am i horribly bad at geocaching?

[+rinseandspit]

i started geocaching yesterday after a few friends showed me the webpage a long time ago. i love the whole idea, and especially like the whole coins/tb aspect and watching them float around the world via the logs.

 

between yesterday and today i have looked at about 20 sites in my area. i only found one. :/ I even went back to previously visited sites after re-reading the clues an posts on the site.

 

why do I always end up around a city power/water type thing?

why can i never find anything?

 

do i just suck at this or might there be this many caches lost?

 

any advice? the one i found was quite exciting, especially since it was at the end of a long day of finding the sites of many caches, but not the caches themselves.

 

-RinseAndSpit

[Dick from IA]

I just got my new GPSr yesterday, R & S, and already I'm wondering if I'll stink at it, too. And I haven't even been out yet

 

Having been through the newbie thing with metal detectors, though, I know there will be lots of unsure moments and self doubt. But with persistence, and help from nice people on the forums, it will get better=I guarantee it. Just don't get down on yourself right away; this is not just a simple game of hide and seek; it's a very sophistcated game of hide and seek.

 

And remember: It's just a hobby; enjoy the experiences, good and bad.

[+flask]

i started geocaching yesterday after a few friends showed me the webpage a long time ago. i love the whole idea, and especially like the whole coins/tb aspect and watching them float around the world via the logs.

 

between yesterday and today i have looked at about 20 sites in my area. i only found one. :/ I even went back to previously visited sites after re-reading the clues an posts on the site.

 

why do I always end up around a city power/water type thing?

why can i never find anything?

 

do i just suck at this or might there be this many caches lost?

 

any advice? the one i found was quite exciting, especially since it was at the end of a long day of finding the sites of many caches, but not the caches themselves.

 

-RinseAndSpit

 

some days are just like that.

 

you don't suck at it until you are done and have not found anything despite the fact that you have destroyed a number of unnoticed containers, placed several cheesy containers in illegal hiding spots AND causing several flame wars on the forums by not only asking inflammatory questions that have been answered before and caused flame wars before, but you have not bothered to read any of the responses, nevermind having attempted a search.

 

you should also have disclosed several cache locations to malicious bystanders, peed on one or two, dropped a crumpled religious tract at a search area, flattened an endangered fern, accidentally found geocoins which you keep in the change dish on your dresser and NEVER release, and make the assumption that if you can't find a cache that it sucks.

 

then, my friend, and ONLY then, do you REALLY suck at this.

 

 

edit: never you mind why.

Edited August 19, 2007 by flask

[+rinseandspit]

Hehe, well, umm, thanks for the vote of confidence....I think?

 

my biggest mission right now (being a newbie) is to snatch up as man y coins and tb's in my area to take with me on a vega trip in a week. As I mentioned, I love the idea of these things traveling far, and tho vegas isn't REALLY far, it's far enough to add some mileage and feel like I'm doing my part.

 

With GOOD notes on the three I have re-visited and still not found. I will be damned if I don't find them. I hope they weren't muggled tho.....if that's the case, I'll be searching for a loooong time. heh

 

-RinseAndSpit

 

i started geocaching yesterday after a few friends showed me the webpage a long time ago. i love the whole idea, and especially like the whole coins/tb aspect and watching them float around the world via the logs.

 

between yesterday and today i have looked at about 20 sites in my area. i only found one. :/ I even went back to previously visited sites after re-reading the clues an posts on the site.

 

why do I always end up around a city power/water type thing?

why can i never find anything?

 

do i just suck at this or might there be this many caches lost?

 

any advice? the one i found was quite exciting, especially since it was at the end of a long day of finding the sites of many caches, but not the caches themselves.

 

-RinseAndSpit

 

some days are just like that.

 

you don't suck at it until you are done and have not found anything despite the fact that you have destroyed a number of unnoticed containers, placed several cheesy containers in illegal hiding spots AND causing several flame wars on the forums by not only asking inflammatory questions that have been answered before and caused flame wars before, but you have not bothered to read any of the responses, nevermind having attempted a search.

 

you should also have disclosed several cache locations to malicious bystanders, peed on one or two, dropped a crumpled religious tract at a search area, flattened an endangered fern, accidentally found geocoins which you keep in the change dish on your dresser and NEVER release, and make the assumption that if you can't find a cache that it sucks.

 

then, my friend, and ONLY then, do you REALLY suck at this.

 

 

edit: never you mind why.

[+GPSTrucker]

Hehe, well, umm, thanks for the vote of confidence....I think?

 

my biggest mission right now (being a newbie) is to snatch up as man y coins and tb's in my area to take with me on a vega trip in a week. As I mentioned, I love the idea of these things traveling far, and tho vegas isn't REALLY far, it's far enough to add some mileage and feel like I'm doing my part.

 

With GOOD notes on the three I have re-visited and still not found. I will be damned if I don't find them. I hope they weren't muggled tho.....if that's the case, I'll be searching for a loooong time. heh

 

-RinseAndSpit

 

You're going on a trip to Vega? Light speed? What sort of GPS works out there?

 

LOL

 

Seriously, I'm still pretty new to geocaching but find that being observant is the best skill you can have. It's pretty much like anything else, the more you do it the better you'll get at it. If I am stumped on a cache I just stop and look around and ask "Where would I hide a cache here?"

 

Also, just look around for anything that looks just a little bit not right.

 

Or maybe you just suck at it. LOL

[+...The Girl]

am i horribly bad at geocaching?

Yes. .. and you should quit before you give the rest of us a bad name.

 

i started geocaching yesterday after a few friends showed me the webpage a long time ago. i love the whole idea, and especially like the whole coins/tb aspect and watching them float around the world via the logs.

 

between yesterday and today i have looked at about 20 sites in my area. i only found one. :/ I even went back to previously visited sites after re-reading the clues an posts on the site.

 

why do I always end up around a city power/water type thing?

why can i never find anything?

Because there are waaaaaay too many of those types of caches out there. It's hard not to trip over one on the way to the grocery!

 

do i just suck at this or might there be this many caches lost?

 

any advice? the one i found was quite exciting, especially since it was at the end of a long day of finding the sites of many caches, but not the caches themselves.

 

-RinseAndSpit

Are you paying attention to the size of cache you're hunting? My suggestion is to stay away from micros at least until you get used to the logic of the cache hide. Larger caches are often easier to find.

 

Assess your search area. If you were the hider, where would you place the cache? If you're in the woods, look for out-of-place branches, bark, moss, etc..

 

Coordinates are rarely spot on. Although I did a cache recently and GZ was, in fact, where the hider said it was, according to my GPSr. Remember, we all use different GPSrs with varying degrees of accuracy. Some hiders take only one reading of GZ when they hide while others will take multiple readings and average them. Weather, clouds, trees and the like effect the accuracy of your GPSr. Some people will find where their GPSr "zeros out" and search for the cache in an ever-expanding circle around that point.

 

It sounds like you already know some geocachers. Call them and ask them to accompany you the next time you go out.

 

Keep trying. GOOD LUCK!!

[+SMOKEATERLT]

Dont get down! You have not yet trained your brain on what to look for yet. First check to see what kind of cache it is. Is it a virtual cache? If so you may have found it and dont realize it,there really isnt anything to "find". The cache owner wanted you to see, hear, smell or experience something at this spot, a monument, a nice view, the sound of a rushing river, etc. Next check to see the size of the cache micro-large, micro obviously being the smallest. This will help a little because the larger it is the less places it could be hiden. There is a post here somewhere and i will see if i can find it again and post here for you, it is a post of many different kinds of caches with pics. Some may consider it cheating but I think it just helps train you a liitle as to what you could be looking for. You will find every kind of container imaginable from the little keychain pill holders (micro's), 35mm film canisters, rubbermaid containers, ammo cans, etc.. Get used to putting your hands into small areas to feel around. Some containers will be camoflaged with just tape or paint and some are camoed so well the people who make them almost have to be Snipers. Now check the difficulty, you probobly dont want to try anything over a 2-3 until you get a better idea what your looking for but hey if you wanna try no one will stop you. Biggest thing is looking for those places YOU would hide something and look for that thing that just dont look right ( a pile of sticks piled TO perfectly, the whole in the bottom of a tree that has another stick stuck in it or laying over it, etc.)

 

Keep looking! Its possible that a couple of them are missing but i doubt all of them are.

 

Hope this didnt bore you and helps a little.

I will try to find that other post anf leave here for you!

 

Good luck and happy hunting!

And remember the hunt is often better than the find!

[+SMOKEATERLT]

Here is the link to the post i was talking about!

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=62421

 

Also, you are find alot of city power and waqter station type stuff because it is not private property. In other words it is PUBLIC land and you are not trespassing unless you have to climb fences or what ever to access the area. If it is posted then dont go there.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Dave

[+quills]

i started geocaching yesterday after a few friends showed me the webpage a long time ago. i love the whole idea, and especially like the whole coins/tb aspect and watching them float around the world via the logs.

 

between yesterday and today i have looked at about 20 sites in my area. i only found one. :/ I even went back to previously visited sites after re-reading the clues an posts on the site.

 

why do I always end up around a city power/water type thing?

why can i never find anything?

 

do i just suck at this or might there be this many caches lost?

 

any advice? the one i found was quite exciting, especially since it was at the end of a long day of finding the sites of many caches, but not the caches themselves.

 

-RinseAndSpit

 

Try and look for the easiest ones first. Difficulty 1 terrain 1. Also as stated in some other replies try to steer clear of the micros until you have found a few. Once you find some in your area you'll kind of learn how the cachers in your area like to hide them. After you find some you'll start to get a sense of where would I hide it. Good luck and let us know how you're making out.

[+Tsegi Mike and Desert Viking]

Dont give up. Its a skill that you are just learning. I recall one cache from our early days that we could not find at all. After a 100 under our belt, we returned and knew exactly where it was. Check the difficulty rating. Also read the logs and see if there are a few did not find logs on there, a big tip off that it is missing. Attend an event cache in your area and get to know cachers. Ask them for advice on how to hunt in your area. Check your datum on the GPS unit. Are you using the right one? If not, you may be a hundred feet off or so. Even when you have hundreds or thousands under your belt, you will still have days when you cant find anything lol. Just shrug it off and try again another day.

[+Coastiegirl04]

ok, here what i have for advice, get with someone cacher's in your area that have a good set of numbers, and set up a date and time, to get together, and have them give you some pointers, or advice on how to find caches.. i have done this when i first started out, and i have returned the favor to other new cacher's in my area.. it works and its a great way to meet other cachers in your area.. and to make new friends!

 

and don't worry about not getting it at first.. i didn't find the first cache i went looking for, and i thought i suck at it too!! you'll get it, you just need to get some experience under your belt and you'll start getting it!

[+mousekakat]

Make sure that you're putting in the correct coordinates in your GPS'r and that, depending on what kind of unit you're using, you are zooming in correctly on the map.

 

We use a TomTomONE unit that is more a car navigation unit, but it has the ability to put in direct gps coords and then zoom the map off road, a lot of car units don't have that ability, and when we first got started there was a cache that had almost no DNF's, except for ours! We searched and searched and searched, TWICE! For more than 3 hours total.... then Mr Mousekakat discovered the "map" screen of our unit and that you could zoom, and that the unit only took us to the road and not offroad unless you WENT to the map screen. 15 minutes later he was back, triumphant with the find AND the geocoin, our first, that was in the cache!

 

We are just newbies ourselves, we've got only 33 caches found and 6 hidden, with one more being hidden today, but those are things that we've encountered.

 

We don't cache in big cities, 99% of our caches require going offroad and hiking, so I can't help you with the city factor.

 

OH, and one more thing... there is a thread here somewhere that has pics of really devious caches! Go look at it, it'll give you an idea of what kind of warped minds you are up against

 

Don't give up! If we can manage it with a car unit, a 7 year old whining champion, her 15 month old sister and one hyperactive dog, you guys can get it, too!

[+rinseandspit]

thanks for all your advice. I haven't given up yet. I revisited about 4 of the ones I couldn't find as well as a few more tonight. didn't find a single one. :/ but I'll keep looking.

 

I do only pick ones with low difficulty. And I have been picking ones that are normal sized too. :/

 

the method with my bps that I use is I drive to the site with the road map function, then when I am close, choose the "offroad" function with the fake compass and distance.

 

I must just be missing something and it hasn't clicked yet.

 

I also think some might be WAY under iceplant/bushes I didn't wanna blindly shove my hands into....

 

I'll do a few more outtings (not by myself next time so I have another pair of eyes) and see how I do...

[+rinseandspit]

oddly enough...I had already seen that post. heh it's a good one...tho I am scared since many of those containers would confuse the hekc outta me.

 

-RinseAndSpit

 

Here is the link to the post i was talking about!

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=62421

 

Also, you are find alot of city power and waqter station type stuff because it is not private property. In other words it is PUBLIC land and you are not trespassing unless you have to climb fences or what ever to access the area. If it is posted then dont go there.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Dave

[+mousekakat]

What GPS'r are you using? Does it have a "map" function that you can look at and zoom in and out of? That made all the difference in the world for us! We found that we actually had to move the pointer around a bit to find the exact coords as it took us only to the road closest to the cache!

[+GPSTrucker]

Regular size caches can be very cleverly hidden. If you're worried about sticking your hand into a bush try using gloves to add some protection. They're a good idea for caching anyway.

 

One thing to keep in mind is that your GPSr isn't likely to always put you at the exact spot. Follow it to where it says the coordinates are and then try walking around in a figure 8 pattern around that point and see if it still shows that spot. They can be off several feet at times. This has helped me get much closer to the spot.

 

Also remember that there is an error factor and even if it says you're right on top of it, it could still be several feet away. One of my earliest caches was about 50 feet away from where the GPSr indicated.

 

Once you get there you just have to start using your eyes and your head to investigate the area. There is almost always some kind of visual clue as to the location of the cache although they can often be very subtle and some folks put some real work into hiding them.

 

Keep trying and you'll get the hang of it. I was pretty frustrated at first but it wasn't long before I started finding instead of just searching.

[+Super_Nate]

 

my biggest mission right now (being a newbie) is to snatch up as man y coins and tb's in my area to take with me on a vega trip in a week. As I mentioned, I love the idea of these things traveling far, and tho vegas isn't REALLY far, it's far enough to add some mileage and feel like I'm doing my part.

 

I wish you luck on your trip. The only thing I want to state is the importance that you properly log the travel bugs in and out of the caches that you find/place them in. If you are not sure how to do that...visit the Travel Bug Logging Page

[+TheDreadPirateRoberts&Crew]

Don't get discouraged! My hubby, Dave, is terrible with maps and such. He would get lost in a paper bag (and admit to it!). It takes him a little longer to find his way, but eventually he does. I am usually in charge of all directional travel when I am with him. So please don't get discouraged, sometime it just take a little longer to learn your bearings and get a feel for things.

 

Have fun!

 

~Erica

[+PeterNoG]

Here's a few hints that may help:

 

Make sure that the caches that you are seeking have been found recently by other cachers.

 

Find a few Traditional caches before trying Multi or Mystery.

 

Make sure that your GPSr is set to WGS84 datum.

 

Make sure that your GPSr does not "Lock on Road".

 

Once your GPSr gets you to within 10 feet of GroundZero, put your GPSr away and observe/search.

[gamewiz1104]

Here's a few hints that may help:

 

Make sure that the caches that you are seeking have been found recently by other cachers.

 

Find a few Traditional caches before trying Multi or Mystery.

 

Make sure that your GPSr is set to WGS84 datum.

 

Make sure that your GPSr does not "Lock on Road".

 

Once your GPSr gets you to within 10 feet of GroundZero, put your GPSr away and observe/search.

 

I'm new to this too. In the past couple of days, we have found 3 out of 4. One took two tries (after we figured out what our GPS could NOT do and could do). It ended up being a 1 inch super micro baggie cache (we were lucky). At another I told the boys I was standing two feet from the cache. But all we saw was rocks and bushes. Imagine my surprise when my youngest said "here it is" and picked up a huge rock 12 inches in front of my feet with two fingers! Super human strength! The large cache was cleverly hidden under a fake rock. So you never know.

 

This much I have figured out. Getting to the local with the GPS is easy. But you need a blood hound dog to find the cache. In my case I have two boys - which is almost as good.

Edited August 19, 2007 by gamewiz1104

[+briansnat]

1 out of 20? And I thought I stunk at this .

 

One mistake you might be making.... Most novices depend too much the GPS and expect it to take them right to the cache.

 

With your unit's margin of error and that of the person who hid the cache, the cache could be 30, 40 50 or more feet from where your GPS is telling you it is. If you're focusing your search where your GPS says you are only a few feet away, it's very possible you aren't looking in the right places.

Edited August 19, 2007 by briansnat

[gamewiz1104]

1 out of 20? And I thought I stunk at this .

 

One mistake you might be making.... Most novices depend too much the GPS and expect it to take them right to the cache.

 

With your unit's margin of error and that of the person who hid the cache, the cache could be 30, 40 50 or more feet from where your GPS is telling you it is. If you're focusing your search where your GPS says you are only a few feet away, it's very possible you aren't looking in the right places.

 

I just had a thought (Ok dangerous I know). How many Geocachers use multiple GPS units? Do they give different readings?

[Tonka_Boy]

Being sogmewhat of a newby myself, I can give you some great tips. Most GPSrs have a pointer that guides you to the waypoint. They also may have a compass face that shows direction. Keep in mind that these only work when you are moving. For example, if you are walking alon following your pointer, and stop, then turn right of left without moving forward, your pointer and compass face are now pointing the wrong way. They will only correct after you are moving. (Sometimes quite a distance.)

 

Another thing... depending on your unit, the pointer is worthless within 30 or 40 feet of the waypoint. When you are that close, it's time to depend on the lat-lon readings. Keeping in mind that the west reading goes up the farther west you travel. And the north reading goes up, the farther north you travel. I carry a hand compass with me to help move me into the right coordinates. Using this method, with good coverage, you should get within a few feet of the cache.

 

One last thing - when you are within 100 feet of a cache SLOW DOWN! Many units have quite a lag time, especially with poor coverage.

 

Let us know how it goes.

Edited August 19, 2007 by Tonka_Boy

[gamewiz1104]

Being sogmewhat of a newby myself, I can give you some great tips. Most GPSrs have a pointer that guides you to the waypoint. They also may have a compass face that shows direction. Keep in mind that these only work when you are moving. For example, if you are walking alon following your pointer, and stop, then turn right of left without moving forward, your pointer and compass face are now pointing the wrong way. They will only correct after you are moving. (Sometimes quite a distance.)

 

Another thing... depending on your unit, the pointer is worthless within 30 or 40 feet of the waypoint. When you are that close, it's time to depend on the lat-lon readings. Keeping in mind that the west reading goes up the farther west you travel. And the north reading goes up, the farther north you travel. I carry a hand compass with me to help move me into the right coordinates. Using this method, with good coverage, you should get within a few feet of the cache.

 

One last thing - when you are within 100 feet of a cache SLOW DOWN! Many units have quite a lag time, especially with poor coverage.

 

Let us know how it goes.

 

Thanks. Great advice. Is there anyone on these boards who can answer complex questions, like how often does a GPS recalculate location and direction given, let’s say, ideal coverage? How is the bearing calculated? What is happening when you "calibrate the compass" at one point?

 

It seems my location indicator recalculates a second or quicker. My compass and bearing I'm still working on.

 

Thanks again.

[+rinseandspit]

What GPS'r are you using? Does it have a "map" function that you can look at and zoom in and out of? That made all the difference in the world for us! We found that we actually had to move the pointer around a bit to find the exact coords as it took us only to the road closest to the cache!

 

i have a garmin gps V. what i do is drive to the site with the map function, then when i get there i have it go to "offroad" mode so it'll just point and give distance.

 

I'm no so worried about using the unit correctly, I've had quite a few, i think the act of searching is where I'm crap. heh

 

-RnS

[+rinseandspit]

 

my biggest mission right now (being a newbie) is to snatch up as man y coins and tb's in my area to take with me on a vega trip in a week. As I mentioned, I love the idea of these things traveling far, and tho vegas isn't REALLY far, it's far enough to add some mileage and feel like I'm doing my part.

 

I wish you luck on your trip. The only thing I want to state is the importance that you properly log the travel bugs in and out of the caches that you find/place them in. If you are not sure how to do that...visit the Travel Bug Logging Page

 

i have. it's logged as picked up from the cache i got it in.

 

-RnS

[+Jenischmeni]

It's kind of comforting to see that other people had a lot of problems when they started out too! I couldn't find the first 10 or so I went after. I did all the wrong things that these kind posters told you NOT to do! A friend told me about it and I ran right out and bought the GPSr and dashed out to find these little buggers.

 

It REALLY helps to have an experienced cacher with you. They know the nuances and likely spots. If you go to the regional forums and post in your local topic, I'd be willing to be that a number of experienced cachers would be thrilled to meet up with you and tackle several. Have them meet you at one of the ones you couldn't find. Then, you'll know if it's there or not. From there you can team up and hit a few more and you'll start to see a pattern in the hides.

 

Early into this hobby, I attended an event and was shocked to realize how easily an ammo box could be hidden. Later, I attended another event. Both of these events gave me the opportunity to cache with very experienced cachers. It was there that I learned the little tricks. That's not to say that I still have to DNF some caches. But that number goes down with experience.

 

If you don't have an event in your area, just start a thread in the appropriate forum and you'll find someone who will help you out. Geocachers are some of the friendliest people I've ever met!

[+PlantAKiss]

I had a lot of trouble when I first started. Mainly the manual for my GPSr SUCKED and I was using the unit incorrectly. I was trying to use the compass thingie. Thanks to patience and help from a forum member here, I learned to use the map, to select "off road" and some other stuff. Using a GPSr correctly helps immensely. lol I love the map because I can see myself and the cache and my orientation to it. Then you have the distance reading. I started actually finding caches. It was awesome. But every time I thought I had a pretty good handle on things...a new situation would pop up. Caching continues to be a learning experience. So don't get discouraged. Keep hunting and you will definitely develop "geosense" and start finding more and more caches.

 

I just wish I had more time for caching...and a GPSr that would work longer than a couple of months at time. I am now waiting for my third replacement.

[+Big_John]

I am also a n00b, but I am starting to get better in finding things. First, know what size you are looking for as said above. The hiding places for a micro are much different than that of a regular. Micro's now are much smaller than a 35mm film can. I am seeing a ton of magnetic "nanno's", they are about the size of the end of your pinkey and can be devilish to find.

Sume urban hints - if you gps points at a light pole in a parking lot, lift the skirt. If there is a storm water drain in the area, look for something hanging by a string. If bushes are present, look for something connected to the branches. In the woods, look for an odd pile of sticks or rocks, survey the area if it has been found by a few people there will most likely be a "geo" trail leading in the right direction.

Don't be afraid to consult the hint as some are very helpful, some are not.

As also said previously, pay attention to the logs and the difficulty ratings.

Good luck.

[+Homer's Pack]

Practice, practice, practice! Others in this thread have already said it, but the more you get out there and look, the easier it will get. Granted, there are some out there that are very difficult for even the most experienced cachers. There's one down the road from us that people with 1000+ finds have yet to find, so we don't feel too bad about not finding that one yet (130 finds). It's driving us nuts, but it does provide motivation to keep looking.

 

We've gotten much better at looking in off the wall places for caches. Some are easier than others, but for us, the searching is the most fun. Keep on caching...it will get easier!

[+edscott]

1 out of 20? And I thought I stunk at this .

 

One mistake you might be making.... Most novices depend too much the GPS and expect it to take them right to the cache.

 

With your unit's margin of error and that of the person who hid the cache, the cache could be 30, 40 50 or more feet from where your GPS is telling you it is. If you're focusing your search where your GPS says you are only a few feet away, it's very possible you aren't looking in the right places.

 

Yes 1 for 20 does sound a bit extreme. Maybe you could team up with an experienced local cacher for a couple caches and see what is happening.

[+countrymouse]

I posted a similar thing about a month ago. I'd had a really frustrating few hunts; bushwhacked with the kids for one that was supposedly a nice big container and came home with naught but mosquito bites, hunted 'round town for 2 or 3 and never found a thing, hiked through the woods in a park that supposedly held 5 caches and didn't find nothin' but a virtual cache and forgot to bring along the questions that needed answering along the way. GRRRRR!!!!!

 

But I am not one to give up easily. A couple days later I went out with my kids and found FIVE caches in one afternoon. Felt much better.

 

My advice is this --- bring along a nine-year-old boy.

 

I am serious. If you don't have your own nine-year-old boy, borrow or rent one. Boys this age are magical. This is a developmental phase girls do not experience. Trust me, I have one of each. Nine year old boys are typically persistent, extremely logical and possess a scientific mind with excellent observation skills. This is the age when boys fall in love with science fiction or sports, and either way, remember minute details that make you wonder why the heck they can't remember to turn in their homework. I know it's not just mine; my son's buddies are all that way too.

 

Note -- Nine year old girls are wonderful too, but they're more into deep, probing philosophical discussions and contemplations than logical, scientific study.

 

There have been hunts when I was ready to quit but my nine-year-old son insisted we look just a little bit longer, and he found the cache while I was busy picking dirt out from under my nails or something.

 

My 11 year old daughter, OTOH...she's more interested in the ants, moths, squirrels, avoiding spider webs, and checking her text messages than finding anything.

 

On a more practical note --- read the hints, decrypt the clues. Know what size the cache is. Take your time, sometimes it does take a while to find a cache even when you're right up on it. Especially when you're first starting, restrict your searches to mid-sized caches that have had recent finds. After a while you'll start to get a feel for how caches are hidden, sort of getting inside the mind of the cache owners, and it'll just click. Which doesn't mean every hunt will be easy. If it was, what would be the point?

 

Oh, and keep in mind that your GPS may not work all that well under thick tree cover. Mine is even temperamental sometimes if the weather's cloudy and rainy. That's normal.

 

Most importantly...don't give up!

 

Wait...the MOST important thing....have FUN.

Edited August 21, 2007 by countrymouse

[+mousekakat]

And to add...

 

Geocaching is one of those things where if something seems to good to be true...well, it may actually be true! Sometimes the simplest, most logical place that you skip over because you catch yourself saying... nahhh, that's just too simple, too obvious... is right where it's hidden!

 

Two examples... one where we were out in the forest and there was a really neat cabin with a huge boulder for a roof and smaller boulders all around, pine trees, tons of gaps and hidey holes, and on the front of the cabin a sign had been bolted to some of the logs with a gap behind it of about 3 inches.

 

We searched for a fricken HOUR, went in the cabin with flashlights and checked every nook and cranny, around the cabin carefully, again checking all the little places we had learned that people had hidden caches, a radius of about 50' all around that stupid cabin looking on hands and knees with flashlights in the POURING rain with thunder and lightning flashing and had about given up. We went back to the cabin one more time to get out of the rain and sign the cabin's guestbook, and at a random glance, managed to see behind the sign.... right at the cache. It was hidden between the sign and the cabin wall, right where we thought was too obvious and had skipped over half a dozen times!

 

Then yesterday we went for a small cache, knew the building it was hidden at and had seen it hundreds of times, there was a hint, under the window sill right side... so of we went searching all the windows! There were a couple of air vents at ground level under some windows and we concentrated there, trying to act all nonchalant because it was right across from the train station and a ton of muggles around... of course, the ONE window at the back of the building right next to a door that is used a lot we ignored, thinking that it was just in too highly trafficked an area... and then we got home and checked the logs and care to guess where the stupid cache was? Yeppers, right by the window we had ruled out thinking it was in an area that was too busy!

 

A lot of times you DO have to think like a kid. I don't know how many times now we've searched for ages only to find the thing in the most obvious, ridiculous place and just shake our heads and chuckle afterwards, amazed at our own stupidity.

 

This is a game where it pays to be smart, but don't be too smart, or the game will beat ya

[+simpjkee]

It is so easy as a new cacher to look for five minutes and then think "this one must be gone" and walk away. I did it sooooooo many times only to return a week later and make an easy find. You just gotta learn the tricks.

[+simpjkee]

My advice is this --- bring along a nine-year-old boy.

 

I am serious. If you don't have your own nine-year-old boy, borrow or rent one. Boys this age are magical. This is a developmental phase girls do not experience. Trust me, I have one of each. Nine year old boys are typically persistent, extremely logical and possess a scientific mind with excellent observation skills. This is the age when boys fall in love with science fiction or sports, and either way, remember minute details that make you wonder why the heck they can't remember to turn in their homework. I know it's not just mine; my son's buddies are all that way too.

 

That's hilarious. There's a cacher in my area who has a "4 foot caching machine"

 

btw, I think I remember your "am i bad at this or what?" post

[+runewell]

Early on one of my biggest mistakes was assuming the GPS would take me to the cache. It's not unusual for my GPS to show an error margin of 20 ft. Combine that with the possibility that someone else is also off 20 ft AND isn't going to take a reading exactly where the cache is, and you realize you can never assume a narrow search radius.

I've only done this since April, but I can think of so many caches I didn't get in the first month or two and when I came back another time I knew exactly where to look. It takes experience; you have to look for the unexpected and search in places that aren't obvious.

Having a 9-yr old boy helps, which is why I had a son back in November 1997. He beats me to at least 1/3 of them, and since he is smaller it makes for easier access to certain caches. He can be a bit more thorough when I gloss over something, which I have been very guilty of in the last month. I'm better at suggesting places it might be from far away.

Don't give up; it really is a matter of experience and broadening your mind to look in ways that you have never needed to before.

 

Every month the geocachers in our area meet, and I had the pleasure of having a newbie and his daughter accompany me for a couple hours while I showed them the ropes. They really seemed to enjoy it, and we bumped into each other again. This time he had his own GPS unit and we did one together at a library but he didn't really need any more help. I would encourage you to attend one of these. I have plenty of experience now but hope to join other cachers anyway at future events because it would be a lot of fun to do them together.

Edited August 21, 2007 by runewell

[+Thrak]

Maybe I'm weird. I didn't have much difficulty when I started. However, I read the forums for a week before my unit arrived in the mail.

 

I made sure that I was using WGS84 as the map datum which, according to posts I read, was one major problem that n00bs have. If you use the wrong datum you don't find the cache. I also made sure I had my unit set to use the proper type of coordinates. I had read enough to know to look around for likely spots rather than expecting to be led directly to the cache by the arrow. Of course it also helped that all of the caches I looked for early on seemed to have very good coordinates listed.

 

If your unit is setup properly and you have the proper coordinates entered then I don't see how anybody could go "1 for 20" when looking for caches!

Edited August 21, 2007 by Thrak

[+rinseandspit]

Well, a quick update, and a few replies to what I was doing "wrong".

 

The advice about dropping the compass page all together once I got close and going my the coordinates numbers was great! I think this has helped me a lot. That darn compass is just too off. Since I've been using the numbers, I've been much closer when I start looking around.

 

I was also thinking way too....obviously, but not in the good way. I guess I thought they'd pop out at me more. After reading that post with the ridiculously deceptive caches...it got my brain in the right order to look for the right things.

 

I found quite a few of the ones I was looking for, tho close to my house, were nanos. Blech to a list of mostly nanos. Some are ok, but not a whole day of them!

 

I went out again today with a list of about 20 caches (some I had previously not found). There were only 2 I still could not find, and I found 13 others. 5 I simply didn't have time and kinda ran out of gas to go look for. It was a fun day. All kinds of caches. Big ammo cans out in the middle of back-bay trails.....semi small altoid box sized ones near guard rails, fake rock in a bush, a hid in plain sight fake outlet box on a light post, even one nano hanging in a tree.

 

I think I have the knack for this now, and want to thank everyone for the great advice. It really is much more fun when you show up to a spot....zero in on the coords....then rack yer brains for about 5 minutes and finally find it. I started poking around and wiggling things a lot more too. I think I was a bit too timid my first time out as well.

 

Anyway, I think I can hold my own enough now to be called a semi-noob. heh I'm no expert by far, but know I can confidently play the game.

 

-RinseAndSpit