Borst68

This. Sage advice. I also use the watchlist for caches I have DNFs on. It helps me keep tabs on those caches. Sometimes others have problems finding them too and it helps to know that. Many COs will check out the cache if the DNFs start to pile up so always log them. Don't worry about looking like a noob. We all had to start there. Good luck.

My 9 year old daughter made our first find back in March of 2010. It was a cold and rainy western NY day. We searched for 5 caches and struck out of the first four. (Two of them were missing so it wasn't all us.) No luck on the benchmark either. She finally found a film canister in a short rock wall at a nearby park.

Looking forward to some 70s. We arrive on Friday. This week can't go fast enough...

I found a rusty fish hook once. IMO that is a FAR bigger issue than a spent shotgun shell. I do agree that it shouldn't be there but I wouldn't get too worked up about it. Caching is suppose to be fun. Don't let someone ruin you fun over a spent shell casing. As for taking the grandkids... I think its great a hobby and will afford the kids some priceless time with their grandparents in the woods. One recommendation: Always have an adult open the cache FIRST and inspect it BEFORE letting the kids paw through it. Make sure there is nothing sharp or broken. A broken McToy can be just as sharp as a knife. Inspect and trash out anything broken or dangerous. You probably know this already but I thought I add this to the thread since it hadn't been mentioned... Enjoy caching with your grandkids!!!!

Out of curiosity, just HOW cold is it?

It varies right now, but by around Christmas it should be pretty good. The worst time of day is dawn/dusk and in the deep woods/swampy/wet areas. It's been getting a little better the past few weeks, but I've cached in woods in middle of day and it's ok. I started getting bit a few hours before sunset and beyond. Summer/early fall in the woods, forget it. Thanks!

Also, tell ALL your neighbors about what you are doing. YOU may give permission for us to look for the cache on your property but a neighbor think we are prowlers and call the police. A little misunderstanding can create a very ugly situation. Please, let your neighbors know about your cache placement.

How bad are the mosquitoes this time of year? We will be visiting the Lakeland area around Christmas and hope to get out to find some Florida caches.

I've run into bow hunters a few times. They are usually in heavy camo and hard to spot. A few years ago I was looking for a place to hide a cache. I was wandering way off trail and had the urge to make like a bear. After I was done, while pulling up my pants I noticed some yellow stuff on the ground (corn) about 20 feet away. Then I noticed a camouflage ladder and my eyes followed it up and there in the tree was a bow hunter. He observed my bathroom break without saying a word. I previously encountered a bow hunter while looking for a spot for a cache. I was right under him and heard someone clear his throat. Looked up and he was right above me. oh man I can't stop laughing. Make like a bear, thats rich. I know a woman that did the same thing. She looked around to find a safe place to relieve herself but didn't look up. Eventually she heard laughter from above. There was a hunter in the tree she selected. As for the topic, I avoid known hunting areas during deer season. Hunting season is short. I prefer to let the hunters have their time. I'll come back and cache on one of the other 300+ days of the year when they can't hunt deer. There are plenty of areas where hunting isn't permitted that I can cache in during hunting season.

Make sure you clearly list in your cache description that the cache is one private property with land owner's permission. Try to place the cache to the front or side of the house. Many of us are uneasy going into people's backyards. I did one recently that was is a COs back yard. Fortunately they weren't home. They had young kids and the cache was 20' from the swing set. I would have felt bad if I startled their kids. The swing set didn't show up on the satellite view so I was unaware of it. Don't place your cache in an area that would make cachers uncomfortable. It may also be prudent to specify the hours you want cachers to come. Is a 2 AM night caching run cool with you? Just something to consider.

I really don't care one way or another about the whole souvenir thing. I don't think it does anything to enhance the game. Souvenirs or not, I am still going to try to cache in as many different places as I can. It doesn't encourage or discourage me. I don't feel its a huge privacy issue either. I do think the NY souvenir is nicely done. Its obvious to me that considerable time and effort was put into creating the art work. Thanks to Hillary E for her efforts.

What a hypocrite! Sorry but the old saying applies: "...Glass houses...stones?" Here is the deleted image if anybody is interested. I am deeply offended at this vulgar image. It is an outrage and a travesty! Bet ya' 5 bucks the duck missed...

same CO same reviewer! Got to draw the line somewhere - this is where I would draw it! Oh, come on, now!! Relax. How were you conceived, anyway? Besides (checking the cache owner's profile), she's not hard to look at! Agreed! After reading this thread, I read several other of her cache descriptions. While nothing is likely as over the top as the "Deed" series may have been (I didn't see them pre-edit...), many caches have things that can be certainly taken the wrong way. Perhaps a little double entendre if you will. Sounds like the CO was quite a gall in high school... At any rate, I am not particularly offended by it. Poor taste, yes but not to the point of calling out the CO and posting a log to her cache.

any word one when the Colorado one will be out? Right after Nebraska. They are releasing them in order. Colorado is #38. They are currently at #7.

Nice. Thanks for your replies & info. That is exactly the type of info I was looking for. I have no idea how much time I will have to cache since my in-laws will likely have much of our time planned in advance of our arrival. I am still hoping to finagle a full day on a trail SOMEWHERE and possibly an short evening caching run or two. Thanks again for all your great advice.

Since Albany is between the Adirondacks and the Catskills, it should be worth while to into those locations. There should be some great forest areas to explore. The Adirondacks might be better in the spring due to the inclement weather you would be facing.

Thanks FSUDad! Both Circle B and Gator Creek look like good places to visit. I managed to find trail maps for various sections of Upper Hillsborough. How rustic are these trails? Are they marked? Thanks for your help!

Locally this story is all over the news. I am sure local cachers are aware. One cacher who has a cache in the area disabled it during a search. GC1PYJX This story has also appeared on local caching forums. The local news media has done a good job raising awareness of the situation.

Update: Authorities called off the search on Thursday. Doesn't look good at this point. News clip

Greetings all, I will be visiting the inlaws in Lakeland over the Christmas holiday and am interested in finding some cool places to cache. With plenty of caches in the area, I thought I'd ask the locals for some advice/pointers on great places to cache. I am not sure how much time I will have to dedicate to caching but should be able get some time. I'm not interested in skirt lifters. We have plenty of Wal Marts up north for that... I am looking for something neat/scenic/interesting to visit. I am not afraid of a short hike (<5 mi round trip). I have looked at some of the caches in the area and have a few ideas: 1. Lake Parker eastern shore "power trail". 2. Lake Hollingsworth (my FIL walks it on occasion) 3. Lakeland Highland Scrub - looks interesting... 4. Carter Park Trails - also looks inviting Thoughts? Any opinions/hints/tips are welcome. I don't have access to a canoe so Saddle Creek park is out of the question. TIA for your feedback! ETA: Upper Hillsborough WMA looks like a decent hike also. Thoughts?

Not from what news I can find online. I grew up in the area and currently live 1.5 hours away. They have not found him. The weather turned rainy today. Along with the cold night temperatures, it doesn't look good. Knowschad - You are correct. Sweetwater trail is in the NE portion of the park. The trail its self is quite flat but it drops off quickly if you venture away from the trail. The trail head is at a place called the Summit, which is obviously high ground. If lost in this area, heading down hill is not a good decision. To the north, it would be a tough hike to Salamanca. To the east, there isn't much there in the way of civilization until you get to the interstate. I X-country skied there as a kid (many years ago). As long as you stayed on the trail, you were in good shape. There are several areas where the decent off the trail is quite steep.

105. I had been caching for 2 months.

Clan Riffster - How does the moss and bark hold up over time? I have been led to believe that over time, the moss and bark will fall off.

I would have to go with GC1NP1N. This one was enjoyed by the whole family. The girls still talk about this one. It was tough and took a real team effort to solve. Below is the find log I submitted.

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