caches in peoples yards

[+Pablo Mac]

I just DNF-ed another one five minutes ago. I didn't even get out of my vehicle.

Edited September 20, 2006 by Pablo Mac

[+Civisi]

Funny that this was brought up. I just did a cache in someone's back yard on Sunday.

 

The cache listing is at this link. I used the coordinates to get to within 100 feet of the cache, and at that point, I could see it from the road. Not hidden at all.

 

There are 110 logged comments, and I've posted some of the best ones here:

 

By AirRaidFan: I was in your yard with a flashlight for about five minutes. Heard laughter from a rear corner room. Garage door was open. My black jeep was parked in front. I didn't think this was right, so I oozed on out.

 

By ChetLeague: Hated to walk through your backyard, but TFTC anyway.

 

By Gravewatcher: It is a little creepy walking in someone's yard.

 

By RockingM: Felt like the entire neighborhood was watching.

 

By grave1: dont be shy about going up there they know what your doing and its okay i thought this was very clever

 

By moon_light: Finally found it and was a little shy about looking by the flamingos.

 

By Cache-teers: we braved fierce lawn animals and fought our way through flora and fauna until we found the cache.

 

By studuck: It was really strange going into someones yard.

 

By Ranger&Belle: bearandbird said i didnt have the balls to do this one

 

By Team D&D: I wonder what the neighbors think about these strange visitors at all hours of the day and night.

 

By Mozart's Money: Pink Flamingo's and Dinosaurs??????

 

By LadyLitz: was seen from the car when we parked, but we were a bit apprehensive about getting out.

 

By daggy: Felt a little uneasy about this one, but what the hey!

 

By shooter206: This one was a real hard one......

 

By wesandang: Very strange to be in someone's yard, especially when the neighbors are watching and there is a sign advertising that the subdivision has a neighborhood watch!

 

By Jaxxon: Almost like cheating when the cache owner is lounging around in the pool and he tells you the best way to reach the cache.

 

By Whamo: We really liked the dinosaurs

 

 

Hehe... I will only do a cache if I know it's ok to be there. I did one in a cemetery last Saturday that, to get to, I had to drive down a lane in the woods which led to a field. There was a No Tresspassing sign near the lane which made me nervous... but considering it was a cemetery, I proceeded.

 

If the cache is on private property, I think the owner should be required to state that it's their property or that they have permission to put it there.

[4wheelin_fool]

I have never hunted a cache near a house, but I have always assumed that with these type of caches the cacher is supposed to knock at the door and say hello first. I wouldnt even consider attempting it at night, or past 9pm.

[+boda]

Of three caches I've found in someone's yard, I've had mixed results. The first one was in one of the local big time cacher's front yard. He was often on the porch with his family. We had less than ten finds when we tried it, and there he was, on the porch. We were a little nervous at first but really enjoyed the experience. The second wasn't as good, but we avoided the crotchety neighbor's yard, found the cache and moved on. The third took us to the back of a house through a side yard to an interesting cache with a fabulous view. It was a great experience. The bottom line, I guess, is that, while I understand the negative feelings someone may have; don't just dismiss the cache in someone's yard. If you don't want to go-fine-you just might miss a pleasant experience.

[+Pablo Mac]

I have an idea for an attribute icon for caches near homes in residential neighborhoods:

 

 

Remember: you saw it here first.

Edited September 20, 2006 by Pablo Mac

[+Big Max]

Very possibly a good way to get shot at also.

 

Dang, y'all hide caches in your yard and then shoot at cachers who come looking?

 

Rough state! That oughta raise the difficulty level a bit

 

Not so much rough states or being shot at by the hider, but getting the wrong location and trespassing or being watched and reported by a neighbor for suspicious activity that I think most people are concerned with. With the slight inaccuracies of the different GPSr's it is possible to be off by as much as 60 feet which would easily put you in someone else's yard. I just finished one (about 10 minutes ago) that was a multi. I misread the coordinates from the first stage which put me in the right area but would be in the middle of someone's yard. I decided to check before I started trespassing and sure enough I had the wrong location. The caches on pseudo-public property like parking lots are bad enough for me. There is no way I would do one in someone's yard unless I was 100% sure it was the correct location.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Funny that this was brought up. I just did a cache in someone's back yard on Sunday.

 

The cache listing is at this link. I used the coordinates to get to within 100 feet of the cache, and at that point, I could see it from the road. Not hidden at all.

Small world.

 

I drove by that one myself and put it on my ignore list.

 

I did not get out and search, but my map software that I use to preliminarily scout for "quickie" caches showed it to be roughly in the area of about 4 possible backyards. I am sure I would have been able to discern a little more closely if I had stopped and measured or gotten out with my GPSr.

 

The uncertainty about WHICH yard is sufficient reason for me to drive on. I believe I went to a local cemetary that day to get my cache "fix". (ammo box btw if I remember correctly)

[+ElectricBird]

I actally am thinking (because I have a big front yard) Of putting one there. It backs up to a dirt road with plenty of parking and space, making ingress and egress not a problem. A cache would be fine there as long as it was posted clearly in the description as okay to hunt on property.

 

I have found many caches in people's yards, one such asEducating a Century by Galgreet that are very close to someone;s property. I have even searched for one in a hedge up by the cacher's home.

[+Team Dromomania]

I've done several yard caches and for the most part all went ok. Meeting the owners is great. Meeting the neighbors can be a little less great. And I've met more neighbors than owners. Can everybody say NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.

 

Another type of hide I don't really enjoy is a cache placement in full view of homes adjacent to a park or greenbelt. If I lived there and saw somebody sneaking around my fence I'd want to know if my place was being cased! Hated also - caches placed next to barking dogs. Some owners even "warn" against the dogs (like we're suppose to do something about the barking dog on the other side of the fence). There's nothing like letting the whole world know that you're sneaking around. It's almost as bad as caches hidden in front of security cameras.

[+MN-CACHE-TRACKER]

I check them out, one I found in a small town was on a blvd in front of a members home in a birdhouse. I zeroed in on it right away ( no hole for the bird to enter ) While I was ther the cache / home owner came out and started visiting. They told me stories of how they have watche people poke around the flower garden and other parts of the yard for long periods ot time, sounded amusing to me. They also said that the neighbors and the local cop (only one in town) knew it was there, they also posted that in the cache description.

[+PeachyPA]

I had posted a photo of our front yard in another part of this forum; the yard had lovely flowers growing in early summer profusion and a strikingly different "sculpture" in it. Someone (I believe it was a moderator) indicated that the sculpture screamed for a cache. I have found a container that will hide well in it. I'm waiting for the container to be emptied before I make the hide.

 

So, I will have a cache in my front yard. My husband has his office in the house; so there are folks coming and going several times a day. So, we have foot traffic. Someone stopping and looking at the sculpture would not be noticed.

[danoshimano]

Another type of hide I don't really enjoy is a cache placement in full view of homes adjacent to a park or greenbelt.

 

Been there, hate that!

 

I did one last year where the green belt was narrow, and had houses elevated on both sides. When I got to the cache zone, I scanned both sides and saw nothing but windows staring down at me. Poked around a bit and left. Turns out the cache had already been muggled. Hmmm... I wonder why?

[+Pablo Mac]

Some people like them, but when I was a land surveyor I learned to walk with respect and caution on other peoples' property, even with explicit permission. Just because a cache owner may post words giving permission to walk into their yard to find a cache, that doesn't necessarily mean they have informed all of their neighbors about it. In my neighborhood, we watch out for each other, and I think a series of people walking into my yard (or the neighbors on either side!) would get on my friends' nerves. I respect my neighbors more than that.

 

There are so many nice potential cache locations outside of subdivisions, so when my GPSr arrow swings into someone's yard, I:

 

[+El Diablo]

I just DNF-ed another one five minutes ago. I didn't even get out of my vehicle.

 

You keep saying that these types of caches go on your ignore list. I'm just curious as why you even drove by this one? It's obvious from the cache description and it's location on the map what type of cache you were looking for.

 

El Diablo

[+sweetlife]

Here is a link to the photo gallery, we put it in the front yard just so our wood carving of signal would not get stolen

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/gallery.asp...68-af99f2f6f63d

 

BTW the wood carving is a TB and can be discovered

Edited September 22, 2006 by sweetlife

[+DresselDragons]

Cool frog...we've done one in someone's yard. Even though we knew the owners, we still felt a bit uncomfortable...esp. when we tried to open the darn thing...took us WAY too long!

Edited September 22, 2006 by DresselDragons

[+Mudfrog]

Most certainly!

 

We have a stage of one of our caches in our front yard with the cache description stating to look for a "sign". Finders should recognize this immediately thereby easing their minds about getting the coordinates for the next stage of the cache.

 

Oh, and Signal looks cool there... Good job!

[+Confucius' Cat]

Normally, I shy away from caches at peoples' houses (see other thread), but this one looks like it is done in such a way that there would be no problems with it.

 

The thing that changes my mind about it is the obviousness of it.

 

Since there is no doubt that the yard is the right one and no doubt to the neighbors that there is a "public" attraction there, I don't see how there could be much chance of trouble.

 

I assume the neighbors are all privy to it and are not unduly concerned about the traffic.

 

Looks like a great cache. I like the idea.

[+Confucius' Cat]

Something that does come to mind is the possibility of some kind of neighborhood regulations or zoning that this cache might come up against.

 

Different neighborhoods have different "standards". In my town the cache could be hidden in a junk car or a decommissioned schoolbus and no one would complain, but I bet Signal would get you throwed out of a lot of communities.

 

I wonder if anyone with caches in their yards has had this issue come up?

[+Confucius' Cat]

Just a thought:

 

If you put a cache in your yard, a relatively difficult one perhaps, and the neighbours and cops are all aware of it and get accustomed to seeing strangers prowling in your garden, how much does that diminish the security of your property? -and perhaps that of your neighbours as well?

 

If people searching around the yard becomes a commonplace sight, might a real "prowler" who is casing the house (regardless of whether or not he knows about geocaching) be "blown off" as just another cacher by the neighbours? Obviously if a neighbour calls the cops, they will investigate every incident, but perhaps the neighbours might be less likely to report what could be genuine criminal activity.

 

Just a thought. WOLF!

[+Night Stalker]

I would probably be concerned if I had to enter a persons yard to find a cache and there was nothing on the cache page that indicated I would have to do so and that I had permission. That being said I have a cache in my yard. It states in the cache description that they have permission and that if they have problems finding the cache they should ring the doorbell for help.

 

 

There have been many cachers ringing my doorbell because this cache is truly evil..

[+El Diablo]

Just a thought:

 

If you put a cache in your yard, a relatively difficult one perhaps, and the neighbours and cops are all aware of it and get accustomed to seeing strangers prowling in your garden, how much does that diminish the security of your property? -and perhaps that of your neighbours as well?

 

If people searching around the yard becomes a commonplace sight, might a real "prowler" who is casing the house (regardless of whether or not he knows about geocaching) be "blown off" as just another cacher by the neighbours? Obviously if a neighbour calls the cops, they will investigate every incident, but perhaps the neighbours might be less likely to report what could be genuine criminal activity.

 

Just a thought. WOLF!

The cache I plan to place is in the front yard and is 160 feet from the house. I live in a rual area and only have 2 close nieghbors that would be informed of whats going on. There will also be a sign welcoming cachers to let them know that they are in the right place. All of this will be on the cache page. The cache description will also lead them to the general area.

 

El Diablo

[+DresselDragons]

We did one is a yard...but it was not a traditional container. We had a devil of a time opening it! Partially because we missed one of the clues that we needed, partially because the cache owners were right there (hard to work when others are watching), partially because it was freezing. Of course, we probably not have gotten it open without their help. LOL!

[+Bad_CRC]

I just want to take the TB and bring it to other caches.

[+Pablo Mac]

It's obvious from the cache description and it's location on the map what type of cache you were looking for.

It's evident from the cache description as it appears now, after my DNF log, but when it first came out it didn't say anything about being in someone's yard. I thought there was a chance the cache might be on one of the empty lots along that street, some distance from any homes.

 

If you put a cache in your yard, a relatively difficult one perhaps, and the neighbours and cops are all aware of it and get accustomed to seeing strangers prowling in your garden, how much does that diminish the security of your property? -and perhaps that of your neighbours as well?

 

If people searching around the yard becomes a commonplace sight, might a real "prowler" who is casing the house (regardless of whether or not he knows about geocaching) be "blown off" as just another cacher by the neighbours? Obviously if a neighbour calls the cops, they will investigate every incident, but perhaps the neighbours might be less likely to report what could be genuine criminal activity.

Exactly.

[+gof1]

I certainly would.

I have no problem with doing a cache in someone's front yard, as long as the coords are known to be good and the cache isn't so well hidden that you have to look like a burglar to find it.

[+Cool Librarian]

Execution is everything on these types of hides.

 

I had one in my yard (in the front, could be accessed from the sidewalk if the cacher was nervous about entering, even though the cache page said it was fine to do so) and it was VERY well-received. It was a large tote full of books. I placed it in my yard after it went missing in its first location (and, ironically, it was stolen out of my yard two years later by the obnoxious teens that worked across the street). I met many cachers that came by to do it, and I don't think I got one complaint about it. And, back then, few people knew me as I was new to the game.

 

I think it's a shame that people automatically write these off, but to each his own. Perhaps this area has a closer caching community than others.

[+El Diablo]

It's obvious from the cache description and it's location on the map what type of cache you were looking for.

It's evident from the cache description as it appears now, after my DNF log, but when it first came out it didn't say anything about being in someone's yard. I thought there was a chance the cache might be on one of the empty lots along that street, some distance from any homes.

 

 

Sure. You have been in these forums constantly criticizing these types of caches. So you thought it would be ok to go hunt a cache in an empty lot (which is private property.) rather than hunt one in a persons yard with permission?

 

El Diablo

[+Confucius' Cat]

Execution is everything on these types of hides.

 

I had one in my yard (in the front, could be accessed from the sidewalk if the cacher was nervous about entering, even though the cache page said it was fine to do so) and it was VERY well-received. It was a large tote full of books. I placed it in my yard after it went missing in its first location (and, ironically, it was stolen out of my yard two years later by the obnoxious teens that worked across the street). I met many cachers that came by to do it, and I don't think I got one complaint about it. And, back then, few people knew me as I was new to the game.

 

I think it's a shame that people automatically write these off, but to each his own. Perhaps this area has a closer caching community than others.

 

In this and the other thread, I have seen several posts describing caches in peoples' yards that seem to be acceptable to me. Yours being "a large tote" would be a very easy find and the "execution" would not look suspicious at all.

 

My truck with these placements is not with the caches or the cachers that choose to place them, but with the idea that my "execution" might inevitably look similar to the "execution" of a potential burglar. <edit>It even occurs to me that a quick abort might even be seen as suspicious. If the yard cache is the least bit difficult, I think the risk of arousing suspicion outweighs the fun of finding the box.</edit>

 

This concern of mine is not limited to yard caches, but applies generally to urban "stealth required" type caches as well.

 

I generally "automatically write them off" due to my predominant style of "spur of the moment" caching which means I simply look at my computer map for the icon nearest to me when I decide I would like to hunt a cache.

 

Now that I have GSAK, and therefore all the cache pages on my mobile computer (albeit not necessarily up-to-date), I am a little less likely to "write them off" because I can see the cache page B4 hunting.

 

Still, if the cache page does not VERY CLEARLY convince me that my actions will not cause alarm, I will seek elsewhere.

Edited September 22, 2006 by Confucius' Cat

[+Pablo Mac]

Sure. You have been in these forums constantly criticizing these types of caches. So you thought it would be ok to go hunt a cache in an empty lot (which is private property.) rather than hunt one in a persons yard with permission?

Again, yes, because I was hoping there was a chance this cache wasn't close to other homes, I could at least drive by for a closer look. I also had no idea that every empty lot is private property, either. I thought some empty lots might actually be city or county property. I'm sure learning a lot here, and to think I was once a land surveyor in this very area!

 

Thank you for your concerns, and for sharing your knowledge of Oregon from all the way across the country. Now please go and share with somebody else.

[+Quiggle]

Merging two topics.

[+-Low-Bat-]

Choice is good...I choose not to do these types of caches. Even if the land owner approves of the cache, it's when the nosey neighbour calls the police concerning a "suspicous person" poking about the yard next door! Kind of takes the whole "stealth" aspect out of the hunt when blue and red lights are flashing about you!