Caching on MDOC land?

[Guest Paul Lamble]

Howdy,

 

Has anyone placed any caches on land owned or operated by the Missouri Department of Conservation? Do you know if MDOC is supportive of this sport? Whom would one contact to get permission to place a cache?

 

Just curious to know if anyone has any experience with this.

 

Paul Lamble

Kansas City

[Guest guerroloco]

I put a cache on MDOC land (Three Creeks CA, south of Columbia). I didn't ask anyone for permission.

[Guest wtmrn]

judging from the current political climate, it would be unwise to ask permission, i know of plenty of caches on CA land, Don't ask, Don't tell. probably wise to omit area

names as well.

[mallahan]

I know that in our area, it is difficult to find any place to put them but on MDOC land, or Jackson County Parks and recreation land (like Flemming lake, Blue Springs Lake, and Blue and Gray Park.)

 

I am going with the don't ask don't tell. I have picked out six caches within 10 miles of my home and have found that four of them were on MDOC or JCP&R parks. What was really cool, is that it took to me to parts of the park that I have never been to before, and saw features I never would have, if it were not for Geocaching.

[+YOSA-2]

In our local paper yesterday, there was an article about the Missouri Dept of Conservation and it discussed all the newly banned activities in the state parks. Geocaching was not one of the ones banned, but it was one that is being studied. They banned things such as paintball, professional photography, and other things. One cache they mentioned was one that I have been to, and this cache has been hunted five times since it was hidden in March. I have found so many conservation properties which I did not know existed before I started Geocaching, and don't see what the concern is. If hunters can trample the lands in high numbers leaving tree stands and bullet shells around, why can't I continue to hike in and visit the cache, maybe even take some trash out (if I see some)?

[ravenbrk]

If anyone wants to read the article YOSA-2 mentioned, it is currently available on the Springfield News-Leader web site here: News-Leader: Some uses of conservation areas banned

 

Personally, I was outraged when I read this article. I agree with YOSA-2 that if hunters are allowed to go anywhere on the site and often don't care for the land, then they shouldn't be telling us who do clean up the place that we are "hiding things where they shouldn’t be". I can't find the acutal list of banned activities on the MDC web site, but they did mention in the article that geocaching has been banned in some MDC areas. I'm very concerned by this policy of restricting the land use to only hunters & fishermen. The MDC is supposed to preserve the land not only for those groups but also to "to develop and maintain public land that invites public use" and "enhance public understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of all natural resources" (from their own website). They could best do this by encouraging geocaching and other environmentally friendly activities.

 

So far I've written to my state representative about this issue, but can't think of whom else to contact. Anyone have ideas on who else we should write to?

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by YOSA-2:

In our local paper yesterday, there was an article about the Missouri Dept of Conservation and it discussed all the newly banned activities in the state parks. Geocaching was not one of the ones banned, but ....

---

[+lazylightning]

I was considering a cache on Hart Creek Conservation Area near Hartsburg, I called the state office in JC and got transfered to 'protection' and they said NO hesitantly and gave me the number of the Regional Office in Columbia and I was told NO again. The reason was potential conflicts with hunters and cachers. I tend to agree with the concern of cachers wandering around during deer season. I am an avid hunter and am very careful, but there are a lot of yahoos out there that would shoot anything that moves.

 

Here is an official response I got from them in the email box today:

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Here's an excerpt from a response to this previously asked question:...we do not have a formal policy (at this time) on geocaching.... Our position is that we are allowing it on a site by site basis through a Special Use Permit. The permit enables the area manager to ensure the cache is appropriate, its location does not impair area management or

other area users, ensure it is consistent with wildlife regulations (no soil disturbance--burying it would be violation),and avoids any

sensitive resources.

 

If you need area manager information you may contact me with the name of the conservation area in which you have interest, or you can contact the appropriate regional office

http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/about/srvcentr.html for contact information.

 

Thanks for your interest in conservation.

 

Ken Drenon

drenok@mdc.state.mo.us

573/522-4115, ext 3848

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[+Spzzmoose]

When I read the topic of this thread, I thought you were talking about the Michigan Dept. of Corrections!! Whew!

[+Firefishe]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Spzzmoose:

When I read the topic of this thread, I thought you were talking about the Michigan Dept. of Corrections!! Whew!

---

 

Sounds like a case of *snicker* CacheNRobbers! Aha! So that's where all the plundered Michigan geocaches have been going!

 

...Caching In on the Journey

{--Firefishe--}

 

---------------------------

The year is 2003.

The name is S.A. Brown.

BrowNAV (Brown Navigation)

---------------------------

[Know Future]

I've placed caches in several conservation areas this summer with no real problems. You're supposed to get the special use permit (good for three months). This takes a week or two; frustrating if you're in a hurry. You're also supposed to put a copy of the permit in the cache. My permits are all expired now, but folks are still finding the caches, so I guess MDC is not going out and picking them up when they expire. I get the feeling they are learning to share with us. Hopefully the hunters won't shoot any geocachers this fall (or vice-versa). That would probably make our lives hard again.

[khenn]

I requested permission from the Missouri Dept. of Conservation office in in Columbia, MO for the placement of a cache in the Three Creeks area south of Columbia.

 

I receive a very nice phone call from a woman (I can't remember her name) who asked me some questions about geocaching. She said that there was only one cache at Three Creeks that was authorized at present. I think there are at least 3. I found two of them this week.

 

She is sending me a land use permit and wants me to tell her exactly where the cache will be hidden, include a warning about deer season, and promise to remove the cache after a year.

 

I have only been geocaching for a few months and am beginning to wonder if it is worth the trouble of placing my own.

 

I encouraged her to view the geocaching website to learn about geocaching. (She will probably discover there are some unauthorized cache in 3 Creeks). I stressed that it is good family fun that gets people out enjoying the scenery and using the conservation areas. Geocaching took me to an area of 3 creeks that I didn't know existed and I have lived in the area for 20 years.

[+*gln]

quote:

---

I have only been geocaching for a few months and am beginning to wonder if it is worth the trouble of placing my own.

---

Sure it is!! Filling out a little bit of paperwork to satisfy the state is not all that hard to do. If you are in Columbia, the city parks at this time do not require a permit and the parks in Jefferson City are VERY geocacher friendly. The State parks are geocacher friendly but they do require a permit also.

 

For more info on land use around the state of Missouri, see the Land Use section of the http://www.MoGeo.com website. If you have any further questions you can always pop me a note.

 

Glenn

http://www.MoGeo.com

[+Brawny Bear]

Just one thing to keep in mind... Geocachers contribute zero dollars to conservation property while hunters and fishermen contribute a lot through licenses. When I say this, I am talking about directly. We all pay taxes and some of that goes to state conservation. But you see my point? Thats how MDOC looks at it and why they favor hunting and fishing over geocaching..

 

Don't get me wrong, I totally agree that we should have equal access.. I just spent a small fortune on hunting licenses for this year.. We have a good relation with most of the MDOC areas. Some are very supportive and others are not. Hopefully that will all change soon!

 

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by YOSA-2:

 

If hunters can trample the lands in high numbers leaving tree stands and bullet shells around, why can't I continue to hike in and visit the cache, maybe even take some trash out (if I see some)?

---

 

Mike

The Brawny Bear

<< Member : St. Louis Area Geocachers Association (SLAGA) >>