Placing My First Cache

[+Wild Thing]

I live in a residential community that most people would consider far enough out of town to be "wild." There are greenbelts between streets. People walk - with or without their dogs - most commonly in the morning and evening.

 

Each greenbelt is bordered by private land, albeit not by fences, and is accessible at cross streets. I'd like to place a cache in one (maybe more) of the greenbelts.

 

Does anyone foresee problems in doing so?

 

Thanks for opinions and ideas!

[+Kewaneh & Shark]

The only problem that I could imagine is with the neighbors getting nervous with a bunch of non-residents nosing around. Before you place the cache, you may consider contacting the nearby residents and let them in on what you're doing and what to expect. We had one cache placed in my area not long ago near the end of a dead end residential street. It didn't take long before one of the neighbors (a very irate neighbor at that) was confronting and/or chasing away any cacher who got close. The cache owner had even talked to the resident who lived in the closest home, just in case. (The guy who got upset lived a few doors down.) It ended up that the cache had to be archived after too many confrontations and calls to the police.

 

Cachers are, as a general rule, a harmless lot, but to an outsider, we can look suspicious. But as far as placing the cache, as long as it's in a public area, you shouldn't have any problems. Good luck on your hide.

 

Keep on Caching! - Kewaneh

[+briansnat]

I agree with the last poster, if the cache is near homes, or in clear view of them, you're just asking for trouble.

[AC Student]

It depends on the green belt. I've seen some that are like linear parks that offer great hiding places that can be searched discretely out of view of neighbors, and that get enough visitors so that geocachers do not stand out and attract attention.

 

On the other hand I've seen others that made me uncomfortable, although I searched anyway.

 

Please use your good sense. Would you feel uncomfortable, or would you make residents uncomfortable, if you were stranger to the area hunting for the cache? If so, I'd look for a better spot.

[+jrcache]

For first cache I suggest a public park, not private property.

[+fly46]

Dumb question of the day, what's a greenbelt?

[+Wild Thing]

Dumb question of the day, what's a greenbelt?

 

Sorry 'bout that!

 

A greenbelt is an area left natural when a subdivision is created, and intended as open space for the residents. Usually increases sense of privacy, creates space for recreation, and retains wildlife habitat. In this particular subdivision, we are not allowed to fence our property, nor to landscape or plant the whole lot (... and then there are those water restrictions...). Thus, unless one finds the survey stakes, it's difficult to figure out where the boundary is between privately-owned land and community-owned land.

[+Boot Group]

It's sounds like it's a grey area about pulbic or private property. It might be considered public property to your neighborhood, but not to random geo-cachers stopping by to utilize the open space. May be you should contact your approver with your idea, first, and ask him/her for advice. Make sure to clearly explain the type of land in your e-mail, like you did in this forum.