What's The Correct Etiquette?

[+GPSTrucker]

I know it's not too unusual for another cacher or group of cachers to show up while you are hunting or retrieving a cache, but today I just had to wonder what the correct etiquette is in this situation?

 

I have spotted a fellow cacher obviously hunting the same cache I was after and I simply walked off in another direction to give them time to find it, sign the log, and replace it. Once they leave I then continue my own hunt.

 

Today I was in the woods hunting a cache. I had figured out where it was and had just started inspecting it's hiding place trying to figure out how to open it (it was very well disguised). While I was looking it over I heard some kids coming down the trail. Before they came into view I had walked several feet away from the cache and was just kind of poking around with my stick and just looking like I was enjoying the woods.

 

It soon became obvious they were coming to the cache spot and I walked a few more feet away as the last thing I wanted was to be in the woods alone with a couple of strange kids. these days you never what what you could be accused of. A minute or so later I heard their parents and another kid coming up the trail and before they arrived one of the present kids asked me if I was a geocacher. I confirmed that I was and mentally noted that my own assumption about them being after the cache were correct.

 

One kid opened the thing about the time his parents got there.They explained that they had already been there and got that far but hadn't read the entire cache page which included a valuable clue as to how to get into the thing once it's hiding place was opened (combination lock inside of it). They had gone back to read the whole page and retrieve the clue (which I had done beforehand).

 

I was nice and I chatted with them for a few minutes and they seemed like a nice family but inside I was a bit miffed about the whole thing as I had spent a fair amount of time finding the cache and was interrupted before I could finish it.

 

From what they said they've been caching for a few years where I have only been doing so for a few weeks, so perhaps I am in the wrong here for feeling like they invaded my caching. I'm honestly not too upset about the whole thing as I did find the cache location before they showed up, but I can't help but feel that maybe they were a little rude.

 

So what's the correct etiquette in this situation?

[+BlueDeuce]

So what's the correct etiquette in this situation?

 

I'd push you out of the way and sign the log. It's not my fault you're a slow cacher.

[+TrailGators]

I know it's not too unusual for another cacher or group of cachers to show up while you are hunting or retrieving a cache, but today I just had to wonder what the correct etiquette is in this situation?

 

I have spotted a fellow cacher obviously hunting the same cache I was after and I simply walked off in another direction to give them time to find it, sign the log, and replace it. Once they leave I then continue my own hunt.

 

Today I was in the woods hunting a cache. I had figured out where it was and had just started inspecting it's hiding place trying to figure out how to open it (it was very well disguised). While I was looking it over I heard some kids coming down the trail. Before they came into view I had walked several feet away from the cache and was just kind of poking around with my stick and just looking like I was enjoying the woods.

 

It soon became obvious they were coming to the cache spot and I walked a few more feet away as the last thing I wanted was to be in the woods alone with a couple of strange kids. these days you never what what you could be accused of. A minute or so later I heard their parents and another kid coming up the trail and before they arrived one of the present kids asked me if I was a geocacher. I confirmed that I was and mentally noted that my own assumption about them being after the cache were correct.

 

One kid opened the thing about the time his parents got there.They explained that they had already been there and got that far but hadn't read the entire cache page which included a valuable clue as to how to get into the thing once it's hiding place was opened (combination lock inside of it). They had gone back to read the whole page and retrieve the clue (which I had done beforehand).

 

I was nice and I chatted with them for a few minutes and they seemed like a nice family but inside I was a bit miffed about the whole thing as I had spent a fair amount of time finding the cache and was interrupted before I could finish it.

 

From what they said they've been caching for a few years where I have only been doing so for a few weeks, so perhaps I am in the wrong here for feeling like they invaded my caching. I'm honestly not too upset about the whole thing as I did find the cache location before they showed up, but I can't help but feel that maybe they were a little rude.

 

So what's the correct etiquette in this situation?

To be honest, I'm not sure how they were rude. I typically wait for people to finish but you walked away making it look like you weren't a cacher so the kids may have missed the subtle signal.

[+GPSTrucker]

I know it's not too unusual for another cacher or group of cachers to show up while you are hunting or retrieving a cache, but today I just had to wonder what the correct etiquette is in this situation?

 

I have spotted a fellow cacher obviously hunting the same cache I was after and I simply walked off in another direction to give them time to find it, sign the log, and replace it. Once they leave I then continue my own hunt.

 

Today I was in the woods hunting a cache. I had figured out where it was and had just started inspecting it's hiding place trying to figure out how to open it (it was very well disguised). While I was looking it over I heard some kids coming down the trail. Before they came into view I had walked several feet away from the cache and was just kind of poking around with my stick and just looking like I was enjoying the woods.

 

It soon became obvious they were coming to the cache spot and I walked a few more feet away as the last thing I wanted was to be in the woods alone with a couple of strange kids. these days you never what what you could be accused of. A minute or so later I heard their parents and another kid coming up the trail and before they arrived one of the present kids asked me if I was a geocacher. I confirmed that I was and mentally noted that my own assumption about them being after the cache were correct.

 

One kid opened the thing about the time his parents got there.They explained that they had already been there and got that far but hadn't read the entire cache page which included a valuable clue as to how to get into the thing once it's hiding place was opened (combination lock inside of it). They had gone back to read the whole page and retrieve the clue (which I had done beforehand).

 

I was nice and I chatted with them for a few minutes and they seemed like a nice family but inside I was a bit miffed about the whole thing as I had spent a fair amount of time finding the cache and was interrupted before I could finish it.

 

From what they said they've been caching for a few years where I have only been doing so for a few weeks, so perhaps I am in the wrong here for feeling like they invaded my caching. I'm honestly not too upset about the whole thing as I did find the cache location before they showed up, but I can't help but feel that maybe they were a little rude.

 

So what's the correct etiquette in this situation?

To be honest, I'm not sure how they were rude. I typically wait for people to finish but you walked away making it look like you weren't a cacher so the kids may have missed the subtle signal.

 

You could be right, but it's not the kids I was thinking about but rather the parents. Kids will be kids, I have no problem there.

[+briansnat]

If I'm looking for a cache and someone else shows up, I'll invite him to join me in the hunt. If I get there and there is someone already searching, I'll ask if he minds if I join in.

 

You can decide between you if you both want to find it on your own (the first one to find it walks away and announces that he knows where it is and waits for the other to find it before opening it and signing in) or use the all for one and one for all method and as soon as one of you find it, you both sign the log. Both methods are considered acceptable.

Edited August 4, 2007 by briansnat

[+GPSTrucker]

If I'm looking for a cache and someone else shows up, I'll invite them to join me in the hunt. If I get there and there is someone already searching, I'll ask if he minds if I join in.

 

You can decide between you if you both want to find it on your own (the first one to find it walks away and announces that he knows where it is and waits for the other to find it before opening it and signing in) or use the all for one and one for all method and as soon as one of you find it, you both sign the log. Both methods are considered acceptable.

 

That sounds quite reasonable. I personally wouldn't mind someone joining me in the hunt from time to time. As we were all there already that's more or less what we wound up doing anyway.

 

I think this clearly answers the question for me. Thanks.

[+Buddaman]

Also a good way to meet fellow cachers.

[+GPSTrucker]

Also a good way to meet fellow cachers.

 

Yeah that's true enough and I did enjoy meeting them. I don't want to give the impression that I didn't or am anti-social, I was just a little unsure about the whole situation as I've always made a point of not intruding on another cacher.

[+badlands]

I'll usually call out - "found it yet", which gives a clear signal that I'm a geocacher too. 99% of the time, people are happy to meet other people on the trail (today was an exception, they guy wouldn't even say hello ). For the most part, caches aren't that hard to find, so the meet and greet adds another enjoyable dimension to this activity. If the cache IS that hard to find, the more hands the better.

[+hukilaulau]

I'll usually call out - "found it yet", which gives a clear signal that I'm a geocacher too. 99% of the time, people are happy to meet other people on the trail (today was an exception, they guy wouldn't even say hello ). For the most part, caches aren't that hard to find, so the meet and greet adds another enjoyable dimension to this activity. If the cache IS that hard to find, the more hands the better.

Just don't say, "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?" while lurking in the bushes of a freeway rest stop.

[+GPSTrucker]

I'll usually call out - "found it yet", which gives a clear signal that I'm a geocacher too. 99% of the time, people are happy to meet other people on the trail (today was an exception, they guy wouldn't even say hello ). For the most part, caches aren't that hard to find, so the meet and greet adds another enjoyable dimension to this activity. If the cache IS that hard to find, the more hands the better.

 

Not even saying hello seems a bit rude to me, maybe he was just having a bad day.

 

I agree about the meet and greet part.

[+GPSTrucker]

I'll usually call out - "found it yet", which gives a clear signal that I'm a geocacher too. 99% of the time, people are happy to meet other people on the trail (today was an exception, they guy wouldn't even say hello ). For the most part, caches aren't that hard to find, so the meet and greet adds another enjoyable dimension to this activity. If the cache IS that hard to find, the more hands the better.

Just don't say, "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?" while lurking in the bushes of a freeway rest stop.

 

[+imajeep]

As you probably gathered from the previous replies, there are two schools of thought, and they mirror the two approaches people use when they cache in groups.

 

Some groups use a 'one for all' approach. Everybody goes after the cache, one finds it, and all log it. That's not my cup of tea. Other groups use an 'all find' approach. If you find the cache, you don't say anything, you walk to a different spot and announce 'Got It!" but don't tell where it is. When the last person finds it, everyone logs it.

 

Since for me, the game is in the hunt, I prefer the latter approach. But a lot of people don't see it that way, which I respect. So, I'm not surprised that a lot of folks see no problem in giving away the secret. It's one of the reasons my wife and I go out on our own.

[+Accordiongal]

When I was a newbie, I had to learn so much on my own. Knew no cachers, that was the school of tough knocks. Observing has provided you with a new expanded knowledge base. As a cacher, please introduce yourself and search for the cache together.

 

I like to live by the saying, pay it forward. My experience has been very positive meeting cachers on the trail. Exchanging greetings, handshakes, and caching experiences and lessons. Most experienced cachers are very willing to pass along helpfull hints. As a newbie, the knowledge deficiet is huge. Ranging from how to operate the GPS, understanding terrain and difficulty ratings, cache types, hiding /finding techniques, trackables, networking, local rules and regulations about placing caches in parks.

 

So, enjoy meeting cachers on the trail. As you stated, your initial thoughts have provided insight into caching with a family. That family is very lucky to enjoy an activity together. Introducing kids to caching hopefully will prevent a cache from being muggled. (Not saying muggling always is caused by kids). The wider the age range, the more learning opportunities for all. Kids look at everything with a different mind set. Adults have a lot to learn from kids also.

 

Another great learning opportunity to by attending events. You do a lot of traveling, what a great opportunity to expand your knowledge base on caching.

 

So introduce yourself and enjoy the experience. You will benefit in the immediate time frame and then can pay it forward.

 

Accordingal

[+badlands]

I'll usually call out - "found it yet", which gives a clear signal that I'm a geocacher too. 99% of the time, people are happy to meet other people on the trail (today was an exception, they guy wouldn't even say hello ). For the most part, caches aren't that hard to find, so the meet and greet adds another enjoyable dimension to this activity. If the cache IS that hard to find, the more hands the better.

Just don't say, "Are you looking for what I'm looking for?" while lurking in the bushes of a freeway rest stop.

 

 

That's NOT funny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It did happen to me. I said, "probably not, I'm geocaching", and the guy disappeared into thin air......

 

Now the funny part is that the people I generally cache with don't know whether to consider themselves lucky or to be disappointed becasue "they aren't good enough".......

 

[+badlands]

As you probably gathered from the previous replies, there are two schools of thought, and they mirror the two approaches people use when they cache in groups.

 

Some groups use a 'one for all' approach. Everybody goes after the cache, one finds it, and all log it. That's not my cup of tea. Other groups use an 'all find' approach. If you find the cache, you don't say anything, you walk to a different spot and announce 'Got It!" but don't tell where it is. When the last person finds it, everyone logs it.

 

Since for me, the game is in the hunt, I prefer the latter approach. But a lot of people don't see it that way, which I respect. So, I'm not surprised that a lot of folks see no problem in giving away the secret. It's one of the reasons my wife and I go out on our own.

 

 

When you are out with a group of experienced cachers who have no trouble recognizing that pile of sticks on the ground, then caching is about the "social experience" and not about the "hunt". Having everyone "find it", generally is of little value.

 

Now with this same group of cachers, when you come across a quality hide, then that same group of cachers will play the "found it line starts over here game". You DON'T want to be the last person hunting for the cache with everyone else sitting and watching with those SEG's.

 

I agree, if you have new cachers in the group, it's important that they learn how to find the caches, but when the hunt is more a social outing, then the hunt takes second chair. The important thing is to have fun - it's a game after all

[+Harry Dolphin]

It actually surprises me how many other cachers I've met on the hunt. Probably twenty or thirty!

If I come upon someone who appears to be hunting, I usually ask: Find it yet? (Didn't go over well with the National Map Corps hunter. Oh, well.) That gives them the opportunity (with cache on their lap) to ask: Would you like me to rehide it so you can find it? Or: No. Then we can chat and decide whether to search together. (Only turned down once on that offer.) I have had someone walk up to me and ask: I have it, Would you like me to rehide it? Or the voice from forty feet away: You aren't going to find it. I've got it. In both cases, my answer was: Just show me where to rehide it.

On the other fin, we were sitting in the reservation with the cache on my lap. We hear a noise in the woods. And a voice: Look! It's Harry Dolphin and Andy Bear! (Gotta take my photo off my page!) Would you like us to rehide it for you? No, just show us where it was hidden.

Nice to meet with, chat with, and hunt with all youse guys! Tiffany's Slaves, Walkin' Ed, Cerberus1, H"2"O, Tucson Thompsen, Archerino, Behistun, and the rest of you! One of the fun aspects ofthe game!

[+GPSTrucker]

The replies here are invaluable for someone just learning about the geocaching community and I really appreciate them. I was very unsure about the social aspects of the game and am quite pleased to find that there is a friendly social aspect to it and realize that it was my own ignorance, not rudeness on the part of that family, that was to blame for my being a little put out. I hope to be able to find the down time close to an event or two in the near future. Trucking being what it is it can be very hard to plan ahead for such things.

 

Today I came upon a pair of people whom I thought were probably cachers but they were kind of sitting off to one side talking to each other so I wasn't too sure. I casually wandered by the spot where the cache should have been hidden and bent down like I was tying my boot so I could get a good look. They weren't fooled for a moment as they had already spent some time searching there. They introduced themselves and we went over the area together and all agreed on where the cache should be.

 

As it has a history of being muggled we assumed that it had happened again and moved on to our respective next caches. Even though it turned out as a DNF it was still fun, especially when the woman mentioned that I was the first fellow cacher they had met while out caching.

[+Zop]

I for one love bumping into other cachers! While I enjoy the hunt as much as any cacher, the more eyes the better sometimes. Being that this is such an obscure sport/game/hobby/addiction, to find another player in the field is a whole different type of game to me. I will either wave from a distance with my GPS in hand, walk up and ask with authority just what they think they are doing - before asking to join of course - You should see some of the looks of surprise and excuses! or simply ask if they've found it yet.

 

Either way, I have met some fun people out there who I have something in common with and some of these have become caching buddies. It's more fun to me to be a part of a group after the same goal - to have fun and grab a few caches.

 

J..

[+wesleykey]

If caching with a partner I may spot the cache, then move away and confirm "Yes, it's here" and allow them the chance to find it.

 

Or, I may just say "here it is" and log it.

 

There is no wrong way as far as I know.

[+Stargazer22]

The couple of times I have run across other cachers on the trail, I have introduced myself and we wound up looking for the cache together. I usually try to break the ice with a humorous comment. For instance I will say the name of a cache as a question, like "On top of old Smokey"?

Depending on the name of the cache, it can sound kind of funny, and it's also almost like a sign-countersign thing, since only another cacher could know what that means in that place. Or I will say something like, "If I had known it would be this much bushwhacking, I would have brought my bulldozer".

Usually gets a smile and a handshake, and what better way to start off a new acquaintance?

 

I have been to a few gatherings and events with local cachers in the last few months.

They have ALL been very positive experiences and it's really nice to be able to put a face and person with some of those logs I keep seeing on the caches I visit. It also gives me a better understanding of the caching community in my area and explains some of the otherwise cryptic comments I see on logs sometimes. It richens my experiences to understand some of the "inside" jokes between cachers I see from time to time they write about in their logs. It also gives me the opportunity to make a few "inside' comments on my logs as well and feel like a bigger part of the game. I also now have a few cell phone numbers of friends I have made while caching that would be most understanding if I ever have a problem (broken down car, flat tire, etc...) at a cache sometime and need help.

 

This past weekend I went caching with a group of jeepers in the Ocala National Forest. We have had a rather wet season here in the last 6 weeks or so and there was a lot of deep water on the trail. I managed to get my jeep air intake flooded with water. I had never done that before so I had no idea what to expect or how to recover from it. Immediately, there were several people who converged on my jeep with tools in hand and started to work on it. Within about a half hour, everything had been taken apart and the water cleaned out, engine flushed out, and we were back on the road. I felt like I had a bunch of brothers and sisters on the trail with me that were looking out for me. I had only met most of them that same day. They even dedicated a cache to the breakdown spot, Dead Cherokee (GC150PR).

 

So far I have found the social aspect of caching to be quite rewarding.

I hope you do, too.

 

Happy Caching!

[+iamanomad]

I'm a rookie at this myself (started in March 07) and was thinking the same question after what happened on my last vacation. I was at a State park in an out of the way location and saw someone up ahead hunting for the cache with a buddy. The poor guy looking was obviously having lousy luck and I found it right away. He wasn't anywhere near the cache and followed me to it. His problem was that what was 9' away on my GPSr was 125' on his. I wondered later if there was a better way I could have handled it. I don't know how he found anything with that much variance.

[+Renegade Knight]

..., so perhaps I am in the wrong here for feeling like they invaded my caching. I'm honestly not too upset about the whole thing as I did find the cache location before they showed up, but I can't help but feel that maybe they were a little rude.

 

So what's the correct etiquette in this situation?

 

Let it slide. You weren't looking for the cache at the time they walked up. Instead you were trying to blend into scenerly as you abandoned your search and were walking away.

 

Once they found out you were a cacher they could have asked you if you had found the cache, but then you could have also asked them if they minded if you opened up since they had found it before. I'd call the Q&A Session a tie.

[+Renegade Knight]

As you probably gathered from the previous replies, there are two schools of thought, and they mirror the two approaches people use when they cache in groups.

 

Some groups use a 'one for all' approach. Everybody goes after the cache, one finds it, and all log it. That's not my cup of tea. Other groups use an 'all find' approach. If you find the cache, you don't say anything, you walk to a different spot and announce 'Got It!" but don't tell where it is. When the last person finds it, everyone logs it...

 

True enough. I'm a member of the Three Musketeers school of cache finding. It was a surprise to find out that others used the Huckle Buckle Beanstalk method.

[+Sileny Jizda]

We've just started caching with our new neighbors and they are great. Since they are new to the game we've done our best to try and teach them what we learned early on and from our mistakes as well. Thus far we've walked to the cache location and normally, the wife and I find it right off but we usually tell them to look. Usually we'll tell them to look for something out of place or that doesn't seem right. Usually right away they pick it out immediately without prompting exactly where. We had fun on our first outing today except for the bushwhacking jont up a steep incline because they wanted to follow an arrow instead of a trail. I was whooped.

[+TrailGators]

As you probably gathered from the previous replies, there are two schools of thought, and they mirror the two approaches people use when they cache in groups.

 

Some groups use a 'one for all' approach. Everybody goes after the cache, one finds it, and all log it. That's not my cup of tea. Other groups use an 'all find' approach. If you find the cache, you don't say anything, you walk to a different spot and announce 'Got It!" but don't tell where it is. When the last person finds it, everyone logs it...

 

True enough. I'm a member of the Three Musketeers school of cache finding. It was a surprise to find out that others used the Huckle Buckle Beanstalk method.

We do that! It works great with a few people but when you are with a big group the cache is being often being signed before everyone gets there. That's why I like splitting up into smaller groups and using the Huckle Buckle Beanstalk method.

[+briansnat]

As you probably gathered from the previous replies, there are two schools of thought, and they mirror the two approaches people use when they cache in groups.

 

Some groups use a 'one for all' approach. Everybody goes after the cache, one finds it, and all log it. That's not my cup of tea. Other groups use an 'all find' approach. If you find the cache, you don't say anything, you walk to a different spot and announce 'Got It!" but don't tell where it is. When the last person finds it, everyone logs it...

 

True enough. I'm a member of the Three Musketeers school of cache finding. It was a surprise to find out that others used the Huckle Buckle Beanstalk method.

 

Both work for me depending on the group. I like the Huckle Buckle Beanstalk method only because it's fun to heap abuse on the others if you found it first. Not as much fun when everyone else found it easily and you're still looking and the subject of the abuse.

 

It actually surprises me how many other cachers I've met on the hunt. Probably twenty or thirty!

That surprises me too. These days I rarely meet another cacher out on the hunt. When I first started it was quite common. That's probably because in the early days there weren't a lot of caches out there so any one cache was much more likely to get a lot of visitors.

 

If you are into FTFs though, you are very likely to run into others.

[+Team Cotati]

The Team runs into other cachers quite often. We really get a kick out of introducing ourselves and exchanging information wrt our caching adventures, where we live, stuff like that. Depending upon the location, we might even combine forces to hunt for a cache. Fun stuff. We especially enjoy meeting cachers from other parts of the country and sharing information about local caching areas that they might not be aware of. Sweet.

 

Still waiting for our first encounter with cachers from other countries, that ought to be interesting.

 

No doubt that this can be attributed to the vast expansion of this game over the past 3-4 years. Isn't it wonderful?

[Skylerdragon]

I feel so...inexperienced! I have been caching since March. I'm not an avid cacher, but I do seek several out each month. I love the hunt and find experience. I usually cache alone though. I would be much better in a group. I get creeped out, confused and discoraged too easily on my own.

 

I have not had the good fortune to find other cachers on the trail. I would love that! Several times I have seen other people in the area, but they are obviously not cachers. One tell-tale sign you have a cacher on your hands should be that GPSr or Hand Held Computer. That will all change of course when wristwatch recievers match in technology with affordability.

 

I certainly hope to join some group caches some day. I still haven't done any! I have been to 2 events. Those events usually include group caches. I started a multicache with a small croup at the last event I attended, but didn't finish because I had to leave in a hurry.

 

Heres to hoping I meet some of this forums participants on the trail! You are all a fun group of people!

[+yawetag]

I use this method as well when caching. The good thing about it is that a fellow cacher will know what you're talking about. A non-cacher won't understand, but it's a good way to explain what you're doing.

 

 

yawetag

 

 

I'll usually call out - "found it yet", which gives a clear signal that I'm a geocacher too. 99% of the time, people are happy to meet other people on the trail (today was an exception, they guy wouldn't even say hello ). For the most part, caches aren't that hard to find, so the meet and greet adds another enjoyable dimension to this activity. If the cache IS that hard to find, the more hands the better.

[Jfcubed-]

This is a great thread for us Rookies! Hubby and I went out for the first time today and would have had no clue what to do if we had run across fellow hunters. Thanks so much for all the replies.