Don't just put your hand in there

[+Wanderr]

Hey all you southern cachers I'm curious. Up here in New Hampshire all we have to worry about is black flies, tourists, and an occasional disgruntled bear. We can go poking into anything and everything without fear of finding a nasty. I lived in Maryland for many years and remember running across all kinds of wild nastys (mostly the small type)in all sorts of great hiding places. Good idea to walk loudly and carry a big stick for poking or will full length leather gloves and a can of RAID work just as well. I’m headed south for some R&R & caching and wanted to be safe.

[+GatoRx]

If I can't see in a spot, I'm not putting my hand in it. Finding a stick to poke around with is good, as is having a flashlight (for brightening up "where the sun don't shine." )

 

Having a small mirror can also be helpful - you'll be less likely to be surprised by something that was hiding under a boardwalk (or similar structure) when you reach underneath.

 

----

When in doubt, poke it with a stick.

[+cachew nut]

I would think a disgruntled bear would be kind of nasty.

[+Wanderr]

They're much easier to get along with than the tourists.

quote:

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Originally posted by cachew nut:

I would think a disgruntled bear would be kind of nasty.

---

[+Sissy-n-CR]

Interesting choice for the title of this thread.

 

See my hybrid You put your hand where?!

 

As you can see, some people simply will not put their hand there!

 

CR

 

[+Ltljon]

quote:

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Originally posted by GatoRx:

When in doubt, poke it with a stick.

---

 

Words to live by around here! Nothing beats a good stick!

[+ScubaDewd]

As one person who logged my only cache put it, "There are two kinds of people, the quick... and the dead!" I just ordered a trekking pole last week that has a removable threaded tip. When I get it I plan on matching the thread size with a length of threaded rod, bending the rod into a snake hook/cache retriever, and covering it with PlastiKote. Alot of the caches around our neck of the woods are hidden in prime reptile real estate. It's our "homegrown" version of survival of the fittest!

[+pdxmarathonman]

quote:

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They're much easier to get along with than the tourists.

quote:

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

Originally posted by cachew nut:

I would think a disgruntled bear would be kind of nasty.

---

Now that N.H. has one less tourist attraction the bear situation may become more acute. Sorry to hear about the fall from grace. We were fortunate enough to see the profile a few years back.

[+dhsundance]

I don't know if this is true. But I was having a conversation with some other cachers (It must be true then) and they said that an evolutionary change could be occuring in the ranks of rattlesnakes. The snakes are learning that rattling is not good for their health. Rattle- get found- die. Best to shut up and no one knows you're around.

 

Now I'm a very gullible person- but this conversation seemed quite serious.

[+Sissy-n-CR]

quote:

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Originally posted by dhsundance:

I don't know if this is true. But I was having a conversation with some other cachers (It must be true then) and they said that an evolutionary change could be occuring in the ranks of rattlesnakes. The snakes are learning that rattling is not good for their health. Rattle- get found- die. Best to shut up and no one knows you're around.

 

---

 

I think it was one Saturday morning kid's show with a snake expert and the guy that plays the dad on Malcolm In The Middle TV show. They did mention that more rattlesnakes are not rattling for the very reason you mentioned.

 

That doesn't bother us over here as most of the bad boys don't have alarm systems, anyway. You have to keep on your toes, regardless.

 

CR

 

[+TMAN264]

quote:

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I lived in Maryland for many years and remember running across all kinds of wild nastys (mostly the small type)in all sorts of great hiding places.

---

 

Ummmm, I am going to visit a friend in Maryland in June, can you expand of what kind of nasties you are talking about? I am from Northern Michigan, so I stick my hand pretty much anywhere I think a cahe may be. Please advise!!

 

Make a sanity check.

[bkaysimon]

I try to poke it with a stick first....athough the first micor I hid, I reached into a hole at th ebottom of this tree without even thinking! Once I pulled my hand out, I thought, "man, that was dumb!" So now I'm more careful. Here in Texas we hav eplent yof little nasty critters to grab ya.

[+joefrog]

I remember someone (don't remember who, sorry) posting a cache that I plan on copying -- too good of an idea NOT to do so! (a form of flattery, right?)

 

The cache was hidden either inside, or underneath a particularly nasty-looking rat stuffed down in a stump! LOL... can't you just see the first reaction?

 

Joel (joefrog)

 

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for ye are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

[+TEAM 360]

"There are two kinds of people, the quick... and the dead!"

 

The rattler is quicker than you will ever be, and the scorpions stinger is sharp and painful. Let's not forget the black widow spiders, gila monsters, lizards and africanized bees we have down here in Arizona. For these reasons, I would NEVER put a cache in a place you could not see where your hand is going, and probably never under anything else than rocks. In fact, the desert here is all rock base anyhow, so you can't even dig. Most caches are under the "unnatural rock pile". Even then you have to be careful, once I noticed a very small scorpion on the underside of the rock I was holding. Rule #1 down here: kick it before you pick it up.

What a coincidence, you are going south and I am heading north to Michigan to get some caching in. I assume I should leave my desert camo clothing at home.

[+Cincinnati Bearcaches]

quote:

---

Originally posted by joefrog:

I remember someone (don't remember who, sorry) posting a cache that I plan on copying -- too good of an idea NOT to do so! (a form of flattery, right?)

 

The cache was hidden either inside, or underneath a particularly nasty-looking rat stuffed down in a stump! LOL... can't you just see the first reaction?

 

Joel (joefrog)

 

"Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for ye are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!"

---

 

Here is one such cache

Templetons Treasure

[+Oldcrow]

quote:

---

Originally posted by dhsundance:

...and they said that an evolutionary change could be occuring in the ranks of rattlesnakes. The snakes are learning that rattling is not good for their health. Rattle- get found- die. Best to shut up and no one knows you're around.

 

---

 

Just wanted to mention that they aren't "learning"; the snakes that are prone to rattling are the ones that get killed and they don't pass those "rattling" genes on to there offspring (if the whole hypothesis is true)!

[+RJFerret]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Oldcrow:

quote:

---

Originally posted by dhsundance:

...and they said that an evolutionary change could be occuring in the ranks of rattlesnakes. The snakes are learning that rattling is not good for their health. Rattle- get found- die. Best to shut up and no one knows you're around.

 

---

 

Just wanted to mention that they aren't "learning"; the snakes that are prone to rattling are the ones that get killed and they don't pass those "rattling" genes on to there offspring (if the whole hypothesis is true)!

---

 

Not to nit-pick your pickiness, but sure "they" are (as a species that is). Sure an individual isn't learning, but the species would be "modifying their behaviour through experience" which is a definition of learning (per my Webster's).

 

Thanks for encouraging me to look it up--learning something new every day! {grin}

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

[rabbitsong]

TMAN264, some of the scary things in Maryland are: copperhead snakes, rattlesnakes, water moccassins (I think), bears, bobcats and I think people have stated seeing other types of wild cats, bears, plus mosquitos that spread West Nile virus, and ticks that spread Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease. Not to mention that even a small animal when cornered could bite. I would never stick my hand in a hole where I couldn't see in. Oh, and I almost forgot one of the worst nasties--poison ivy! plus lots of brambles and thorns all over. Oh, and if you get too close to Ft. Deitrick, you never know what vile chemical and biological things you might be in contact with--LOL!

[+Wanderr]

Well you all have certainly given me something to ponder. Pondering is over and I have sent away for that suit of full body armor complete with double layered leather gloves from Harbor freight that I have had my eye on for some time. Also noticed that Brookstone is offering a non-rattling rattlesnake detector complete with plastic coated sidewinder grabbing black widow/scorpion smashing butane flame throwing anti-nasty device - with leather thong for the wrist (three foot extension optional). All has been ordered and Brown says it is on route and will be delivered soon. I can hardly wait to show the Mrs. my new toys. She wasn’t real excited with the GPS but she did get over it. I guess that if I can’t get all this on the plane I’ll just get her to stick her hand in there.

Thanks Again

Wanderr

 

We're all here because we're not all there

[+-=(GEO)=-]

Wanderr,

 

Regular leather gloves will not protect you against snake bites. However, kevlar gloves will. They are like leather gloves but they are lined with a fine kevlar mesh inside. I carry a pair with me in my pack just in case I need to stick my hand in questionable places. They start around $20. You can get them from law enforcement-related web sites and possibly army surplus stores too.

 

[+Last Lap Gang]

I live in Southern Maryland and Lyme disease is out there as Crashmore (one of Maryland's elite cachers) is on medication for it right now. Two of the Last Lap caches are high tick zones currently. Mrs. Last Lap had me pull two plump ones in early March of her back. We have also run across a nest of garters who in accoradance with us left us alone as we respected them too. Also walked up on a black snake about three feet long sunning in the woods. Yes so careful is the key word. Carry a stick, don't blindly reach, don;t step over logs without watching where you are stepping. Snakes aren't looking for you but they can be startled. Also don't stand around in one place for long being a tick magnet. Keep on the move, where long pants. Same applies for many places I guess. The ticks are what is getting me. They are awful this year! Can anyone tell me what good they do for the environment and the ecological chain. Throw those pesky skeeters in their too. What good do they do?

 

Wags, Russ & Erin

[+TEAM 360]

Ticks? Mosquitoes? What are those?

[+TMAN264]

Ticks, great.....in my 34 years in the Michigan woods, I have only had a tick on me once. So, is there tick spray??? Seriously?

Are ticks worse in a certain time of year?

 

The caches I am doing in Maryland are in the North East part, on the Pennsylvania border. I know we are going to the Serpentine Barrows area, and I plan to do a cache in Delaware as well.

 

Make a sanity check.

[+Last Lap Gang]

"Seriously?

Are ticks worse in a certain time of year?

 

The caches I am doing in Maryland are in the North East part, on the Pennsylvania border. I know we are going to the Serpentine Barrows area, and I plan to do a cache in Delaware as well."

 

Yes they are bad right now and yes they are bad in those areas. If the grass is tall they catch on your pants. Wear OFF, Long sleeves if you can bear it and tuck your pants if you can bare looking like a goober. It is a particularly bad year for them.

 

Wags, Russ & Erin

[+TMAN264]

Thanks Last Gap, I'll look like the biggest goober in the world if I won't get a tick on me. I am not looking forward to ticks!

 

Make a sanity check.

[+Dersu]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Last Lap Gang:

Can anyone tell me what good they do for the environment and the ecological chain. Throw those pesky skeeters in their too. What good do they do?

 

Wags, Russ & Erin

---

 

Lest ye become proud and daring;

or even disdainful of nature and think

that control has been given thee;

there are ticks, skeeters and chiggers to

haunt your tender places.

And if fear wrongfully leaves thee;

there be the man without shoulders in thy path.

:By Dersu

 

I have flouted the wild, I have followed its lure, fearless. familar, alone; yet the wild must win, and a day will come when I shall be overthrown. By: Robert Servic

[+Team_J]

On a certain unnamed cache, I tried the common advice of picking up a stick to poke around the cache area. Good idea if you are not in Texas. The fire ant nest hidden underneath the stick made for many painful surprises. After finding the cache (why stop then?), an emergency trip to the drugstore for some Benedryl (buy generic - save tons!!) allowed the swelling to subside on my hand.

 

dadJ of Team sigJ

[+Huntnlady]

Well, I'm relatively new to geocaching, but in 25 years of hunting I've been stalked by mountain lions three times. Once I was tracking a deer up a creek bed, and there was a ledge on my right running along side the creek. Suddenly the hair stood up on the back of my neck, maybe the lion snapped a twig or something, but I whirled around to find myself eye to eye with a lion, with those bright yellow eyes. He twitched his tail, and before I could even raise my rifle he turned inside out and disappeared over the rise. That was in broad daylight.

Read about an even scarier encounter I had, when Kitty comes to camp

By the way, I am placing a cache out in the same area next week, titled "When the going gets Rough"

 

Deer laugh when they hear my name!

http://www.geocities.com/cacheinon