Is this the way the game is played?

[+Lacomo]

I am new to this geocaching stuff and I got my first cache hid and I plan to monitor it pretty close. The first person to find it took a $5 lottery ticket and a $1 gold coin and left a 25 cent ball and complained about the ticks.

 

Is this the way its done? If it is I apologise to everyone because I've been doing it all wrong.

[+StarBrand]

Sadly this type of trade is all too common.

 

Also the First finder may have assumed that the $5 ticket was some kind of gift for FTF and did not require a "trade up or even" type trade. Really no excuse for the $1 coin though.

 

Lead by example and do it better than most. I do.

[+Renegade Knight]

I am new to this geocaching stuff and I got my first cache hid and I plan to monitor it pretty close. The first person to find it took a $5 lottery ticket and a $1 gold coin and left a 25 cent ball and complained about the ticks.

 

Is this the way its done? If it is I apologise to everyone because I've been doing it all wrong.

 

Yes Virginia, it surely is how it's done. Put in nice swag. Along comes a Cache Rat who takes all the shiney trinkets and leaves behind dull lusterless trinkets in return.

 

It's an ongoing problem that will not go away. When you put nice stuff in a cache you should assome a cache rats will take all the cool stuff and leave junk in return. The only satisfaction you can get is what you got when you did a good thing and started out with good swag. You will make the cache rats day when they find the shiney shiney stuff. You could make the cache rats work harder for it. Put the good swag on the end of a 5 mile vertical hike. Then at least you know they had to work for it. That's worth a smile as well.

[+buddyluv4]

After seeing this topics lots on the forums and also finding some pretty sad caches, this is what we decided to do. Keep in mind we only have 3 caches so it's not to bad, but we try and keep them stocked with nice swag. We know that others may not trade up or even, but I know once in awhile some little girl or boy finds something cool in one of our caches and it makes their day. Knowing that happens to make my day. My kids seem to be getting past the trade stage but we still carry lots of great stuff that I usually buy new (I hit the sale isles whenever I go shopping) and if a cache looks like it needs a pick-me-up we drop a few things, even if we don't take anything. I figure it's just part of the expense of the hobby and it's still cheaper than any of my other hobbies, so it works. Also, keep in mind, maybe this person knew better, but there are new cachers everyday and lots don't. Hopefully they will figure it out along the way and change their ways. If not, best not to dwell on it, lifes too short. Cheers.

[marnen]

I started out not really caring about the trading aspect -- I rarely take or leave anything when I find a cache. Threads like this largely reinforce that lack of interest. For me -- and I'm not trying to speak for anyone else -- it's all about the hunt. It's hard for me to get excited about some trinket. Trackable or unusual items are another matter, though.

[+Thrak]

I started out not really caring about the trading aspect -- I rarely take or leave anything when I find a cache. Threads like this largely reinforce that lack of interest. For me -- and I'm not trying to speak for anyone else -- it's all about the hunt. It's hard for me to get excited about some trinket. Trackable or unusual items are another matter, though.

 

I try not to let greedy folks upset me. I start my caches with good swag and hope for the best. When I check them periodically they have usually been in good shape but I carry more stuff with me when checking in case they need a bit of fixing up.

 

I used to trade a lot more often than I do now. One summer day when I was fairly new I did a bunch of caches and decided to take any money I found and trade swag for it. My goal was to see if I could get $5 for a six pack of beer. By the end of the caching run I had collected $4.50 and left around $15 worth of swag in its place. Not exactly a money making proposition but I had a lot of fun finding the caches and was surprised at how much cash I had collected. Good thing the local microbrewery (Sierra Nevada Brewing Company) sells their beer pretty cheaply here in town. It sure isn't cheap anywhere else!

[+Lacomo]

It's sure not worth worrying about. It's a fun hobby and if it ever starts to really bother me I will quit it.

I guess it just hit me wrong and I probably should not have even mentioned it. I'm over it now lol. I'll keep doing what I'm doing, because I'm hooked on geocashing and I'll keep trying to do the right thing.

Edited May 14, 2007 by lacomo

[+briansnat]

It's sure not worth worrying about. It's a fun hobby and if it ever starts to really bother me I will quit it.

I guess it just hit me wrong and I probably should not have even mentioned it. I'm over it now lol. I'll keep doing what I'm doing, because I'm hooked on geocashing and I'll keep trying to do the right thing.

 

There is a segment of leaches in the community. You really can't obsess over them if you plan on owning caches. Just look at your caches as a gift to the community and leave it at that.

 

You basically have two choices. Restock your caches from time to time, or start them out nicely stocked and let them naturally degrade to a container filled with broken crayons, dirty Mardi Gras beads, movie ticket stubs and rusty key rings for Manny's Car Wash.

[+Miragee]

It's sure not worth worrying about. It's a fun hobby and if it ever starts to really bother me I will quit it.

I guess it just hit me wrong and I probably should not have even mentioned it. I'm over it now lol. I'll keep doing what I'm doing, because I'm hooked on geocashing and I'll keep trying to do the right thing.

There is a segment of leaches in the community. You really can't obsess over them if you plan on owning caches. Just look at your caches as a gift to the community and leave it at that.

 

You basically have two choices. Restock your caches from time to time, or start them out nicely stocked and let them naturally degrade to a container filled with broken crayons, dirty Mardi Gras beads, movie ticket stubs and rusty key rings for Manny's Car Wash.

Actually there is a third choice. I'm afraid I did that with some of my most recent offerings since I went on a little "cache-hiding spree." I stocked the containers with swag gathered at a convention, along with other cheap or freebie items. After the first few finders, no one will know they started out the way they will get anyway.

 

[+Renegade Knight]

It's sure not worth worrying about. It's a fun hobby and if it ever starts to really bother me I will quit it.

I guess it just hit me wrong and I probably should not have even mentioned it. I'm over it now lol. I'll keep doing what I'm doing, because I'm hooked on geocashing and I'll keep trying to do the right thing.

There is a segment of leaches in the community. You really can't obsess over them if you plan on owning caches. Just look at your caches as a gift to the community and leave it at that.

 

You basically have two choices. Restock your caches from time to time, or start them out nicely stocked and let them naturally degrade to a container filled with broken crayons, dirty Mardi Gras beads, movie ticket stubs and rusty key rings for Manny's Car Wash.

Actually there is a third choice. I'm afraid I did that with some of my most recent offerings since I went on a little "cache-hiding spree." I stocked the containers with swag gathered at a convention, along with other cheap or freebie items. After the first few finders, no one will know they started out the way they will get anyway.

 

 

I've started a few caches with nothing. People complained about the nothintg, but they also left stuff and put their money where there mouth is. Those caches got traded up.

[+Knight2000]

I am new to this geocaching stuff and I got my first cache hid and I plan to monitor it pretty close. The first person to find it took a $5 lottery ticket and a $1 gold coin and left a 25 cent ball and complained about the ticks.

 

Is this the way its done? If it is I apologise to everyone because I've been doing it all wrong.

Unfortunately. sounds about right. It sucks, but you cant change it. I personally don't care about trading, but my kids do. And thats why we cache- for them.

[+Chuy!]

I am new to this geocaching stuff and I got my first cache hid and I plan to monitor it pretty close. The first person to find it took a $5 lottery ticket and a $1 gold coin and left a 25 cent ball and complained about the ticks.

 

Is this the way its done? If it is I apologise to everyone because I've been doing it all wrong.

Why would you put ticks in a cache? He earned them.

 

Have you checked to see if there are any recent lottery winners in your area?

 

If it's not too late, I would put a note on your webpage right after the swindler's visit and state you had to restock the swag.

[+LeonW]

As a Premium Member you may also place a cache only for fellow Premium Members. Try it and see for yourself if the trading is more even. Be aware that there is a lot of negative feelings towards PMO caches in these forums; but heck it is your cache and you may place it anyway you want within the guidelines.

 

What I read about the contents of caches, made me come to the conclusion to replace at regular intervals your swag items and clear out all old, broken and unwanted items (hopefully not yours) - it is your cache to present in the best possible way.

 

[+briansnat]

As a Premium Member you may also place a cache only for fellow Premium Members. Try it and see for yourself if the trading is more even. Be aware that there is a lot of negative feelings towards PMO caches in these forums; but heck it is your cache and you may place it anyway you want within the guidelines.

 

What I read about the contents of caches, made me come to the conclusion to replace at regular intervals your swag items and clear out all old, broken and unwanted items (hopefully not yours) - it is your cache to present in the best possible way.

 

 

One way to keep your cache from degrading is to place it at the end of a longer hike. I don't know why, but it seems that the people who find these caches tend to be better traders. It's not just the number of finds vs. an urban cache either. I have caches that have been in the wild for years and have had many finds and are still nicely stocked.

[+michigansnorkelers]

Sadly this type of trade is all too common.

 

Also the First finder may have assumed that the $5 ticket was some kind of gift for FTF and did not require a "trade up or even" type trade. Really no excuse for the $1 coin though.

 

Lead by example and do it better than most. I do.

 

I've seen a lot of quarters in caches, and those dollar coins look like quarters.

 

I picked up 25 of them at the bank last week, and I've already made the mistake of using them as quarters!

[Donald, Daisy and Kids]

One way to keep your cache from degrading is to place it at the end of a longer hike. I don't know why, but it seems that the people who find these caches tend to be better traders. It's not just the number of finds vs. an urban cache either. I have caches that have been in the wild for years and have had many finds and are still nicely stocked.

 

Agreed! We have our only cache located at the end of a forrest walk that is approximately 500mtrs, the cache is 30mtrs back from the river, and has been found by around 6 non-cachers during the boat racing festival. ALL of them posted a note saying that they took nothing but enjoyed the ideas of the game, and our chosen location.

 

Other local caches we know of that are only a short walk have been trashed and muggled constantly, to the point where 2 local cachers have given up and 2 local caches are now archived!