SniperChicken

The best tip i can give is to read over the geocaching guidelines and get plenty of experience finding other caches before attempting to hide one of your own. Whenever a geocaching event is put on in your area try and attend and introduce yourself as a fairly new cacher . It can be tough having to learn the ins and outs of geocaching without contact from other geocachers who have experience and are usually more than willing to share their knowledge with you.

Yeah, before we go and start listing software that is way more then what you need let us know what kind of (and how many) waypoints you wish to import into your garmin unit. And what type of unit it is. Are you (or soon plan to be)a premium member than can download pocket quaries? I know we are answering a question with questions but it will help to provide you the information you seek without confusing you too much.

The Mississippi Geocacher's Association along with many other caching organizations are planning a series of GEO 101-An Introduction to Geocaching event series. These events will be held all over the state to educate new cachers and to invite those wishing to discover the hobby of geocaching out for some one on one. I wish to expand the idea to other states and organizations and would love to see other GEO 101 Events sponsored all over. These events will be hosted by experienced geocaching volunteers . Similiar to the World Wide Flash Mob and 12/12/12 events except these will be held throughout the month of March. Plenty of time to get plans made and a bunch of events published.This may even become an annual thing as lots of these new cachers have no caching partners or friends to learn from or ask questions to. Events are great,getting new cachers to attend is even better but we need to take the time and effort to inform and lead these newer cachers instead of complaining about any uninformed improper actions that they routinely commit. That being said i am asking for volunteers throughout the caching communities to join in,recruit some seasoned cachers and help plan an event in your local area during the month of March 2013. Thanks in advance for anyone wishing to join in on this movement. Scott Bishop (SniperChicken) President of the Mississippi Geocacher's Association Please reply or email me if you have any questions regarding this.

Since this venture had strong ties with the soon to be retired Geocache Challenges i guess it makes sense why those in the know refused to answer any questions regarding it's status. It's just irritating to be know SOMEONE with info has read this post but has not left any kind of feedback. How long has this just sat here? I might have to start my Tomb Raider project... I want it out by March, for those of us who actually spend a good deal of time creating something worthwhile that isn't much time... I'm curious about this too. Is there any up to date info?

Is there any new info that can be passed on to the geocaching community? As i mentioned to one of the "Big guys" i'll be glad to be on the force to help enact this project but i would something to go on to start preplanning.

I'd like to personally invite everyone to this years CSE Event in North Mississippi. This event will be co-hosted by the State Park Service and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife,Fisheries,and Parks. The first Mississippi geocaching event ever to have obtained their official approval and endorsement. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=afd45821-e6b6-48dd-ab98-99b91cd4b2b7 The date will be July 21,2012 . There will also be a campfire event the night before (Friday night) if anyone else will be camping or just wants to drop in and join in .

I know there is a guideline page for Geocache Challenge caches (Such as the Delorme Challenge) but with it being listed as a [?] cache some cachers will argue that since it is a mystery cache that the physical cache doesn't have to be at the listed coords;such as is the case of an actual mystery cache where the coords have to be solved from info on the cache page. Has there been any attempt to create a definite way to differentiate a challenge cache and a mystery cache ? A new listing type seems easy enough to impliment or is there more to it?

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=25e4fed3-7ec6-4614-863e-0df0b6488d7e Got mine posted ! Does anyone know of a CITO/Earthday bookmark list?

Love those EXTREME cacher articles ! Keep them coming ! Glad to see the Online Cacher continue to grow in support and in content.

As a 15 year+ member of the Lafayette County Fire Dept ,Search and Rescue,and now the USAR Team i will pass on my thoughts. We still issue personnel the Garmin 60csx units to use when on assignment.In conjunction we use hardcopy topo mapsets (flipbook) made by the state and Mapsource and MARIS mapping software on the laptop computers. Any of the higher sensitivity (3 axis) units should be ok as long as it can be setup to be used on the US National Grid system which is the current standard for such operations and complies to FEMA standards. Most modern units are completely sealed so they should be intrinsically safe ;can be used around ruptured gas lines and such . We havent upgraded to the 62 series but i'm sure they are just as reliable and i feel you have made a smart bid/purchase. *edit* I did forget one thing worth mentioning. The 60csx has small (and close) pushbuttons. It's an annoyance with any kind of gloved hand.Most of us pull our gloves off to mark and describe a waypoint.

"I heard at an event last night that all of the existing virtual caches may be archived and converted over to challenges. " Nope,but you can list a new 'Challenge' that will replace a retired virtual...pending PM status of course : )

I've had that same problem before .Even when copying and pasting between two cache pages. A lot of extra unneeded characters are added for some reason. The only solution i have come up with is to go and MANUALLY correct the HTML after i pasted it.Sorry i couldn't help you any more than that.

Here is a link to some CITO logo images you can use on your cache page or even use on your logbook. http://www.geocaching.com/about/logousage.aspx#CITO

Thanks for your interest in participating in a CITO .These events are great for public relations and shows land managers just another way we can pay it forward and make a positive impact. It's great to see such open communications. The dates for the 10th Annual Cache In Trash Out Weekend is April 21st and 22nd, 2012 so start making plans now. I gotta start making plans now myself.

Thanks everyone ! That was fun and rewarding ! See ya next Spring hopefully.

Saturday October 29th 2011 http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=8becfa50-f4e0-45d5-a4b1-20e14e132444 â€The Romp In the Swamp†will be a great opportunity for the geocaching community to help make a positive impression to the public. The workday will be focused on building a deck or two but for most of us the workday will be about clearing unwanted vegetation, removing piles of dumped debris, installing signs, and having a chance to interact with friends, new and old, in the swampâ€s fall colors. Everyoneâ€s invited to come out and participate

It seems you fall in the frustrating dilema of having a cache that has no responsible CO to maintain the cache listing. The cache either needs maintenance or archiving .If its an older cache that is worthy of keeping active you may have to just informally adopt it and maintain it. (Assuming the CO is no "into" geocaching or is no longer active in the area).The main problem is that you nor anyone else can log into the cache page to post owner maintenance logs or to log TBs missing much less to actually get it archived so that a new cache listing can be published for that location. I've heard many complaints of a cacher who gets excited,hides a bunch of micros all over and then loses the geocaching spark and winds up moving out of state leaving a bunch of geotrash and cache listings that tie up some actually good cache locations. You can post "needs archiving posts" all day long but some reviewers are hesitant to take action on these dormant caches.I understand that there is still a chance that they will log back in to GC ...someday

Magellan Represent ! Way to go guys ! This is a great way to help the environment and to emit a positive impression on the general public through geocaching related activities . Kudos ! I have a CITO Event published and have submitted my info to Magellan.

2011 Thacker Mountain Trail CITO Event http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=8da4be7a-fad9-4572-a450-5db4579a7eee Saturday April 30th 2011 starts at 9am We will be doing a community service project along the hiking/biking trails of this great trail system.There are several caches in the area also. Cache In Trash Out ! There will be a huge regional festival that evening also.You'll want to hang around downtown for that for sure ! ! Coords N34 degrees 21,227 W089 degrees 32.610 Clean Trails are Happy Trails

We've all heard talk of the virtual cache becoming available again but after searching thru the forums i haven't seen any new information in months. Anyone have an update on this topic they can share?

The MSGA has been battling technical issues with the old msga.net site for some time now.The server for that site finally crashed and we have created a whole new website with new administrative personnel. I believe that old issues have been taken care of and that everyone will enjoy the NEW MSGA.net ! So please feel free to check it out and join. Scott Bishop (aka SniperChicken) Sent to all surrounding geocaching organizations: "The Mississippi Geocachers Association has a new website. A new application for membership will be recquired to gain access to member forums. It's still free to register. We are still at MSGA.net but some old saved bookmarks may not work . If you have trouble go to the homepage first and then resave the bookmark where you want it to take you to. Come look around and reregister. We have a few new features with more in the works to come. Looking forward to what is ahead. SniperChicken"

double post edited

Caches are allowed in national forests also IF you ask and gain permission and acquire the necessary permit(s). The hard part can be in finding out "who" to get permission from. For the National Forest Service seek a manager of the Forest Service;they will direct you to the correct personnel. Also once permission is granted ;be sure you provide info on your cache page to follow any and all posted regulations of that area.Keep a good rapport with those who gave you that permission.

One of things that keeps cachers interested in geocaching is in discovering a new hide technique or a unique camo technique. I have found far more "interesting" or well camoed micros that i have regular sized containers. I guess more cachers tend to experiment with the smaller containers. I LOVE finding those handmade customized micros ! A have seen a few really nice ammo cans done up real nice but for creativity i have to give it to the micro size containers. An uninteresting cache (of any size) placed in an area of no significance will bore everyone but the ones who hunt just so they can get another point added to their find tally. The numbers hos may complain about "micro spew";but they will still go out and log it.

We have tons of photos and lots of adventures! http://bishopgeocaching.blogspot.com SniperChicken,Lacey38655,and Littlebit