+fox-and-the-hound Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 We've put together 6 new caches to release into the wild and we were a little slow about getting to it. We're just wondering how often do other cachers hide a cache vs. just searching them out? Quote Link to comment
+Team GPSaxophone Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I have placed a cache, on average, every month and a half since I started caching. They usually come in waves, since I put a few caches together at the same time and place them all at once. I'm working on a couple of hard caches now that will placed in the Spring, as well as my 3rd annual Campout event which will include 2 or 3 permanent caches. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 For about my first 40 finds I ws usually around a 1-1 ratio. Now with almost 450 finds it would have been hard to keep that up. Now I have 447 finds and and 147 hides so I guess that's a 4:1 ratio. Like Team GPSax, I tend to place caches in waves. I may go a few months without placing one, then place a bunch. I've hidden 7 in the last 3 weeks or so. I don't think there is an ideal ratio. Its up to each person to figure out how many caches they are willing to maintain. Quote Link to comment
+texasparks&wildlife Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 We're at 305 finds to 7 hides. I have tried 3 others that were either denied or have been archived. I also have 3 sitting in the garage ready to go out, just haven't done them yet. I kind of go in waves when I really want to get new caches out there, I call them my creative times. I come up with the idea and make it, then am slow to getting around to placing them. Then, sometimes the spot gets taken. Thats how it goes. I think some people enjoy hiding as much as or more than finding. As long as you make the effort to give back, I wouldn't say there should be any defining ratio. I am certainly not the expert, but that's my thought. Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I have 1089 finds -- this morning -- I'm going caching today. I have placed 43. Forty-two are active -- one is out there waiting for approval. I often place two or three or more at a time when I go for a long hike. That way it motivates people to get out because they will get more "smilies" for all their efforts. Quote Link to comment
Rupert2 Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I have 85 hides and 425 finds. That is 5 to 1 for me. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I run somewhere between 3:1 and 4:1 but I too hide them in waves. None for a few months and then I will put out 6 - 8 new ones. After I get about 100 or so out that ratio will change fast as I doubt I will place too many more than that. Quote Link to comment
+KKTH3 Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 At its peak, I was somewhere between 3:1 and 4:1... now I am sitting between 5:1 and 6:1. The issue is I don't want to have more caches hidden than I can maintain, but that is not going to stop me from finding caches when I have the opportunity to do so. I already have plans to do a massive maintenence sweep this weekend if the weather cooperates. I expect that could take over 4 hours to check on only half of our caches. Maybe longer if I decide to place a new cache or two while at it. Quote Link to comment
+Airmapper Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 123 finds to 9 hides, 13.6: 1 Quote Link to comment
+Sagefox Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 (edited) We are at a mere .0712 to 1. I guess we'd better get crackin'. (EDIT:) Oops! The question was finds v. hides, not hides v. finds. We are at a meger 14.048 to 1 (but I do have a Groundspeak fake rock in my truck.) Edited January 20, 2006 by Team Sagefox Quote Link to comment
+Juicepig Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 We are at a meger 14.048 to 1 (but I do have a Groundspeak fake rock in my truck.) What are the coords of your truck? Quote Link to comment
+Sagefox Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 (but I do have a Groundspeak fake rock in my truck.) What are the coords of your truck? I'm not sure, they keep changing. Maybe that is why no one has logged a find for that cache yet. Quote Link to comment
+Night Stalker Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I'm very bad. I have 20 hides and 1081 finds. I think that comes out somewhere around 50 to 1. But my hides are pretty good, so does quality count. Quote Link to comment
+Corp Of Discovery Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 1505:7 (soon, 8). Do I win something? Quote Link to comment
+budd-rdc Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 It seems the OP did not make a value judgement on the ratio, which is a good thing. I have 14 hides and 3 adoptions, 1 disabled, and 1 archived, so I have 15 active caches. I have over 2000 finds, so my find-to-hide ratio is quite high. My hiding trips and finding trips are usually separate, and I usually visit a potential hide location several times before I place a cache there. I also try not to saturate an area with my caches too quickly, and will pass on locations a bit too far for maintenance, so I'm a very slow hider, even though I know of several suitable locations. Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I think it's a mistake to think of this in terms of a ratio. Over time finds will keep going up and up, but most folks can't continue to place hides at the some percentage of finds. Quote Link to comment
+Jojogirl Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 67 finds and only 1 hide for me. The area I live in is pretty cache-crowded allready, so most nice spots are taken. And I do not want to place lamppost micro's. Quote Link to comment
+fox-and-the-hound Posted January 20, 2006 Author Share Posted January 20, 2006 We haven't hidden our yet, but we have six ready to go into the field including a multi. I thought maybe a ratio would be a good reminder to "go place a cache already" instead of just enjoying everyone else's hard work. You know, everytime you find a dozen go place two, etc. btw: quality always counts!!! Quote Link to comment
+whistler & co. Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I think fox-and-the-hound should get off the forums and go hide those caches already! Can't wait to see your new hides, guys! P.S. YAY..new caches in NEPA! Quote Link to comment
+ParrotRobAndCeCe Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 If you're really obsessed about the numbers, maybe instead of hide count, a better number might be your find count, versus the find count of your hides. After all, who is giving more back to the community, the person who hides 15 caches that no one ever finds, or someone who hides 5 or 6 that are well-found and well-received? Quote Link to comment
+BigWhiteTruck Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 We've put together 6 new caches to release into the wild and we were a little slow about getting to it. We're just wondering how often do other cachers hide a cache vs. just searching them out? I am around 1/50 at this point, but I have a lot in the works. Quote Link to comment
+sbell111 Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 I caution you against really paying attention to any of these ratios. If you stress a find/hide ratio, you ignore the problem of unmaintained caches. If you reward those hiders with often-found caches, you penalize cachers who hide puzzles, multis, and really stinking hard caches. Quote Link to comment
tubby and Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 (edited) If you're really obsessed about the numbers, maybe instead of hide count, a better number might be your find count, versus the find count of your hides. After all, who is giving more back to the community, the person who hides 15 caches that no one ever finds, or someone who hides 5 or 6 that are well-found and well-received? That would only apply if you think that finding more sub par caches is better than finding less, but exquisite caches. Personally, i would rather find 5 awesome caches that take me to some new adventure than find 25 caches that take me to a mall parking lot.(especially the same mall parking lot) Edited January 20, 2006 by tubby and Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 If you're really obsessed about the numbers, maybe instead of hide count, a better number might be your find count, versus the find count of your hides. After all, who is giving more back to the community, the person who hides 15 caches that no one ever finds, or someone who hides 5 or 6 that are well-found and well-received? Most of my caches are on hiking trails. They don't get very many finds because people actually have to get out of their cars and walk a half a mile or more. Your "giving more back to the community" idea is flawed because I think requesting -- by hiding a cache -- that people get out and hike and get some exercise, is better than hiding a cache in a parking lot or popular park where hundreds of people eventually find it. Although. . . I have a couple of those also . . . Yesterday I only found four caches. One hadn't been found since last April, but it was an awesome find along a wonderful section of the Pacific Crest Trail. To lure more hikers, I placed another cache along the trail more than a mile from the parking . . . how many people do you think will hike to that one, even though it offers clean air, lots of exercise, interesting geology, and great views, including one of the Space Shuttle Tracking Station? Quote Link to comment
+tozainamboku Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 If you're really obsessed about the numbers, maybe instead of hide count, a better number might be your find count, versus the find count of your hides. After all, who is giving more back to the community, the person who hides 15 caches that no one ever finds, or someone who hides 5 or 6 that are well-found and well-received? I didn't respond to the original post because I think the idea that you need to hide some number of caches base on your number of finds is ridiculous. Some people like to hide caches, others prefer to find. Some people hide cleaver, nicely camoflaged caches, others just stick a gladware container under a bush. Some people put caches in interesting places, others leave 35mm film cans in lampposts. I like looking for caches that require a bit of a challenge. I particularly like long tough hikes. All my hides are long tough hikes. Therefore they get very few finders. By your logic, I would be giving more to the geocaching community if I hid a few lamppost micros. Here's my take - If you live in an area that has an active geocaching community and a relatively good density of caches - don't hide any caches unless you really feel the need and have a great place to put it and are willing to invest a little to get a good container and camouflage it if needed. If you live in an area where there are few geocachers and not many caches to find, then by all means hide a cache or two. As interest grows and more people participate, those that are better at hiding will take over hiding new caches and those that should stick to finding caches can stick to finding them. Quote Link to comment
+Sagefox Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 If you're really obsessed about the numbers, maybe instead of hide count, a better number might be your find count, versus the find count of your hides. After all, who is giving more back to the community, the person who hides 15 caches that no one ever finds, or someone who hides 5 or 6 that are well-found and well-received? That would only apply if you think that finding more sub par caches is better than finding less, but exquisite caches. Personally, i would rather find 5 awesome caches that take me to some new adventure than find 25 caches that take me to a mall parking lot.(especially the same mall parking lot) I'd like to find the 5 awesome caches and find the other 25 too. But your comment is basically my point also (and others'). One good one will be remembered and the 25 lamp base caches will be forgotten. Number of visits is not a measure of quality. Quote Link to comment
+edscott Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Well my hide to find ratio is low compared to others that have posted theirs. 1 hide to 54.46 finds, but I am second out of 5 with those that have my exact number of finds and my caches seem to be well received by those that try them. I used to have a couple parking lot micros but archived them. My objective is to maintain 10-20 great caches regardless of how many I find. Quote Link to comment
+Chance Encounter Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 (edited) I must be a freak of nature: 910 finds, 331 hides. You do the math... Edited January 20, 2006 by Chance Encounter Quote Link to comment
+Miragee Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 Thank you for your contribution to the game/sport/activity/obsession . . . Quote Link to comment
+nfa Posted January 20, 2006 Share Posted January 20, 2006 145:44 or about 3.3 finds to 1 hide jamie Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 (but I do have a Groundspeak fake rock in my truck.) What are the coords of your truck? I'm not sure, they keep changing. Maybe that is why no one has logged a find for that cache yet. Moving caches are no longer approved. (Dang. There is one only 30 miles from here...) 694 finds to 14 hides. (Hope to hit 700 this weekend!) 49.5 to 1. The important thing is that I like the caches that I hide! Most of the cachers who find my caches like them too. That's the common answer whenever this question comes up. Hide caches that you'd enjoy finding, and that you can maintain. Quote Link to comment
Aushiker Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Hi I am currently running at 5:1, but am thinking of winding that back as we seem to have a lot of caches out now in area but not a lot of finding happening. Andrew Quote Link to comment
+9Key Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 I'm purring along at 5:1 or so. 1578 F to 309 H I keep thinking I'll run out of places to hide stuff, but then I move to a new area of town and *voila*. Quote Link to comment
+GPSREBEL Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 I'm at 118 finds, 21 hides (and 2 pending). I was aiming for a 4 in 1 ratio but am a little behind that right now. I've found most of the caches within 100 miles of my location so if I don't continue to hide them I won't be a geocacher anymore! Quote Link to comment
+GPSREBEL Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 (edited) double post Edited January 21, 2006 by GPSREBEL Quote Link to comment
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