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One of the Multis I’ve eyed on several ocassions but never attempted. I’d like to joing in the FUN on finding this one. I’ll plan on being at the meeting Coordinates at 3PM. Thanks!
Thanks BQ!! Always nice hunting Multis with you. In fact, I would not be at 1300 now if I had not cached with you a few times this past year!! Just looked at my stats, and I’ve done exactly 400 Multis for the year, but it’s getting a lot harder to keep up with that count now, since I have to drive nearly 75 miles to get to any Multis! Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. Thanks everyone!
No matter where you have the cut-off it will be the same issue you mentioned. If you have it open for only the first 3 weeks of the month, then someone who nominates a cache in the last few days of the open period, will likely not win either for the same reasons you mentioned. I know there have been a number of discussions around the COTM, but to me, the voting should be open ONLY for “NEW” Caches in the previous month. For example, the caches that were activated in the Month of September, would be eligible for Voting in the Month of October. At the end of October, you would announce the September Cache Of The Month. This method would eliminate the issues with late enteries and would more accurately reflect the name “Cache Of The Month”
Looks like the Minnesota Geocaching Association got it right. Even after Geocaching was banned, they don’t require a DNR Notification Form. This is the way is SHOULD be. Congratulation to the MNGCA!!
How about a “Treasure” of Geo-Cachers?
Found the following Post over in the General area by sweetlife.
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“Just a note to all who have placed caches in the Peshtigo River State Forest. The WDNR will be removing your caches soon if you don’t get the approval form filed with them. Here is the link http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/parks/other/pdfs/form2500-118.pdf
We received a email recently that our cache was removed from Gov Thompson State Park and we could pick it up at the office or fill out the form, get it approved, then replace the cache. We have done the latter, we are waiting for the placement to be approved then will re hide the cache.”Guess I’m not surprised to see that the DNR said one thing to the WGA and are now not applying what they said consistently. I would expect to see spotty application of the Policy based on how each land manager decides to interpret the Policy.
@GrouseTales wrote:
The policy is retroactive. That means that all existing caches on State Owned lands need to have the Notification form filled out and mailed to the property manager. Please check the caches you own, and if on DNR lands, fill out the form and mail it in. The property managers have indicated they want to know where geocaches are on the lands they manage.
This does not sound like it’s voluntary
@Lostby7 wrote:
Frankly I think it will be a very long time (if ever)…before the DNR starts pulling caches without them. But who knows?
I thought the whole idea here was to be proactive with the DNR. If notifications are not sent to the DNR for caches already on DNR Land, when/if they find them they will assume we are deliberately not abiding by the Policy. Wouldn’t that be more of a reason than they had before the Policy to ban Geocaching? Before you could plead ignorance, now it’s a deliberate violation. I don’t think we have any choice. Caches on DNR Land must have notifications sent in, or they must be pulled and archived, otherwise we are in viloation of the Policy.
@Buy_The_Tie wrote:
When we were meeting with the DNR, they mentioned that they were getting asked by local cities and parks departments about how they were handling geocaching.
I would expect to see some local parks departments adopting the DNR policy.
Way better than just saying “NO” to geocaches.
Not jumping to conclusions. The comment was based on what is actually taking place. I think we pretty much have to expect other land managers will expect at least the same level of notifications as the DNR Land managers.
So, has everybody started submitting the forms for caches already on DNR land? and when does that have to be done before caches have to removed and archived?
Obviously I’d prefer NOT to have special rules for county parks and municipalities either. But now that they know we have a policy with the DNR and they are talking to each other, seems likely they will want some kind of Policy as well. Doubtful they’ll just adopt the DNR Policy, as it won’t quite fit what they want to accomplish, so they’ll all eventually come out with their Geocaching Policy to which we will be obligated to ahere to.
So we should expect in the not too distant future, a form to fill out and send it to land managers for every public land in order to place a cache? Hard enough finding out who the few managers are for State land. Can’t imagine how difficult it will be to find who the land manager is for every piece of public land……..
If having a Policy with the DNR is Good for caches on state land, then it should also be Good to have a Policy with the management of every other public property. Right? All the arguments for a DNR Policy would apply to those as well it would seem to me. Why would the managers of County and City Parks across the state feel any different about the lands they manage. Shouldn’t we proactively seek a Policy from them as well? In fact, we have more to loose from being banded from like Milwaukee County Parks & City Parks than we do from State Land, since there are a lot more caches on County & City land than on State Land.
My Beef with the DNR Policy is this……… Who else in the General Public (Of which we, Geocachers are a part of), has to Notify the DNR that they intend to use a specific piece of DNR land?? Does a Hunter have to notify the DNR that they are going to Hunt on a particular piece of DNR land? NO. Does a Hunter have to notify the DNR that they are going to put up a deer stand? (I doubt it) Does a Fisherman have to notify the DNR that they intend to fish on a particular lake? NO. Does a Snowmobiler have to Notify the DNR that they intend to use a particular DNR Trail? NO. Or a Skier that they intend to be skiing on a particular piece of DNR land. NO. Even in the SNA, I know of no other members of the public that have to notify the DNR they intend to use DNR land. Does the DNR have a problem with ALL Hunters when they find out some hunter has done something he shouldn’t have done, and then just band Hunting on DNR land? NO. Does the DNR ban boating on lakes managed by the DNR because a few boaters violate some rules or use the waterways inappropriately? NO. Does the DNR Ban Hiking on DNR land because they find that some hikers have left trash along the paths (Not to my knowledge, or there wouldn’t be any trails to hike on now) How do you think all the other users of DNR land would feel if THEY had to send in a Notification form so they don’t upset the DNR in their use of DNR land? and then have the possibility of being told NO, you can’t use the land. As tax payers we have bought the land, pay to have it maintained, pay to use it (you know that $20 a year annual sticker fee) and then are told you must notify us if you want to actually USE the land??? That’s why I say I wish we had never approached the DNR about the use of DNR land for Geocaching!! By doing so, we’ve given them way more control than they should have, and in doing so we are the community that must pay the price for allowing them to “Tell us what we MUST do” It’s wrong, especially when they have very few cases where a geocache has actually caused a problem. In fact, I’m absolutely SURE they have had more trouble with Hunting, Fishing, Boating and just about any other thing people use DNR land for, than they have, or ever will have with Geocaching, yet they don’t band any of those activities. I refuse to submit a form telling the DNR I’ll be using State land for Geocaching. Of course, I’ll have to live by that decision as we can’t approve our own caches, which to me will mean, “No caches on DNR land” OK, this is all I’m going to say on this subject, no use beating on a dead horse.
There really won’t be much of a problem here in Wisconsin with caches on DNR land, because very few will go to that much effort to get them approved. So, the end result will be the same, No caches on DNR land. Does it really matter if it comes by way of the DNR saying, “No Caching allowed” or by default “No one placing caches on DNR land”?
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