Unfortunate first geocaching experience

[storchburp]

No, I'll have it with me if I'm on public land where its legal to do so. Besides, leaving it unattended is actually illegal.

Should add that the chances of me bumping into another geocacher while I have my rifle is fairly slim, reason being that we're not allowed to carry it loaded while on tracks or shoot from/across a track. Most geocaches are very near to tracks. Anyway my point is that I don't agree on making my chosen hobbies, be they shooting or geocaching, any less visible, because I feel its more important to be transparent and friendly to encourage new people to join in and to show we really don't have anything to hide. You can feel free to disagree.

[nutwood]

I've taken up geoacaching as an alternative hobby for when the hunting is sparse...one piece of advice I'd give is to keep doing something you are allowed to do legally rather than shy away for fear of offending someone. To preemptively avoid doing something would be to encourage the notion that what you are doing is unsavory and creates legal 'creep'...kind of like the below hypothetical example.

1. Someone was approached by cops when looking for a cache under a bridge. The cops let him go after a friendly explanation.
2. He tells everyone what happened and people avoid geocaching near bridges.
3. Well meaning geocachers and the public suggest that geocaches near bridges shouldn't be done in case it causes public alarm
4. Lawmakers note that geocachers are avoiding bridges and enact a law banning geocaching near bridges since it would not affect as many people. Its promoted to the public as an anti-terror measure and examples of terrorists blowing up bridges in some distant war torn country are given.
5. The public is expected to dob in suspicious behaviour near bridges. Geocachers simply walking across bridges and tourists taking photographs are questioned routinely.
6. The whole geocaching community loses access to bridge caches...

So yeah, just as I refuse to hide my firearm if spotted by visitors in a state forest, I'll keep going after any geoacache I like as long as I'm not harming anyone, GPS in hand.

I totally agree with your position on "legal creep", it's an entirely valid argument that can be extrapolated out into much of modern life but I'm not sure that it covers strolling about State forest with a rifle.
I've held a firearm licence for thirty years but I'd never wander about public land with a firearm, exposed or otherwise. On the rare occasions I've had to transport a gun in public, it's been done in a discreet case and in a totally immobilised state. To do otherwise is just asking for trouble!