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Hitting Close To Home


Airmapper

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I've heard of people placing caches near their home, and have been to one placed in someones yard, but I am curious, would you place a cache in your yard?

 

I think it would be cool, and I like the idea, but I have enough strangers in our secluded road already, without the task of separating the cachers from someone casing the place.

 

There are also the liability issues, but I'm not to worried about that. (And is not the subject of this thread, there is a thread on that somewhere, but I'm not going to try and look for it. (You know why :lol: ))

 

So, would you/ do you, have a cache near (within sight) of your home, do you/ would you, enjoy watching people hunt it, and would you go meet them if you saw them out there?

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Once we are in our new home I'd love to do one near/in sight of my house but probably not in my yard. I wouldn't for a few reasons bf has sleep apnea and sleep is a precious commodity since I know the weird hours I cache and others are like me it just wouldn't work. We also have a doberman who may not feel to happy about all the excess traffic. I would go out and meet other caches if I saw them.

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I have an idea for a cache that will sit right on my property line. It will be easily accessible to anyone, even wheelchairs. But if I do it right it will also be a challenge to find it. If I do it I will plan on making a note that you need not go onto anyones private property to reach it. However, it will be placed in a position that if they do decide to cross the wall and enter private property it will be my property only and not my neighbors.

 

My wife (a non-cacher) has given full support to the idea. I guess it doesn't freak her out to think that a bunch of strangers might be poking around near our yard at any given point in time! :lol:

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I've been kicking the idea around about a cache in the front yard. There is a cache 30 miles south of me in a cacher’s back yard. He's not had any problems.

 

I've thought about doing it as a member’s only cache. Thinking that might cut down on the chance of my cache being found by the Geo-murderer. But am not sure that would make too big of a difference.

 

I'm going to keep an eye on this thread, to see what the thoughts are of others.

 

DAryl

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We have one next to our mailbox. So far, no problems. I kind of enjoy watching folks walking up and down the road staring at their GPS and trying not to look obvious. Of course all of our dogs are 'helping' them. And the horses come up to the fence demanding attention.

 

Of course, the first finder on that one knocked on the door to introduce himself. Now, normally we're both up at that time of morning, but on our days off, we're lucky to be out of bed by the crack of noon....caused some scrambling for clothes.... :lol:

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I've encountered a few caches in people's yards. I skip them because I feel funny poking around someone's home even if invited to do so.

 

I wouldn't put one on my property because I don't want to deal with people coming at all hours (and they will). Maybe if I had enough property to place the cache far enough away from the house I'd consider it. I did consider starting a multi on a telephone pole in front of my house, but decided against it because I have a quiet street and strangers will draw attention.

Edited by briansnat
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I don't feel comfortable poking around for caches in residential areas and the closer to private homes the worse I feel.

 

If it got too close to a home or private area, I'd just walk away.

 

Maybe it's the sense of not wanting to be observed because I want to protect the location of the cache, I don't know. I just get an icky feeling when there are residential windows around. Commercial windows I have less of a problem with. Still don't want to be observed, but generally folks are busy working or they are customers who don't have a sense of who doesn't belong.

 

So, no, I'd never consider doing it and will likely walk away from one too close to a home.

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There are 3 caches within 500 feet of my house, all on my land.

 

2 are traditional caches, one a huge sized almost-park-and-grab, and one a bushwhack through woods and swamp. The other one is the final leg of a 21-stage multi that has been visited twice.

 

There have been a couple of times when my dogs take off into the woods, and then I read about them in peoples' logs later that day (they're kissers and waggers, not barkers and attackers).

 

Maintenance is, of course, pretty easy on these caches, and it's fun to read about people visiting the beautiful place that we live.

 

Oh, and this year, I hosted a Halloween offset event that ended up at my house for a bonfire and beverages (so that makes 4 caches).

 

jamie

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Caches in residential areas are dead last on my list of favorite cache types, or maybe that's number one of my list of Not-to-Do. If you live out in the country on some acreage, yes. There's a very well done cache of that type north of me. And although I do live out in the country on some acreage, I'm not interested in a cache on my own property.

Edited by Isonzo Karst
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I had one in a wooded portion of my property, but near the house. It was visited several times, but people commented in their logs that they felt a bit weird. One local cacher that I respect posted a note that he would not bevisiting, after driving by the coords.

 

I decided that a cache that discouraged potential cachers wasn't much of a cache. So I relocated it nearby, but on public land and away from prying eyes. I'm much more satisfied with it now.

 

If I had a lot of acreage, I'd likely put one on there, but I'd have to disable it for half the year during hunting seasons. The last thing I want is to be working a big gobbler or have a nice deer in range and then have some yahoo come crashing through the brush!

 

LOL.

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When asked where she would like to place a geocache, our oldest (5) responded "in our yard". For many of the reasons others have listed (neighbors, disturbances etc) we decided against it. However, we do have a city park within a block or so of our house, and have thought about placing a micro there. We could sit in our front yard and watch people search. Could be fun.

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We live in a gated community so a cache at our house is out, not that I would do it anyways.

 

It is a little weird going into someones neighborhood and wandering around. Most likely the cacher has not informed his neighbors that he placed a cache and they could become suspicious about people coming around all hours of the day and night.

 

I don't know if this cacher has Mrs. Kravitz as a neighbor or not and I don't want to deal with the police being called on me. :lol:

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If I had a lot of acreage, I'd likely put one on there, but I'd have to disable it for half the year during hunting seasons. The last thing I want is to be working a big gobbler or have a nice deer in range and then have some yahoo come crashing through the brush!

One thing I've learned is you can't control geocachers that way. Once a waypoint is out there it doesn't matter what you put on the cache page, someone is going to do whatever they please. This has been very discouraging to me.

 

The only way you could really control a cacher's access to a coordinates is not list them on this site. If you still want to do something along these lines, create an offset. Put the final coords somewhere you don't mind them going at any particular time. When you disable the cache you must physically remove the coords from your first stage. Replace it with a note if you're feeling generous.

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I would do if I didn't think I would look funny with my wifes foot up my as$. :blink: I've found a few like that and it doesn't bother me to look for them. You place a cache on your property you better expect some vistors. I might even knock on the door and ask for some hot coco dammit and you better have marshmellows. :ph34r:

Edited by JMBella
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I would do if I didn't think I would look funny with my wifes foot up my as$. :blink: I've found a few like that and it doesn't bother me to look for them. You place a cache on your property you better expect some vistors. I might even knock on the door and ask for some hot coco dammit and you better have marshmellows. :wub:

If you're going after Mug-Swap Cache or Backwoods, follow the dogs home, and knock on the door to the house in the middle of the woods, if we're in, we'd love to have you in for beverages (hot or cold) and a geo-gab...please excuse the mess, my house is always messy... :ph34r:

 

jamie

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I would do if I didn't think I would look funny with my wifes foot up my as$.  :blink:  I've found a few like that and it doesn't bother me to look for them.  You place a cache on your property you better expect some vistors.  I might even knock on the door and ask for some hot coco dammit and you better have marshmellows.  :ph34r:

If you're going after Mug-Swap Cache or Backwoods, follow the dogs home, and knock on the door to the house in the middle of the woods, if we're in, we'd love to have you in for beverages (hot or cold) and a geo-gab...please excuse the mess, my house is always messy... :wub:

 

jamie

See you in the spring. ;)

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I've had a cache under my front door for a year and a half. The only problem I had was the autistic son of my friend next door went pillaging and took the log and the pencil. He didn't touch the TBs.

 

With the snow, I can see some patterns in the approach. Most people get directed toward the center of the half acre between me and the next duplex, but when they see a 65 Gallon blue container hidden beneath 2 sticks, they know where to go. As Travel Bug caches go, this is probably the most reliable type. I frequently refresh the travel papers for bugs on the move and I know that most locals will take a look for bugs before they head off on vacation.

 

I don't think a home cache should be very well hidden. It makes people suspicious. If you can walk right up to it, as if you were reading the meter or checking a phone line, everyone seems to stay happy.

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I've heard of people placing caches near their home, and have been to one placed in someones yard, but I am curious, would you place a cache in your yard?

 

I've got one in my yard. The neighbors all know about it, and they enjoy watching people "hunt". The cache itself is an old mailbox, in plain sight right near the road in front of my house. The mailbox is locked with a combination lock, and the combo is hidden at ground zero. All you need to do is find the combo, open the lock, and you're in. Since it's so close to the road and not near the house, most folks are comfortable hunting it, and since it's very visible from the road, no one accidentally ends up in a neighbors yard looking for it. It's a bug motel and is really close to some major highways, which is why I put it up in the first place. On the cache page I request that people don't hit it between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM, and I've never seen anyone disgregarding that request. (My dog is sure to let me know if someone does, which is why the limited hours). My wife was a little concerned at first, not sure how much of a hassle it would be, but she's fine with it now. I'm met a lot of nice folks at this particular cache, and everyone seems to like it. I think making the cache visible is a big plus, because people know they're in the right spot and it's OK for them to be there.

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I think that a cache in a cachers front yard all depends on the neighborhood. Fairly rural area with plenty of space? Cool, I'd do it. Typical Suburb with little yards? No way. I've only successfully hunted one cache in a suburb in a front yard, as I've bailed on most. The one I found was fairly obviuos, and had a good enough description to make me feel comfortable.

 

If I lived somewhere rural, I'd definatly have a cache on my property. As it stands, living in the 'burbs, having one in the closest park is about as good as it gets for me.

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I've got one in my yard. The neighbors all know about it, and they enjoy watching people "hunt". The cache itself is an old mailbox, in plain sight right near the road in front of my house. The mailbox is locked with a combination lock, and the combo is hidden at ground zero. All you need to do is find the combo, open the lock, and you're in. Since it's so close to the road and not near the house, most folks are comfortable hunting it, and since it's very visible from the road, no one accidentally ends up in a neighbors yard looking for it. It's a bug motel and is really close to some major highways, which is why I put it up in the first place. On the cache page I request that people don't hit it between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM, and I've never seen anyone disgregarding that request. (My dog is sure to let me know if someone does, which is why the limited hours). My wife was a little concerned at first, not sure how much of a hassle it would be, but she's fine with it now. I'm met a lot of nice folks at this particular cache, and everyone seems to like it. I think making the cache visible is a big plus, because people know they're in the right spot and it's OK for them to be there.

I have done Doc's cache and I would say it was actually more pleasant to hunt it than alot of the "public, urban" caches in the area. At least I knew that anyone that saw me was going to know my reason for the visit and not think anything of it. Some of the urbans I've done really put me in some conspicious situations/positions. I was also considering doing the same thing until Doc put his cache in place. No need for 2 bug motels less than 2 miles apart.

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If I had the land for it I'd consider it, but I'd also be sure to consider my neighbors as well. I didi one a while back that was on private property (the cache owner's family's land) but the cache info wasn't specific enough, with the cache being less than 30 feet from the property line to boot, and we tromped into the wrong yard at first. Thankfully nobody was home and we left as soon as we realized we were in the wrong yard.

 

Still enough to make me very wary of pursuing a similar cache though. :blink:

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I have one cache on my property in the country about 2200 feet from my house, a large ammo can full of children's books for exchange . . . gets favorable responses.

 

Because of the distance from the home, no one feels queer hunting it, except when the bull is watching - he can keep you focused. The goats will nibble on your shirt tail, given a chance, makes for a fun children's cache.

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We have one set up directly in view of our front porch, but a little less than a half mile away across the valley. Cachers are quite visible, but we can't tell who they are. So far, we have spotted two cache incidents, one find and one who didn't find it and added it to their watch list that night (but who did NOT post a DNF log!).

 

On this past Sunday, we attempted to do a cache in someone's yard. There were a LOT of houses close by, and nowhere to park. We really felt weird. I got out of the car for about 60 seconds, then my husband looked in one place, then we left. We emailed the cache owner to verify that we were indeed in the correct yard, and we will probably go back to do it at some point, but it still seems nerve-wracking. I guess it's more the idea of being watched by someone who knows what we are doing (and how poorly we are doing it, more to the point) than it is simply being observed by people who we will in all likelihood never see again. Things like going to a park and poking around under the climbers, or lying down on the pavement at a rest stop to check under a bench, are not as embarassing if done in front of strangers!

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... but it still seems nerve-wracking.  I guess it's more the idea of being watched by someone who knows what we are doing (and how poorly we are doing it, more to the point) than it is simply being observed by people who we will in all likelihood never see again.

One thing I've learned about having a cache in the front yard - wait until people find it (or in my case find the combo and open the container) before you let them know you're watching them. Otherwise they get nervous or feel put on the spot. I now wait until folks either get it open or look like they're ready to give up before I step out and say hi. And some folks are really in a hurry, so "hi" is all they have time for. Everyone I've met has been quite nice though, and usually they don't mind chatting for a few minutes.

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Greetings…

 

My wife and I love to have visitors drop by so we toyed with the idea of hosting a one day holiday geocache event whereby the co-ordinances would lead to our home. The ones that decided to come out would be invited in for a cup of Holiday Cheer and warm conversation.

 

It didn’t work out this year but we have talked about trying it next year. It just seemed like a nice way to meet fellow geocachers.

 

Happy Holidays from the Flight Family.

 

Cheers,

ProfessorFlight

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I've found a few, but only 1 or 2 that were done "right" so that there was no way possible to end up searching in the neighbor's yard.

Thank you for the compliment. Corey's Stash is smack dab in my front yard. And I've met a lot of cachers from all parts of this country as they are looking for caches. Its almost like a mini event.

 

Just make sure the coords and all the clues are evident. Since I'm on a dead end street I've been thinking of making a GEO Flag that they could see when they round the corner just to let them know where its at.

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If you ever get up to the Elizabethtown area, you might want to try this one: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...99-0ebafd2a3a7d

 

The bogus cords are in my front yard so I can point folks in the right direction and the actual cords are on a piece of land I own.

Sure Turtle, I might be in that part of the state sometime. Sounds like a cool cache. (And I don't have a puzzle icon yet. ;) )

 

The whole property area and neighbors wouldn't affect me much. However, we have had problems with strangers coming in, and on my road, if me or my family doesn't know your car, you'll get watched closely until you leave. And you'll get visited if you linger very long. It seems even though we are rural, the same stands for cachers being uncomfortable.

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I've found a few, but only 1 or 2 that were done "right" so that there was no way possible to end up searching in the neighbor's yard.

Thank you for the compliment. Corey's Stash is smack dab in my front yard. And I've met a lot of cachers from all parts of this country as they are looking for caches. Its almost like a mini event.

 

Just make sure the coords and all the clues are evident. Since I'm on a dead end street I've been thinking of making a GEO Flag that they could see when they round the corner just to let them know where its at.

Yup...this was one of the good examples! <_<

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If I lived somewhere rural, I'd definatly have a cache on my property. As it stands, living in the 'burbs, having one in the closest park is about as good as it gets for me.

We live in the middle of nowhere. We can hear the neighbors, but not see them, and only the ones across the creek can see the cache from their yard.

 

Cachers are welcome at our house, if we aren't out caching! We DO keep marshmallows and the house is clean on Mondays (housekeeper comes on Mondays!).

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So, would you/ do you, have a cache near (within sight) of your home, do you/ would you, enjoy watching people hunt it, and would you go meet them if you saw them out there?

I'll answer your questions in order:

 

1) Nope, don't have one that close. I thought about using my yard for one stage of a multi but I couldn't find an interesting enough way to do it. Also, we live in a rather quiet bedroom community and I don't want to be responsible for adding any extra traffic to our roads. I moved out here because it was quiet and private and I imagine most of the people out here feel the same way -- I'd be ticked if people started hiding caches here (there are a lot of great spots) and we suddenly had lots of strangers hanging around the townsite.

 

2) I have no doubt I would enjoy watching people hunt for it.

 

3) Nope, I would leave them to cache in private. I know I have never hunted for a cache in someone's yard, even if I know the home owner placed it there -- it's just not something I am comfortable doing so I wouldn't want to "bother" someone hunting for one near my place.

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I have a cache less than a hundred yards from my back fence in a small park.

I placed it there with hopes of seeing folks searching for it.

So far I have seen no one, and I'm out in the yard all the time.

We must have some stealthy locals, or I'm spending too much time on the hammock in the summer.

I can spend the entire day out there and see no one,and come in and read the logs of people who were there.

Go figgure!

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I have thought about placing one in my yard but why would someone want to come and see my house? I have a 50 X 150 lot and some grass and not much else. I have found a few in folks yards byt I have always felt uncomfortable for whatever reason, you invited my to find the cache should I be nervous? I will avoid them unless I am in the area and I can see it from the curb.

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