Confusing feedback from DNR

[Lostby7]

I inquired about creating a night cache using firetacks at a state park…the response I got back was puzzling at best…but I understand a “No” when I read one.

I was told that aside from there not being enough dark hours at the part I would not be allowed to leave behind any “personal property/litter on state land.” In the same email he offers me the DNR form for placement of my geocache which is actually “personal property/litter.” OK am I thick here or is he confused about what geocaches are? Geocaches are not usually virtual and they do generally just sit around in the woods….even on state land.

Fire tacks are no different than any other markers for a stage of a multi cache. I would understand denying the use of the tacks due to possible damage to trees, or the issue on not having enough dark time in that particular park but to deny the placement of the tacks outright because they are “litter” confuses the heck out of me. By that logic no multi would be allowed if it had a physical marker for a stage…and no geocache either for that matter…

I didn’t even know how to reply back to him on this as he just seemed so confused and again I do understand a NO when I see it…and I got a no.

[gotta run]

Better not be any hunters using that land! 😯

On the Left Side of the Road...

[Lostby7]

…he told me he’d be happy to discuss placement at another park with longer hours…again confusing me as he had already stated that he would not allow me to litter the park with the firetacks.

Seriously, I’m stumped on this correspondence. I really long for those days of being able to fly under the radar. All I want to do now is place caches on property I personally own.

[CacheNoTrace]

Don’t get me wrong, I really love night caches, but I personally do not think they should be in State Parks. One reason is that is it harder to stay on the trail which would result in widening existing trails which could lead to more erosion. Another reason is that we really do not pay attention on where we are walking during night caches which could result to trampling on flowers, moss, lichen, etc which could be very hard to replace.

Night caches are a special breed of caches and personally I feel that they are better used in county, city parks or along a trail system on public land, not on state parks.

This is my honest opinion on this.

[Mister Greenthumb]

Which Park was it?

[Lostby7]

@CacheNoTrace wrote:

Don’t get me wrong, I really love night caches, but I personally do not think they should be in State Parks.

Fair enough..though it would have been set up with the ecology in mind and on trail until the final…which was the plan I gave to the park folks as well.

@Mister Greenthumb wrote:

Which Park was it?

I will PM you; I’m not going to call out a particular park or park staff member on the boards…

[sandlanders]

We put in a family-friendly night cache at Roche-A-Cri last fall before the WGA picnic. The park manager approved everything. It uses fire tacks and reflectors. Then when he was out there this spring, he said there were way too many fire tacks, so take some out, which we did (about half). Then he retired, and the acting manger said to move the night cache because it used a service road, and not to use fire tacks in the new location. I explained how the cache worked, and we were allowed to leave it in. We still might pull it anyway.

The DNR land near us would not be good for a night cache with fire tacks because we have seen fire tacks there already that hunters have put out to lead them to or from their hunting spots. We are told that fire tacks can spook horses, so don’t use them on horse trails.

Don’t really know what’s a good place to put a night cache. I just thought that state parks would be perfect for night caches because all the campers could look for them.

[labrat_wr]

@sandlanders wrote:

The DNR land near us would not be good for a night cache with fire tacks because we have seen fire tacks there already that hunters have put out to lead them to or from their hunting spots.

just up the D level 🙂

Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.

[sandlanders]

… or really mess with the hunters!

[Hotdogs_Off_Trail]

We have what we consider a really nice night cache in a state park in Arkansas GC1B1AA Reflections in the Night). We used larger reflectors (so they could be farther apart), placed on bird house posts, telephone posts, and stumps, so as not to hurt any trees. The “trail” is an open area… we send the cache hunters around a large tree island to a stump we brought in for the purpose. then we lead them back to their vehicle with a different colored reflector, so no one gets lost. the Park Manager and wife even went out and found it.
If done correctly, night caches can be safe, and Park and family friendly.

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