Found an Archived Cache.

[+skisidedown]

A few months ago I went after a certain cache and located it with no trouble. As I was leaving the area I noticed that my GPS showed another cache nearby. I thought it was strange and realized I had not deleted a cache that had been archived after I had entered it (manually) into my Vista. I looked anyway and sure enough here is the white tobacco container sitting on the forest floor. I opened it and I think I manged to sign something resembling a logbook (can't remember now). At this point I knew this was a cache that had been archived.

 

The organization that placed the cache was set up to promote tourism and is now defunct. I have been unable to contact them, and questions directed a cacher that I thought had been involved in the placing of some of these caches have gone unanswered.

 

Should I just have removed the container myself? Should I go and remove it now? At this time it is nothing more than litter in the woods, so what to do...

 

Skisidedown.

[+ThePropers]

If it's indeed an archived cache, I would have:

 

1) Removed it

2) Posted a note on the cache page saying as much

3) Sent an email to the hider letting them know I have it, and ask if they would like me to send them any combination of the container, items, logbook...etc.

 

That's what I would have done, but opinions tend to vary around here.

[+Semper Questio]

I'd pull it under those circumstances.

[Clan Riffster]

I'd mirror the above sentiments, then logged a "Find" on it.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I agree with Clan Riffster! Unless logging the cache has been locked (a few are), log the find, mentioning that the geotrash has been removed. AFter all, you did find the cache, and sign the log! Then pat yourself on the back for your CITO efforts.

[+skisidedown]

Thanks all, there is another new cache down that way so I now have an excuse to make the trip and remove the old cache.

 

And I already did mark it as found!

 

Skisidedown.

[GermanSailor]

Hallo,

 

if you find a metal can in a forest and it's not a Geocache, than it is trash. Nobody is looking for it anymore, nobody cares for it, so remove it, probaly "recycle" it, or even better, try to adopt it.

 

I don't like the idea that Geocachers trash nature with abondoned Geocaches. That's not the idea behind it.

 

GermanSailor

[+wimseyguy]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first. We are not alone (just bigger and better ) Since the hiding cacher and organization seem to be gone, pulling it should be OK.

[+Ambrosia]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first. We are not alone (just bigger and better ) Since the hiding cacher and organization seem to be gone, pulling it should be OK.

Got to it before me.

[Clan Riffster]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first.

Sage advice! When I was placing my "Great Scot" series, I found a Planters jar about 10' from one of the stages. It had been painted flat black, and was stuffed with swag. Inside, I found a blank logbook and a dollar bill. The only thing missing was an indication of ownership such as a stash note or GC number. I signed the log as FTF, claimed the dollar and carried my cache back out.

 

I contacted a local reviewer to see if someone had hidden a cache there which might be waiting for approval, and was told "No". I then checked TC & NC to see if it might be listed there, and it was not. After 3 weeks, I again checked my 3 available sources, and again determined there was no listing, or even a pending listing, so I hid mine back in it's original spot, and made a reference to the unlisted "bonus" cache nearby, in the hopes that whoever hid it would recognize it and claim it. No one ever did. The unlisted cache was located in an area prone to seasonal flood debris, so it might have floated up the St John's River from God only knows where.

 

In retrospect, I probably should've pulled it.

[+Jackie and Bob]

Sage advice! When I was placing my "Great Scot" series, I found a Planters jar about 10' from one of the stages. It had been painted flat black, and was stuffed with swag. Inside, I found a blank logbook and a dollar bill. The only thing missing was an indication of ownership such as a stash note or GC number. I signed the log as FTF, claimed the dollar and carried my cache back out.

 

I contacted a local reviewer to see if someone had hidden a cache there which might be waiting for approval, and was told "No". I then checked TC & NC to see if it might be listed there, and it was not. After 3 weeks, I again checked my 3 available sources, and again determined there was no listing, or even a pending listing, so I hid mine back in it's original spot, and made a reference to the unlisted "bonus" cache nearby, in the hopes that whoever hid it would recognize it and claim it. No one ever did. The unlisted cache was located in an area prone to seasonal flood debris, so it might have floated up the St John's River from God only knows where.

 

In retrospect, I probably should've pulled it.

 

Yep... and when we all went to find yours, we found this one first. Our name was put on that cache log as LASF right after Riffsters. I thought at first it was yours, but then it didn't have the puzzle pieces that were needed from yours. Then I stumbled around for about 20 minutes or so before I found yours only about 10-20 feet away.

[+El Diablo]

You might want to send the cache owner an email before you remove it. I see from their profile that they still frequent this site.

 

El Diablo

[+zoltig]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first. We are not alone (just bigger and better ) Since the hiding cacher and organization seem to be gone, pulling it should be OK.

Got to it before me.

That's right!! We are not alone!! That is why there is no GC policy (I think) on removing "archived" or "abandoned" caches. Don't make me site an example.

[+BlueDeuce]

I think if you can find an archived cache, or an original cache that was assumed lost and replaced, I think you should get to keep it.

 

Heck. If you wrecked your ship in Key West they could keep all the cargo. What's an ammocan compared to that?!

[+Sagefox]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first.

 

If there was nothing in the container that specifically stated it was listed on another site then I would have no heistation about removing it.

[+El Diablo]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first.

 

If there was nothing in the container that specifically stated it was listed on another site then I would have no heistation about removing it.

 

Most caches I find don't mention which site they are listed on. Should I remove those if I was out searching for a Terracache and ran across one?

 

El Diablo

[+BlueDeuce]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first.

 

If there was nothing in the container that specifically stated it was listed on another site then I would have no heistation about removing it.

 

Most caches I find don't mention which site they are listed on. Should I remove those if I was out searching for a Terracache and ran across one?

 

El Diablo

 

If it's not a gc.com cache then I'm a muggle or whatever they call people who don't know about their game.

[+El Diablo]

You should be sure that it is not listed on another website first.

 

If there was nothing in the container that specifically stated it was listed on another site then I would have no heistation about removing it.

 

Most caches I find don't mention which site they are listed on. Should I remove those if I was out searching for a Terracache and ran across one?

 

El Diablo

 

If it's not a gc.com cache then I'm a muggle or whatever they call people who don't know about their game.

 

So that means you should remove it? Like it or not, there are alternative listing sites. As I said before, email the owner. They still frequent this site.

 

El Diablo

[Tahosa and Sons]

Log it as a find. Pull the Geo Litter. E-Mail the owner.

[+BlueDeuce]

What I mean is that what people should and shouldn't do, hinges on what they know and don't know. (yeah I know)

 

The OP found the original and lost cache, do we have to discuss the nth degree of possibilities of what might be a cache and what isn't? Debate that he didn't find the orig and it's another. That at least would be something new and worth discovery.

[+El Diablo]

What I mean is that what people should and shouldn't do, hinges on what they know and don't know. (yeah I know)

 

 

You are right in that aspect. We are talking about a small container apparently hidden in the woods. I see no harm in leaving it there until it's known beyond a doubt that it's abandoned. If such a container is harmful, than all caches should be removed.

 

El Diablo

[+BlueDeuce]

hmmm, all or nothing. figures.

 

Have old waypoint, find cache, seems old and trashed.

 

Are you sure it's not an active gc.com cache?

 

That I might be able to defend.

Edited October 21, 2006 by BlueDeuce

[Clan Riffster]

A similar story:

When I was setting up Carpe Noctum, a reviewer told me about another nearby night cache, Reflections. This one had been last found on 08-22-04, and was disabled by the owner on 06-07-05. The same reviewer archived it on 10-07-05, long before my geocircle made it to that area, so I wasn't aware it even existed.

 

Just for grins & giggles, I hunted for it on 02-07-06. I wasn't expecting much, since the area had been heavily flooded two times since it was last found, but after a bit of nosing around, I came up with the ammo can right where it was supposed to be. (two feet under the high water mark) Whoo Hoo!! What was even better, was the contents were still bone dry! Gotta love them ammo cans!

 

I CITO'ed the cache home, and E-mailed the owner. The cache is still sitting in my closet waiting for the day she returns to the game. Some day I might hide it as a salute to her great Brevard County caches.

Edited October 21, 2006 by Clan Riffster

[+Semper Questio]

When I initially replied I keyed on where the OP stated he had the cache in question in his GPS from before it was archived and then went on to say that the original placing organization is a "now defunct." I assumed the OP got all his caches from gc.com. Other posters are quite correct that there are other listing sites in this game and it may not be a gc.com cache.

 

So to the OP - What listing site did the waypoint you had come from? Did you try emailing the original hider? If the answers are "gc.com" and "yes", respectively, then I'm still thinkin' pull it.

[+Bad_CRC]

another case for people marking their dang caches and putting clear easy to find stash notes inside.

 

my caches are ammo cans that are clearly identified outside and as soon as you open them, they have a big full color stash note right inside the lid with the fulll explanation, website (outside the container as well) name, URL, and my email address.

 

seems to me that if people who don't bother to do any of this, it's better to clean up the litter than leave trash all over "just in case" If it's not a requirement (isn't it?) then it sure should be to prevent just this problem.

[+Sagefox]

 

Most caches I find don't mention which site they are listed on. Should I remove those if I was out searching for a Terracache and ran across one?

 

But again, there are other indicators that a cache has been abandoned. When the evidence stacks up on the side of abandonment then pulling it could be the right move. Worst case is that the owner realizes what happens, comes back to life and gets back out there and fixes the problem that made it appear to be abandoned.

 

People don't pull caches that have active logs, or where the last logs were finds, even if several years old. Actually, people seldom pull containers even when they are abandoned.

 

Unless I am misunderstanding OP's first paragraph, it appears very safe and desirable to pull that continer.