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Dan Straley wrote:I am in need of some opinions from other cavers.
In all my travels I have never seen a box style cave gate, except one place. One was built to cover a local cave near Brooksville, Florida. The design is to allow bats to freely roam in and out. The gate is 5 feet tall 6ft wide and 12ft long. It has thousands of pounds of hardened steel spaced 5 inches apart The gate resembles a mobile home and sits out in the woods exposed to the elements in the Withlacoochee State Forest. Another second box gate is being planned for a cave right next to it.
Dan Straley wrote: We have a bat cave here in Florida that has an gate that is not very bat friendly, when compared to the "professional built box gate". Yet, thousands of bats fly through it everyday. Why? The gate is in a crevice about 2 feet by 2 feet and fissure shaped.
Bats are not using the box gate. I personally think there is a magnetic field issue due to all the metal, or scent issue, or obstructed view since the gate encompasses the entire cave entrance.
Dan Straley wrote:As far as pro cave gaters, well, I am OK if they cover their expenses, wear and tear, and lost wages at their regular job, but I just don't like the idea of cavers (non-scientific/non-pro conservationist/non-rescue) making a living off of caves. I was always taught to volunteer. Volunteering is done for a need and that helps to keep things under control. Just my view of it..
Dan Straley wrote:The gate resembles a mobile home
Dan Straley wrote:Thanks again for the help.. We are faced with building a gate that will destroy this cave's natural entrance. Our grotto is being asked to pay for the gate, and well, we want it to be what is needed, nothing more, nothing less.
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