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What Dangers?


LogJam00

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Posted

Hi All!

 

I am brand new to your site and new at Geocaching. I am about to order my first GPS, and have been reading many of the forum posts.

 

What dangers can be involved with Geocaching? Are many caches on private property, requiring special permission to access?

 

I read in some posts about getting ticks and having to check each other after going into a tick-rich area. This may sound silly, but ticks are the thing that scare me - some are scared of spiders, some are scared of snakes, some are scared of clowns - for me it is ticks. :ph34r:

 

Are ticks a common part of Geocaching?

 

Kind Regards,

Mike

Posted

Whether or not ticks are common in geocaching will depend largely on where you live and where you go during the "hunt". When I geocache in an area where I expect to find ticks I make certain to have a good coating of insect repellant on my skin AND my clothes. Preparedness is the key to any outdoor sport. I prepare for geocaching excursion the same way I prepare for hunting for wild game. I just leave the firearms at home.

Posted

Hate to tell ya, but yeah. A good deet spray will help though. Wear long pants, a hat and always light colors. Check yourself a few times while on the trails and you should be fine. Even deer ticks are easy enough to spot if you're wearing the right cloths. As far as private property, you won't really have to worry about that. Caches are not supposed to be hidden on private property. Chances are that if it is on private property the owner of the cache already got permission. If there is a any question what so ever, you can always email the cache owner with your concerns. Any other dangers will vary depending on where you cache.

 

Have fun, and welcome to Geocaching! :ph34r:

Posted
This may sound silly, but ticks are the thing that scare me - some are scared of spiders, some are scared of snakes, some are scared of clowns - for me it is ticks.

:ph34r:

RubberToe is that you? Take your sock and go home. LOL

 

Ticks are everywhere! We're all gunna die!

Posted

There is also the risk of injury that would normally be associated with hiking. Just be sure that you look up from your GPS every now and then to see where you are going! :ph34r:

Posted

Definitely watch where you're going and dress appropriately for the terrain. I keep a variety of footwear and clothing in the back of my truck for such occasions. Where I live, caching terrain can vary from swimming to hiking. I've been pretty scratched up on occasion because I wore shorts on a hike and almost broke my ankle in a gopher hole. Carry a stick or hiking staff with you and plenty of bug-off. Don't blame you for being tick-phobic. I don't like them either! -BK :huh:

Posted

Hmm. dangers.

 

Ticks. (deet)

 

Snakes. (stick)

 

Lunatics. (pepper spray)

 

Poison Oak. (like I have right now. be careful bushwhacking, like I was not. shower when you get home washing all exposed areas with soap. Throw hiking clothes in washer)

 

Sunburned face and sweat in the eyes. (get a nice wide-brimmed hat)

 

Dehydration. (carry water, einstein)

 

Getting wet. (get a tiny emergency poncho from targ-mart)

 

Unexpected holes in the ground. (yes, watch where you're going)

 

Falling and not being able to get up. (tell someone where you're going and tell them you'll call them when you get back, and do. If appropriate, leave same info on car at trailhead)

 

Running into someone or something because you were watching the GPS while driving. (don't)

 

Forgetting how to get back to the car. (ALWAYS waypoint the car)

 

Forgetting how much daylight you have left. (I set my cell phone alarm to 1/2 the amount of remaining daylight and carry a small flashlight)

 

Forgetting to have fun. (It is NOT about the numbers! Pay no attention to the O-Cs)

 

Boring your friends to death. (GC is only part of a well balanced life)

Posted
Running into someone or something because you were watching the GPS while driving. (don't)

 

How about looking at your GPS, talking on a cell phone, reading a map and eating all while driving a stick shift. This is me when I should be at work but instead I'm out playing.

Posted

Perhaps the biggest danger is addiction. Soon your work will begin to suffer, your family and friends will begin to worry about you, and you will be spending way too much on trae items and containers. :huh:

 

Seriously though, just prepare as you would for hiking if the cache is in a wilderness area, and when caching in an urban environment, try not to draw attention to yourself. Geocaching is basically walking, hiking, or running (FTF) with a purpose. I try to go with a buddy if at all possible. It is safer, and more fun to share the experience.

 

Use common sense when deciding which caches to hunt. IF something looks wrong or out of place, don't do it! Trust your gut, it is usually right. If it looks like the cache might be on private property, you may wish to email the owner for more info before attempting it. Know your abilities, and try not to do caches that are too strenuous. Pay attention to terrain ratings, and prepare accordingly.

 

And finally, have as much fun as you can. ;)

Posted
I read in some posts about getting ticks and having to check each other after going into a tick-rich area. This may sound silly, but ticks are the thing that scare me - some are scared of spiders, some are scared of snakes, some are scared of clowns - for me it is ticks.

 

Don't worry about ticks or lime disease. You're 20 or 30 times more likely to get killed in a car crash on the way to the cache anyway. Welcome to life outside a plastic bubble. :D j/k There is as much risk in geocaching as there is in going to the mall. Infact, this time of the year, probably much less. Welcome to the sport!

 

Ken

Posted

Being female, I sometimes get the heebie jeebies entering the woods alone, espically if there are some guys hanging out in cars in the parking lot. :D I wonder what other females do to protect themselves in the woods. I have been trying to recruit a caching partner, but no one I know gets it.

Posted (edited)
Hmm.  dangers. 

 

Ticks. (deet)

 

Snakes.  (stick)

 

Lunatics.  (pepper spray)

 

Poison Oak.  (like I have right now.  be careful bushwhacking, like I was not.  shower when you get home washing all exposed areas with soap.  Throw hiking clothes in washer)

 

Sunburned face and sweat in the eyes.  (get a nice wide-brimmed hat)

 

Dehydration.  (carry water, einstein)

 

Getting wet. (get a tiny emergency poncho from targ-mart)

 

Unexpected holes in the ground. (yes, watch where you're going)

 

Falling and not being able to get up.  (tell someone where you're going and tell them you'll call them when you get back, and do.  If appropriate, leave same info on car at trailhead)

 

Running into someone or something because you were watching the GPS while driving.  (don't)

 

Forgetting how to get back to the car.  (ALWAYS waypoint the car)

 

Forgetting how much daylight you have left.  (I set my cell phone alarm to 1/2 the amount of remaining daylight and carry a small flashlight)

 

Forgetting to have fun.  (It is NOT about the numbers!  Pay no attention to the O-Cs)

 

Boring your friends to death.  (GC is only part of a well balanced life)

You forgot :D :

 

Electrical or duct tape for chiggers, and just cause its very useful.

 

Friends cause someone has to catch you when you fall out of that tree, and you also need someone to blame when you make the wrong turn on the trail, and beat up when you can't find the cache...

 

And little prepacked alcohol swabs. If you brush against the poison, alcohol will remove the oils that cause you to itch. If you wait till you get home to shower with soap it may be too late, and your soap may not be enough to remove the oils either. Water and prepacked moistened handwipes and towelettes WILL NOT remove the oils.

Edited by Ce'Nedra
Posted
I read in some posts about getting ticks and having to check each other after going into a tick-rich area. This may sound silly, but ticks are the thing that scare me - some are scared of spiders, some are scared of snakes, some are scared of clowns - for me it is ticks. 

 

Are ticks a common part of Geocaching?

 

If you don't like ticks, take up sailing. Geocaching isn't for you.

Posted (edited)

I have to agree with keeping your head up from the GPSr. When I am closing in on a cache, I usually just take a bearing and keep my head up scanning for the cache. The one time I kept my head down due to overhead branches, I missed the bees nest. :D I got stung on the cheek and a shoulder. Fortunately, I am not allergic to them and I had plenty of stings as a kid. Minimal body reaction to the stings other than the redness from embarrassment. Welcome to the game!

Edited by GeoGeorge
Posted

Some caches are hidden in areas that you really have to pay attention to the terrain. I was looking for one in Nova Scotia a few months back and slipped on a wet rock. I hurt my leg pretty badly, to the point where I thought I had broken it. I had to make my way back to the car, about 2km. Make sure you bring a good first aid kit, cell phone or radio if you go alone. Also make sure you tell someone where you are going....

Posted

If you know you are allergic to bee/wasp stings like I am, always carry an Epi-Pen with you. If you've never been stung before in your life, ask your doc to get you one, as you may be allergic and not know it. On the other hand, I was stung hundreds of times as a kid when I mowed lawns for extra cash, but never developed an allergy till later in life, and was stung and nearly died from it, so it's best for anyone to ask their doc for an EpiPen, just to be on the safe side. I'd also like to reiterate what many before me have said, that is probably one of, if not the most important things: ALWAYS LET SOMEONE KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WHAT ROUTE YOU'RE TAKING, AND WHEN YOU PLAN TO BE BACK! As a retired paramedic, I can't stress that enough. I only made two calls when someone didn't do that, and neither one had a good outcome by the time we found them.

 

Oh, yeah, and look out for roving bands of rabid sax-toting smurfs......they will post you into oblivion at the drop of a hat! :D

Posted

THe biggest danger in caching is not nature, but man himself. I try to stay a good distance from any noise or sounds of other people, until i determine if they look like friend or foe. I am an average size guy (175lbs) and in good shape, however I'm not Bruce Lee. If a person has a weapon or they out number you and they want to do harm, you cant fight bullets or 2 or 3 guys at once. Since most parks where caches are hid forbid guns or weapons, I carry the 15% pepper spray

with me. When my wife goes, we both pack the liquid hell. My wife is a looker and gets a lot of yelps and hollars all the time and this scares me for her safety.

I live near a fairly large city and rapes and murders happen 25% of the times in or around parks. I guess every guy has seen Deliverance, and remember the scene where Ned Beatty is made to squel like a pig? I for some reason think of that scene

every time I go on a long hike or camping.

Posted
THe biggest danger in caching is not nature, but man himself. I try to stay a good distance from any noise or sounds of other people, until i determine if they look like friend or foe. I am an average size guy (175lbs) and in good shape, however I'm not Bruce Lee. If a person has a weapon or they out number you and they want to do harm, you cant fight bullets or 2 or 3 guys at once. Since most parks where caches are hid forbid guns or weapons, I carry the 15% pepper spray

with me. When my wife goes, we both pack the liquid hell. My wife is a looker and gets a lot of yelps and hollars all the time and this scares me for her safety.

I live near a fairly large city and rapes and murders happen 25% of the times in or around parks. I guess every guy has seen Deliverance, and remember the scene where Ned Beatty is made to squel like a pig? I for some reason think of that scene

every time I go on a long hike or camping.

Hey RR, you could always move up to friendly old Canada!!!!

Posted
If you know you are allergic to bee/wasp stings like I am, always carry an Epi-Pen with you. If you've never been stung before in your life, ask your doc to get you one, as you may be allergic and not know it. On the other hand, I was stung hundreds of times as a kid when I mowed lawns for extra cash, but never developed an allergy till later in life, and was stung and nearly died from it, so it's best for anyone to ask their doc for an EpiPen, just to be on the safe side. I'd also like to reiterate what many before me have said, that is probably one of, if not the most important things: ALWAYS LET SOMEONE KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WHAT ROUTE YOU'RE TAKING, AND WHEN YOU PLAN TO BE BACK! As a retired paramedic, I can't stress that enough. I only made two calls when someone didn't do that, and neither one had a good outcome by the time we found them.

 

Oh, yeah, and look out for roving bands of rabid sax-toting smurfs......they will post you into oblivion at the drop of a hat! :D

From one former paramedic to another, hello brother. Good to see another one of us around. Not trying to cause a stir here, but I do have a question regarding something you said. You said to get an epi-pen if you have never been stung because you may not know if you are allergic. I believe, but may be incorrect, that you are not allergic to anything on first exposure to it. I think you have to have an exposure to something for the body to develop the antigens that cause the anaphylaxis. That is why you can be exposed to something thousands of times, and suddenly, whammo presto change-o, you're allergic to it. Your body chemistry suddenly decides it doesn't like a particular substance...But, I could be wrong on this. If I am, please call me on it.

Posted
If you know you are allergic to bee/wasp stings like I am, always carry an Epi-Pen with you.  If you've never been stung before in your life, ask your doc to get you one, as you may be allergic and not know it.  On the other hand, I was stung hundreds of times as a kid when I mowed lawns for extra cash, but never developed an allergy till later in life, and was stung and nearly died from it, so it's best for anyone to ask their doc for an EpiPen, just to be on the safe side.  I'd also like to reiterate what many before me have said, that is probably one of, if not the most important things:  ALWAYS LET SOMEONE KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, WHAT ROUTE YOU'RE TAKING, AND WHEN YOU PLAN TO BE BACK!  As a retired paramedic, I can't stress that enough.  I only made two calls when someone didn't  do that, and neither one had a good outcome by the time we found them.

 

Oh, yeah, and look out for roving bands of rabid sax-toting smurfs......they will post you into oblivion at the drop of a hat! :D

From one former paramedic to another, hello brother. Good to see another one of us around. Not trying to cause a stir here, but I do have a question regarding something you said. You said to get an epi-pen if you have never been stung because you may not know if you are allergic. I believe, but may be incorrect, that you are not allergic to anything on first exposure to it. I think you have to have an exposure to something for the body to develop the antigens that cause the anaphylaxis. That is why you can be exposed to something thousands of times, and suddenly, whammo presto change-o, you're allergic to it. Your body chemistry suddenly decides it doesn't like a particular substance...But, I could be wrong on this. If I am, please call me on it.

There are two schools of thought on that issue, actually. I tend to believe that, yes, you do need to have a first exposure to develop an allergy, however, the reactions people have are not always to the specific antigen they think they are. Bee venom has many different compounds in it that exist in other areas of nature, as do many of the things people become allergic to. So, with that in mind, you don't necessarily have to be stung by a bee to have your first exposure to some of the compounds in it's venom. Therefore, you can have an allergic reaction the first time you are stung. Thanks for the question and the chance to show how much or little I know about the topic! :)

 

I still feel that anyone should be equipped with an EpiPen when going out into the great outdoors, whether they've ever had an anaphylactic reaction or not. Better safe than sorry. If your doc won't prescribe you an EpiPen, change docs. That's my opinion. :D

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