The WGA – More than just a social club?

[Team Black-Cat]

@jseymour84 wrote:

The short version of my point is that I would like to see the WGA become more active in the non-social aspects of its mission: working with state legislators, advancing the sport through education and public awareness, and organizing more events in other parts of the state for geocachers who may not know about the West Bend Cache Ba$h or may not be able to get down there for it.

Please keep in mind the the Cache Ba$h is NOT a WGA event. The WGA is involved, but that event is organized and hosted by the West Bend Chamber of Commerce.

Most of the things that you mention have and are currently being done. The WGA hosts two “bigger” events, the spring campout and the fall picnic, every year in addition to several CITO events. We do what we can with our limited resources to reach as many Wisconsin cachers as possible by moving the events around the state each year. There have been several 101 type classes at different locations around the state put on by WGA members. There is ongoing communications with the WDNR and DOT as well as city lawmakers.

@jseymour84 wrote:

…Maybe a monthly newsletter or something sent out to the members via email that features a top ten list of different classes of caches such as top ten family parks, or top ten outdoor adventures, or top ten park and grabs.

We create a newsletter and try to stick to a quarterly schedule. We also have the Cache of the Month, which highlights at least five great caches in the state.

There is a lot of information and resources available in the Information Center.

[Crow-T-Robot]

I know it’s been talked about online before, but down in the SW part of the country they use an alternative rating system that’s pretty interesting. I believe it uses a combination of cache longevity and number of finders (i.e. harder caches don’t get hit as often and that makes them more “valuable” to the score) It’s only one example, and I think there are lots of ways to represent the “score”.

Maybe the LCG scoring system could be adapted for this purpose.

I do think the WGA should take on a mentoring role, especially to new cache hiders/finders. I don’t attend events, so perhaps the WGA already does this, but it sure seems like events are more about “come out and meet some fellow cachers and yuck it up for awhile and then go caching” than about teaching/learning about good cache placements and ethics. That’s all fine and good from a social aspect but it does nothing to curb the explosion of thoughtless micros hidden in front yards.

If GC.com isn’t going to, and it isn’t, then the WGA needs to pick up the torch in an effort to bring a sense of adventure back to geocaching. To a new cacher, finding a film canister behind a guardrail can be a big thrill. Same with a nano on a stop sign or a bison tube in a bush. After the newness wears off, those cachers will either seek out more challenging/adventurous caches or give up the game entirely, wondering how anyone could enjoy doing something so repetitive. If they never leave the city, they may believe that caches are little more than film cans and nanos hidden in nondescript places. Why waste gas to find those?

[uws22]

I know it’s been talked about online before, but down in the SW part of the country they use an alternative rating system that’s pretty interesting. I believe it uses a combination of cache longevity and number of finders (i.e. harder caches don’t get hit as often and that makes them more “valuable” to the score) It’s only one example, and I think there are lots of ways to represent the “score”.

ask and you shall receive…

Deep Southwest Geocaching Project

If you look on my geocaching profile, I still have stats accruing. Hopefully I can add to them next month on a little visit back to LA and Yuma. I liked the big adventure idea… even three years removed I have a top 10 back country rating in one AZ area, a #1 puzzle rating in a CA area, and a top 100 exceptional challenge.

My DGP Rating

[CodeJunkie]

@uws22 wrote:

I know it’s been talked about online before, but down in the SW part of the country they use an alternative rating system that’s pretty interesting. I believe it uses a combination of cache longevity and number of finders (i.e. harder caches don’t get hit as often and that makes them more “valuable” to the score) It’s only one example, and I think there are lots of ways to represent the “score”.

ask and you shall receive…

Deep Southwest Geocaching Project

If you look on my geocaching profile, I still have stats accruing. Hopefully I can add to them next month on a little visit back to LA and Yuma. I liked the big adventure idea… even three years removed I have a top 10 back country rating in one AZ area, a #1 puzzle rating in a CA area, and a top 100 exceptional challenge.

My DGP Rating

This is exactly what I was referring to. I think I could calculate the values in a GSAK macro pretty easy, but I’m missing one critical piece of information which is the total number of finds.

[jenhen1]

Article II: Purposes
The purposes of the WGA are to:

–Work as closely as possible with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and other property management officials to protect the rights of individuals to geocache in the state of Wisconsin.
–Provide an opportunity for geocachers in the State of Wisconsin to gather and socialize with one another.
–Promote the “Cache In Trash Out” and “Leave No Trace” programs to help in the maintenance of parks and trail systems.
–Educate Wisconsin geocachers about the responsible use of natural resources and educate non-geocachers about the sport of geocaching

I would personally add another purpose:
–To work closely with law enforcement and local lawmakers to ensure a safe, civil and sustainable hobby.

First and foremost I would propose the WGA organize a panel of law enforcement officials and lawmakers and come up with a revised set of Wisconsin cache placement guidelines. These new guidelines need not be about quality, but about public safety, property respect and the avoidance of public nuisances. The quality issues would undoubtedly take care of themselves. With the cooperation of the WGA and law enforcement I firmly believe Groundspeak would support this proactive approach. Reviewers are allowed to approve caches based on local ordinances and I believe a set of Wisconsin guidelines that were drawn up with the cooperation of law enforcement would be respected.

Do I believe that we in Wisconsin know better than Groundspeak about responsible cache placing in our own backyard? Yes I do. And I agree that if City Hall saw an overlay of where caches are placed in their city, most would be shocked and not very happy.

[zuma]

@jenhen1 wrote:

Article II: Purposes
The purposes of the WGA are to:

–Work as closely as possible with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and other property management officials to protect the rights of individuals to geocache in the state of Wisconsin.
–Provide an opportunity for geocachers in the State of Wisconsin to gather and socialize with one another.
–Promote the “Cache In Trash Out” and “Leave No Trace” programs to help in the maintenance of parks and trail systems.
–Educate Wisconsin geocachers about the responsible use of natural resources and educate non-geocachers about the sport of geocaching

I would personally add another purpose:
–To work closely with law enforcement and local lawmakers to ensure a safe, civil and sustainable hobby.

First and foremost I would propose the WGA organize a panel of law enforcement officials and lawmakers and come up with a revised set of Wisconsin cache placement guidelines. These new guidelines need not be about quality, but about public safety, property respect and the avoidance of public nuisances. The quality issues would undoubtedly take care of themselves. With the cooperation of the WGA and law enforcement I firmly believe Groundspeak would support this proactive approach. Reviewers are allowed to approve caches based on local ordinances and I believe a set of Wisconsin guidelines that were drawn up with the cooperation of law enforcement would be respected.

Do I believe that we in Wisconsin know better than Groundspeak about responsible cache placing in our own backyard? Yes I do. And I agree that if City Hall saw an overlay of where caches are placed in their city, most would be shocked and not very happy.

I like your idea to add another sentence to our mission statement in our bylaws.

There is a process where we can amend the bylaws, and if the majority of folks here think we should add that sentence, we could do it, and I would support it.

z

[CodeJunkie]

@jenhen1 wrote:

And I agree that if City Hall saw an overlay of where caches are placed in their city, most would be shocked and not very happy.

I’m not necessarily convinced of this for at least 3 reasons:
1) West Bend – Need I say more?
2) My local police chief is a cacher and I’ve talked with him. He’s also one of the “high positions” on the Wisconsin Police Chiefs Association (or similar as I don’t recall the exact name). He’s well aware and has been helping to educate others. I’ve also talked with my alderman who’s also a cacher and doesn’t see any concerns with the density issues.
3) Permits / Notification – The DNR requires notification and can reject a placement based on various reasons (being proactive here is a great help). Milwaukee County (??) has also started requiring permits which are another way to track what’s out there.

[Ashen15]

@CodeJunkie wrote:

@jenhen1 wrote:

And I agree that if City Hall saw an overlay of where caches are placed in their city, most would be shocked and not very happy.

I’m not necessarily convinced of this for at least 3 reasons:
1) West Bend – Need I say more?
2) My local police chief is a cacher and I’ve talked with him. He’s also one of the “high positions” on the Wisconsin Police Chiefs Association (or similar as I don’t recall the exact name). He’s well aware and has been helping to educate others. I’ve also talked with my alderman who’s also a cacher and doesn’t see any concerns with the density issues.
3) Permits / Notification – The DNR requires notification and can reject a placement based on various reasons (being proactive here is a great help). Milwaukee County (??) has also started requiring permits which are another way to track what’s out there.

After talking to my friend in SC and what was mentioned about that state in the WSQ topic I don’t see how encouraging more government oversight would be helpful. Notifying departments to CYA & for safety is one thing. Encouraging laws regulating caching is another.

[Author]

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