New and seem to be blind..?

[redtshark]

We are very new to this and are very excited about caching. We have gone to 3 different sights and found where the GPS stated to go, but have not yet been able to locate the actual log or cache. We know that it could be within a few feet, but still have not located anything yet. And we have gone to sites that others are making as easy. We even look for things that seem out of place.

So.. can anyone provide more tips for us? Is there a place where we can post a request to maybe meet and tag along with other 'cachers' in our area? Or maybe they could go with us to a sight they have been to and tell us what we are doing wrong?

Again, we really LOVE this so far, but really want to find the cache and sign that ever elusive logbook.

[+Love Bugs]

Try going here http://geocachingwa.org/ great bunch of cachers that are willing to help out.

[+Team_CSG]

Keep the faith. Sometimes the cache is 'hidden in plain sight'

 

Official sponsor of the Podcacher.com 2007 geocaching tour

Edited June 30, 2007 by arthurat

[+imajeep]

Make sure you are looking for 'traditional' caches, instead of micros. TCs are larger and generally easier to find. Go after caches that have been found in the past few days--these things go missing sometimes. Finally, when you get to the site, look for telltale signs that something has been covered up. Here in Illinois, forest hides in downed trees are popular. About half the forest caches are stuck in the end of a log, covered up with loose bark and twigs. Took me an hour to find my first one, but I'm getting pretty good at them now. Only takes me half an hour!

[+TrailGators]

Also start with low difficulty caches. When you get near the coords put your GPS in your pocket and start looking in spots that you might hide a cache. Good luck!

[+bwmick]

Read all the logs, sometimes people inadvertently leaves clues there that help me find the cache. when I am really stuck i check the hint. (but I have to tell there is nothing worse than being at GZ only to find that the hint is useless. I don't mind vague but useless...)

[+Miragee]

Welcome to the Forums!

 

The very first cache I found was an ammo can under a pile of rocks. Good thing too, because I sure had trouble with the next caches I looked for, the ones hidden under fence-post caps or cammoed to look like all the other rocks in the area.

 

One of my early mistakes was thinking the cache was going to be where the GPSr said 0.00'. Rarely does that happen. When you get within 30', look around for a possible hiding place. Also, approach the location from different directions. What you can't see from one side of a rock outcrop or huge fallen log is very obvious from the other side . . .

 

For your first caches, you should look for those that are Regular-sized, rated a '2' or less for Difficulty. Those are likely to be in semi-obvious hiding spots like under an "APR" (Artificial Pile of Rocks) or an APS (Artificial Pile of Sticks), or inside a hollow log.

[TheTodds]

Think like the hider - if you were going to hide a ____________ (insert type of cache container/relative size here), where would you hide it?

 

I find if you're tracking through the woods and the cache has been found within the last few days, take a close look at the paths, do you see footprints/broken branches/trampled vegetation/any tell-tale signs of people having been through?

 

Also look for things that look out of place, purposefully arranged or "fake". I've only found a few caches thus far in places like in the hollowed-out trunk of a tree, magnet boxes stuck to the bottom of bridges and benches, in a hole in a big boulder and wedged between bolts on an old railroad bridge. I have the capacity to be a detail-oriented, observant person and the fun thing about this sport is that until I was actively looking for some of the caches that I pass several times a week right under my nose, I never knew they were there.

 

Just be careful for your sake and for the environment before you go turning over logs, rocks or other coverings - just examine it before you go messing with it to make sure you aren't going to get any surprises OTHER than a cache.

 

Rest assured that once you are able to start finding some caches you'll get a better sense of WHAT,HOW and WHERE things are hidden among the local geocaching community.

Edited July 1, 2007 by TheTodds

[+muddy frogs]

Sometimes it's really nice to have a walking stick with you to poke, prod, turn over things, hold aside bushes, and move snakes with. They can really help find a cache that's deep in the briars.

[+Team Teague]

We are really new too. The first and second time out, nothing. THEN we were fooling around with our GPS (it's a Garmin 60CS) and found a setting for "offroad" and once we set that, we were able to get right to the cache's. It kept trying to get us to go on roads to get to the areas....hope this helps.

 

 

We are very new to this and are very excited about caching. We have gone to 3 different sights and found where the GPS stated to go, but have not yet been able to locate the actual log or cache. We know that it could be within a few feet, but still have not located anything yet. And we have gone to sites that others are making as easy. We even look for things that seem out of place.

So.. can anyone provide more tips for us? Is there a place where we can post a request to maybe meet and tag along with other 'cachers' in our area? Or maybe they could go with us to a sight they have been to and tell us what we are doing wrong?

Again, we really LOVE this so far, but really want to find the cache and sign that ever elusive logbook.