+Ichabod Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Just wondering what strategies you all use to deal with muggles? Ichabod67 Quote Link to comment
+krisse Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Just look them deep in the eye and say BO!.. No seriously - as long as you don't run off screaming when someone passes by you should be fine. I try to look as calm and aware as possible so people wont think I'm a burglar or something. Most importantly - be sure noone stares at you when you try to re-hide the cache. Happy hunting! Quote Link to comment
docdigit Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Shoot 'em, stuff 'em and use them as travel bugs! Actually, the couple of caches that I've found there have been some around. All I've done is act as normal as possible. If you act like you have a direct purpose and know what you are doing, people tend to leave you alone. It also helps if you can distract them a little, kids or small animals will do that for you. Doc Quote Link to comment
+Metaphor Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I make telephone calls or take photographs with my E-trex Venture GPSr. Quote Link to comment
+Beta Test Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Where's Sparky's claymore pic when you need it? Quote Link to comment
+Team Beer Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I have been doing the cellphone/ camera deeks. But lately for more urban micros I just do it. Don't even worry about muggles. You'd be surprised by how many people just don't care what you're doing. Quote Link to comment
+Yamahammer Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I lost a cache to muggles cuz a cacher wasn't careful. He went and did the cache anyways with the muggles close and it was picked up. ... Now, if muggles are present, I respect the cache owner and I don't seek it out. I'll either make another attempt some other day or I won't. ... even if it is a FTF, I've left them. Quote Link to comment
+olbluesguy Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Like team Beer, I dont care about the muggles. I take a clipboard with me and go right ahead with the hunt like they weren't even there. Sometimes I will wear a big tape measure. It's a dead give away if you act sneaky and be looking around to see if anyone is watching you. After I' m done I will back off and watch for a while to see if anyone was watching me, and checking things out. Quote Link to comment
gridlox Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 A good 1/2 inch of finger up the nose or a deep dig in the buttcrack area will make them look the other way most everytime!! Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I look down at the ground and say in quiet, deep gravelly voice: "Get out of here....get out.................get out of here!" Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 (edited) I make telephone calls or take photographs with my E-trex Venture GPSr. What happens when your cellphone rings at that moment? Edited January 7, 2006 by BlueDeuce Quote Link to comment
+PilotMan Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 If it's out in a nature type area, I take my camera with me and if there are muggles they'll just assume I'm into photography when they see me walking in circles with a camera. Quote Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 If you stare at them, they will usually go away. If there are too many for this to be effective, then they probably won't notice you anyway. Quote Link to comment
gridlox Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 If it's out in a nature type area, I take my camera with me and if there are muggles they'll just assume I'm into photography when they see me walking in circles with a camera. If it's a 35mm, just don't forget to take the lens cap off!! Quote Link to comment
+radioscout Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I take photos with my digicam and wait until the muggles go away. Quote Link to comment
+Metaphor Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 What happens when your cellphone rings at that moment? Yeah, right. Who would want to call me? Quote Link to comment
+RockyRaab Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 This happened just yesterday, as I was signing a logbook; my GPSr and several swag items spread out on a big rock next to a walking trail. I look up and there's a guy and his dog staring at me. "What'cha doing down there?" "Birdwatching," I said, "and taking notes." "You saw a bird down there?" he said, suspicious. "Nope, a nest. Wanted a better look." "Oh. You an Audubon member?" "Just an amateur." He took another look at the McToys, then turned and left, shaking his head. Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Face a tree, with your back to the muggles, and rest your thumbs on your belt, just above your zipper. (Now imagine looking at yourself from thier angle.) (Okay, I made that up, but it might work.) Quote Link to comment
gridlox Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Face a tree, with your back to the muggles, and rest your thumbs on your belt, just above your zipper. (Now imagine looking at yourself from thier angle.) (Okay, I made that up, but it might work.) or say real loud, "97, 98, 99, 100!! Ready or Not Here I Come!!" turn around, tag them, and run like crazy!! Quote Link to comment
docdigit Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I like this thread! Doc Quote Link to comment
gridlox Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I make telephone calls or take photographs with my E-trex Venture GPSr. What happens when your cellphone rings at that moment? "Excuse me Mr. President, The Prime Minister is calling on the other secure line." Quote Link to comment
+clearpath Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Someone in an earlier thread said they carry a clipboard and have a tape measure on their belt. This makes them practically invisible while looking for urban caches. Muggles could ask what you are doing so you better have a good line ready ... Quote Link to comment
+Timber_Wolf Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I am taking my map out and look at it. Or i will watch them and then they try to get away. Quote Link to comment
+kungfudude Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 You guys are too funny! Everybody knows the quickest way to get rid of Muggles is to foam at the mouth and start barking like a dog! Quote Link to comment
+Timber_Wolf Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 You guys are too funny! Everybody knows the quickest way to get rid of Muggles is to foam at the mouth and start barking like a dog! and then they use there pepperspray on you. Quote Link to comment
+KolarBear Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Try doing the robot. It works. Quote Link to comment
adampierson Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Try wearing wrinkled clothes and messing up your hair.. then start talking to yourself as you look for the cache. If people stare at you start swating at imaginary flies and start to yell. You might also want lunge at imaginary people near the muggles. That should clear the area free for you to search in peace. But if you see the police or the men in white suits, RUN! Quote Link to comment
+penguin44 Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Actually we just do our normal thing. People tend to let us be. Twice on our first 2 caches ever we were signing the log when about 3 people and a dog walked by. The dog came to say 'hi' and we played with him, the owner came by nodded and kept walking. We never try and hide or anything. Quote Link to comment
+ChicagoCanineCrew Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 I almost always have at least one dog with me when I'm caching. When you have a dog, you may as well be invisible to most people. The only time I've had someone come up and ask me a question while I'm out caching was questions about my dog (can I pet your dog, is she friendly, what kind of dog is that...) If I was in an area with muggles around I'd most likely put a baggie over my hand and pretend I was looking for something my dog left behind...I bet people would stay away. I figure if anyone every asked me what I was doing I'd say my dog lost her tennis ball, or that I was trying to clean up after the dog. Dogs make great excuses! Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 (edited) It always concerns me when people say that they are not concerned worried about being seen caching. I think that this attitude is disrespectful to the cache owner and your fellow players. In my opinion, it is our responsibility to be as stealthy as possible to not give away the cache to the view of non-players. By not being stealthy, one risks having a curios person walk off with the cache. This ruins the game for all that come after you. To answer the question posed in this thread, in a muggle-rich environment, I generally try not to approach the cache until I am pretty sure where it is hidden. Then I make every effort to extract the cache without being seen, take it away from the hide location, and return it without being seen. The reason that I take it away from the hide location is so that if someone gets curious about what I am doing while I am examining the contents and signing the log, the cache is not necessarily endagered as it would be if I were to, for example, be sitting on the stump that the cache was hidden in. When surveying the area for possible hide locations, I'll be talking on my cell phone or typing on my pda. Maybe, I'll just be resting from my brisk walk. Either way, I'm just a normal guy using the location in the same way as everyone else there. When I remove the cache and replace it, I try to hide my actions. If the cache is near ground level, perhaps I will appear to be tying my shoes. Maybe I will use a fence to stretch against and remove the cache hidden on it. I'll drop my pen and pick it back up, with the cache. Edited January 8, 2006 by sbell111 Quote Link to comment
+ADKcachers Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 This question comes up quite often. It never ceases to amaze me. Personally, I deal with muggles in the same manner that I deal with anyone else. Once in awhile, when I'm in the supermarket, I see (gasp) other people!! Would you like to know how I deal with them? It's quite simple. I continue on my merry way, minding my own business as if I'm not doing anything wrong. I use this approach because I'm not doing anything wrong. I think that our own paranoia feeds a need to justify our existence. The answer is to stop being so paranoid! You have as much right to be there as anyone else!! Why aren't there as many threads here that deal with "Methods of interrogating muggles?" We don't need to answer to muggles. If muggles look at us sideways, let them look! Enjoy it, make a game out of it. We owe nothing to nosy morons! Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Before searching, I check all the nearby cars license plates to see if any are in the area. Quote Link to comment
+Stonebreaker73 Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Scratching, rolling in the dirt, biting yourself or making use of a nearby bush also works. So I have been told. Quote Link to comment
nobby.nobbs Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 have a camera and then suprise the muggle. smile and say good morning. the shock of someone being polite will make them reply and go away. Quote Link to comment
+switchdoc Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 (edited) I have to agree that while in general I tend to just be honest and forthcoming with the "100 reasons why geocaching is cool and you should try it right now" speech when muggles ask what I'm up to, I still do my best not to draw attention to what I'm doing. TheWife and I try our best to be descrete when we are out, although, as others have mentioned if you LOOK like you know why you are out there, people tend to assume you have some reason to be. We had to abandon a cache today because a muggle was practically standing on it and WOULD NOT MOVE! [edit: spelling] Edited January 8, 2006 by switchdoc Quote Link to comment
+Ichabod Posted January 8, 2006 Author Share Posted January 8, 2006 Why aren't there as many threads here that deal with "Methods of interrogating muggles?" We don't need to answer to muggles. If muggles look at us sideways, let them look! Enjoy it, make a game out of it. We owe nothing to nosy morons! Actually, the thread was asking for ALL methods of dealing with muggles, so any strategy (or non-strategy) seems valid enough for me. Quote Link to comment
+DocDiTTo Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 In my opinion, it is our responsibility to be as stealthy as possible to not give away the cache to the view of non-players. By not being stealthy, one risks having a curios person walk off with the cache. Oh, I don't know. I believe that those people who hide caches in the busiest places possible probably enjoy replacing their containers once a week. Otherwise, they'd have picked a better hiding spot. While I always look around before I make a grab, I really just tend to ignore those caches that are in high muggle areas. I don't like them, so I don't do them -- unless I'm with a few friends. In that case, we're going to get it no matter what, because it's there. Psychologically speaking, the "group think" kicks in and the fear of getting caught diminishes. People tend to be a little more brazen when they're in a group with like-minded individuals. Funny how that works. Quote Link to comment
+One of the Texas Vikings Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 This is how I geocache...The muggles never see me. If they do, I show them my tinfoil hat ! Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 (edited) But lately for more urban micros I just do it. Don't even worry about muggles. You'd be surprised by how many people just don't care what you're doing. That's my attitude. If a cache owner insists on putting a cache somewhere where this is an issue, its his problem, not mine. I'll take reasonable precautions, like moving away to open it and sign the logbook, but as far as retreiving the cache, I just go for it. Edited January 8, 2006 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
cuff&stuff Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 i play with Sallie (the dog). Quote Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 We don't need to answer to muggles...We owe nothing to nosy morons! Some things to keep in mind when posting: Respect: Respect the guidelines for forum usage, and site usage. Respect Groundspeak, its employees, volunteers, yourself, fellow community members, and guests on these boards. Careful, those nosey morons of which you speak might be somebody's mother! Quote Link to comment
docdigit Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Wasn't everyone a muggle at some point in their life? Doc Quote Link to comment
+dinobalz Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 This is a great thread. Some of the best fun I have is making up the stories to tell muggles. I'm glad to know there are quite a few kindred spirits out there. And yes, I do abandon my search if there is any danger of being spotted-- but I get to soften the disappointment by BSing some nosey muggle. Did you ever run into one of those guys that dress all "official" looking? You know, with the aviator jackets with lots of colorful patches and khaki pants who insist on giving you the third degree. They are usually the best ones to jerk around. One of them will probably shoot me someday. Quote Link to comment
+wdfod Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 (edited) I take my kids caching with me and a soccer ball. In grassy areas we can just let the kids kick the ball around while we survey the area and narrow down the location of the cache. One or two of us will go for the cache while the other two provide soccer playing cover. Kids are also handy for things hidden under park benches. If I'm laying on the ground looking under a bench, it would look really odd. If my 7 year old is doing it, it just looks like a kid laying under a bench for fun. (Ok, they probably think I'm a weenie parent for letting my kid play under the bench, but I know I have a purpose.) If we are in a wooded area, the kids gather sticks/leaves/rocks. We look like we are just on a nature walk gathering items. If someone approaches us, my oldest knows to come over saying, "Look at this cool rock mom! I'll go find more!" So they assume that I'm just letting the kids explore. M. Edited January 8, 2006 by wdfod Quote Link to comment
+Moosiegirl Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 (edited) Sometimes they'll pay attention, sometimes they won't. The Outlaw (my hubby) has this great tree inspector routine he does when walking thru an urban park to a cache ... he pulls out his PDA and becomes a "tree inspector" ... stops at each and every tree between himself and the cache, and "makes some notes," sometimes picking up a little dirt or mulch and dropping it in the breeze or rubbing it between his fingers ... this works best on the easiest caches because he can inspect his way right through picking up the cache and moving away from the hiding place to log it. Once he's done, he takes a few more notes in the area of the hide, slips it back in, and makes his exit, with or without a few tree inspections depending on whether he thinks anyone is paying attention. He maintains that after 4 or 5 trees, everyone has either left or is asleep. On a trip to Nashville last April, we stopped to do a cache that was hidden in a hole in a rotting fence post behind an office complex. A whole table full of women taking a break was about 25 feet in front of the van, and we wondered what to do. Wayne asked, "do you have a measuring tape?" Sure enough, our escort did. Wayne and Trey (Treyb) got out and proceeded to measure the fence spans and posts, all the while Wayne "taking notes" in his PDA, while Trey snagged the container and logged it. A little more measuring and a comment like "I think we have what we need," and we drove off leaving the ladies to think the fence was about to be repaired/replaced. I thought Abbysgrammy was going to bust a gut laughing! I think even with a large number of caches under our belts, one of the things we are most guilty of is not moving away from the area of the hide. If you spend as little time as possible at the hide location, it is much safer from prying eyes ... they will spend their time looking where you WERE instead of at the hidey hole. One of my New Year's caching resolutions is to never log a cache within 20 feet of where it's hidden. Summary? As others said, "look like you belong," and stay away from the hidey hole as much as possible! Happy Trails! Candy Edited January 8, 2006 by Moosiegirl Quote Link to comment
+daiichi Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 You know, generally I don't act any differently if muggles are walking by--unless you're acting suspicious, people generally don't pay much attention. However, in the spirit of this thread I thought up a great way to get rid of muggles who won't go away so you can snatch the cache: "Hiya Brother! Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior?" Quote Link to comment
+dinobalz Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 The Outlaw (my hubby) has this great tree inspector routine he does when walking thru an urban park to a cache Love it!!! We wanna go caching with you guys- sound like a blast. Sometimes we almost get "caught" because my wife is laughing so much. Quote Link to comment
+Thrak Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 You could always start grumbling, pull a roll of TP out of your pack, drop your pants and squat. I think most folks would leave at that point..... Quote Link to comment
+TMAACA Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 On the couple occasions I have been asked what I am doing, I tell them I am surveyor. One guy offered to help me try to find the survey stakes and I politely declined and he moved on. Quote Link to comment
+mountainborn Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Part of the dealing with muggles is the responsibility of the cache owner. Placement can guarantee muggling or trouble free caching. If you do not mind the constant maintenance then put it where the cacher has no chance to retrieve it un observed. Quote Link to comment
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