Learning your Environment

[+MisterCakes]

Hey all,

 

Thanks in advance. I was talking to a buddy the other day who geocaches and we were discussing getting to know the environments that we cache in. I constantly walk around on caches wondering what this thing is and that thing. At a very least know what plants, animals, environmental variables are harmful and helpful would be ideal especially in the geographic region/environment i'm caching in. Leads to 2 questions:

 

1. If your into this level of detail, whats your process for indoctrinating yourself in the environment your caching in?

2. What types of details have been especially important,helpful or satisfying to you on both your hiking and caching endeavors?

 

Thanks to all responses.

Edited July 23, 2013 by MisterCakes

[+L0ne.R]

Hey all,

 

Thanks in advance. I was talking to a buddy the other day who geocaches and we were discussing getting to know the environments that we cache in. I constantly walk around on caches wondering what this thing is and that thing. At a very least know what plants, animals, environmental variables are harmful and helpful would be ideal especially in the geographic region/environment i'm caching in. Leads to 2 questions:

 

1. If your into this level of detail, whats your process for indoctrinating yourself in the environment your caching in?

2. What types of details have been especially important,helpful or satisfying to you on both your hiking and caching endeavors?

 

Thanks to all responses.

 

I don't think I'm allergic, but I try to stay away from poison ivy. I still have a tough time knowing for sure if a leaves-of-three plant is poison ivy so I try not to touch any low lying leaves-of-three plant.

 

Coyotes - I've come close to a few. My initial reaction is "what's that dog doing here without an owner?". Then I realize that it's not a dog! I've had to scare one away that was too close to my dog - yelled and waved my arms and aggressively stomped. It leaped, turned in the air and skedaddled. I couldn't tell you if the prints in the mud are coyote or dog but I do recognize coyote poo.

[+JL_HSTRE]

Be aware of poisonous plants and venomous snakes in your area. Know how to deal with encounters with the major predators in your area (gators, bears, big cats, etc).

 

I have met some geocachers who know much more on local plant and animal life than I do. I listen and learn from them. Your local state park may have ranger-led tours or presentations on local floral and fauna. If you see strange plants, tracks, or animals take a photo and inquire with someone knowledgeable or search on the internet.

[+redwoodkestrel]

I led hikes as my job for 6 years, and am currently a biologist, so I generally feel pretty well-versed when I'm out caching, especially of plants, birds, herps, and marine critters (if I'm caching near the coast). Can definitely identify poison oak and stinging nettle, and rattlesnakes too... the things I want to avoid the most.

 

A really great resource to get help identifying things you're seeing while you're out caching/hiking is iNaturalist - it's both an app and a online platform, you can take photos of what you're seeing and then the community helps you identify what it is... if it's a good enough photo, and if it's not so obscure that only a few people would know about it. It goes really well with caching, I've found, since it's all about geo-referenced observations.

 

Hopefully it's useful to those who want to know more about what they're seeing while out in the nature!

[+L0ne.R]

I led hikes as my job for 6 years, and am currently a biologist, so I generally feel pretty well-versed when I'm out caching, especially of plants, birds, herps, and marine critters (if I'm caching near the coast). Can definitely identify poison oak and stinging nettle, and rattlesnakes too... the things I want to avoid the most.

 

A really great resource to get help identifying things you're seeing while you're out caching/hiking is iNaturalist - it's both an app and a online platform, you can take photos of what you're seeing and then the community helps you identify what it is... if it's a good enough photo, and if it's not so obscure that only a few people would know about it. It goes really well with caching, I've found, since it's all about geo-referenced observations.

 

Hopefully it's useful to those who want to know more about what they're seeing while out in the nature!

 

Thanks for the iNaturalist information. Looks interesting and I think I'll get a lot of use out of it.

[+J the Goat]

I led hikes as my job for 6 years, and am currently a biologist, so I generally feel pretty well-versed when I'm out caching, especially of plants, birds, herps, and marine critters (if I'm caching near the coast). Can definitely identify poison oak and stinging nettle, and rattlesnakes too... the things I want to avoid the most.

 

A really great resource to get help identifying things you're seeing while you're out caching/hiking is iNaturalist - it's both an app and a online platform, you can take photos of what you're seeing and then the community helps you identify what it is... if it's a good enough photo, and if it's not so obscure that only a few people would know about it. It goes really well with caching, I've found, since it's all about geo-referenced observations.

 

Hopefully it's useful to those who want to know more about what they're seeing while out in the nature!

 

Thanks for the iNaturalist information. Looks interesting and I think I'll get a lot of use out of it.

 

Ditto that, I'll use that a lot.

[+J the Goat]

Poison oak runs rampant here, and rattlesnakes are fairly common if you cache where I like to. Bears are rare but present, and the occasional big cat makes it's way out of hiding. Otherwise, I either know from growing up here, or guess, or have no idea at all

 

It's something I'd like to be more knowledgeable about. That's why I'm excited about the iNaturalist. I just downloaded the app

[+redwoodkestrel]

Poison oak runs rampant here, and rattlesnakes are fairly common if you cache where I like to. Bears are rare but present, and the occasional big cat makes it's way out of hiding. Otherwise, I either know from growing up here, or guess, or have no idea at all

 

It's something I'd like to be more knowledgeable about. That's why I'm excited about the iNaturalist. I just downloaded the app

 

Awesome! I'll be sure to look for your observations and add an ID when I can, since I think our caching areas overlap somewhat.

[+J the Goat]

Poison oak runs rampant here, and rattlesnakes are fairly common if you cache where I like to. Bears are rare but present, and the occasional big cat makes it's way out of hiding. Otherwise, I either know from growing up here, or guess, or have no idea at all

 

It's something I'd like to be more knowledgeable about. That's why I'm excited about the iNaturalist. I just downloaded the app

 

Awesome! I'll be sure to look for your observations and add an ID when I can, since I think our caching areas overlap somewhat.

 

They most certainly do. Our caching buddies might even overlap a bit

[+popokiiti]

I will definitely check out the iNaturalist app - it sounds like a neat app. I know enough to recognize Giant Hogweed and will give that a wide berth. Same goes for the Toe Biter Bug... If you see steaming bear scat, leave the area and find another cache!