names come from the weirdest places.

 

There is a small island south of my lake place where we cut a landing strip back in the early '60s so my Dad and his friends could fly in and fish when they wanted.

 

One day our friend Neil came in for a landing and there was a hog on the runway. No idea where the hog came from, maybe he was washed down the river in a flood and had found refuge on the island, but there had never been a hog on the island before. Hogs and airplanes don't mix... it had to go.

 

He had to buzz the hog a couple of times to get him to move from the runway before he could land.

 

When I came by boat to pick Neil up we had to remove the hog to make aircraft operations safe, so we went on a lasso mission with my ski rope. Hilarity ensued, but we finally did get a rope on the pig. We tried to teach it to ski, but it couldn't get the hang of it and soon became dinner.

 

Hog Island became the name of that previously unnamed island and it's been called that by the locals ever since.

Edited April 27, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+StumpWater]

Well, as right-thinking people around these parts say ... "duck fook".

 

Carry on.

 

StumpWater

[+brslk]

(Casual rumors? That just makes me giggle. "Hey, Larry... you see that island over there. I heard once, you're not going to believe this, but my mom used to tell me it was once occupied with... ducks. Can you dig that? Ducks! Town's never been the same since.)

Ironically, that isn't that far from the truth, its like one of those myths that someone ought to bust... on TV! ... or something

Sometimes names come from the weirdest places.

 

There is a small island south of my lake place where we cut a landing strip back in the early '60s so my Dad and his friends could fly in and fish when they wanted.

 

One day our friend Neil came in for a landing and there was a hog on the runway. No idea where the hog came from, maybe he was washed down the river in a flood and had found refuge on the island, but there had never been a hog on the island before. Hogs and airplanes don't mix... it had to go.

 

He had to buzz the hog a couple of times to get him to move from the runway before he could land.

 

When I came by boat to pick Neil up we had to remove the hog to make aircraft operations safe, so we went on a lasso mission with my ski rope. Hilarity ensued, but we finally did get a rope on the pig. We tried to teach it to ski, but it couldn't get the hang of it and soon became dinner.

 

Hog Island became the name of that previously unnamed island and it's been called that by the locals ever since.

 

Are you saying you killed a hog by lassoing it and then drowning it?

[+popokiiti]

Maybe the cache should be in one of those fake ducks? We found one that did indeed have the cache and the description read "beware of nesting ducks."

There is a cache on a small island near us that is home to nesting swans - no way I am going after that until way after the cygnets and their parents are on the other side of the lagoon and it is low tide....

[+Vater_Araignee]

You should put the cache in a duck decoy....

 

As far as terrain, I'm of the opinion that just because you need a little inflatable raft a few feet across the poo pond doesn't necessarily make it a 5 star terrain. I know, special equipment and all, but that just doesn't ring right for me. Maybe rate it 4 stars and state in the description that a raft is highly suggested. It does sound swimable, and while maybe not the cleanest swim in the world, the distance could probably be done by my 5 year old.

 

Oh man, now I'm gonna get yelled at by those in wheelchairs, those who don't know how to swim, and anyone else who has a valid reason to stay out of the duck pond. My apologies beforehand...

Forget them, they aren't the norm so they don't get to dictate the norm. Over 65% of western society can swim and the average is 25 meters.

So over 25 meters, yeah special skill or equipment, under it, forget them.

 

~~~edit to add~~~

Rate the cache 4.5 if it is less than 25 meters from land but more than 15.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Vater_Araignee

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Are you saying you killed a hog by lassoing it and then drowning it?

Yes.

[+Vater_Araignee]

Are you saying you killed a hog by lassoing it and then drowning it?

Yes.

Dude if you got vid or picks I wanna see 'em.

 

Yes I advocate the destruction of feral and escaped suinae by most means.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Are you saying you killed a hog by lassoing it and then drowning it?

Yes.

Dude if you got vid or picks I wanna see 'em.

 

Yes I advocate the destruction of feral and escaped suinae by most means.

I grew up under the strict rule "You kill it, you eat it". My Dad had that sign nailed to a tree at our hunting camp, and he meant it! That kept folks who visited with us from blowing up everything in sight just because they had a gun. When a 10 year-old with a .22 showed my Dad the Mocking Bird he'd knocked out of a tree he lost his grin and excitement when Dad said "Fine, get it cleaned, because that's your dinner." Lessons like that stay with you for a lifetime.

 

Having learned that at an early age (with a possum I shot with my .410 at age 8 and had to clean and eat) I grew up with a healthy respect for wildlife. Do I kill some animals? Yes, but only for the freezer. I eat everything I kill.

 

The video you want is not the hog meeting his demise, there's nothing funny about the death of an animal, the great video would have been us trying to get a rope on the darn thing!

Edited April 28, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+Vater_Araignee]

Are you saying you killed a hog by lassoing it and then drowning it?

Yes.

Dude if you got vid or picks I wanna see 'em.

 

Yes I advocate the destruction of feral and escaped suinae by most means.

I grew up under the strict rule "You kill it, you eat it". My Dad had that sign nailed to a tree at our hunting camp, and he meant it! That kept folks who visited with us from blowing up everything in sight just because they had a gun. When a 10 year-old with a .22 showed my Dad the Mocking Bird he'd knocked out of a tree he lost his grin and excitement when Dad said "Fine, get it cleaned, because that's your dinner." Lessons like that stay with you for a lifetime.

 

Having learned that at an early age (with a possum I shot with my .410 at age 8 and had to clean and eat) I grew up with a healthy respect for wildlife. Do I kill some animals? Yes, but only for the freezer. I eat everything I kill.

 

The video you want is not the hog meeting his demise, there's nothing funny about the death of an animal, the great video would have been us trying to get a rope on the darn thing!

That's how I learned I don't like skunk, hadn't learned the difference between their eyes and coon eyes.

The old man handed me a book with cleaning instructions and told me if I barfed on it I was still going to eat it.

 

BTW the request was for shock value, allowing me to justify spewing anti feral swine agenda.

Now I would like to know if it was feral or escaped and if it was feral how long ago.

In the last 2 decades those suckers have gotten meaner and cause more fear in me on sound than a bear. Of course I have only hunted them in Michigan and Tennessee and haven't been to the latter in about 16 years.

 

~~~edit to add~~~

I will take out something I consider inedible if it becomes classified like feral pigs in MI, ie. legal to shoot on any hunting license.

Edited April 28, 2010 by Vater_Araignee

[+brslk]

Are you saying you killed a hog by lassoing it and then drowning it?

Yes.

Dude if you got vid or picks I wanna see 'em.

 

Yes I advocate the destruction of feral and escaped suinae by most means.

I grew up under the strict rule "You kill it, you eat it". My Dad had that sign nailed to a tree at our hunting camp, and he meant it! That kept folks who visited with us from blowing up everything in sight just because they had a gun. When a 10 year-old with a .22 showed my Dad the Mocking Bird he'd knocked out of a tree he lost his grin and excitement when Dad said "Fine, get it cleaned, because that's your dinner." Lessons like that stay with you for a lifetime.

 

Having learned that at an early age (with a possum I shot with my .410 at age 8 and had to clean and eat) I grew up with a healthy respect for wildlife. Do I kill some animals? Yes, but only for the freezer. I eat everything I kill.

 

The video you want is not the hog meeting his demise, there's nothing funny about the death of an animal, the great video would have been us trying to get a rope on the darn thing!

 

I agree with what you say here and have nothing against hunting and would probably enjoy watching a video of people trying to rope it. I just take issue with the way you killed the hog. Surely you must agree there are more humane ways to kill an animal?

 

I eat more meat than most people! I am a meatitarian!

There is a place for every living creature on earth... right next to the mashed potatoes.

 

And sorry for steering this off topic.

[+NeecesandNephews]

 

Are you saying you killed a hog by lassoing it and then drowning it?

 

 

You never noticed the disclaimer on nearly every ham you find, that says "water added"? What did you think that was all about??

 

 

Just kidding of course

[+stites1]

I love the term "duck island" and will use it whenever possible until i die. Thank you. And I'd love to find a cache on one, even if i had to go to the Netherlands.

[+briansnat]

I'd like to point out that there isn't actually any ducks on the island except maybe the occasional retarded one. You can't walk to the island as the water is at least 3 meters (+sludge) deep. And yes, the pond is very small, but still, as long as you can't jump or walk there you'd need a boat or a long ladder to get there.

 

And to slam the point home; No duckies, only shrubberies!

 

Then why is it called a duck island?

 

There is an island on a nearby lake that is called Bear Island. I have no idea why a bear would ever want to

spend time on a 50 ft long 10 ft wide island with little cover. Sometimes people name islands them a name.

 

In this area if it's Goose Island and there are nesting geese there bothering them would be encouraged.

Edited April 29, 2010 by briansnat

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

I love the term "duck island" and will use it whenever possible until i die. Thank you. And I'd love to find a cache on one, even if i had to go to the Netherlands.

this duck island topic reminds me of an event I hosted in Tennessee - Pirates on Cherokee Lake , where we held an after-event cache run by boats to get 20-something boat-access-only caches around a big lake.

 

Many were on islands.

 

We had about a dozen cachers on each of two pontoon boats, a jet ski and a ski boat.

 

A bit of FTF fever would strike now and then and cause the two pontoon boats to make a race of it to get to some of the caches.

 

We approached one small island, maybe 30' long by 20' wide with a little clump of trees and bushes in the center. All boats made landfall at the same time and ~30 cachers go hot-footing it to the patch of shrubbery.

 

We were so many cachers that we pretty much surrounded the clump of shrubs. We begin parting the bushes, looking amongst them to find the cache... only to find one highly surprised duck hunter crouched down among them!

 

He had been sitting there quietly awaiting an unwary duck to come his way, a nice quiet day all alone, when his island was suddenly invaded by a flock of cachers tearing through his hidey-hole, I think the poor man was scared we were from PETA or something!

 

Anyhoo, it was a hoot for all involved, he even signed the log and was laughing when we left, though after that he likely took a dip in the lake to clean his shorts!

[+Q10]

In my neighborhood we have a few small ponds (maybe 10m across), one with a small "duck island" (Only trees and shrubberies on it though). Now, I'm considering putting a cache there, but since there are no boats or water-going vessels around trackers would need to bring their own boat/ladder to reach the island. It is perfectly legal so swim/boat in the water.

 

If you can get permission from the land(island :-)owner, then it is okay. Otherwise not.

[+bflentje]

In my neighborhood we have a few small ponds (maybe 10m across), one with a small "duck island" (Only trees and shrubberies on it though). Now, I'm considering putting a cache there, but since there are no boats or water-going vessels around trackers would need to bring their own boat/ladder to reach the island. It is perfectly legal so swim/boat in the water.

 

If you can get permission from the land(island :-)owner, then it is okay. Otherwise not.

 

Oh my, 40 posts. This is unbelievable.

[uperdooper]

You should put the cache in a duck decoy....

 

Perfect, of course...how about a pink flamingo?

 

Dude, I love that. I'm gonna do that!

paint the flamingo to look like a duck.