Not enough caches

[+Soderquackers]

This is my first shot at posting on the forums so please, be gentle with me please.

 

I am wondering if anyone out there is looking for non-saturated area in which to hide caches. In my area of Montana (within 50 miles of me) there are 9 caches. I have, at this point only found 4, but one is archived and three are in Canada. I am hoping to get my students interested in geocaching this school year, and between them and us hide at least 10 more. That's my goal.

 

This still leaves my family and I without caches to hunt. I know NE Montana is remote and underpopulated, but what a great place to hide some interesting caches. Hopefully it isn't improper of me to come out and invite others to the area to hide some great caches. If it is, sorry. Does anyone else have any ideas of how to get more people interested in the area? I'll do my best with education, but I myself am still learning. I'm learning a ton as I find, but I'd rather wait to hide my own until I have found a few more so I don't hide any lame ones.

 

If interested, from my research, it looks like from Glasgow to the ND border, from highway 2 north to Canada is crying out for your geocaching love. Western ND is even more barren. I would even offer to maintain some of them after I have had the chance to find them if that helps. I just want some more to hunt...PLEASE!

 

Suggestions or comments?

[+Iowa Tom]

I was going to recommend trying to find a way to work in this virtual but I see it has been archived. Too bad. I'm glad I got it logged before it went into history.

[+team5150]

I can relate to your plight. I am in NE Wyoming and there are only 34 caches within 50 miles of here, so whenever we want to go caching, we have to go road tripping. Don't get me wrong, I love a good road trip, but as a single dad with three kids AND gas over $3 a gallon its quite a feat. We went on an afternoon cache trip to the Spearfish and Deadwod area of SD this afternoon just to grab a few, and it probably cost me close to $100 for the day. I can only justify so many of those trips!!!

[+kc8bdr]

I kind of wish that I could move out that way, I would love to have such a wide open area to hide a few caches.

 

Unfortunately that won’t help you as I am fifteen hundred miles east of you.

 

I don’t know it this might help but you might check out Geocacher University.

http://www.geocacher-u.com/

 

Even after 120 find (Not all that many) I still learn something reading through that site.

Also there is a brochure http://www.geocacher-u.com/resources/brochure1.pdf

 

You might print a few and hand them out to people & or put them up on local bulletin boards.

 

Jim

Kc8bdr

Edited August 14, 2006 by kc8bdr

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

We didn't have many caches in Alabama when I got started. Getting the few cachers together for a picnic started what is now a stste association with over 1000 members.

 

Meeting regularly at events all over the state, seeking out publicity for CITO events, publishing meet-and-greet details in local newspapers before the event all helped.

 

Having a website where Alabamians could interact was the main thing.

 

Remember that you don't have to have but a few show up at your events. Give stocked ammo cans away as prizes for geocaching games.

 

Invite singles and young married groups from local churches.

 

I have probably given away 100 caches so far, but that's 100 new traditionals hidden for me to find, and few people place just one, so it is exponential. They don't have to be expensive - WalMart sells lock-n-lock containes five for three bucks, tool and tackle boxes for a couple bucks each, ammo cans can be had for 3 bucks or so - stock them with dollar-store trinkets if you have to, just get them in people's hands and watch the game grow!

 

Seed caches work too - put out a gallon jar full of film cans, tell finders to take a handful and hide them. Not the best sorta cache in the world but the game will catch on and better caches will follow.

 

You can even do that with ammo boxes - take ten into an out-of-the-way spot not likely to be muggled but easily accessible by families with kids. Tell them to put a trinket in one and take one for a cache. For $30. or so you get your cache stocked and nine new traditionals get hidden!

 

Geocaching will happen in your area when you make it happen!

 

Ed

[+James Lobb]

If you can go to meetings like town meetings or councile chamber meetings, then say that you would like to do a large CITO event and explain geocaching and hand out "lets go geocaching" pamphlets. but that might not be posssible for you ( i dont know montana or the states at all)

[+Juicepig]

eh, nothing wrong with canadian caches It's just explaining to the border guards on the way back that will be the problem!

 

You could always go recruiting, get your friends and neighbours into competitions with each other. Who can make the hardest puzzle cache - the most remote cache - the best camo job. You can even make up a little society called the somethingville geocachers society, even if it only has like 3 members, as long as they are competative, then you will be rolling in caches in no time!

Edited August 14, 2006 by Juicepig

[+pigpen4x4]

Be careful what you wish for.

You might end up with a bunch of brain dead micro's.

[+sbell111]

eh, nothing wrong with canadian caches It's just explaining to the border guards on the way back that will be the problem!

Just out of curiosity, but why would that be a problem?

[+Quiggle]

Be careful what you wish for.

You might end up with a bunch of brain dead micro's.

 

Please don't derail the topic with an off-topic rant about micros. There are plenty of other threads for that.

 

Thank you.

[gerboa]

Well sorry this not too gentle, how about you hide some caches.?

[+sbell111]

Well sorry this not too gentle, how about you hide some caches.?

That is a solid way to increase caches in your area. The more caches there are, the more fired up other people will get. Then they'll hide some for you to find.

[+Soderquackers]

Thanks everyone for some great ideas.

 

1. I love the idea of a seed cache. I'll have to give that one some brain time

 

2. Nothing wrong with the Canadian caches. I just haven't made the effort to make it north of the border yet. I plan to. Not sure what the border patrol will think though....but I haven't been questioned by police yet so that would be a new experience ) And what about the rule about not leaving anything in Canada.....should I just not tell them about it???

 

3. I plan on hiding my own caches. As I said, I want to get a few more under my belt. I'm learning a ton every cache I find. Learning what I like....what I don't. these forums have given me some very interesting ideas. I know it takes caches in the area to bring other cachers to place them. I just want to have GOOD ones to inspire.

 

4. I am thinking about a way to get the local boyscouts involved. Possibly as a community service project for the cubscouts to go find. Getting kids involved who would then maybe get parents involved....The thought is gelling in my head....hopefully it comes to fruition.

 

Again, thanks for the ideas. Please keep them coming. I'm not sure I'm up to organizing an event yet. Maybe I should go to one first. I like the doorprize cache give away idea though so maybe it might be doable. I'll have to think on that one and get my gumption up. If you have any other profound thoughts, I'd love to hear. Thanks for the advice.

[+pigpen4x4]

Be careful what you wish for.

You might end up with a bunch of brain dead micro's.

 

Please don't derail the topic with an off-topic rant about micros. There are plenty of other threads for that.

 

Thank you.

 

Yes Mother.