Is Weed-eater Okay

[ddamico361]

Hello everyone. I am new to Geocaching and was wondering about overgrown weeds. If a (suspected) location for a cache is overgrown with weeds, is it okay to use a battery powered weed-eater to trim the weeds? Although the location is obviously not my property, trimming the weeds might be more pleasing to look at.

 

Thanks in advance for your answer.

 

ddamico361

[+Chokecherry]

Shoot almost all of the locations I've been too have been overgrown with weeds. Kind of makes us yearn for the time when we started caching in the spring when the weeds were less.

 

I wouldn't weed whip around any cache, especially if it's not your property.

[+thedeadpirate]

Only if you ask the property owner when you ask for permission to hide the cache.

 

If you're talking about while out finding caches, then I would leave the weed eater at home.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

As a cacher, you are expected to be a geo-friendly person.

The weeds have a right to grow, and the CO may well have counted on that for the hide.

 

Short answer = NO!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can see it now -- a new baseball diamond or football field created because of a "suspected" cache location placement!

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

No.

[+DragonsWest]

As someone who has several hides, this is my point of view:

 

If I deem the hide location to be a problem with being overgrown then I'll deactivate the cache or remove it.

 

But if I'm counting on that growth to hide the cache I'd be rather upset that someone decided to destroy natural cover.

[jholly]

Just put some soft coordinates on the hide. The weeds will be quickly stomped down by folks looking for the cache. Problem solved.

[+DragonsWest]

Just put some soft coordinates on the hide. The weeds will be quickly stomped down by folks looking for the cache. Problem solved.

 

Indeed. I see you slinking about my neck of the woods. You'll note that things in this area of California have grown for the year. Now our grasses and weeds dry out. Step on them once, and they're done.

 

Unlike Washington, where it rains so much everything (including the roads) continue to grow throughout Summer. A better name for your neck of the woods would be Squish.

Edited July 24, 2010 by DragonsWest

[+SwineFlew]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

[+Chokecherry]

Even with this wet summer we have had weed smooshage at some of the caches in the area. Especially hard to find ones in a really weedy area.

 

I was walking in swampy grass up to my neck today. Last weekend went through less swampy but very thick grass up to my chest. We ended up accidentally making some crop circles due to bounce from the GPS.

[knowschad]

ASHNIKES!!! WE'VE MISSED YOU, MAN!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(sorry... that was an irresistable in-joke)

[+narcissa]

I find that an AK-47 makes quick work of weeds, snakes, bunnies, and muggles interfering with my cache.

[+thedeadpirate]

ASHNIKES!!! WE'VE MISSED YOU, MAN!!!

 

Don't you mean Pablo Mac?

[+SwineFlew]

ASHNIKES!!! WE'VE MISSED YOU, MAN!!!

 

Don't you mean Pablo Mac?

 

I met him once and he is a really great guy, but his caches made me wonder who he really is.

[knowschad]

ASHNIKES!!! WE'VE MISSED YOU, MAN!!!

 

Don't you mean Pablo Mac?

Wow! Great memory!!

 

(and nice cap, but what happened to hey, mi pequeño amigo the chihuahua?)

Edited July 24, 2010 by knowschad

[+narcissa]

ASHNIKES!!! WE'VE MISSED YOU, MAN!!!

 

Don't you mean Pablo Mac?

 

I met him once and he is a really great guy, but his caches made me wonder who he really is.

 

He added me to Twitter a while ago, so I added him back... and then after about a week had to quietly delete him. I'm Canadian, so I'm just not used to... that.

 

But back on topic, unless you have explicit permission (or own the property yourself), any kind of pruning, wedding, cutting, or otherwise removing or damaging vegetation is out of the question. Destructive actions like that make the entire game look bad, and if it gets back to a reviewer you'll have a pretty hard time regaining your credibility.

Edited July 24, 2010 by narcissa

[+thedeadpirate]

ASHNIKES!!! WE'VE MISSED YOU, MAN!!!

 

Don't you mean Pablo Mac?

Wow! Great memory!!

 

(and nice cap, but what happened to hey, mi pequeño amigo the chihuahua?)

 

I gotta keep changing to stay ahead of the tax man.

[+Chrysalides]

I gotta keep changing to stay ahead of the tax man.

You can disguise yourself, but you'll never get away. Especially not when people here hear about the 10% bounty on you...

[+buttaskotch]

with all the caches in overgrown weeds around here, you would be quite busy! LOL. But um, no. No weedwacking while geocaching

[+Chrysalides]

If you can get permission for removing weeds from the land owner, make it into a CITO event, like this one : http://coord.info/GC2372E

[jholly]

Just put some soft coordinates on the hide. The weeds will be quickly stomped down by folks looking for the cache. Problem solved.

 

Indeed. I see you slinking about my neck of the woods. You'll note that things in this area of California have grown for the year. Now our grasses and weeds dry out. Step on them once, and they're done.

 

Unlike Washington, where it rains so much everything (including the roads) continue to grow throughout Summer. A better name for your neck of the woods would be Squish.

 

Actually we call it the wet side. But this time of year it gets hot and dry, for at least a week. We even have a burn ban in effect. Thank goodness I made a trip down here and had to find my sunglasses. After not being used for year you tend to lose track of them.

 

Sorry I missed you at GW8.

[+buttaskotch]

with all the caches in overgrown weeds around here, you would be quite busy! LOL. But um, no. No weedwacking while geocaching

[Swamp-Thing]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we YOU use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

 

I better not catch you using one of those around my cache.

 

I know for a fact Ellilydan would frown on anyone using a machete also.

[+Ambrosia]

Unlike Western Washington, where it rains so much everything (including the roads) continue to grow throughout Summer. A better name for your neck of the woods would be Squish.

 

 

Unlike Washington, where it rains so much everything (including the roads) continue to grow throughout Summer. A better name for your neck of the woods would be Squish.

 

Actually we call it the wet side. But this time of year it gets hot and dry, for at least a week. We even have a burn ban in effect. Thank goodness I made a trip down here and had to find my sunglasses. After not being used for year you tend to lose track of them.

 

[+dakboy]

Shoot almost all of the locations I've been too have been overgrown with weeds. Kind of makes us yearn for the time when we started caching in the spring when the weeds were less.

Late October to late March is my favorite time to go caching. Foliage is lessened, weeds are dead, no bugs, cool weather, fewer muggles about.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Shoot almost all of the locations I've been too have been overgrown with weeds. Kind of makes us yearn for the time when we started caching in the spring when the weeds were less.

Late October to late March is my favorite time to go caching. Foliage is lessened, weeds are dead, no bugs, cool weather, fewer muggles about.

 

This reply raises another question. Is it ok to use a snow shovel to retrieve a cache?

[Andronicus]

Just put some soft coordinates on the hide. The weeds will be quickly stomped down by folks looking for the cache. Problem solved.

I had that problem. Except my corrdinates were good, but the hide was tricky. The city parks people noticed all the trampling, and requested me to move it. I imediatly dissabled it, and will soon move it.

 

There was a whole thread about a cache in a green space that had weeds getting trampled, and the CO was ticked off.

[+DragonsWest]

Just put some soft coordinates on the hide. The weeds will be quickly stomped down by folks looking for the cache. Problem solved.

 

Indeed. I see you slinking about my neck of the woods. You'll note that things in this area of California have grown for the year. Now our grasses and weeds dry out. Step on them once, and they're done.

 

Unlike Washington, where it rains so much everything (including the roads) continue to grow throughout Summer. A better name for your neck of the woods would be Squish.

 

Actually we call it the wet side. But this time of year it gets hot and dry, for at least a week. We even have a burn ban in effect. Thank goodness I made a trip down here and had to find my sunglasses. After not being used for year you tend to lose track of them.

 

Sorry I missed you at GW8.

 

I was there all day, but I was just so tired I didn't get around to meeting a lot of people. Maybe next mega event I'll have a shirt on displaying my GeoName in big block letters. I was in better form at the Lost & Found, where I finally started putting faces with names.

 

If you can get permission for removing weeds from the land owner, make it into a CITO event, like this one : http://coord.info/GC2372E

 

You will kindly note the name of someone signed up on June 10th to attend this Brush Whacking party. Gotta find my long pants!

[+DragonsWest]

Shoot almost all of the locations I've been too have been overgrown with weeds. Kind of makes us yearn for the time when we started caching in the spring when the weeds were less.

Late October to late March is my favorite time to go caching. Foliage is lessened, weeds are dead, no bugs, cool weather, fewer muggles about.

 

This reply raises another question. Is it ok to use a snow shovel to retrieve a cache?

 

There was a thread regarding retrieval of an ammo box frozen in a pool of water in a tree, I think the solution was bring a few gallons of hot water.

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Shoot almost all of the locations I've been too have been overgrown with weeds. Kind of makes us yearn for the time when we started caching in the spring when the weeds were less.

Late October to late March is my favorite time to go caching. Foliage is lessened, weeds are dead, no bugs, cool weather, fewer muggles about.

 

This reply raises another question. Is it ok to use a snow shovel to retrieve a cache?

 

There was a thread regarding retrieval of an ammo box frozen in a pool of water in a tree, I think the solution was bring a few gallons of hot water.

 

A few gallons?! I seriously doubt I could drink that much.

 

Hey, I gotta keep it hot somehow.

[+thedeadpirate]

Is it ok to use a snow shovel to retrieve a cache?

 

Only if you ask the property owner when you ask for permission to hide the cache.

 

If you're talking about while out finding caches, then I would leave the snow shovel at home.

 

[GOF's Sock Puppet]

Is it ok to use a snow shovel to retrieve a cache?

 

Only if you ask the property owner when you ask for permission to hide the cache.

 

If you're talking about while out finding caches, then I would leave the snow shovel at home.

 

You look familiar. Do I know you?

[+uxorious]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

 

Fortunately, only a very few people here in the northwest use a machete. Nothing worse then reading a log that says "Used a machete to get to the cache". Then checking up on your cache and finding a nice trial cut right to the cache with a machete.

 

That's much worse than a geotrail made by feet. Way more obvious.

[+thedeadpirate]

You look familiar. Do I know you?

 

Ummmmm, no. I've never seen you before in my life.

[knowschad]

You look familiar. Do I know you?

 

Ummmmm, no. I've never seen you before in my life.

Then, why does your post say, "GeoBain"?

[Difficult Run]

You look familiar. Do I know you?

 

Ummmmm, no. I've never seen you before in my life.

Then, why does your post say, "GeoBain"?

GeoBain has gone Flip Wilson! - Oh noes!

[+thedeadpirate]

You look familiar. Do I know you?

Ummmmm, no. I've never seen you before in my life.

Then, why does your post say, "GeoBain"?

 

I ain't pinehurst. You're not gonna trick me into changing my name so you can hijack it.

 

And, ummmmm, weed-eaters on the caching trail are bad.

[+humboldt flier]

Clear cut the area and Napalm it to get access. Hooo-Ahhh

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Edited July 25, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+SwineFlew]

 

If that dont work, nuke it!

[+humboldt flier]

That ought to flush the peskiest of caches out into the open.

[+briansnat]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

 

I hope this is a troll, but I fear it isn't. The idea that someone would hack his way through wood or field with a machete to find a geocache is troubling. This is supposed to be a low impact sport. If we become a high impact sport we will quickly become unwelcome on many of the lands where we currently enjoy our sport.

 

I know a number of PNW cachers and none them use a machete. Machetes are for sissies and the folk I know ain't no sissies.

Edited July 26, 2010 by briansnat

[+SwineFlew]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

 

I hope this is a troll, but I fear it isn't. The idea that someone would hack his way through wood or field with a machete to find a geocache is troubling. This is supposed to be a low impact sport. If we become a high impact sport we will quickly become unwelcome on many of the lands where we currently enjoy our sport.

 

I know a number of PNW cachers and none them use a machete. Machetes are for sissies and the folk I know ain't no sissies.

 

Well, you are wrong. Sometime I say tongue in cheek to see what people will say. Its funny to watch how PC or hypocrite people can get.

[+thedeadpirate]

Well, you are wrong.

 

Fortunately, only a very few people here in the northwest use a machete.

[+SwineFlew]

Well, you are wrong.

 

Fortunately, only a very few people here in the northwest use a machete.

 

Sorry that you misunderstand me. What I am saying that he was wrong for thinking I am not trolling.

[+thedeadpirate]

Well, you are wrong.

 

Fortunately, only a very few people here in the northwest use a machete.

 

Sorry that you misunderstand me. What I am saying that he was wrong for thinking I am not trolling.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I know (or am at least very confident) that you are not trolling because I know of at least one other popular cacher that uses a machete. I'm just glad to see that it's not common in the area.

[+SwineFlew]

Well, you are wrong.

 

Fortunately, only a very few people here in the northwest use a machete.

 

Sorry that you misunderstand me. What I am saying that he was wrong for thinking I am not trolling.

 

Thanks for the clarification. I know (or am at least very confident) that you are not trolling because I know of at least one other popular cacher that uses a machete. I'm just glad to see that it's not common in the area.

 

Yes, I know two for sure. The only thing I can see a machete of a must have is overgrown blackberry vines. There is a cache that I found and its in hollow tree 30 feet up, however, it was placed when the blackberry wasnt so bad and now its so bad that it will need to be clear up a trail to the tree itself. Its like 20 feet into the blackberry bushings. Its on public ground by a major road. As far as grass and a few blackberry vines, I just use a stick and move it out of the way.

[jholly]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

 

I hope this is a troll, but I fear it isn't. The idea that someone would hack his way through wood or field with a machete to find a geocache is troubling. This is supposed to be a low impact sport. If we become a high impact sport we will quickly become unwelcome on many of the lands where we currently enjoy our sport.

 

I know a number of PNW cachers and none them use a machete. Machetes are for sissies and the folk I know ain't no sissies.

 

I have gone after a cache with a machete. Previous logs indicated that getting to the cache, which is rarely found, was getting hard because of the blackberries. Sharpened up the machete and a cachin' we went. Glad I did since those vines were really covering every thing. Blackberries grow in the wet side of Washington like Kudzu in the south. I'm sure now a year or so later you could not even tell I was there. Beside blackberries are an invasive non-native plant. Fortunately the stinging nettles respond to my walking stick nicely so I don't need the machete for those.

[+SwineFlew]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

 

I hope this is a troll, but I fear it isn't. The idea that someone would hack his way through wood or field with a machete to find a geocache is troubling. This is supposed to be a low impact sport. If we become a high impact sport we will quickly become unwelcome on many of the lands where we currently enjoy our sport.

 

I know a number of PNW cachers and none them use a machete. Machetes are for sissies and the folk I know ain't no sissies.

 

I have gone after a cache with a machete. Previous logs indicated that getting to the cache, which is rarely found, was getting hard because of the blackberries. Sharpened up the machete and a cachin' we went. Glad I did since those vines were really covering every thing. Blackberries grow in the wet side of Washington like Kudzu in the south. I'm sure now a year or so later you could not even tell I was there. Beside blackberries are an invasive non-native plant. Fortunately the stinging nettles respond to my walking stick nicely so I don't need the machete for those.

 

Thanks for sharing this story and I can totally understand why its needed since they grew like wildfire here too.

[+maggi101]

Around here in the Pacific Northwest we YOU use a machete. Its a must have geo-tool around here. I been in places where the grass was taller than 7 feet.

 

I better not catch you using one of those around my cache.

 

I know for a fact Ellilydan would frown on anyone using a machete also.

 

Doesnt using a machete make it easier to take your next victims head?