NJ State Policy for Geocaching
- Thread starter ecampbell
- Start date
The regs state that "a cache can not be placed more than 10 feet from a designated trail or road shoulder or at the Superintendent/Area Manager or designee's discretion based on site condition and sensitive habitat". So my general question here is why? I get the sensitive and hsitoric areas but is there such a boom in geocaching they are afraid of mass traffic in most areas? How does this differ from general exploring 10+ feet off of a trail or road? I know not everyone is of the "leave it as you find it" mentality so I loosely see a point in the 10 foot rule. What is the consenus on how this may effect hiking in general? I know the PBXers are into hiking non-trails and finding the obscure, which I enjoy reading about and hope to witness first hand one day, I am hoping this rule doesnt bleed over and turn into a "hiking policy"
I briefly delved into the geocaching thing just long enough to realize that the majority do not seem to want to go more then ten feet off a trail.I was basically cussed out because I put on on an island at makepeace that is surrounded by briars and only one way in and at the time I didn't know the way so i crawled in and got tore up and left the cache.Well some folks tried to get it,got tore up never made it and went back and cussed me out on the site and swore I dropped it in by helicopter.Later I found a real good deer trail in and that the only way i ever found in there without getting damaged and the deer trail is not real obvious.Anyway they can make all the rules they want, "I don't need no stinking trail"!
My wife and I used to do geocaching quite regularly. We haven't been doing it in 10-years or so. Loved doing it.
Whoa. My husband and I were pretty active geocachers when we were in NJ. This rule affects a great number of caches in the state, especially in the pines. We placed several while we lived there, and I think this would affect almost all of them.
As a rule, I found geocachers to be pretty responsible and respectful of the surroundings, and quite often took other people's trash out with them. "Cache in, trash out" is the rule. However, we did almost always find them by locating the cacher trail in the natural foliage, which seems to happen pretty quickly upon cache placement.
I know placement of geocaches has been a controversial issue amongst the piney folks of this forum, which I fully understand. I admit that I did not think much about it until I stumbled upon NJPinebarrens.com, and agree that there are places where geocaches do not belong. Particularly when they are placed directly in sensitive ruins. We found one, I believe it was at the Hampton Furnace, that involved an actual piece of the ruins that was removed and then used to cover the cache.
But I digress.
I think this new policy will hurt geocaching in NJ quite a bit. I am not sure how I feel about this, having enjoyed some really amazing spots in the pines that I would not otherwise have found. I am of two minds.
As a rule, I found geocachers to be pretty responsible and respectful of the surroundings, and quite often took other people's trash out with them. "Cache in, trash out" is the rule. However, we did almost always find them by locating the cacher trail in the natural foliage, which seems to happen pretty quickly upon cache placement.
I know placement of geocaches has been a controversial issue amongst the piney folks of this forum, which I fully understand. I admit that I did not think much about it until I stumbled upon NJPinebarrens.com, and agree that there are places where geocaches do not belong. Particularly when they are placed directly in sensitive ruins. We found one, I believe it was at the Hampton Furnace, that involved an actual piece of the ruins that was removed and then used to cover the cache.
But I digress.
I think this new policy will hurt geocaching in NJ quite a bit. I am not sure how I feel about this, having enjoyed some really amazing spots in the pines that I would not otherwise have found. I am of two minds.
I think the issue is not fully the hiding of the caches. I suspect people have become lost, hurt, or have damaged places while looking for them. That may be the reason they want them without a short distance from roads. Plus, it makes it easier for the authorities to check on things.
so does this mean everyone has to hit the woods and pull those off the beaten track caches out of the woods?Is stone hunting next? Only stones within ten feet from a trail are huntable? I don't think huntable is a word according to spell check.Also just what is a trail? An old road? A human trail,deer trail?How is this enforceable? Will they search the geocache site and then come to your house and drag you out in cuffs or will they wait at the cache and bust people as they walk up and scream GOTCHYA!
When they are published, the coordinates show where they are. The approvers, I am assuming, will be the police in this matter.
The State can't properly staff its parks, can't afford to place trash containers in parks and forests, can't fund the preservation of its historic resources but they can find the time and designate staff to monitor geocache placement ?
BULLS%IT !
BULLS%IT !
My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed Geocaching and we have several planted in very remote areas of the Pines under her screen name. People that have found our most remote ones have always been appreciative of the beating that they endured to find them.
I suppose we are finished planting them now because there is no way that I will fall into line with the ridiculous and burdensome new policy. I suppose we will be notified that we are in violation if we don't yank what we have out there.
God I love this State.
I suppose we are finished planting them now because there is no way that I will fall into line with the ridiculous and burdensome new policy. I suppose we will be notified that we are in violation if we don't yank what we have out there.
God I love this State.
We've been to a couple of Cardlady caches.
This policy pretty much ends Geocaching as we practice it. I have a couple out from 2004, still visited regularly, shame to see them go. I think very little that is currently in Wharton would be in compliance of the new rules.
This policy pretty much ends Geocaching as we practice it. I have a couple out from 2004, still visited regularly, shame to see them go. I think very little that is currently in Wharton would be in compliance of the new rules.