Safety And Close-calls?

[+RelicXSport]

Just wanted to get a discussion started on safety. I'm new to geocaching and am looking forward to many adventures. One thing I haven't seen any postings for is preparing for "advanced" outings or even a simple suggestion to wear some orange attire when caching in the woods during hunting season. I'd like to think that all hunters are careful and responsible, however, I know there are many out there who will shoot at "movement" :0( Anyway, just wanted to remind everyone to be aware of the "zones" you cache in and dress accordingly.

 

Also, does anyone have some interesting stories about injuries? getting lost? (I know, how can you get lost with a gpsr right?) Let's hear it!

 

Thanks

[WH]

This story is rather embarrassing, but here goes.

 

Back when I was brand new to geocaching, I tried for a First to Find about 90 miles from my house. The cache was located in a swampy area. When I arrived, the closest available parking was down a narrow dirt road adjacent to a corn field. Since the cache was only ,3 mile from the car with 2+ hours to sunset, I decided not to bring my flashlight (mistake #1). I also forgot to mark my car as a way point (mistake #2). As I started walking, there was NO path at all so I started the mother of all bushwhacks. The dense tree cover made getting a good GPS signal dadgum near impossible, and it directed me to the other side of a river, seeing no other way to cross, I managed to crawl across on a fallen tree (mistake #3). I was also so focused on finding the cache, I failed to notice that it was quickly getting dark (mistake #4). Once on the other side, I found a clearing and, sure enough, my GPS was pointing back to the side of the river I had started on. To make matters worse, I'm in a swamp at night with no bug spray (mistake #5)

 

Heres my situation now, I'm at least .4 mile from my car, Ive crossed a river on a fallen tree, there is no path at all to follow, I failed to mark my car and I'm getting eaten alive by bugs. The only thing left for me to do is call the local authorities for assistance. The only thing I could tell them as to where I am, was my current GPS position. Even with that information, It took them a good 2 hours to finally find me and help me get out of the swamp.

 

Now theres just a small matter of where my car is. Since I didn't mark the car's location and the area was FILLED with these little dirt roads, I took an additional hour of driving up and down these roads before we found it.

 

I then proceeded to get my car stuck in the mud on the way out (mistake #6).

 

The icing on the cake to this comedy of errors was the 3 page article on the whole fiasco that appeared in the local newspaper.

[+briansnat]

Here are some hunting safety threads you might have missed:

 

Caution

 

Wearing orange.

 

Hunting

 

Turkey hunting

 

Hunting and caching

 

Also, this forum is dedicated specifically to interesting geocaching adventures. You'll find a lot of great stories there. Here's a thread in it about geocaching injuries and here is one about getting lost.

Edited November 2, 2004 by briansnat

[+ZackJones]

The icing on the cake to this comedy of errors was the 3 page article on the whole fiasco that appeared in the local newspaper.

Let me guess - the article is framed and proudly hangs on the wall as a constant reminder of what NOT to do

 

Zack

[+briansnat]

This story is rather embarrassing, but here goes.

 

Back when I was brand new to geocaching, I tried for a First to Find about 90 miles from my house. The cache was located in a swampy area. When I arrived, the closest available parking was down a narrow dirt road adjacent to a corn field. Since the cache was only ,3 mile from the car with 2+ hours to sunset, I decided not to bring my flashlight (mistake #1). I also forgot to mark my car as a way point (mistake #2). As I started walking, there was NO path at all so I started the mother of all bushwhacks. The dense tree cover made getting a good GPS signal dadgum near impossible, and it directed me to the other side of a river, seeing no other way to cross, I managed to crawl across on a fallen tree (mistake #3). I was also so focused on finding the cache, I failed to notice that it was quickly getting dark (mistake #4). Once on the other side, I found a clearing and, sure enough, my GPS was pointing back to the side of the river I had started on. To make matters worse, I'm in a swamp at night with no bug spray (mistake #5)

 

Heres my situation now, I'm at least .4 mile from my car, Ive crossed a river on a fallen tree, there is no path at all to follow, I failed to mark my car and I'm getting eaten alive by bugs. The only thing left for me to do is call the local authorities for assistance. The only thing I could tell them as to where I am, was my current GPS position. Even with that information, It took them a good 2 hours to finally find me and help me get out of the swamp.

 

Now theres just a small matter of where my car is. Since I didn't mark the car's location and the area was FILLED with these little dirt roads, I took an additional hour of driving up and down these roads before we found it.

 

I then proceeded to get my car stuck in the mud on the way out (mistake #6).

 

The icing on the cake to this comedy of errors was the 3 page article on the whole fiasco that appeared in the local newspaper.

That was YOU? Man we had a good time with that in the forums .

[WH]

That was YOU? Man we had a good time with that in the forums .

I missed that thread because I did not start posting in the forums until quite a while afterwards.

 

Please, no markwells. Id rather not read it.

[+Milbank]

This story is rather embarrassing, but here goes.

 

Back when I was brand new to geocaching, I tried for a First to Find about 90 miles from my house. The cache was located in a swampy area. When I arrived, the closest available parking was down a narrow dirt road adjacent to a corn field. Since the cache was only ,3 mile from the car with 2+ hours to sunset, I decided not to bring my flashlight (mistake #1). I also forgot to mark my car as a way point (mistake #2). As I started walking, there was NO path at all so I started the mother of all bushwhacks. The dense tree cover made getting a good GPS signal dadgum near impossible, and it directed me to the other side of a river, seeing no other way to cross, I managed to crawl across on a fallen tree (mistake #3). I was also so focused on finding the cache, I failed to notice that it was quickly getting dark (mistake #4). Once on the other side, I found a clearing and, sure enough, my GPS was pointing back to the side of the river I had started on. To make matters worse, I'm in a swamp at night with no bug spray (mistake #5)

 

Heres my situation now, I'm at least .4 mile from my car, Ive crossed a river on a fallen tree, there is no path at all to follow, I failed to mark my car and I'm getting eaten alive by bugs. The only thing left for me to do is call the local authorities for assistance. The only thing I could tell them as to where I am, was my current GPS position. Even with that information, It took them a good 2 hours to finally find me and help me get out of the swamp.

 

Now theres just a small matter of where my car is. Since I didn't mark the car's location and the area was FILLED with these little dirt roads, I took an additional hour of driving up and down these roads before we found it.

 

I then proceeded to get my car stuck in the mud on the way out (mistake #6).

 

The icing on the cake to this comedy of errors was the 3 page article on the whole fiasco that appeared in the local newspaper.

 

I'm sure it was not funny at the time, but It sure gave me a laugh reading it now.

 

 

Glad it all turned out ok.

Edited November 2, 2004 by Milbank

[+fly46]

And here's how you're lucky..

Had that been me (who is notorious about not marking my car), I wouldn't have had the phone to call the police with.

[+Sputnik 57]

I've said this before but . . .

 

Lesson # 1. When you get out your car, mark a waypoint (even if it is in the parking lot next to a park and grab). It is amazing how disoriented you can get walking in circles and looking down for a cache.

 

Lesson # 2. When you find yourself lost and in the dark, with no idea where your car is, kick yourself in the caboose for not following Lesson #1.

 

Voice of experience.

[team tisri]

I've always like walking the moors in England and being a relatively recent convert to caching found them a great place to combine two hobbies.

 

It never ceases to amaze me how many people go out totally unprepared for anything except sunshine, or whatever the weather was when they left the car.

 

On a recent caching trip my wife and I were out walking in rain that varied between light and torrential. We were out in waterproof coats, waterproof trousers, with bright orange rain ponchos over the top to keep our backpacks as dry as possible (the backpacks contained water, food, sugar, torches, spare batteries etc etc etc). Along our walk we came across a group of about four adults with one pushchair, three small children and two waterproofs between all of them. Naturally they were grumbling about the weather, how they were supposed to get back in it and how it was ruining their holiday. Luckily for them the infamous Dartmoor mists didn't descend as well.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have a questio, did your GPS have a backtrack feature?

[WH]

Yes it does. Since this was my first GPS and I was quite the geocaching newbie, I had no idea the feature even existed let alone how to use it.

[DiverMan]

 

Now theres just a small matter of where my car is. Since I didn't mark the car's location and the area was FILLED with these little dirt roads, I took an additional hour of driving up and down these roads before we found it.

 

 

A similar thing happened while deer hunting in the Sierra's this year. But I did mark my location with my Legend. I was separated from my hunting party while hunting and because we left before sunrise, I was a little disoriented from where we left. All I had to do during the hunt was see where the waypoint was and I was reassured of my location. I had no problem getting back to my truck. When I got back, I took time to practice reading my map to determine my location on the map based on the current GPS reading. I then reinforced my compass skills and orienteering.

 

It was worth taking the couple of minutes to mark the waypoint and the half hour or so re-learing my compass skills.

 

My compass, map, GPS, and spare batteries are standard issue equipment in my hipsack/backpack.

 

Just another testimony of a lesson learned.

 

This is a prime thread to quote a famous fellow cacher (with good intentions): "Happy caching and STUFF".

[+Shuecrew]

check out the hunting vests I got for my dogs... too cute, huh?

[+nfa]

Common sense and the following items will keep you out of most jams:

• orange hats or vests in hunting season
  
• poly-pro gloves and socks and hat (take up no room, and keep you warm)
  
• lighter
  
• compass
  
• cell phone
  
• water
  
• space blanket
  
• candy
  
• 1st aid kit
  
• multi-tool
  

I make a point of telling someone where I'm going, and when I'll be back. I also look for a "bug-out bearing", a direction I can use to hike out if something goes wrong.

 

This may seem like overkill to cachers used to banging around Walmart parking lots for micros, but if you are hiking miles from the road, this kind of thinking can make a big difference (it has been my experience that people who plan for the worst seldom find themselves in those situations).

 

nfa-jamie

[+rusty_tlc]

.... (it has been my experience that people who plan for the worst seldom find themselves in those situations).

 

nfa-jamie

Sage words.

[uperdooper]

That was YOU?  Man we had a good time with that in the forums  .

I missed that thread because I did not start posting in the forums until quite a while afterwards.

 

Please, no markwells. Id rather not read it.

how about a markwell for the people who want to point at the dino. and laugh?