Watch out!

Geocaching is fun. We get out of the house, we hike around, maybe find new areas we never knew where there and have a good time. However, there are some potential hazards we should be aware of. Of course different parts of the country will have different things to watch out for, but in general many of the topics I will discuss apply across the board. Most of this information is common sense, but it is easy to overlook things we might not be familiar with. 
Keep in mind that at some point you will probably venture into the "wilderness" to look for a cache. In NE Ohio we have large (and small) areas of trees and plants that we usually refer to as "woods." Other similar areas are deserts, forests, jungles, etc. 

•  Poisonous Plants: We have A LOT of poison ivy here in the Midwest. I didn't realize the the seriousness of poison ivy until my youngest son got into some...while geocaching. He was out of school for a week. Simply using the "leaves of three, let it be." is not enough. There are several plants with three leaves that are non toxic and some like poison sumac has 7 to 13 leaves on a branch. Thorns are another hazard to be aware of. I have found myself trapped in a forest of thorn bushes and exited with battle wounds.

Poison Ivy

Poison Ivy

• Dangerous creatures: This group includes insects and parasites as well as animals and humans. As always, while in the wilderness, watch for creatures like snakes, skunks, ticks, mosquitoes, scorpions, spiders and hunters. I have been out caching and come across hunters placing their tree blinds. 

• Dangerous landscapes: While geocaching it is common to pay more attention to your GPS than where you are walking. It is easy to step into a hole or trip over a log or rock, slide down a slope or (gasp!) walk off of a cliff.

• Trespassing: Geocache owners are supposed to get permission from the property owner before hiding a cache on private property. However, caches may be hidden in a area that abuts private property and you may accidentally trespass. I like to scout out an area  using either Google maps or the geocaching website (which uses Google maps) before going out.

• Stranger danger: You may be venturing into unfamiliar areas so it's not a bad idea for bring a friend while geocaching. There are some areas where walking around with high tech equipment just isn't a good idea. The buddy system is also a good idea when hiking in case someone gets hurt.

If you cache while traveling, be sure to know a little about the hazards for the area you will be searching. I was working in southern Tennessee and found a nice, big tick on my sock after I returned to the hotel. A full body check was in order after that discovery.
So go out there and have fun, but use common sense, be prepared and educate yourself.