Need some words of wisdom

[+chris&Annie]

I was out geocaching today and got assaulted by a property owner. I love geocaching and this will not stop me but dang was it not fun. There was a five foot comrade to a forest access gate. I ended up parking on privet property ( thought it was the forest access parking). I cut across maybe 100ft of this guys property and he comes out yelling. I called 911 at which point he started throwing punches. Anyone ever had this or heard of this happening. Man what a bummer. However, some idiot will not, I repeat, will not not stop me from geocaching.

[+eusty]

Not the sort of thing I'd like to have happen to me

[+AneMae]

Sorry this happened to you. Let the police investigate- lay appropriate charges.

Notify the CO & Reviewer. Place a note on the cache page about a danger from the neighbour to warn others.

They will have to decide how best to deal with this cache. Most likely an NA with a big "Beware" note.

 

Most importantly take care of yourself- physically and mentally, seek out resources if needed. It can really shake someone up to be the victim of an assault. I really hope you are OK.

[+jellis]

Without the violence we have a few recent threads about caches placed on or near private property where the landowner is upset about visitors looking for something they don't understand.

Was the coords correct? Was your GPS suffering from the solar flares?

If the coords are good I would contact the owner and see if they either have the right coords listed or have permission to place a cache on the property, which looks like they don't.

Usually if I see it on private property I double check to see if I'm in the correct location, read the logs to see if others said anything and contact the owner.

Edited March 8, 2012 by jellis

[+The A-Team]

Notify the CO & Reviewer. Place a note on the cache page about a danger from the neighbour to warn others.

They will have to decide how best to deal with this cache. Most likely an NA with a big "Beware" note.

I'd agree with the first part, but a NA might be a bit hasty. A trailhead or parking waypoint would probably have prevented this encounter. We don't know which cache it is, so we have no way to know if there is already such a waypoint, or a mention of the proper access in the description. Without knowing the specifics of the cache, we can't really advise on the cache itself.

 

To the OP: Was calling 911 necessary? If I was confronted by such an angry person, I'd have turned around and gotten out of there PDQ. Calling 911 may have just antagonized them further and inflamed the situation. I'm not passing judgement, because I wasn't there and don't know all the details, I'm just asking.

[+ShaunEM]

I wonder how it got from him coming out yelling to you dialing 911. You probably did the right thing. What sort of time elapsed?

 

You bore the brunt of his previous frustrations I suspect.

 

In these situations, try to defuse if you can. And right away tell him you are sorry and are leaving.

 

For sure you want to get this cache disabled. It's just not worth it.. if this is indeed where this cache was meant to be retrieved from.

 

Shaun

[+chris&Annie]

He was blocking the way back to my vehicle. I figured if I started to run he would attack. I would have had to run at and around him. I wanted to run before he punched me, I ran after he punched me. I'm a flight not a fight kind of person.

[+Planet]

If someone comes out and says anything to me, I first apologize, then ask them if they can direct me to the trailhead/parking. I also start walking away, muttering about being lost, wrong directions.... If they are friendly, I will tell them I was looking to go hiking. I do not tell them about geocaching. It's too soon and will only scare them, confuse them, or make them angry, because they will not understand. All they hear is "strangers, many of them, will be coming from now on."

If there is a public open space there, you have every right to go hiking, within the regulations of that open space/park. If it looks like there is no trailhead, leave. If they won't tell you where it is, just go. Try to make nice, never get defensive, act neighborly. You might even start with Howdy Neighbor, can you please tell me where I might find...whatever park you want here. Were there any no parking signs?

I would love hear what transpired to cause him to strike you, especially if you are Annie and not Chris!

I took a look at your gallery, and if it was cold, one of you dresses rather ninja like, and all masked, lol. That might put someone off.

I am waiting for something to happen at a guard rail cache in Vermont. Not every pull off is a good spot. Someone hid a cache right in front if this hermit-like man's house. This guy hates furriners. If you live 5 miles away, you are a furriner. His house is mostly underground, he has a Bigfoot silhouette out front, and patrols his property with a shotgun. But the state did put a pullout there. I did the cache, but my fiend I was with knows the guy, so I didn't worry. I did put a little warning in my log, but that got pushed way down pretty fast.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

He was blocking the way back to my vehicle. I figured if I started to run he would attack. I would have had to run at and around him. I wanted to run before he punched me, I ran after he punched me. I'm a flight not a fight kind of person.

 

OK, I ordinarily wouldn't recommend calling the police when you find yourself trespassing - just get the hell out of there. However, since he blocked your exit preventing you from leaving, I guess you made the right call - if nothing else you'd have wanted an ambulance there if he'd shot you instead of throwing a punch. (I'm being serious.)

 

Was there any type of signage or fencing to indicate private property? You have to be really careful in rural / remote areas - many who live in such places take their privacy VERY seriously. Don't trespass.

 

BTW, it sounds like what happened to you is one of my biggest fears. There are places bordering public land where it is just super difficult to tell the difference between public property and private property, and so it is EASY to inadvertantly trespass. Couple that with a volatile land owner, and you have a really potentially dangerous situation.

[+ShaunEM]

He was blocking the way back to my vehicle. I figured if I started to run he would attack. I would have had to run at and around him. I wanted to run before he punched me, I ran after he punched me. I'm a flight not a fight kind of person.

 

Calling 911 was definately the right thing.

 

When I was a kid I was helping a friend with his flyer route. I had a guy punch me out (with flyers in hand). He really didn't like flyers..

 

Don't let it deter your enjoyment of this sport. It sounds like a pretty extrme event happened to you.

 

It can be used as a lesson to others when placing caches around other's property!

Shaun

[+chris&Annie]

He was blocking the way back to my vehicle. I figured if I started to run he would attack. I would have had to run at and around him. I wanted to run before he punched me, I ran after he punched me. I'm a flight not a fight kind of person.

 

OK, I ordinarily wouldn't recommend calling the police when you find yourself trespassing - just get the hell out of there. However, since he blocked your exit preventing you from leaving, I guess you made the right call - if nothing else you'd have wanted an ambulance there if he'd shot you instead of throwing a punch. (I'm being serious.)

 

Was there any type of signage or fencing to indicate private property? You have to be really careful in rural / remote areas - many who live in such places take their privacy VERY seriously. Don't trespass.

 

BTW, it sounds like what happened to you is one of my biggest fears. There are places bordering public land where it is just super difficult to tell the difference between public property and private property, and so it is EASY to inadvertantly trespass. Couple that with a volatile land owner, and you have a really potentially dangerous situation.

 

No signs and no fence. I thought that I might have just not seen a sign but I checked on my way out.

[+DragonsWest]

Sorry to hear about it. You may have even been in the right, if it was a Right of Way - often these things aren't apparent, worse some property owners will still stick signs out and try to have your vehicle towed from a public right of way. Just the way some people are. Calling 911 was the wise thing to do. Based upon your description of events the property owner had absolutely no cause to assault you. There are simply some jertks in the world. Sorry to hear you ran into one.

[+Max and 99]

That is really scary! So sorry that happened to you!

[+Coldgears]

I'm not sure it makes a difference, but which part of the "chris and annie" team was it?

 

I sure hope it wasn't the "annie".

[+chris&Annie]

I'm not sure it makes a difference, but which part of the "chris and annie" team was it?

 

I sure hope it wasn't the "annie".

 

The Chris part

[+Mr.Benchmark]

No signs and no fence. I thought that I might have just not seen a sign but I checked on my way out.

 

Yeah, that is a bad situation - a defensive property owner who doesn't put out appropriate signage. So sorry this happened to you - glad it wasn't worse.

[+6NoisyHikers]

I had an issue with a crazy property owner when I was away from home at a park in Oregon. When I got back home to BC, my husband called the police in that city and filed a report even though we didn't really have much information to give them.

 

I made sure I posted a log with the details so other cachers are fairly warned. There were private property signs posted which I noticed afterward (old wooden signs nailed to a tree about eight feet up), but no fence or any difference in the landscaping that would say: this is a nicely manicured park, this is someone's private backyard. The trail I was on in the park became a trail on the property.

 

Yes, I missed the sign, but whatever the property laws are, for this guy to throw a rock at me while I was carrying a BABY in my arms is just stupid.

 

HOOVER DISK PARK CACHE

NoisyHiker#2 and Mini-Cacher who is five months old, trekked across the park for this cache when we took a pit stop on our way back to BC Canada. Future finders please be aware that this cache is located very close to private property and the man that owns that property is NOT FRIENDLY.

 

While I was watching the GPS screen, and not looking up for the "Private Property" signs, I took a short side trail where I shouldn't have. A man whistled and shouted "HEY!", then THREW A ROCK that splashed into the water next to us. Talk about stupid and dangerous.

 

After that, I just checked the hint and found the cache. Please be careful out there friends!

[Trinity's Crew]

Chris, I am sorry this happened to you. I'm not sure the cache needs to be archived because your OP makes it sound like you think you may have come at this cache from the wrong direction.

 

If you do post NA just make sure you explain the situation thoroughly. If the problem was with your chosen approach rather than the actual cache placement then the CO might want to add coordinates for the nearest legal parking.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

Most likely an NA with a big "Beware" note.

 

And you would know this how?

 

There may very well be a very straight-forward, legal, and obvious path to the cache if you start out in the park. It isn't clear at all from the description of what transpired that this was the only possible or even the most likely approach to the cache. I would hope that after this the CO would post parking and trailhead coords - this is generally the right way to deal with situations like this.

 

For all we know the OP had the very poor luck of choosing the ONLY way to the cache that could land him in trouble.

 

I'd only post a NA after I'd done some research and tried several approaches to be sure that all the approaches had problems. (For example if GZ is ON the crazy guy's property, then yeah, NA...)

[+Totem Clan]

Most likely an NA with a big "Beware" note.

 

And you would know this how?

 

There may very well be a very straight-forward, legal, and obvious path to the cache if you start out in the park. It isn't clear at all from the description of what transpired that this was the only possible or even the most likely approach to the cache. I would hope that after this the CO would post parking and trailhead coords - this is generally the right way to deal with situations like this.

 

For all we know the OP had the very poor luck of choosing the ONLY way to the cache that could land him in trouble.

 

I'd only post a NA after I'd done some research and tried several approaches to be sure that all the approaches had problems. (For example if GZ is ON the crazy guy's property, then yeah, NA...)

Some people will NA a cache if somebody sneeze during their hunt.

[+Scubasonic]

I was out geocaching today and got assaulted by a property owner. I love geocaching and this will not stop me but dang was it not fun. There was a five foot comrade to a forest access gate. I ended up parking on privet property ( thought it was the forest access parking). I cut across maybe 100ft of this guys property and he comes out yelling. I called 911 at which point he started throwing punches. Anyone ever had this or heard of this happening. Man what a bummer. However, some idiot will not, I repeat, will not not stop me from geocaching.

 

Have not had any property owner throw any punches, but been approahed by many owners that's for sure.

 

SS

[knowschad]

Did you stick around (at a safe distance from his property, of course) until the police showed up? If not, you should have.

 

On a lighter note, I sure hope it wasn't one of the Peaceful Woodland caches that you logged today!

[+ChileHead]

Looking at the cache and your log, it appears that you did not park where the cache owner suggested parking. You came in from Bluebird Lane, but suggested parking was 1500 feet away to the East on Peaceful Pines Rd (a bit of an ironic name for the road!)

 

Certainly that doesn't excuse the property owner's behavior - hope you're ok.

[Trinity's Crew]

Did you stick around (at a safe distance from his property, of course) until the police showed up? If not, you should have.

 

On a lighter note, I sure hope it wasn't one of the Peaceful Woodland caches that you logged today!

 

I agree. Hopefully he did wait at a safe distance for the police. And based on his OP I'm guessing he didn't log a find on this one.

[+AneMae]

No lets not NA it. It's only an angry neighbour- who has assaulted another person.

That is the problem when you become obsessed with something, (geocaching in this case)- Your judgement goes out the window. Clearly for some here it has.

But hey, some here seem to be experts at risk assessment, psychology, and how to respond to just about anything that happens under the sun, this is the best group of armchair quarterbacks I have yet to come across.

 

Here is some plain old common sense- NA the cache before there is another problem and somebody else gets hurt. I will bet money that is exactly what the reviewer will do in this case, as they should.

 

Do you want to risk this next time (over a game):

 

[+The A-Team]

Looking at the cache and your log, it appears that you did not park where the cache owner suggested parking.

We don't know whether the cache description looked like this before, but right now it contains parking coordinates. As it sits right now, the only recommendation I would make is that the parking coordinates should be an additional waypoint, and maybe add a note not to attempt from Bluebird. I also noticed that the cache has been there for over 4 years. I wonder if the crazy guy has had previous cachers cutting across his property before. That might explain why he was so quick to violence. From the sounds of the DNF back in June, this may not have been the first encounter between this guy and cachers.

[+The A-Team]

NA the cache before there is another problem and somebody else gets hurt.

Why? The cache page contains parking coordinates that, if used, will not take you onto private property. There are a couple of tweaks that could be made to the cache listing, but certainly nothing that would warrant archival.

[Trinity's Crew]

No lets not NA it. It's only an angry neighbour- who has assaulted another person.

That is the problem when you become obsessed with something, (geocaching in this case)- Your judgement goes out the window. Clearly for some here it has.

But hey, some here seem to be experts at risk assessment, psychology, and how to respond to just about anything that happens under the sun, this is the best group of armchair quarterbacks I have yet to come across.

 

Here is some plain old common sense- NA the cache before there is another problem and somebody else gets hurt. I will bet money that is exactly what the reviewer will do in this case, as they should.

 

Do you want to risk this next time (over a game):

 

Read the post below yours. It has a lot of insight into the crux of the matter.

 

Seriously, you might want to consider abandoning caching as a hobby. There are a LOT of unknowns and dangers associated with following an arrow to a remote location on a GPS receiver.

[+AneMae]

Common Sense has died.

 

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by

His wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son,

Reason.

 

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;

I Know My Rights

I Want It Now

Someone Else Is To Blame

I'm A Victim

 

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If

You still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do

Nothing

 

[GOF and Bacall]

Common Sense has died.

 

Common Sense was preceded in death, by his parents, Truth and Trust, by

His wife, Discretion, by his daughter, Responsibility, and by his son,

Reason.

 

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;

I Know My Rights

I Want It Now

Someone Else Is To Blame

I'm A Victim

 

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If

You still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do

Nothing

 

 

Is there anything about geocaching you think can remain unchanged?

[+The A-Team]

...

<Common sense image>

Hey, that image would have come in handy in some of those "A geocacher died, we have to completely re-vamp caching" topics.

[+Manville Possum]

However, some idiot will not, I repeat, will not not stop me from geocaching.

 

So, did you find the geocache in question and log it?

[+J the Goat]

So very, very sorry this happened. Count me in the "don't throw the NA flag" camp. If the cache is on public land and there is a safe access point that's suggested on the cache page, there's no reason for an archival.

 

You're a bigger man than I am. Somebody blocks my path to my car and starts throwing punches, he's gonna be hoping law enforcement shows up sooner than later. I know, that doesn't make things better, blah blah blah. I commend you for your actions, and for the fact you're not in jail right now

[+AneMae]

I must have missed that one A-Team

 

Back to the OP- don't mean to hijack your thread here, but I think based on what you have stated an NA is in order to protect other cachers from a similar attack. If an aggressive animal took up residence near a cache and posed a danger to cachers it would be a no brainer. While this is another person who can be dealt with by Law Enforcement- they still remain a threat and an unknown. For that reason it would be best to not bring further people there.

By the way- I said I hoped you were OK. Are you?

[+Harry Dolphin]

No lets not NA it. It's only an angry neighbour- who has assaulted another person.

That is the problem when you become obsessed with something, (geocaching in this case)- Your judgement goes out the window. Clearly for some here it has.

But hey, some here seem to be experts at risk assessment, psychology, and how to respond to just about anything that happens under the sun, this is the best group of armchair quarterbacks I have yet to come across.

 

Here is some plain old common sense- NA the cache before there is another problem and somebody else gets hurt. I will bet money that is exactly what the reviewer will do in this case, as they should.

 

Do you want to risk this next time (over a game):

 

Read the post below yours. It has a lot of insight into the crux of the matter.

 

Seriously, you might want to consider abandoning caching as a hobby. There are a LOT of unknowns and dangers associated with following an arrow to a remote location on a GPS receiver.

 

Some people do seem to over-react to everything, just for the sake of over-reacting. One quickly learns which posters' opinions should be ignored.

[knowschad]

I must have missed that one A-Team

 

Back to the OP- don't mean to hijack your thread here, but I think based on what you have stated an NA is in order to protect other cachers from a similar attack. If an aggressive animal took up residence near a cache and posed a danger to cachers it would be a no brainer. While this is another person who can be dealt with by Law Enforcement- they still remain a threat and an unknown. For that reason it would be best to not bring further people there.

By the way- I said I hoped you were OK. Are you?

 

Please see my post above. The cache has been in place since 2007. The cache owner himself has made numerous trips to his cache, presumably without incident. This is not a NA situation, although it is a call the cops situation. If the land wasn't posted, it isn't trespassing until told at least once to leave. The landowner broke the law, not the lost cacher.

[+The_Incredibles_]

OP, sorry to hear that happened to you! This sort of thing is rare, I have never been told off, let along assaulted, with 700+ finds. I hope you continue caching. Please do not listen to anybody who says "You should have done this etc etc". Only you were there and can judge what was the best thing to do.

 

Here is some plain old common sense- NA the cache before there is another problem and somebody else gets hurt. I will bet money that is exactly what the reviewer will do in this case, as they should.

 

I agree with AneMae, this one should be archived+++. This is my opinion for any geocache which is annoying the neighbors. When the neighbor is so angry, he has gotten violent, it seems clear what should be done.

 

If the OP parked in the wrong spot or got confused, there's a high probability a future cacher will too.

Edited March 9, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[+J the Goat]

OP, sorry to hear that happened to you! This sort of thing is rare, I have never been told off, let along assaulted, with 700+ finds. I hope you continue caching.

 

Here is some plain old common sense- NA the cache before there is another problem and somebody else gets hurt. I will bet money that is exactly what the reviewer will do in this case, as they should.

 

I agree with AneMae, this one should be archived+++. This is my opinion for any geocache which is annoying the neighbors. When the neighbor is so angry, he has gotten violent, it seems clear what should be done.

 

If the OP parked in the wrong spot or got confused, there's a high probability a future cacher will too.

 

I haven't read the cache page in question as I'm lazy today, but according to the bespectacled perro this cache has been around nearly 5 years already. One terrible experience in 5 years is enough to archive a cache that (probably) has a perfectly safe trailhead? I just can't agree. If this were the only access to the cache, or the cache were on said d-bag's property, then a NA would be appropriate. Public land with a public entrance? Nope, not this time. A mistake (unknowing mistake) was made by the OP on their approach. That doesn't justify anything that followed, but it certainly doesn't justify shutting down a cache.

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

Sorry this happened. I try not to make judgments, at least not until I know both sides of the story.

When the guy came out, how did the OP respond? Have to wonder if he was apologetic or argumentative.

 

I don't know which cache this was about but as a CO, may I suggest expanding your logs from just "TFTC"

[GOF and Bacall]

I must have missed that one A-Team

 

Back to the OP- don't mean to hijack your thread here, but I think based on what you have stated an NA is in order to protect other cachers from a similar attack. If an aggressive animal took up residence near a cache and posed a danger to cachers it would be a no brainer. While this is another person who can be dealt with by Law Enforcement- they still remain a threat and an unknown. For that reason it would be best to not bring further people there.

By the way- I said I hoped you were OK. Are you?

 

Please see my post above. The cache has been in place since 2007. The cache owner himself has made numerous trips to his cache, presumably without incident. This is not a NA situation, although it is a call the cops situation. If the land wasn't posted, it isn't trespassing until told at least once to leave. The landowner broke the law, not the lost cacher.

 

Actually, the applicable laws aren't the same everywhere. The laws are so varied that you need to be aware of your local laws. However, the property owner is never right to attack someone who is leaving. Doesn't matter if they are trespassing or not. And calling 911 doesn't rise to the level of a personal threat so he can't claim self defense.

 

The OP should at the least post a note to the cache page letting others know to be careful. But I don't think it rises to the level of needing to be archived.

[+chris&Annie]

I'm Ok, a little shook up. I appreciate all the kind and supportive words. When the guy was talking to the police it sounded like he knew the CO. He said he was going to talk to his neighbor about removing the cache. He also said that he has had other problems with cachers. The problem I see is that there is a entrance as well as public property that leads into the forest at this spot. I like'n it to parking on the street and crossing someones lawn to get to the sidewalk. You know the small piece of grass between the street and the sidewalk. It was a little bigger then that space. I said 75ft before but I'm guessing it was more like 30 feet.

[GOF and Bacall]

I'm Ok, a little shook up. I appreciate all the kind and supportive words. When the guy was talking to the police it sounded like he knew the CO. He said he was going to talk to his neighbor about removing the cache. He also said that he has had other problems with cachers. The problem I see is that there is a entrance as well as public property that leads into the forest at this spot. I like'n it to parking on the street and crossing someones lawn to get to the sidewalk. You know the small piece of grass between the street and the sidewalk. It was a little bigger then that space. I said 75ft before but I'm guessing it was more like 30 feet.

 

Ah. This changes things a bit. If this has been an ongoing problem then perhaps it would be best for this one to fade into the sunset. It was my understanding that it was one incident in the history of an old cache. But it still doesn't excuse the guy for attacking you. Please, share the incident on the cache page. It's important for people to know.

[+The_Incredibles_]

 

I haven't read the cache page in question as I'm lazy today, but according to the bespectacled perro this cache has been around nearly 5 years already. One terrible experience in 5 years is enough to archive a cache that (probably) has a perfectly safe trailhead? I just can't agree. If this were the only access to the cache, or the cache were on said d-bag's property, then a NA would be appropriate. Public land with a public entrance? Nope, not this time. A mistake (unknowing mistake) was made by the OP on their approach. That doesn't justify anything that followed, but it certainly doesn't justify shutting down a cache.

 

Actually there have been many incidents in those 5 years (non-violent or non-confrontational as they may have been). I suspect the property owner didn't get that angry overnight. I'm sure this is something which has been bothering him for a long time and he finally snapped.

Edited March 9, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[+lamoracke]

ah, figured out the cache. You made mention of not accessing very Bluebird Lane to avoid this guy. Looking at Google Maps, that sure would be the most logical way of doing it. CO gave parking coords to the SE so he is not suggesting coming from the north or something. Seems like a tough one to figure out how to access from a distance without going on Bluebird Lane, but what do I know, Google Maps can only do so much.

[+J the Goat]

 

I haven't read the cache page in question as I'm lazy today, but according to the bespectacled perro this cache has been around nearly 5 years already. One terrible experience in 5 years is enough to archive a cache that (probably) has a perfectly safe trailhead? I just can't agree. If this were the only access to the cache, or the cache were on said d-bag's property, then a NA would be appropriate. Public land with a public entrance? Nope, not this time. A mistake (unknowing mistake) was made by the OP on their approach. That doesn't justify anything that followed, but it certainly doesn't justify shutting down a cache.

 

Actually there have been many incidents in those 5 years. I suspect the property owner didn't get that angry overnight. I'm sure this is something which has been bothering him for a long time and he finally snapped.

 

Doesn't matter. It's public land, this guy has no right (assuming that his property isn't being used) to say anything to anyone, nevermind attacking people. You want to archive all the caches where people have had encounters with muggles who have nothing to do with the access to or the placement of the cache? If there is a trailhead near this guys house/home/property, does he harrass everyone who goes by?

 

The issue here isn't the cache, it's the private citizen who seems to have taken it upon himself to be the trail police. Clearly he thinks it's okay to intimidate and attack people who do things he doesn't like. Not okay. Not the OP's fault, not the CO's fault, not that cache's fault.

[+ShaunEM]

NA the cache...

 

The resident is wrong, the CO is wrong. The cache isn't worth it. What happens next time someone goes straying onto his property?

 

This at the very least as unsafe as a flooded cache, or a cache with hobos camping near it. I would push for removal.

 

I feel bad for the next un-suspecting cacher to go for this thing.

 

Shaun

[+Mr.Benchmark]

No lets not NA it. It's only an angry neighbour- who has assaulted another person.

 

Have you actually looked at a map of the situation? Should all the caches in that forest be archived because one guy thinks he owns the right of way into the forest and doesn't like strangers entering the park that way? Maybe they should close the entire forest? There's no reason only geocachers would have to enter there.

 

The CO should definitely word the description MUCH more strongly than "suggested parking coordinates." He should repeat Chris' warning about not using that entrance to the park, in my opinion.

 

I think part of the problem is the cache south of the property owner - I can see how one would be tempted to find that cache, park a short distance away, and go straight into the woods for the cache in question. I guess it could sort of set a person up to take the bad path to this cache. Is that what happened, Chris?

 

That is the problem when you become obsessed with something, (geocaching in this case)- Your judgement goes out the window. Clearly for some here it has.

But hey, some here seem to be experts at risk assessment, psychology, and how to respond to just about anything that happens under the sun, this is the best group of armchair quarterbacks I have yet to come across.

 

Really, AneMae, how are you any different? You seem pretty obsessed yourself - you just have a different opinion about what to do.

[4wheelin_fool]

Charges should be filed against the attacker. Trespassing does not justify that. I wouldn't archive it, as that would be ignoring and avoiding the problem, which is someone who should be locked up for a while, and besides the cache has legal access.

 

Just carry some bear mace for those pesky landowners who have short tempers. You don't need a license for it, and it will give you plenty of time to run.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

Trespassing does not justify that.

 

A lot depends on local law - the laws on this vary from place to place.

 

It's possible that Chris didn't trespass at all - there are often situations like this where some of the property is controlled by someone other than the land owner. For example, in my neck of the woods, you may think you own a lake front lot. (You do.) But you DO NOT own the last 30-40 feet down to the water - no, the Army Core of Engineers owns that land, and if you want to so much as cut a blade of grass on it, you'd best have a permit. Not everyone who owns such land is especially happy to have people walk across it though - legal though it is.

 

Without knowing the local laws and the actual specifc details of the location, it's impossible to know what actually happened. We know the home owner went nuts on poor Chris near an apparently public entrance to a forest - that's all we really know.

[+terrkan78]

Chris, I'm sorry this happened to you. It's a good thing you weren't hurt even worse.