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I don't think that most land owners/managers would look kindly at the use of a machete to clear a path to the cache.

Chances are the CO didn't use one to get the cache placed, I doubt you really need one in order to follow them there.

YMMV-especially in a jungle. I don't think there are any in Maryland where the OP appears to have most of their finds.

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From the guidelines, section I-1.-5.:

Wildlife and the natural environment are not harmed in the pursuit of geocaching.

Geocaches are placed so that plant and animal life are safe from both intentional and unintentional harm. In some regions geocaching activity may need to cease for portions of the year due to sensitivity of some species.

That being said, I'm sure there are regions of the world where foliage grows quickly enough that a machete may be required for navigation (ie. jungle). I wouldn't have thought Maryland was one of those regions, though.

 

Edit: Looks like cerberus1 posted pretty much what I said, but a couple of minutes sooner.

Edited by The A-Team
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And here all along... I thought geocaching was supposed to be an eco-friendly activity.

 

...or is this just another case of putting the "human above all else" question?

 

Well, in direct response to the asked question... I am sure there are people that use a machete in just that manner. I just don't know any of them. I have one and have used in on MY land, not elsewhere though.

 

Woodmans Pal is probably about the best. I wouldn't really call it cheap, though. I have found cheap does as cheap is.

Edited by Gitchee-Gummee
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I've run into GCs where a machete would have been required to get to the cache, but I've always just DNFed them. In most cases I can think of, the CO put the cache out in the winter (or late fall or early spring) and didn't count on what the area would be like in summer. In some cases I went back in winter to get the cache, such as this one (note that the finds on this one are in cold weather months).

 

I'll probably just continue to DNF the ones so placed, rather than carry a machete. And continue to go back to some of them in cold months, if I think they're worth it.

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When most folks say 'bushwhacking' in regards to geocaching, they are not literally expecting you to whack the bush with a machete or the like. Just that you will be a bit off trail, and may have to climb over, under, or push through some vegetation.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I own a bunch of caches which require intense off path travel, dodging under, over and around incredibly thick foliage. I call this dance bushwhacking. I typically use a tall hiking staff to aid me in worming my way through the bush. Many folks interpret my bushwhacking comments as meaning they have to hack and slash their way through, cutting a swath as wide as Rosie O'Donnell's backside. I've had to educate many of them.

 

That being said, I do have an extensive history of machete use. Just not when caching.

The Woodsmans Pal mentioned above is a great tool, though it's kinda pricey.

Another good tool is the Gerber Gator Jr.

(For me, smaller is better when it comes to machetes)

I currently have a Gerber BMF which stays strapped to the back of my CamelBak.

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Wow, I thought I might meet some resistance on this one! WAs attempting to find a cache last night and got within a couple of feet, according to iPhone, but thorns and brush were sooooooo thick, it was impossible to penetrate; hence, came away empty handed and will most likely have to visit this cache again in late fall or early spring.

 

I don't want to cut a swab through the forest, but as one answer states above, some caches are undoubtedly placed when the foliage is low. To get within a couple of feet and not be able to get a find due to wild bushes is surely disappointing.

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I often carry a Corona 18" machete, along with hand clippers and a folding saw. But these are used for trail maintenance on established trails, not for cutting new ones (although that's hard to differentiate at times. I once had to clear about 100 feet of blackberry brambles from a trail that was totally overgrown, it's an invasive almost as bad as Japanese knotweed).

 

Now whether you needed something when you were "a couple of feet" from the cache is hard to say. Depending on the accuracy of your GPSr vs. the accuracy of the hider's GPSr it may not be in that tangle of thorns.

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according to iPhone, but thorns and brush were sooooooo thick, it was impossible to penetrate; hence, came away empty handed and will most likely have to visit this cache again in late fall or early spring.

 

A lot of times people will bushwhack to the cache, then take nice trail back out again.

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according to iPhone, but thorns and brush were sooooooo thick, it was impossible to penetrate; hence, came away empty handed and will most likely have to visit this cache again in late fall or early spring.

 

A lot of times people will bushwhack to the cache, then take nice trail back out again.

 

+1

 

If it looks like extensive hacking with a machete will be necessary to reach the cache site, chances are good that there is a much easier way in that you just did not notice. Happens often when there are two or more places to park to access the wooded area....CO parked on the east side and went just a few feet into the woods to place his hide, seeker parks in an obvious looking spot on the west side of the same patch of woods and spends 20 minutes dodging thorns, grass, spider webs etc. to reach GZ😊

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I often carry a Corona 18" machete, along with hand clippers and a folding saw. But these are used for trail maintenance on established trails, not for cutting new ones (although that's hard to differentiate at times. I once had to clear about 100 feet of blackberry brambles from a trail that was totally overgrown, it's an invasive almost as bad as Japanese knotweed).

 

Now whether you needed something when you were "a couple of feet" from the cache is hard to say. Depending on the accuracy of your GPSr vs. the accuracy of the hider's GPSr it may not be in that tangle of thorns.

Yep... same here. Especially caches around river bottom land.

 

For those that never live in the Pacific Northwest, you have no idea how bad blackberry vine can get. I been all over USA and it seems that the Pacific Northwest is one of the worse places for those nasty vines to grow It doesn't grow just a few feet but up to 8 or 10 feet or more and it can goes for 100's of feet around. I wont do it just anywhere. Just around river bottom land. Its areas where high flood water change the land every winter.

 

Most kayak/boat caches out here require a machete after the few year. One of the oldest cache in Oregon require a machete to get around on the island.

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No machete, really. Imagine everyone was doing it at a slightly different location and what a bit of bushland would look like after some 50 visitors? I've been geocaching in a big wilderness area in Houston last month and decided to skip quite a few caches because they would have meant serious harm to nature, and me :laughing:

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We try to make geocaching as low impact as possible. If a land manager ever got wind of geocachers using machetes to hack their way to caches I'm sure we'd immediately become unwelcome there. Leave the machete home and if the growth is too thick, move on to the next cache, there are plenty more out there. Nowhere is it written we have to find every one. And if you're one of those who simply must find the cache due to some arbitrary goal you set for yourself, go back in the fall.

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Well, I have no plans to buy a machete, but I have come across places where one would be useful and perfectly valid to use; here in the tame lands of England.

 

We have lots of public footpaths. Some of these are well used, but others are not. Many caches are placed on or near these footpaths. For the paths which aren't heavily used, they can get overgrown (mainly by stinging nettles, which grow very quickly). It is perfectly acceptable to clear these paths; in fact sometimes groups of volunteers will go out and do that (unrelated to caching).

 

Here is an example... this was taken on a footpath, which leads to the bridge you can just about see.....

 

bb5ca719-42dc-4d8c-812f-0cdaca892a80.jpg

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You're not supposed to actually whack the bushes! (Unless you are in some remote jungle!)

In geocaching terms, bushwhacking just means you are off trail, and then you should be watching what you step on and try not to trample any vegetation.

If you were to go into a park with a machete for the purposes of bushwhacking, I want to be the first one to call the cops on you and have you arrested.

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Hello,

 

Does anyone use a machete for bushwhacking? If so, can you give recommendations for one that is effective and lightweight for a reasonable price.

 

THanks!

Ah yeah there's been a few times here a machete would be nice to get through to the cache. Since no one likes to maintence there cache others sometimes have to do it for people. One we came up to recently required you to use water and the bushes were so prickley you couldn't do it.

 

If there was parking coordinates placed or a trail head than maybe you wouldn't have to use one to get to the cache most times :0

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You're not supposed to actually whack the bushes! (Unless you are in some remote jungle!)

In geocaching terms, bushwhacking just means you are off trail, and then you should be watching what you step on and try not to trample any vegetation.

If you were to go into a park with a machete for the purposes of bushwhacking, I want to be the first one to call the cops on you and have you arrested.

Or it means the trail was not maintained to the cache because as some geocachers seem to say you don't have to visit your caches others maintain it for you....hahahah

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We try to make geocaching as low impact as possible. If a land manager ever got wind of geocachers using machetes to hack their way to caches I'm sure we'd immediately become unwelcome there. Leave the machete home and if the growth is too thick, move on to the next cache, there are plenty more out there. Nowhere is it written we have to find every one. And if you're one of those who simply must find the cache due to some arbitrary goal you set for yourself, go back in the fall.

I'm sure if half the parks and landowners knew where most of the caches were placed some would be gone.examples they say off well groomed trail ......yep that sure gets followed I'm sure we already pissed off parks people and land owners. Whatrs using a machete going to do.

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Hello,

 

Does anyone use a machete for bushwhacking? If so, can you give recommendations for one that is effective and lightweight for a reasonable price.

 

THanks!

 

I just use a general walking stick, which is also helpful for keeping spiderwebs out of your face.

 

+1.

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Yeah, a machete or other tool isn't a good idea. Leaving no signs you were there when placing or seeking a cache is important. There are areas that are closed to caching because of the effects it has on the flora.

 

We went out to check on one of our caches a few months ago. It's a fairly tough multi that takes you through swamp in some stages. Well, we found that the direction to the final was blazed with pink engineer tape, and worse, the route was hacked clear in spots by someone using a lopper. (The last finder had bragged about it in their online log.)

 

Not a good way to present the game to land managers.

 

92c132f3-3d0c-4ba1-9f6a-735a50df95e7.jpg

There was a whole line of this from the trail, way out to the final.

 

d134474b-2d87-4771-bd7f-e3c5cc73e134.jpg

Bushes and saplings were cut down with tools also.

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Yeah, a machete or other tool isn't a good idea. Leaving no signs you were there when placing or seeking a cache is important. There are areas that are closed to caching because of the effects it has on the flora.

 

We went out to check on one of our caches a few months ago. It's a fairly tough multi that takes you through swamp in some stages. Well, we found that the direction to the final was blazed with pink engineer tape, and worse, the route was hacked clear in spots by someone using a lopper. (The last finder had bragged about it in their online log.)

 

Not a good way to present the game to land managers.

 

92c132f3-3d0c-4ba1-9f6a-735a50df95e7.jpg

There was a whole line of this from the trail, way out to the final.

 

d134474b-2d87-4771-bd7f-e3c5cc73e134.jpg

Bushes and saplings were cut down with tools also.

 

I would have deleted their log and archived the cache at that point. Then probably hide a new one in the same area with a giant warning on the page not to do that.

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Yeah, a machete or other tool isn't a good idea. Leaving no signs you were there when placing or seeking a cache is important. There are areas that are closed to caching because of the effects it has on the flora.

 

We went out to check on one of our caches a few months ago. It's a fairly tough multi that takes you through swamp in some stages. Well, we found that the direction to the final was blazed with pink engineer tape, and worse, the route was hacked clear in spots by someone using a lopper. (The last finder had bragged about it in their online log.)

 

Not a good way to present the game to land managers.

 

92c132f3-3d0c-4ba1-9f6a-735a50df95e7.jpg

There was a whole line of this from the trail, way out to the final.

 

d134474b-2d87-4771-bd7f-e3c5cc73e134.jpg

Bushes and saplings were cut down with tools also.

 

It's stupid (and extremely very rare) stuff like this that can ruin it for the rest of us. That and cachers wielding machetes.

Edited by briansnat
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In geocaching terms, bushwhacking just means you are off trail, and then you should be watching what you step on and try not to trample any vegetation.

If you were to go into a park with a machete for the purposes of bushwhacking, I want to be the first one to call the cops on you and have you arrested.

Or it means the trail was not maintained to the cache because as some geocachers seem to say you don't have to visit your caches others maintain it for you....hahahah

 

Cachers are responsible for maintaining their caches, not the trails that lead to them.

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You never need a machete. Never.

That's pretty dogmatic - and untrue. Just last weekend I was with a group on an established Forest Service trail, and ended up doing some trail maintenance with some trees that feel acoss the the trail. I hadn't brought the machete, just the Sven saw, but the machete whould have made part of it easier. There have been many times where a machete is the easiest and quickest way to clear blackberry brambles overgrowing a trail - I've used hand clippers and loppers before, but a machete is so much nicer.

 

Cachers are responsible for maintaining their caches, not the trails that lead to them.

I'll disagree with you on that point. If everyone who uses a trail did a bit of maintenance it would make a big difference. I've worked several times with volunteer groups doing trail maintenance, and talking with the paid lead have always come away with their wishes for the public to help - move a branch or rock, clear a blocked stream flooding a trail, cut back intruding vegetation, or remove a fallen log. With the budgets are going these years, some trails are lucky to get a crew in every three or four years. A lot can come down/grow up in that time.

 

I'll end with another note that this about clearing existing trails, not cutting new ones.

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You never need a machete. Never.

That's pretty dogmatic - and untrue. Just last weekend I was with a group on an established Forest Service trail, and ended up doing some trail maintenance with some trees that feel acoss the the trail. I hadn't brought the machete, just the Sven saw, but the machete whould have made part of it easier. There have been many times where a machete is the easiest and quickest way to clear blackberry brambles overgrowing a trail - I've used hand clippers and loppers before, but a machete is so much nicer.

You don't need a machete. You just want one.

 

(Emphasis added.)

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You never need a machete. Never.

That's pretty dogmatic - and untrue. Just last weekend I was with a group on an established Forest Service trail, and ended up doing some trail maintenance with some trees that feel acoss the the trail. I hadn't brought the machete, just the Sven saw, but the machete whould have made part of it easier. There have been many times where a machete is the easiest and quickest way to clear blackberry brambles overgrowing a trail - I've used hand clippers and loppers before, but a machete is so much nicer.

You don't need a machete. You just want one.

 

(Emphasis added.)

Unless the job calls for it - as I said I've used other tools that were wrong for the job. Heck, I used a small pocket knive to cut brambles before but the job really called for a machete.

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I have often wished I had a machete to help get to a cache, but experience has proven they just are not effective on the tough, springy scrub here in Arizona.

 

I tried it once in an attempt to get to the base of a rock climbing wall, but after getting only about six feet closer, my arm was too tired and sore to continue.

 

The only way through is to pick your route carefully and wear heavy protective clothing...in some cases a suit of armor would be much more appropriate than a machete. ;)

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We try to make geocaching as low impact as possible. If a land manager ever got wind of geocachers using machetes to hack their way to caches I'm sure we'd immediately become unwelcome there. Leave the machete home and if the growth is too thick, move on to the next cache, there are plenty more out there. Nowhere is it written we have to find every one. And if you're one of those who simply must find the cache due to some arbitrary goal you set for yourself, go back in the fall.

I'm sure if half the parks and landowners knew where most of the caches were placed some would be gone.examples they say off well groomed trail ......yep that sure gets followed I'm sure we already pissed off parks people and land owners. Whatrs using a machete going to do.

Assuming I'm reading this correctly, your question is, "What's using a machete going to do?" The obvious answer is, potentially banning this hobby from vast natural areas. This hobby exists at the sole discretion of land managers. Doing anything which they might perceive to have a negative impact on the properties they manage, could likely have drastic consequences. Those who have been around a while have recognized that it really doesn't matter if the actions actually cause harm. Only that they perceive it as harmful.

Edited by Clan Riffster
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In geocaching terms, bushwhacking just means you are off trail, and then you should be watching what you step on and try not to trample any vegetation.

If you were to go into a park with a machete for the purposes of bushwhacking, I want to be the first one to call the cops on you and have you arrested.

Or it means the trail was not maintained to the cache because as some geocachers seem to say you don't have to visit your caches others maintain it for you....hahahah

 

Cachers are responsible for maintaining their caches, not the trails that lead to them.

So the prickle bushes grow over the trail to your cache and your not going to help maintain a clear route ? Than don't put it there than or I stand by my make a route. Specially when your cache requires something in the area like water and you can't get to the water cause there's huge prickle tree branches growing out.

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We try to make geocaching as low impact as possible. If a land manager ever got wind of geocachers using machetes to hack their way to caches I'm sure we'd immediately become unwelcome there. Leave the machete home and if the growth is too thick, move on to the next cache, there are plenty more out there. Nowhere is it written we have to find every one. And if you're one of those who simply must find the cache due to some arbitrary goal you set for yourself, go back in the fall.

I'm sure if half the parks and landowners knew where most of the caches were placed some would be gone.examples they say off well groomed trail ......yep that sure gets followed I'm sure we already pissed off parks people and land owners. Whatrs using a machete going to do.

Assuming I'm reading this correctly, your question is, "What's using a machete going to do?" The obvious answer is, potentially banning this hobby from vast natural areas. This hobby exists at the sole discretion of land managers. Doing anything which they might perceive to have a negative impact on the properties they manage, could likely have drastic consequences. Those who have been around a while have recognized that it really doesn't matter if the actions actually cause harm. Only that they perceive it as harmful.

Yes but landowners already dont like us.there's already being damaged done when caches aren't placed off trails there's damage done when people don't think and put it there anyways and deal with it later.

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You never need a machete. Never.

That's pretty dogmatic - and untrue. Just last weekend I was with a group on an established Forest Service trail, and ended up doing some trail maintenance with some trees that feel acoss the the trail. I hadn't brought the machete, just the Sven saw, but the machete whould have made part of it easier. There have been many times where a machete is the easiest and quickest way to clear blackberry brambles overgrowing a trail - I've used hand clippers and loppers before, but a machete is so much nicer.

You don't need a machete. You just want one.

 

(Emphasis added.)

No its a requirement put parking coordinates or a trail head

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We try to make geocaching as low impact as possible. If a land manager ever got wind of geocachers using machetes to hack their way to caches I'm sure we'd immediately become unwelcome there. Leave the machete home and if the growth is too thick, move on to the next cache, there are plenty more out there. Nowhere is it written we have to find every one. And if you're one of those who simply must find the cache due to some arbitrary goal you set for yourself, go back in the fall.

I'm sure if half the parks and landowners knew where most of the caches were placed some would be gone.examples they say off well groomed trail ......yep that sure gets followed I'm sure we already pissed off parks people and land owners. Whatrs using a machete going to do.

Assuming I'm reading this correctly, your question is, "What's using a machete going to do?" The obvious answer is, potentially banning this hobby from vast natural areas. This hobby exists at the sole discretion of land managers. Doing anything which they might perceive to have a negative impact on the properties they manage, could likely have drastic consequences. Those who have been around a while have recognized that it really doesn't matter if the actions actually cause harm. Only that they perceive it as harmful.

Yes but landowners already dont like us.there's already being damaged done when caches aren't placed off trails there's damage done when people don't think and put it there anyways and deal with it later.

 

Not everything needs to be a simple binary thought process. There are many degrees of annoyance that can be attained. Many land managers are very laid back until a certain trigger point is reached..

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Well, I have no plans to buy a machete, but I have come across places where one would be useful and perfectly valid to use; here in the tame lands of England.

 

We have lots of public footpaths. Some of these are well used, but others are not. Many caches are placed on or near these footpaths. For the paths which aren't heavily used, they can get overgrown (mainly by stinging nettles, which grow very quickly). It is perfectly acceptable to clear these paths; in fact sometimes groups of volunteers will go out and do that (unrelated to caching).

 

Here is an example... this was taken on a footpath, which leads to the bridge you can just about see.....

 

bb5ca719-42dc-4d8c-812f-0cdaca892a80.jpg

 

That can't possibly be a public footpath - you can get an idea of where it goes from the vegetation on both sides. Wait until the nettles grow a few feet taller and then it can be a footpath.

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We try to make geocaching as low impact as possible. If a land manager ever got wind of geocachers using machetes to hack their way to caches I'm sure we'd immediately become unwelcome there. Leave the machete home and if the growth is too thick, move on to the next cache, there are plenty more out there. Nowhere is it written we have to find every one. And if you're one of those who simply must find the cache due to some arbitrary goal you set for yourself, go back in the fall.

I'm sure if half the parks and landowners knew where most of the caches were placed some would be gone.examples they say off well groomed trail ......yep that sure gets followed I'm sure we already pissed off parks people and land owners. Whatrs using a machete going to do.

Assuming I'm reading this correctly, your question is, "What's using a machete going to do?" The obvious answer is, potentially banning this hobby from vast natural areas. This hobby exists at the sole discretion of land managers. Doing anything which they might perceive to have a negative impact on the properties they manage, could likely have drastic consequences. Those who have been around a while have recognized that it really doesn't matter if the actions actually cause harm. Only that they perceive it as harmful.

Yes but landowners already dont like us.there's already being damaged done when caches aren't placed off trails there's damage done when people don't think and put it there anyways and deal with it later.

So... Assuming you somehow actually believe this.

Are you suggesting that, since the land managers already dislike us, we should just hack and slice at will?

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Sure, and if a land manager confronts you about your cache, just use the machete.

Problem solved.

 

Probably what is most important is to know who's land you are on and what their policies are. As The Jester noted, he hikes in areas where the land manager welcomes the fact the helps keep established trails clear. We have areas like this in So Cal, but as you are hiking along clearing the trail, you can cross an invisible boundary where it is suddenly not okay and you could be prosecuted for doing so. A week later, you could find yourself on an organized volunteer crew on that exact stretch of trail.

 

Creating a trail where none existed is an entirely different thing and would never be tolerated.

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<snip>

Yes but landowners already dont like us.there's already being damaged done when caches aren't placed off trails there's damage done when people don't think and put it there anyways and deal with it later.

One of the more absurd non-roman statements made here in weeks, ok maybe days.

True there are some land managers who are not very geo-friendly.

But there are plenty of others who welcome us and assume we are good stewards of their lands.

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Yeah, a machete or other tool isn't a good idea. Leaving no signs you were there when placing or seeking a cache is important. There are areas that are closed to caching because of the effects it has on the flora.

 

We went out to check on one of our caches a few months ago. It's a fairly tough multi that takes you through swamp in some stages. Well, we found that the direction to the final was blazed with pink engineer tape, and worse, the route was hacked clear in spots by someone using a lopper. (The last finder had bragged about it in their online log.)

 

Not a good way to present the game to land managers.

 

I would have deleted their log and archived the cache at that point. Then probably hide a new one in the same area with a giant warning on the page not to do that.

 

Nah, I won't delete a legitimate find. I left the logs posted, along with our 'Owner Maintenance' log and a bunch of pictures, for all to see.

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Yeah, a machete or other tool isn't a good idea. Leaving no signs you were there when placing or seeking a cache is important. There are areas that are closed to caching because of the effects it has on the flora.

 

We went out to check on one of our caches a few months ago. It's a fairly tough multi that takes you through swamp in some stages. Well, we found that the direction to the final was blazed with pink engineer tape, and worse, the route was hacked clear in spots by someone using a lopper. (The last finder had bragged about it in their online log.)

 

Not a good way to present the game to land managers.

 

I would have deleted their log and archived the cache at that point. Then probably hide a new one in the same area with a giant warning on the page not to do that.

 

Nah, I won't delete a legitimate find. I left the logs posted, along with our 'Owner Maintenance' log and a bunch of pictures, for all to see.

 

What's up with the engineer tape? Why was it put there?

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