Do you cache in the woods during big game hunting season?
When I first started caching, I tended to avoid the woods during big game hunting season. In the years since, I have relaxed my position. I still take precautions, such as not wearing brown, trying to remember to wear hunters orange, and I try to avoid the woods on the weekends, when many hunters are in the woods. I try to avoid opening and closing day as well, just to avoid the excited/desperate hunters.
I’ve come to realize that I have met very few hunters in the woods while caching. This year I met 2 bird hunters who were parkked right beside a cache, so I staopped to chat as they must be cachers parked, of all places they could along that road, within feet of the cache. This year I also came across the fish and wildlife officers on a backroad in Albert county during Moose season. They quickly realized I wasn’t hunting, asked if I was geocaching, and if I had seen or heard any hunters in my travels.
Last year, while outside of Halifax, I was travelling some unplowed backroads and breaking trail. I was stopping at caches every 200m or so, and when I looked back, there was a parked truck that wasn’t therre a few minutes before. After another few minutes, the truck moved again and caught up. It turned out to be another wildlife officer. She was following my tracks and actually footprints in the woods, thinking I might be a trapper and was checking that I had the proper permits and was using the proper baiting techniques. We chatted a bit and I mentioned a flurry of shots and the direction that I had heard in the distance earlier in the day, and off she went.
Trying to think back, I don’t think I have ever actually run into big game hunters while caching, and the few bird/rabbit hunters I have met are usually more out for a walk/ride with a shotgun, just in case they see a bird.
I know some cachers avoid the woods during hunting season. How about you?
our fall hiking backpack ALWAYS has lots of hunter orange vests for us and anyone who happens to come along with us.
we haven’t ever run across any hunters either in our short hiking career since 2011, but there’s no reason no to be safe 🙂
I will avoid the days for Moose hunting as a respect thing for the few who are fortunate enough to be selected in the draw. Deer season is just like any other month except for the harassment from the Game Wardens and the drunk drivers. I do get a little nervous during Black Bear season but mostly by the Bears who are being fed from containers that look a lot like Geocaches. Maybe my attitude will change if I’m ever shot at but with a few precautions I feel more relaxed caching in the woods than I do caching in Town.
We have avoided the woods in hunting season, long before geocaching. The Outdoor Enthusiasts club would hike in Parks on Saturdays. Now they have to do that on Sundays also.
A few years ago we did some caching on the Catamount Trail on the first day of deer season. We saw no hunters or deer but we saw moose.
We were completely covered in bright orange and I think we were visible from space.
I wear orange but I have no fear of caching during hunting season.
Your safer in the woods than your drive to the cache in your car.
Hunted for years, A bullet doesn’t go far in the woods before it spends itself
on trees.
Never heard of a cacher being accidentally shot during hunting season yet.
After being confronted in the city by not so understanding members of the police force I’d honestly rather be tromping through the woods, with hunter’s orange of course. I hunt as well so I can understand some cacher’s hesitation in heading in the woods during this time of year with some of the hunters that don’t exactly follow the rules, like the idiots shooting from their truck. Roll down the window and start shooting from their seat, yikes.
I don’t avoid it. I am more aware, and wear hunter orange. I also try to be more respectful of other’s rights to enjoy the woods; if I see a truck parked at the start of a trail, and feel confident that it is a hunter, I go to another area as I would hate to unintentionally spoil their hunt.
The deer might appreciate you taking the first trail
A hunter was parked at a gas station in Port Elgin last week, showing off the deer in the back of his pick up. Everyone was admiring it. I noticed how beautiful it was and its sad eyes.
Did Paulie’s Star Trek series today with Belladan. It is in Albert County so we definitely needed our orange.