NorthWest Arkansas Cachers

Greetings NWA cachers,

Since I started caching back in March of this year I have waited patiently for the weather to cool down, forests to thin out, and most importantly allow some of the bugs to die off to make my wilderness caching adventures more enjoyable. Now that the time is finally approaching where I've felt like going for some of the "farther off the trail" caches I've had a couple people tell me that I need to be cautious wandering around the woods in the middle of hunting season. I've never hunted and I know to wear orange or other bright colors, but I was wondering if anyone knew what areas are more dense with hunters that I should be more cautious traveling through. I know a lot of people hunt on their own public land, but I also know some people hunt in public forests where allowed and I'm just not sure if they overlay with some caches.

A few of the places nearby with caches I'd like to venture this fall include: around Lincoln lake, North of Lake Wedington, East side of Wilson lake, and around Lake Sequoyah. So does anyone know if hunting is allowed in any of these places and what typical caching conduct should be if going through hunter territory?

Thanks for any advice,

Nicodemus3

One thing I'd do, is make sure to make lots of noise. Where I'm from, almost everyone hunts at daybreak or nightfall, or about an hour or two either side. Of course, here people hunt what I call tame deer, (corn fed, salt-licked and from tree stands - all of which are illegal where I come from) so all bets are off. I think the important thing is to make lots of noise so nobody can mistake you for a deer.

I wear a flourscent orange vest and hunters cap when I am in the woods. And this is even when doing roadside caches in rural areas. Even the areas that do not allow hunting, hunters could be right on the boundry line. Some hunters shoot at movement so wear the orange. I stay completely out of parks and wooded areas during the state youth hunt weekend. LOL.

Good advice Judy. They'll all still be there when hunting season is over. Until then, do some urban or at least roadside caches.

Nick,
Having eased back into hunting about 3-4 years ago, I can tell you this.

Most hunters are a lot like cachers.They enjoy the outdoors, but will never get
more than a few hundred yards from their ride. Having said that, there are now atv's
to take us deeper off road and if they harvest an animal which is unlikely, because
thep park their atv whick smells of gas and oil right beside or underneath thier stand.

I was once an avid and hardcore hunter, have chased game in about every western state including Alaska.

I would don my safety orange and go caching. You will probably see more game than they will.

Some hunters will get pissed and say you ruined thier hunt by taking a nice hike
in the woods while they are trying to shoot an animal they have no idea how to process after they have made the kill.

You have as much right to the woods as they do, you pay taxes.


As for conduct, act the way you would caching, only with orange on.

The main problem is a cache may be on someones private property,
where the Co has permission, but tle landowner may have leased out the property
for hunting season, which you will never know about in the first place.

You will probaly be safer in the woods than in town, most gunowners end up shooting themselves
istead of someone else due to improper firearms instruction.

Thanks for the tips guys. As I definitely want to stay safe in the woods, I also just don't want to ruin anyone else's hunting trip if they had been sitting in a tree since 5 am.

Btw, besides early in the morning and close to dusk, do most hunters hunt on the weekends as well?

Again, I can't speak for AR hunters as they're a very different breed than where I'm from (Maine). There it is also illegal to hunt on Sunday - I don't know about here. I haven't dared to go hunting since I left Maine -- too many people in the woods.