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Tips on finding caches


DOGZBONE

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When I'm out caching I seem to be able to find the general area where the cache is located just fine. I run into problems when it's time to actually "search" for the cache. I seem to strike out about 8 out of ten 10 times. Any general tips on finding a cache or should I just face the facts that I'm no good at this, hang up the GPS and find another hobby? :P

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I get skunked on about 10% of the caches I look for. That's after 1000 finds. Yes I've seen a lot, learned a lot, but they keep inventing smarter hiders.

 

Some tricks. First skip the micro's. In any place there may be a few spots for a larger container but a heck of a lot more spots for a micro. No need to bang your head on the wall unless you enjoy that sort of thing. Next stick to hides that are rated as "1" for difficulty. They are not always rated accuratly but at least you have a shot. Lastly non urban caches tend to be easier to find. Especially if they are Normal sized containers or better. Normally after a hike people don't make you work so hard for the find.

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Remember, the GPS gets you to the area. When you zero out, imagine that there is a 20ft radius around you that the cache could be hidden, then think 'If I were to hide this cache where would I put it.' Now, the reality is if your GPS is off and the hider had the same problem, you could be in a 40ft area. If your GPS is jumpy, that can throw you off. Best to put it down and see if it gives you a consisten direction. This last weekend, we found one that was 90 ft from where my GPS zeroed out. Even more interesting if you cache with a friend and your GPSs dont agree. When we are walking they are different by 20ft. Have patience, you'll get a feel for it.

 

Also you might check the logs ahead of time to see if people have found it recently. We spent an hour looking for a 1 difficulty, only to find that the all the 10 people before us didnt find it either; it was muggled.

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Definitely don't give up! Sometimes if you just stand still and look around you, you'll notice something that doesn't look quite right. When I was looking for my first regular-sized cache, I had looked for about 20 minutes and was about to give up when I stood still, looked around me and then noticed a small spot that looked round and smooth at the base of a tree. My first thought was "Well THAT doesn't look natural!" That was the cache! (A round tupperware container in a hollowed tree base.) I've found a number of caches that way...letting my eyes do the work.

 

Or...broaden your search. If the GPSr signal is bouncy, it might have you a bit off so widen out. Remember...not all caches are containers...they CAN be flat...or magnetic...or made up of all kinds of very clever disguises. A cache could be inside, on, under, up high, down low. Hiders are sneaky!

 

Don't give up though. The more experience you get, the easier it gets (except for those reeeeaaally evil hides!).

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I didn't look at what part of the country you are in, but also remember that the GPSr needs a line of sight from the satellite. that means tree leaves, tall buildings, canyons, etc., can block the signal and give you inconsistent readings. Power lines and other electrical units can jiggy up things- and Geocachers will often hide their caches to lessen your dependence of the GPDr and increase your "Spidey-sense."

 

Don't be shy about asking the cache owner for hints, especially if you are a newbie. Most of the cachers remember starting out and the frustration mixed with excitement. See if there are any cachers in you area who would be willing to go out with you for an impromptu training session. Check the logs to see how recently the cache was found. THe more recently, the better odds the cache is still there (not been muggled).

 

The toughest part of Geocaching (at least for me) is logging a DNF (Did not find), but that is also very important. A DNF does not mean you are inept or slow--it does mean either the cache won that round OR the cache has been muggled. People who hide Geocaches cannot "check" if the cache is still there--especially the people who have 50 or 100+ hides. They depend on DNFs to "tickle" them to go see if the cache is AWOL.

 

As a previous email stated, I have a 10% to 20% DNF rate. I really feel silly when I find a Difficulty 2 or 3, then get stumped on a 1! But it happens. Remember, this is for fun--not a job. Relax and enjoy!

 

Take care,

Outspoken1

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#1 - Don't rely too much on your GPS. It has a margin of error of about 10-30 feet and so did the unit of the hider. So the cache could be 30, 40, 50 or more feet from where your GPS says it is.

 

A common mistake of newbies is to concentrate their search right where the GPS is pointing and ignore potential hiding places nearby.

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#1 - Don't rely too much on your GPS. It has a margin of error of about 10-30 feet and so did the unit of the hider. So the cache could be 30, 40, 50 or more feet from where your GPS says it is.

 

A common mistake of newbies is to concentrate their search right where the GPS is pointing and ignore potential hiding places nearby.

 

 

Exactly!! I got VERY discourage my first few weeks of caching, Now I can pretty much find with ease.

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My number one problem is muggles. I suppose it is my fault as I tend to geocache in town and don't often get the opportunity to get out in the country. What happens is I'll get to the general area and start my search. I try to think about how the owner must think. Where would be a great place to hide his thing. Urban areas have the added excitement of muggle traffic which will invariably make it so that you have to take several trips back to the cache site or have a ton of time on your hands to wait out the passersby before you can actually get a find. I've even successfully located the cache visually, but due to heavy foot traffic, I have to abort the mission and come back for it at another time.

 

The trickier the hide, the longer the hunt and yes, the more attempts will have to be made. I suppose I could have better luck after dark, but then the muggles go to bed and the creepy crawly things come out. Take your pick. We're also blessed with an abundance of homeless people, so even after dark, the parks are full of muggles sleeping on park benches and rolled up in cardboard. It's too depressing to geocache at night in the city.

 

The bottom line is to not give up. Unless you see logs that report DNFs and/or "Cache may be missing", then in all likelyhood it is still there waiting to be found. Another tactic I use is to come at the hide from a number of different angles and walk until you are at zero. Make a note of all the different "spots" and then average them out or intersect the paths to narrow down the vicinity. I can usually narrow my search area to a 10' radius this way, but like others have posted you still have to account for accuracy of both the hider's GPSr and your own. Also buildings tend to play tricks on your GPSr. The signals bounce off of them and affect the location of the GZ.

 

Good Luck! and stay with it. It will get easier with time.

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Would one of you more experienced cachers suggest the way to combat the signal bounce especially under canopy?

I've tried watching the count/distance go down & stopping & checking likely spots.

Should I switch to a hand held compass in these cases? Spending 30-60 minutes on a caches is not the highlight of the day IMO.

 

SigsPig

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When I'm out caching I seem to be able to find the general area where the cache is located just fine. I run into problems when it's time to actually "search" for the cache. I seem to strike out about 8 out of ten 10 times. Any general tips on finding a cache or should I just face the facts that I'm no good at this, hang up the GPS and find another hobby? :)

 

Don't give up. Your GPS is only getting you to the middle of someone's Ground Zero. I'm certainly not a GPS expert, but I've seen two or three of them take their respective owners off in different directions at the same time. As someone already said, stand back and scan the area. Be calm as you approach GZ. Plan a systematic search and supress that desire to make a frenzied dash to check everywhere at once. Look for some feature that would interest a hider in placing a cache. Look to see where others have stood before. Crushed leaves or undergrowth.. compacted soil.. broken twigs. Humans seldom travel through woods without leaving a trace, and if the cache you seek has been visited often or lately the signs are there. Look for things that are out of place. Slabs of bark that do not match the nearby trees. Rocks that are "arranged". Rocks that are "upside down". (Rocks often have lichens growing on their top side, but when people rehide the cache they sometimes don't notice and place them lichen side down) and of course the Icon of geocaching.. a pile of neatly arranged parallel sticks. :laughing:

 

@&/*/=*/*fatfingered$%$^#^^*

Edited by edscott
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Watch your GPSr screen and direction you are heading when you are some distance away from GZ (ground zero). See where it is pointing you and the line you are on when heading towards the cache. Then go out from the cache in a different direction and walk in again. Pay attention to the direction you are heading and then imagine where those two lines intersect.

Sometimes this can help with the signal bounce and jumpy readings that can come when you are not moving around much and having signal troubles.

 

Have fun and cache on!

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Are the majority of the experienced cachers here using the map page or using the "goto" page when zeroing on a cache?

 

SigsPig

 

I usually use the map page because I get a better impression of where I walked looking at the recorded track.

Sometimes it helps to stand still for a minute, and sometimes its helps to several times walk a few m and then goto the position currently indicated by the GPSr and notice where these positions are in the real world.

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I would also suggest when you are new to searching, that you read the hints prior to the search, or all the logs at least. Look at the pics in the gallery too. Even if you don't want to do this 5 finds from now, make it as easy as you can at first. It will help build up your confidence. We had a hard time at first and gave up for about 2 years. We moved to another city and tried again. This time, it worked and we're almost on our 100th find. Just make it easy at first......look for ammo cans (alot of caches will say if they're in one) or large lock 'n lock containers and look within low difficulty ranges. Stay away from puzzles and multi's (as they are just a little tougher by nature or take more finds to complete). And once you get to the area, like others said, put the GPSr away and just plain search. Go out with someone, or a group. The more eyes, the more likely you are to find it. And try and hook up with your local caching organization or even attend an event. Lots of veteran cachers wouldn't mind showing the ropes to a new person and you might get some even better tips from them!!!!

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Are the majority of the experienced cachers here using the map page or using the "goto" page when zeroing on a cache?

 

SigsPig

I always use the map page. I have a vista C, and have the "2 data fields" option set. I have one field set to "Pointer" (so there's no need to flip over to the compass page to see the arrow), and the other field is set to "Distance to Destination".

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Once you have mastered the basics ( and I use the term "Mastered" loosely ), you will join the club of us that cannot find a 1/1 to save our lives. After caching for awhile, and experiencing some tricky little boogers, I have found that it is a common practice to over think the easy ones. Ya just gotta take a step back and revert back to newbie stage, and the 1/1 will actually crawl out of its hidey hole and bite ya!

Don't give up on the hobby/sport of cachin'. It gives even the most experienced a run for there cache at times.

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If you can configure the display on your GPS, I'd suggest getting it to display the accuracy (really more of a "margin of error"). I normally cache using the map screen and I've set the top left display to show accuracy and the top right to show distance to the cache. Sometimes tree canopy seems to affect the accuracy a lot and other times it seems not to affect it very much at all. Knowing how inaccurate it thinks it is will give you an idea of how much you have to widen your search radius. (But as others have said, you don't want to trust the GPS totally once you get close to the cache).

 

Take somebody caching with you. Even if they're not an experienced geocacher, two pairs of eyes are better than one. If they find the cache, get them to show you how it was hidden so you start learning the tricks that people use. (That's how I started doing it, after a long string of DNFs at the start).

 

Don't be afraid to revisit caches you've previously failed to find. Once you've got a few finds under your belt, you may find that you'll quickly find a cache that you've previously struggled with. Not only that, as winter approaches plants will die back and some caches may actually be easier to find.

 

Read the logs of the cache before visiting. Sometimes they can give you clues of what you're looking for (even if they don't say exactly where that thing is).

 

Also, pay attention to the difficulty ratings of caches. You may already be doing this, but when you're starting out, stick to the easier ones since they are likely to be, well, easier to find.

 

As others have said - don't give up. The initial run of DNFs can be offputting but the satisfaction of a find more than makes up for it.

Edited by Crid
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I just started and one of the first things I learned is "keep looking". I dont have the most patients, but caching is actually helping me with that. Just when you think you cant look anymore keep on going.. just like a fight or somthing. It definately is 9 times out of 10 the better choice and I cant wipe the smile off my face when Im leaving..

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Crid is right, sometimes the map screen seems to be a greater aid in finding caches than using the 'goto' function.

Another thing to do for those DNF is to watch the listing. You'll get notifications whenever someone logs find/DNF which will either inspire you to go back out or confirm your suspicious about the cache.

There are some caches out there that seem to demand more than one trip to solve. Check out "prickle my fancy"...one of the more demanding caches here in Ottawa, Canada.

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Dogzbones, just so you know, today I had to return to a cache. Couldn't find it the first time I was there, so I was prepared to DNF. Went on to find four more, then came back. Was standing within a foot of the cache, and was ready to walk off again, when I found a piece of plastic on the ground, the tail of a zip tie. Found the cache because of that, it told me something of the hide technique. This was from a hider that has done everything from LPC to building a special support apparatus to hold the cache. I have found his caches just tucked into a split in the bark, to dropped into holes hanging on mono line, to concealed in the grass on the support. Another hider in this area put one up in a tree, about 12 foot up a sloped trunk, I just happened to look up at that one too.

 

Let the GPS get you to the area, then set it down to hold the location, and start looking. You will most often find it within the 20 feet, and be amazed at how easy it is to conceal things. The challenge is to hone your seeking skills to beat the hider's skills at placement and camo.

 

By the way, the cache. In the leaves just above my head. Reflecting, had it been in the fork of the tree, it would have been too obvious. After all, that was the first place I looked.

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continental drifter: your joking, right?

Trucker Lee: you bring up a good point. I lost out on a FTF this morning because I didn't circle the area enough. The fact that I had just completed a midnight shift & it was still dark out shouldn't be an excuse <_<

I think one of the major reasons I missed out was I didn't look at the attribute of the cache closely enough: whether it was winter friendly or not. Winter friendly usually signals off the ground.

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maybe a bit late - but my personal guide:

 

1. Use the compass screen versus the map screen. Tells you where to go and how far left to go.

2. Rather than trying to get to the 0 point on your GPSr (basically standing on top of the cache) stop about 50 feet from the expected location. Then stop looking at your GPS and start looking at your location. Look for the obvious clues to the cache location. Piles of sticks, rocks, dead hollow tree, or stump in plain view. Don't forget to look at the size of the cache you are looking for. Nothing like thinking you are hunting a regular sized cache, when it is actually a micro-cache.

3. Start out with the easiest dificulty caches (D/T). So go for the 1/1 to 2/2 caches first.

4. Have fun and enjoy the great Fall weather...

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I'm pretty new at this having started in June of this year, but I now have 114 finds. I started out using only the compass page, then went to using the map page until I was within about 100 ft and then switching to the compasss page, then after hearing someone mention to a newbie to "match the coords" I started using those. So, now I use a combination. Start with the map page until I get fairly close, then switch to the compass page, and finally - if I don't immediately see the cache - I start comparing the coords to zero in. When I've had trouble finding a cache with the map/compass, that usually is the winning feature.

 

And most important - don't get frustrated! Have fun and if you can, come back another time to re-find a DNF.

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If you have a Magellan GPS unit then you might have a problem that I discuss within a link in my profile.

Basically, if the GPS's clock time is off from the master clock you could actually be 100 feet or more from a cache when your GPS actually says you are right there. In most cases you actually walked past where the cache is actually located. They call this the rubberbanding problem. Others I know get by with just sitting still for 20-30 seconds to let the GPS know you stopped walking and therefore give you it's actuall position, not where it thinks you are. But I find it more useful to turn the GPS off and on again to re-acquire the satellite signals, this is only a problem when there are few well placed satellites and you are in a tough reception spot.

 

2 .5 years ago I almost gave up on geocaching when I experienced this problem and had no solutions. It took time and experimentation for me to discover this workaround. No, Magellan will not update their firmware with a solution to this known problem. Garmin's do not experience this problem since every time they get turned on the GPS clock is reset to that from the satellites. One could check your Magellan clock against a Garmin or if you have a shortwave radio listen to WWV or any number os other methods to see if your clock is off. But to fix it you have to do a master reset and re-acquire the whole satellite almanac, so save your tracks and waypoints and record any personalizing settings you have made before going through this heartache.

 

No, this does not invalidate the microsecond accuracy necessary for position fixing, this clock is just the clock time display but it somehow is used as the GPS calculates your walking speed and so on.

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I haven't been geocaching that long. What makes it difficult for me is not having a gps. Told hubby he is getting me one for Christmas! lol Anyway, I use google earth to help me find where the cache is. There are MANY times we have to try again. With us lots of time the third time works! We (my daughters cache w/me) wil often have duh moments wondering how we missed them. The main reason I want a gps is so I can hide some caches, and find some that are more remote. Never give up.

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I haven't been geocaching that long. What makes it difficult for me is not having a gps. Told hubby he is getting me one for Christmas! lol Anyway, I use google earth to help me find where the cache is. There are MANY times we have to try again. With us lots of time the third time works! We (my daughters cache w/me) wil often have duh moments wondering how we missed them. The main reason I want a gps is so I can hide some caches, and find some that are more remote. Never give up.

 

The more time you spend learning to decipher those aerial photos the less you will miss not having a GPS. Doesn't matter how remote the location is, the photos seldom lie. In fact, the more remote areas are usually more accurate since they don't get "improved" with shopping malls and housing developments. Never give up. :)

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I'm using the same old gpsr that I have had since about 2002, and the thing has such horrible satellite reception that I can't trust it when there is ANY tree cover at all. I go to where the thing is pointing, note the location, then walk away and follow the numbers back again, note the location, walk away-- do that about 5 times, until I have a central location that seems to be approximately where the gpsr is indicating. Then I'll stand in that spot, poke around a little, and often make a gradual circle outward until I find the cache.

 

The boyfriend and I aren't speedy cachers by any means (I consider it a great day if we find 3 :huh: !), but we're more there for mucking around in the woods than for trinket exchange or find numbers anyway, so taking a bit longer to find a cache doesn't irk us.

Edited by Scamp
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Sorry I'm coming in so late to the discussion .... what I've found *sometimes* works (depending on how devious is the mind of the cacher who hid the cache) is looking around and asking myself, "If I were hiding a cache right here, where would I put it?"

 

As I said, it *sometimes* works.

 

I do agree about skipping the micros. There's just no joy (for me at least) in finding a pile of stones and needing to go through all of them to find the one that's a cache, or checking out guard rails .... not what it's about, and it leads to frustration. For me. Everyone plays a little differently.

 

Taking time to center yourself, taking several deep breaths, stilling your mind ... that's what works the most frequently for me. It's the hardest thing to do, but yields the best results.

 

Good luck!

 

Jeannette (angevine)

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I haven't been caching very long but here are a couple things I use.

Look for geo-paths-areas where a path is made where people are going to the same area "the Cache". Buy a small mirror. Its great for looking under things, behind things and it gives you a different angle than with your eyes. At night it helps reflect light into darker areas. It also has help me from "feeling" behind something or between something getting bit by an insect such as spiders and bees.

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I haven't been caching very long but here are a couple things I use.

Look for geo-paths-areas where a path is made where people are going to the same area "the Cache". Buy a small mirror. Its great for looking under things, behind things and it gives you a different angle than with your eyes. At night it helps reflect light into darker areas. It also has help me from "feeling" behind something or between something getting bit by an insect such as spiders and bees.

 

So many times, I have found that the "geo-paths" have lead me to the same place I and others keep trying to look over and over, to find the cache is NOT there, LOL!

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When I'm out caching I seem to be able to find the general area where the cache is located just fine. I run into problems when it's time to actually "search" for the cache. I seem to strike out about 8 out of ten 10 times. Any general tips on finding a cache or should I just face the facts that I'm no good at this, hang up the GPS and find another hobby? :)

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Twisted, you are so right, you are looking right at it.

 

On the hide and seek a cache page, scroll down to "other options" and enter in the waypoint box.

 

It's also on the front page, a little way down the right hand side of the page it says:

 

View a Cache Listing

By waypoint name:

 

With a box with GCXXXX in it.

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:D To Sigs Pig:I'm not joking thats how I do it.I don't even know how to download waypoints into my Magellan. Matching up the lattitude and longitude has worked close to 400 times.

Wow, will have to give that a try when the compass page is going crazy & I'm about to toss the garmin into the closest water obstacle :D

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