my first cache hunt

[Gilamonster1]

Went on my first cache hunt today and did not find it. Kinda bummed about it. I had the family out and we did see a lot of cool stuff but no cache

I am a pretty avid hiker/hunter/fisher and this is just another way to enjoy the great out doors. I just wish we had found it. It was a small one (mini m&m container) and a multi. I think I will try a bigger one next time. I chose the one I did because I had the whole family out including a one year old and four year old. The terrain was good for their ability.

I will say I feel like going back out there now alone with a pick and shovel and not returning until I find it.

[+Cardinal Red]

Sounds like even with the DNF you had a good day with your family. I tend to get mad and quit quickly when confronted with a micro. Your determination to return for the find is great. I think (hope) you are joking about the "pick and shovel". We don't bury caches and don't search for them with Picks and Shovels. But good luck with your lower impact search.

[+cache_test_dummies]

Sorry about your unsuccessful hunt. It might be a good idea to go after traditional (as opposed to a multi), regular size caches the next time, and you might want to limit your hunt to caches with low (1 - 2) difficulty ratings.

 

I will say I feel like going back out there now alone with a pick and shovel and not returning until I find it.

Hopefully you are kidding about the pick and shovel. Buried caches aren't allowed, so a pick and shovel won't do you much good anyway, and land managers tend to get upset if they catch people digging up their parks.

[+briansnat]

You're probably better off sticking with regular sized traditional caches at first. Save the multis and micros for when you get a little experience.

[Lay-Z-Abe]

I went Geocaching for the first time (ever) today too and DNF on TWO caches. Although I kept going and found TWO caches, so don't give up man! It does get frustrating when you KNOW it's there and you can't seem to find it. Wondering if a Muggle got to it or you have a bogus waypoint... just don't know, but that's the "thrill of the hunt". Keep going dude!

[Gilamonster1]

I was just kidding about the pick and shovel.

Someone above said it cant be buried? I did not realize this. I looked at the hints prior to going and it mentions under a pile of sand. Did I misunderstand sumpin?

[+cache_test_dummies]

I was just kidding about the pick and shovel.

Someone above said it cant be buried? I did not realize this. I looked at the hints prior to going and it mentions under a pile of sand. Did I misunderstand sumpin?

The cache listing guidelines specifically disallow buried caches. In the "Off Limits" section, you'll find the following:

 

Caches that are buried. If a shovel, trowel or other “pointy” object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate.

In the particular case of the cache you were hunting, I'd need to see the cache page to guess at the meaning of the hint you mentioned. Could you provide a link to the cache page (or post the GC #)?

[Gilamonster1]

I was just kidding about the pick and shovel.

Someone above said it cant be buried? I did not realize this. I looked at the hints prior to going and it mentions under a pile of sand. Did I misunderstand sumpin?

The cache listing guidelines specifically disallow buried caches. In the "Off Limits" section, you'll find the following:

 

Caches that are buried. If a shovel, trowel or other “pointy” object is used to dig, whether in order to hide or to find the cache, then it is not appropriate.

In the particular case of the cache you were hunting, I'd need to see the cache page to guess at the meaning of the hint you mentioned. Could you provide a link to the cache page (or post the GC #)?

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...41-95b9c20fcb2c

[+cache_test_dummies]

I looked at the hints prior to going and it mentions under a pile of sand. Did I misunderstand sumpin?

You misunderstood sumpin'.

 

You may want to read that hint again.

[Gilamonster1]

I looked at the hints prior to going and it mentions under a pile of sand. Did I misunderstand sumpin?

You misunderstood sumpin'.

 

You may want to read that hint again.

oooooooooooops

[scheister]

For everyone’s amusement, and nOobie benefit, I will chime in with anecdotes from my first cache last weekend. Although similar to Gilamonsters1 first cache, I took a different approach than a micro when I set out on my first cache.

 

I discovered the geocacher web site last Friday. Curious about geocaching and excited to learn about my new GPSr, I went home and loaded the closest cache in to my Garmin, leashed up the dog, grabbed a flashlight (yes a flashlight, see where this is going?), threw on the snivel gear (military jargon for warm clothing), laced up the gortex boots (the clue said there was a creek involved) and proceeded off on my first hunt. Fumbling through the various GPSr pages and menus because I had gloves on and I was still learning the various functions, I managed to lock on to the cache, which of course was on the other side of the creek. I managed to cross the creek at a very narrow point and stay dry, and then proceeded up a small hill. According to the map page I was on “top” of the cache so I secured my ever alert and now excited dog (we were standing close to pvt property that apparently had animals) to a tree while I searched. Flashlight in hand, I checked all likely places and found nothing. Determined, I started concentric circles and still found nothing. My ears were getting cold and my dog was looking at me with a very confused, quizzical look (if only dogs could talk, Akita’s are known for their facial expressions). According to the compass page I was 20m south of the cache. I checked the map page, apparently I was on “top” of the cache. I realized later that the map scale was set to 20m; noob mistake # ?? So I followed the compass to the cache location, came upon a group of large boulders on the side of a hill and searched the largest, most obvious boulder closest to me; I found bubkis, nadda, zipp zilch. Now more determined, I looked amongst the other rocks and still found nothing. I decided to return to my dog to calm him down, and start over. Again, I followed the compass to the cache location and verified against the map page (now on the 5m scale). I found myself back at the large, obvious boulder so I searched it again; I found nothing. Growing even more frustrated, I checked the GPSr, I was on “top” of it. So I asked myself, what doesn’t look natural?? Low and behold right in front of me was a somewhat neatly stack of rocks concealing a crevice on the side of the big, obvious boulder I checked, I don’t know, 2x before; clever little bastard. I took off the top rock and whalah, an ammo can appeared much to my delight (and my dogs).

 

So why the long description? Besides for your amusement, I am hoping that newcomers will learn from my mishaps; no need for me to point them out, common sense should prevail here. I feel compelled to qualify my anecdote by stating that my drive to do this at night was my confidence gained from extensive land navigation experience while in the military. However, my wife thinks I am a glutton for punishment and stubborn, she knows me better than I know myself. Don’t give up Gilamonster1 and have fun, at least you weren’t searching for a multi micro at night in the cold. Kudos for bringing the family, that’s great.

Edited January 23, 2007 by scheister

[scheister]

ooops

Edited January 23, 2007 by scheister

[+fox-and-the-hound]

Went on my first cache hunt today and did not find it. Kinda bummed about it. I had the family out and we did see a lot of cool stuff but no cache

I am a pretty avid hiker/hunter/fisher and this is just another way to enjoy the great out doors. I just wish we had found it. It was a small one (mini m&m container) and a multi. I think I will try a bigger one next time. I chose the one I did because I had the whole family out including a one year old and four year old. The terrain was good for their ability.

I will say I feel like going back out there now alone with a pick and shovel and not returning until I find it.

 

That's a great story actually and not unlike our own. Our first cache was a DNF as well and it was an ammo can, too! We went in the snow and spent two hours scouring the area before coming to the conclusion that we just didn't know what on earth we were doing So thinking starting smaller would be easier we tried for a micro. We scoured the town square for a little over an hour probably while trying not to attract the attention of the police at the city desk about 50 feet away. We must have been as subtle as skunk spray, but we did manage to finally find it. We've been hooked ever since and eventually did find that elusive first cache (turns out it was muggled). So don't give up, the fun is in the experience, the find is just a bonus

[chuckr30]

My first cache I did find. But I only had a 30% find rate with my Geko 201. I simply had no reception under any type of tree cover, even in winter when there were no leaves. And I had WAAS on. So I upgraded to a Garmin 76csx. I only found one cache so far but I once I had sat lock, I kept sat lock.

 

Don't be discouraged. I don't even bother with micro caches, they are really deviously hidden. Inside a hollow branch, or a roach's butt. I just go for traditional caches and I only go during the day with plenty of light.