Policy update – What questions do YOU have

[GrouseTalesParticipant]

It looks like We’ll be meeting with the DNR in the very near future to put the final touches on the DNR’s Geocaching policy.

As an GC.com approver, I have lots of questions regarding the policy. Most of my questions involve determining the boundaries of State Land and what to do with the existing caches out there already. We have over 2000 Geocaches in Wisconsin, and I bet the majority are on state lands.

Geocachers will be required to obtain written permission from the property manager. We plan to have a form posted on our website to facilitate that. Somehow cache approvers will need to verify that permission has been obtained. You can also bet that most people won’t have a clue about the policy until their cache gets archived.

Before we meet with the DNR, I would like to know if YOU, the members, have any questions about the policy. I haven’t seen the exact language yet. I would like your questions, and NOT any suggested language changes.

The DNR policy will probably be the one posted Here.

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“There are two kinds of hunting: ordinary hunting and grouse hunting.”
-Aldo Leopold, A sand county Almanac

Brian
WGA President
Grousetales at wi-geocaching dot com
KC9GMW

[CathunterMember]

My first request to the DNR would be to give us a list of contacts (including e-mail adresses) for each parcel of state land. These contacts should be familiar with geocaching and the policy. We shouldn’t have to hunt people down only to find out that they have no idea what we are talking about.

Geocaching is as common or will soon be as common as horseback riding or snowshoeing. It would be ideal if the state park websites had a page that laid down the park managers guidelines BEFORE a geocachers goes looking for a place to hide a cache.

I would also respectfully request that the 12 month rule be made a suggestion that can be overridden by the park manager.

[Cheesehead DaveParticipant]

Just a heads-up that the linked policy references Buxley’s maps which are no longer current.

[Mama FishcacherMember]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cheesehead Dave:
Just a heads-up that the linked policy references Buxley’s maps which are no longer current.

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And that makes me sad. I liked Buxley’s maps….

~MF

[Mama FishcacherMember]

I have a question:

Is the meeting set up yet? Will the policy be implemented soon? I have an area in mind for placing a cache, and it’s DNR land….

Oh wait. That was two questions.

~MF

[CathunterMember]

quote:

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Originally posted by fishcachers:
I have a question:

Is the meeting set up yet? Will the policy be implemented soon? I have an area in mind for placing a cache, and it’s DNR land….

Oh wait. That was two questions.

~MF

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The thing to do at this point is play it as if the policy has been in place. If you don’t get permission to hide a cache, it will be removed once the policy is in place if you have not taken the proper steps.

I tend to believe that even long after the policy is in place, we will still have plenty of park employees who know nothing of it. It’s up to the hiders to make the introductions and get the permissions, or else we will all have a black eye in the future.

[wzbt03Member]

I have to ask the simple question:

Has Geocaching had a negative impact on any area currently administered by the DNR?

Last time I checked the purpose of having State Parks was so that people would have natural areas to enjoy recreation of their choice as they desire.

Are there restrictions on scuba divers at Devils Lake?

How about horses in the Kettle Moraine area, are owners required to register where their horses leave a load behind?

Kids build a sand castle on a beach in a state park, must they register it?

The list could go on and on.

Too much ado about nothing.

Perhaps the DNR would not have to experience staffing cuts if more people actually used all the parks.
Funny how they can never have a person to staff the admission gate but always find time to check cars and issue fines on everyone who is parked there without a sticker.

Go to Missouri (just an example I know of) and enjoy what is like to be welcome at a state park and laughed at when you ask if they charge a fee.

I think our admission fee we already pay for geocachers to use the parks should cover the very small amount of hollow logs we use in our sport.

I may be in the minority with my opinion but Wisconsin just has too many rules and too many taxes and fees.

[EnergySaverMember]

To a couple of wzbt03’s questions/comments …

– I don’t think from what I’ve read so far, there are plans to have a fee to pay but just a form to complete.

– I think the DNR and more importantly the local Rangers, have a right to know where something is hidden in there park. One reason to make sure it’s not in a “nature sensitive area”; Harrington Beach for example, does not allow pets on certain trail areas, to protect certain species, they also “don’t like it” when people leave the trails in those, but the remaining 99% of the park is ok for these activities. Also, in case a muggler finds a container it’s good for park management to know that it’s ok, rather than some sort of threatening situation.

… just my 2 cents, from working with my friendly neighborhood park rangers.

[jthorsonParticipant]

I’d like to make a non–specific response to wzbt03’s recent post:

One of the creepiest episodes of the old Twilight Zone series was the story of a small town, where a child named Timmy lived. Timmy had the power to make disappear, in horrible ways, those who didn’t think ‘happy thoughts’. The town survived by patronizing Timmy. Most of the episode was about the angst among the adults who said it wasn’t right, but it was all irrelevant, because Timmy had the power.

In another town, called WGA, there is another child, named unmmm……. DNRy.
DNRy also needed to be patronized. Everything the people of WGA did, from the meetings with DNRy, to incorporation, to registration forms are the equivalent of ‘happy thoughts’, knowing that DNRy could make caches disappear in an instant. Lots of angst about if it was right, but it was all irrelevant because DNRy had the power.

I’m still spending time finalizing our relationship with the IRS because of the incorporation needed for the DNR.

In another town there, was a little girl named IRSy …

[This message has been edited by jthorson (edited 03-16-2005).]

[wzbt03Member]

I love the story Jeff and only wish I could watch that particular episode of The Twilight Zone.

One minor point is that in the Thorson version with the DNRy, they are not the ultimate power. The voters of Wisconsin can send happy thoughts through the right channels through their ASSEMBLy people and the SENATEy in Wisconsin.

Politics have cured many instances of bad behavior in the past.

For now I realize we will leave it to the board to handle this issue and resort to extremes if little DNRy gets out of hand.

[GrouseTalesParticipant]

quote:

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Originally posted by fishcachers:
I have a question:

Is the meeting set up yet? Will the policy be implemented soon? I have an area in mind for placing a cache, and it’s DNR land….

~MF

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The policy has been passed around the DNR, but the WGA admins won’t be able to enforce it until after we meet with the DNR. We have lots of little details to work out.

Thanks for everyone’s questions.

[Author]

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