Crittered!

[+tands]

A stage of a multi-cache I've been slaving on was gone today. Located in a seemingly inactive wilderness nook, it was gone when I went to check everything one last time before going live. The container was the most inert thing I could think of. It was visually attactive, but not in a way that critters would like, or so I thought. I'm not giving up. I'm replacing the stage with another similar one in a different nook.

 

- T of TandS

[+The Leprechauns]

Define "most inert." What was the container? I have had critters chew through film canisters, which I don't use anymore. I had a multicache stage snatched from a hiding spot 5 feet high on a tree, even though I had bleached the container. (Lesson: squirrels like to eat play-dough as much as kids do.) Neither of those containers had anything inside them except paper and a plastic bag.

[Tahosa and Sons]

The secret of life is an animal proof container and time to maintain the caches.

 

I've had good luck with old cookie tins that I find at Goodwill. I clean them, leave them in my yard for several months, then paint them, then hide them with a nice rock on the lid and no problems so far.

[+tands]

Sorry, can't define it for you. That would be a hint to the folks I'm trying to entertain with this new hide. Let's just say that in a million years, if an archaeologist looks in the right place, he's gonna have a real mystery on his hands about what the thing is.

 

I'm not looking for answers as to why it happened. I was just saying that there's nothing that some critter won't find interesting to let folks know that it's not only muggles who disappear caches.

[+reveritt]

Perhaps the container picked up food odors from your hands. Did you eat a peanut butter sandwich just before placing that container?

[JohnX]

It was visually attactive, but not in a way that critters would like, or so I thought.

Did you find the chewed container, or did it vanish completely? I suspect a creature with 2 legs might be involved.

[+tands]

It was gone, and I put it in a place that no human would go for any pleasure other than that of finding a multi stage. I'll head the 20 questions off at the pass here:

 

Smaller than a breadbox

Mineral

Organic

 

Not a rock, but functionally a rock.

 

But.... Cool, like I said.

 

Sorry, I realize how intriguing this description is. Once rehid, I'll post the cache page link.

 

- T of TandS

[+Isonzo Karst]

Racoons, bears and blue jays will mess with just about anything new in their territory. I'm sure that's not the all inclusive list (CROWS) but it probably covers a lot of cache container misadventure.

[Major Catastrophe]

If it (the container) once contained food, then it still smells like that food. A racoon or a bear will be able to smell it.

[+Deliveryguy428]

if a creature took a bite out of the cache TandS is talking about then I rather NOT meet that animal.....

 

Or if it just went missing then I am sure there are some bears or other animals in the woods playing with McDonald toys right now

Edited December 19, 2005 by geoholic28

[+Coal7]

Where there any strange lights in the sky?

[+altosaxplayer]

I have had containers dissapear from the best hiding spots ever. Just no way to really tell.

[+Miragee]

We found a chewed up film canister attached to a golf ball the other day . . . fortunately, we could still sign the log.

 

I also had a plastic blue whale toy about 12" long that I used as a cache container where there was a view of the ocean. It was found by one cacher 200 feet from its hiding spot. He returned it to the correct location based on my hint.

 

Only one other cacher found it before it went missing again . . .

 

Some coyote pup is probably still using it as a play toy . . .

[+Jhwk]

Adopted a cache that had a history of disappearing. From the remains that I found at the site when I first went to hunt it, I suspected a small furry critter. So when I replaced the cache, I went with the standard ammo can. No issues to date.

[+sept1c_tank]

Just about anything man-made or handled by man and placed into the wild will be an object of curiosity to some animals.

 

Resting in my hammock in a remote little place called Birdsville in the Australian desert outback, I watched a crow prowl around my cooking gear stacked nearby. When the crow picked up a spoon and casually started to walk away, I yelled and clapped my hands, alerting him of my disapproval. He dropped the spoon and glared at me.

 

Minutes later, the crow was defiantly tugging on a full size skillet. I knew the crow couldn’t make off with a skillet, so I watched with amusement. My amusement turned to amazement when the crow actually achieved flight and flew out of sight beyond a sand dune. I did go after my skillet, but I never saw it again.

 

According to the Wildlife Journal, man-made objects are often a favorite of birds. These artificial materials may be used in nest construction for their added support or perhaps because the birds are attracted to their uniqueness or color. Blue Jays and American Crows use shiny artifacts including watches and rings in their nests. Although not a nesting structure but a courtship arena or lek, the bower of the Satin Bowerbird of eastern Australia attracts females with the aid of colorful glass, pottery, scraps of rags, paper and jewelry stolen by the male.

 

The Northern Mockingbird is a familiar nester in the southeastern United States. The outside layer of its nest is mostly grass and stems often loosely intertwined with cellophane, yarn and string. For whatever reason, American Robins invariably fasten a long, dangling piece of string, cellophane or tinsel from the side of the nest. One account tells of an American Robin nest with a leg from a pair of panty hose boldly hanging down.

 

[+Renegade Knight]

...Minutes later, the crow was defiantly tugging on a full size skillet. I knew the crow couldn’t make off with a skillet, so I watched with amusement. My amusement turned to amazement when the crow actually achieved flight and flew out of sight beyond a sand dune. I did go after my skillet, but I never saw it again....

That was worth the price of a skillet just to see.

[+Bill & Tammy]

...Minutes later, the crow was defiantly tugging on a full size skillet.  I knew the crow couldn’t make off with a skillet, so I watched with amusement.  My amusement turned to amazement when the crow actually achieved flight and flew out of sight beyond a sand dune.  I did go after my skillet, but I never saw it again....

That was worth the price of a skillet just to see.

This causes me to totally rethink if a swallow can indeed carry a coconut.

[+bobbarley]

Minutes later, the crow was defiantly tugging on a full size skillet.

The crow/raven/ magpie family are among the smartest birds on the planet. They have been taught trick, words and have been observed using tools in the wild. I have also seen carcasses of deer spread all over the place as coyotes fight over it. Many animals will also take things away to work on opening them (rodents).

I always blame the beavers.