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Thread: More public relations...

  1. #1
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    Default More public relations...

    Has anyone read the article about geocachins [that's really how it was spelled ] in the March issue of the Maine Sportsman? I saw the cover while waiting in a sandwich shop but am too cheap to pay $3.50 for the magazine.

  2. #2
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    Default Read the cache description pages.

    My two cents on good PR. It is the cachers responsibility to read the cache description. Especially when considering there may be directions on where you may or may not park or drive your vehicle. For two of the caches today, there were implicit directions not to drive a vehicle to the actual cache and that warning was ignored. Both times the excuse was, "...didn't read the whole cache description." Sorry folks, bad excuse. No matter how many times you say sorry or I won't do it again, its too late. The damage is done. I think this is bad PR and also beleive that the few who "...didn't read the whole description." will screw caching up for the rest of us. Soon we will be limited to lamp post micros because landowners won't risk having one bad egg rut up his field or wood road.

    Sorry if I'm ranting and raving but this is one of my peeves!

    Also there is no finger pointing here and no names implied. If you reply or post please do the same.

  3. #3
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    Default

    TRF - I agree with you completely, but would add just one thing. The place for the parking thing on this cache was somewhere near the top of the listing. With the very long listing it could/is very easy to miss the parking warning that is near the bottome of the listing. I can understand how it could be missed with phone calls relaying information etc. On the other cache where the "mishap" took place the warning was right up front and easy to see. Kind of hard to miss that one.

    One thing noticed was that at your cache there was lots of damage caused by vehicles that had nothing to do with caching. ATV tracks and rips, and someone spinning some tires long before any cachers ever got there. With the temps not getting above the freezing mark today and the heavy shade there thankfully any damage was greatly minimized by the ground remaining frozen. Hopefully it will no longer be an issue with the cache community and folks will park where they are supposed to.

    By the way, great write up on your cache page. Great history there!
    I'd really rather not cache, but I am helpless in the grip of my compulsion!

  4. #4
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    Default

    I haven't read the article, but I assume the article must have discussed the issues of private land owners allowing public access to their land and folks respecting that land?

    I will say one of my caches today had a stipulation about not riding in the fields . . . and for whatever reason one of the cachers made a mistake and rode in the fields. I am willing to believe that this was an honest mistake and I will not name names . . . enough said about this incident.

    However, folks need to realize that the reason I put those stipulations on this one particular cache is that my Uncle was featured in The Maine Sportsman just a few years ago . . . when a bunch of Rhode Island hunters ended up beating him up severely when my Uncle caused their car's horn continually since these hunters did not ask permission to hunt on his property and were in fact hunting fairly close to several homes.

    I won't get into the debate over whether my Uncle could have handled things differently or how seriously he was injured when the three hunters confronted him and attacked him . . . but I will say that due to those actions my family has been very reluctant to allow any public access to our land and this is the reason I put these stipulations in there (i.e. riding across the field, no night time caching, etc.) My other cache also had a stipulation against night time caching and it's a matter of respect . . . for the area and for the neighbors.

    As for myself personally I try my best to read the entire cache and follow the cacher's wishes -- if he or she (or the landowner) wants to set some requirements I am more than willing to follow those as I appreciate being allowed access on another person's land.

    Incidentally I noticed Steve that there were several tracks down to your Lovejoy cache and I was sincerely hoping that those were not made by a fellow geo-cacher today.
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

  5. #5
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by firefighterjake
    I haven't read the article, but I assume the article must have discussed the issues of private land owners allowing public access to their land and folks respecting that land?

    I will say one of my caches today had a stipulation about not riding in the fields . . . and for whatever reason one of the cachers made a mistake and rode in the fields. I am willing to believe that this was an honest mistake and I will not name names . . . enough said about this incident.
    No, not enough said as I want to add my 3 cents worth. There is NEVER an occasion when a cacher should be driving across someone's fields.



    And I've had bad experiences with hunters "from away" as well, although there were no direct confrontations.

    You must ALWAYS respect the property where're you're caching, whether it be public or private property!

  6. #6
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Gob-ler
    TRF - I agree with you completely, but would add just one thing. The place for the parking thing on this cache was somewhere near the top of the listing. With the very long listing it could/is very easy to miss the parking warning that is near the bottome of the listing. I can understand how it could be missed with phone calls relaying information etc. On the other cache where the "mishap" took place the warning was right up front and easy to see. Kind of hard to miss that one.

    One thing noticed was that at your cache there was lots of damage caused by vehicles that had nothing to do with caching. ATV tracks and rips, and someone spinning some tires long before any cachers ever got there. With the temps not getting above the freezing mark today and the heavy shade there thankfully any damage was greatly minimized by the ground remaining frozen. Hopefully it will no longer be an issue with the cache community and folks will park where they are supposed to.

    By the way, great write up on your cache page. Great history there!

    I'd like to make several comments here but don't want to start anything more than a civilized discussion.

    The damage at any cache site caused by other individuals is not really a good excuse for a cacher to cause potentially more. My children play that game, "BUT SHEEEEEE DID IT!!!!" or "BUT SHE DREW DOGS ON THE BATHROOM WALLS WITH CRAYONS!" LOL

    Your right that the freezing weather at the time of my caches release did keep the ground frozen and allows vehicles to cause minimal damage. But each vehicle causing minimal damage = Major damage. This goes back to my above statement too. If one person does it everyone will do it.

    Secondly, let me say, I will not take responsibility for where the "please don't drive in" sentence was written. Had it been at the top of the page some one would have said, "I only look at the hints at the bottom of the page." Let me reiterate my statement from my earlier post that the cacher is responsible to know whats on the cache page.

    Let all us geocachers set a good example. It seems the land trust managers from other threads are inviting geocachers onto their property. This is because we have a great reputation as being respectful and concerned over our sport and the environment.

  7. #7
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    Default

    So....what was the article about? I'm still not going to spend $3.50 to buy the paper.

  8. #8
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    Default

    Yes, I too would like to know what the article had to say about geocachins...
    Just smile it won't crack your face

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  9. #9
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    Default

    well, I'm pretty sure I know which situation is in discussion here, and in his defense by looking at his profile he is quite new to caching. Keep in mind that there are people who aren't as savvy about geocaching as most of us are when it comes to things like private property, bushwhacking, eluding cops... ect. and since most of us did have to start somewhere, most of us too did make mistakes like that. I don't think anyone should go casting stones just because a mistake was made, but I do think that it should be brought to his attention and explained so that later on in his caching life he will be more aware of his surroundings and the rules that go with them.

    and has anyone found the article yet??
    Once the game is over, the king and the pawn go back in the same box.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hiram357
    well, I'm pretty sure I know which situation is in discussion here, and in his defense by looking at his profile he is quite new to caching. Keep in mind that there are people who aren't as savvy about geocaching as most of us are when it comes to things like private property, bushwhacking, eluding cops... ect. and since most of us did have to start somewhere, most of us too did make mistakes like that. I don't think anyone should go casting stones just because a mistake was made, but I do think that it should be brought to his attention and explained so that later on in his caching life he will be more aware of his surroundings and the rules that go with them.

    and has anyone found the article yet??
    He knows his mistake and I'm pretty sure I can say with confidence that it won't happen again . . . he's a good guy and a smart guy . . . once again, an honest mistake. Live and learn. Hakuta Matata and Kumbaya . . . or something like that.
    "Courage is not the absence of fear, but the realization that there is something more important than fear."

    "Death is only one of many ways to die."

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