caves, large caches, poision gases

[kronos416]

I head on some of these posts that you have to worry about poison gases if you stumble upon and old larger cache. What kind of gases do they give off? Is it from the silver or gold or do both metals give off poisonous gas? How would you go about trying to recover such a cache? Is there any type of breathing aparatus you could wear while recovering the cache? Was just curious and thought some of you could share your thoughts.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A History of Mining on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska - Grab it through Amazon!

[jeff of pa]

I personally don't believe the stories of Poisonious Gasses
on Treasures or Booby Traps Either.
Of course That is My Personal Opinion.

In caves you do need to worry about bad air from Bat Guano
& Possably ground Gasses (Black Damp) (Explosive Gasses) in some areas,
But I'm only aware of them in Coal Mines

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Could be Jeff, however I have a few acquaintances that have died from uncovering a cache in the open. Self suggestion?

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[CWnut]

Gas is usually found in mines. It occurs as the coal seam decays. That is not to say that it isn't found in caves. Say if bats had used a cave for many, many years you can be sure gas will be present.

 

[jeff of pa]

Could be Jeff, however I have a few acquaintances that have died from uncovering a cache in the open. Self suggestion?

Don Jose de La Mancha

I Don't plan on Debating this thread
But I guess I should explain My Reasoning.

What did they Die from ?

I have heard stories of Snakes Guarding trasure.
First off Snakes do not stay in one place
they would crawel off to hunt.
Getting bit by a snake would be Coincidence.
so would getting bit by a spider or other Bug.

I don't think anyone would build Closing walls.
Earthquakes or a big round Bowling Ball :P

A Created cave-in would be stupid.
Would prevent the Hider from retrieval Also.

I would also add any trap would probably be
so lame it would be obvious.
Other then maybe a Pit but that could also be
coincidence if boards just happened to rot.

Covering the treasure with a pile of rocks would
be most realistic. traps would be Natural a "Hernia"
or Broken toe

Would always say Be carefull. I just believe booby traps
are only in Movies & Fictions to make them intresting.

Although I Won't Debate my opinion,
I would like to hear what types of
Booby traps your talking.

Why would anyone hide a cache in the open ?
Only if they were sure They would be the first back
or didn't get the chance to hide it better.

I wouldn't risk a Booby trap working

Final Thought.
Caves are accessable by Animals of all sizes.
Any traps like trip wires
would be set off a long time ago

 

[Kentucky Kache]

As for gases, I wonder if it could be caused by dissimilar metals contacting. This
causes corrosion, so it would have to give off some kind of gas. I would think this would only be a problem in enclosed spaces, if at all.

 

[Salvor6]

If 1,000 bats return to their cave after raiding a bean farm- the gas they pass would be deadly!

 

[Zephyr]

Or one cave explorer who'd just eaten at Taco Bell....

Probably best to borrow Aunt Millie's parakeet and take it along for the adventure. If it falls over, time to book...!

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

Good afternoon Buddy SWR; You posted -->No poisonous gases, no worries

As you once told me, "Positive Statements require positive proofs". Prove it to me.

Don Jose de La Mancha .

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

OH? he he he

Don Jose de La manchan

 

[Peerless67]

Washington post April 2nd 1927

Morgantown, W. Va., April 1 (By A.P.). -- Two mine rescue men sacrificed their lives late today in a fruitless effort to save a fellow rescuer from deadly gas in the Connellsville by-product mine here. The three victims were members of a crew from Parnassus, Pa., and were summoned to take part in the reopening of the mine, which had been sealed for two months because of fire in the workings.

 

[stefen]

Just to add my 2 cents worth...

Few, if any, caves will have a buried cache..

More rumor or wishful thinking than reality...

However, many caves, especially old abandoned mines do have poisonous gasses...

Several years ago, a couple of young, stupid and drunk, post teens entered a boarded-up mine in Silverado Canyon (Orange County, CA) and died from gas fumes within 50 feet of the entrance...it happens.

 

[gollum]

I have heard stories of Snakes Guarding trasure.
First off Snakes do not stay in one place
they would crawel off to hunt.
Getting bit by a snake would be Coincidence.
so would getting bit by a spider or other Bug.

I don't think anyone would build Closing walls.
Earthquakes or a big round Bowling Ball :P

A Created cave-in would be stupid.
Would prevent the Hider from retrieval Also.

I would also add any trap would probably be
so lame it would be obvious.
Other then maybe a Pit but that could also be
coincidence if boards just happened to rot.

Covering the treasure with a pile of rocks would
be most realistic. traps would be Natural a "Hernia"
or Broken toe

Would always say Be carefull. I just believe booby traps
are only in Movies & Fictions to make them intresting.

Why would anyone hide a cache in the open ?
Only if they were sure They would be the first back
or didn't get the chance to hide it better.

I wouldn't risk a Booby trap working

Final Thought.
Caves are accessable by Animals of all sizes.
Any traps like trip wires
would be set off a long time ago

Jeff,

I guess I will begin with your misinformed opinion of snakes. Rattlesnakes will stay in one place as long as there is a constant source of food. They will den together in huge numbers in Winter. I had this argument with Diving Doc a couple of years ago, and he had to apologize after some research (and you know how loathe he was to apologize).

As far as traps, they were ABSOLUTELY used as well. I even posted one here that was half tripped. There is also a good set of pics of one found at a hidden gold mine in Mexico on Mike Pickett's Website:

http://treasurehuntersuniversity.com/death.html

I will say that of all the supposed death traps I have seen posted on TNet, there are maybe two that I think have merit.

Best-Mike

 

[VICTORIO]

Jeff of pa Wrote " I have heard stories of Snakes Guarding treasure."

Me Too But, the ones I have heard about are not real. Giant serpents " Santurians " Ghost snakes, whatever you want to call them. I have heard of them guarding Treasures. I hope to never run into one.

 

[jeff of pa]

Jeff,

I guess I will begin with your misinformed opinion of snakes. Rattlesnakes will stay in one place as long as there is a constant source of food. They will den together in huge numbers in Winter. I had this argument with Diving Doc a couple of years ago, and he had to apologize after some research (and you know how loathe he was to apologize).

As far as traps, they were ABSOLUTELY used as well. I even posted one here that was half tripped. There is also a good set of pics of one found at a hidden gold mine in Mexico on Mike Pickett's Website:

http://treasurehuntersuniversity.com/death.html

I will say that of all the supposed death traps I have seen posted on TNet, there are maybe two that I think have merit.

Best-Mike

Mike,

Are you saying Rattle Snakes will wait for food to come to them,

And Breed for a Hundred or so years

letting their babies grow & continue Homesteading ?

& If there is a large amount of Rattlers in an enclosed place like a cave,
you won't hear them while getting close ?

I Must admit I have walked in the woods since I was old enough to walk in the woods.
And have heard strange noisis like a rattle Sound sometimes so loud it sounded like
I was on top of it, But Don't know what a rattler sounds like.
so it never dawned on me to be carefull.
But I would think in a cave where noises should not be, any noise I make
would set off them Rattling and making me realize I finally hear what they sound like.
and retreat

 

[jeff of pa]

Jeff of pa Wrote " I have heard stories of Snakes Guarding treasure."

Me Too But, the ones I have heard about are not real. Giant serpents " Santurians " Ghost snakes, whatever you want to call them. I have heard of them guarding Treasures. I hope to never run into one.

Yea I heard of a Giant Robot Guarding a Treasure once also
I Think it was Japanese

 

[jeff of pa]

Here is some interesting reading about Rattlesnake dens. They do hibernate in the winter in mass dens, leave for the summer months to hunt and such, and then typically return to the same den to hibernate when winter returns.

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/rattlesnake.pdf

Yea I always was under the Impression snakes like to sun themselves.
But was never sure if all types do.

I Know they don't like the N.E. Cold.

Rattlesnakes are cold-blooded animals. They are not particularly intelligent or adaptive. They require fairly dry climates and prefer rough, rocky ground or expanses of open ground.

Rattlesnakes hibernate from November to April, usually in large groups in subterranean cavities in rocks, foundations, buildings, and rodent burrows. Occasionally, they come out to sun themselves on warm days. In the spring, snakes leave the den and disperse to the surrounding countryside until fall. Throughout the warm months they spend nights hunting small birds and rodents, and days coiled up under the shelter of rocks, logs, machinery, or bushes. They may also crawl into garages, basements, under patio furniture, hay bales, and wood piles to get out of the sun and rest.

Keep your cool when you meet your first rattlesnake. Rattlers are rarely aggressive. They generally make every effort to avoid people if given a chance. Most people are bitten because they surprise the snake, which causes it to strike in self-defense. The basic safety precautions are to wear calf-high boots, to look carefully where you are stepping, crawling, or sitting, and to test hidden areas with a stick. When you see a snake, carefully back away and leave it alone. If it is close to people or is a threat to livestock, it may be destroyed or captured and moved to a more suitable area.

A rattlesnake can only strike about three-fourths of its body length. If it is a 2-foot snake, stay back 4 to 5 feet to dispatch it.

Skinned, cleaned, cut into steaks and rolled in a little cornmeal and salt, fried rattlesnake meat is good to eat.

Rule No 1. is to stay calm and cool if you get bitten. People are injured more by fear than by the actual bite. Venom is injected in only 20% of rattlesnake strikes. Since the effect of the bite takes several hours for full effect, stay calm and seek medical help. Due to fear, people run and fall off cliffs, become overheated and dehydrated, and carve up their bodies trying to rid themselves of the venom. Don't grab a knife and start cutting. If medical help is within an hour, go directly to a physician or hospital.

When a snake hits, any of three conditions may result. First, the snake may hit, but not inject venom. It is not striking for food. It is out to surprise and defend. The only damage will be two small hypodermic punctures. If the wound does not sting immediately, become painful or discolored, venom may not have been injected and nothing further will result. Second, the snake may inject only a small dose. This may be very painful but will be absorbed and countered by the tissues of the surrounding limbs without permanent damage. Third, the snake might inject a full charge causing serious illness or death. In any case, get to medical help immediately.

http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb0984/eb0984.html

 

[kronos416]

So most of you feel that there are no such gases that are made from old stacked silver or old stacked gold and that the only gas you would have to worry about is of piled bat guano if its in a cave So no such metals should break down composition over years or if in contact with other metals / minerals shouldn`t give off any type of harmful fumes or anything that could harm you by any means?

Is there anyway to repel rattlesnakes while your walking , hiking, explorieng so you don`t end up coming across one in your path etc?

 

[kiddrock33]

build a dam inside a cave to flood over cache this will keep out innocent people. which is called a water trap which works like a everflowing toilet.

 

[jeff of pa]

So most of you feel that there are no such gases that are made from old stacked silver or old stacked gold and that the only gas you would have to worry about is of piled bat guano if its in a cave So no such metals should break down composition over years or if in contact with other metals / minerals shouldn`t give off any type of harmful fumes or anything that could harm you by any means?

Is there anyway to repel rattlesnakes while your walking , hiking, explorieng so you don`t end up coming across one in your path etc?

In my opinion No Gasses from Gold or silver.

only Foreign substances could cause a Gas

there is snake repellent but i don't know if it works like
tic repellent or like dog mace

most wear boots and chaps.

I live & Let Live & just ignore the Risks so sorry can't help