Should there be a limit to amount of caches owned?

[+Hobo2]

I know who Hobo is talking about... and it's all about the numbers. Look at his profile and it's all he can talk about, how he's the first this or that. First with triple digit hides, finds, TBs, events, whatever. I thought of spoofing it like first to find a cache with a migraine headache, or first male to find a cache while wearing a wedding veil, etc.

 

Most of these hides are film canisters with torn paper logs, in uninteresting places like mileposts or lampposts. Some finds are also film canister replacements when he couldn't find the original, but that's just how he plays. Give him the numbers, let him brag.

 

For the most part, I've ignored these since I first figured it out. I'll still grab one now and then, but I don't specifically seek them. However, I do wish people would place caches with the knowledge that their placement isn't a small dot on a map, but a large (.2mile dia) circle.

 

To run through town on the side of the freeway stopping every .1 and tossing a film canister out the window is also a good way to blow some planning and researched cache placements. I have one I've been working on for a month now, waiting until the right time to submit it, because I want it done well, not quickly. I guess someone could come up and stick a bison tube in the brush while stepping on my well concealed container and submit that micro.

 

Maybe that's the chance I take, but I'll have to take it.

Yes, now you know who I'm talking about, but please keep it under your hat.

 

I do see there are some VERY thoughtful geocachers out there, thank you all for being so! But as the saying goes, "a few bad apples spoil the bunch". I know there are a few respectful, responsible, creative, cachers, but I'm sorry, I think they are the exception rather than the rule... at least from what I see of those cachers who have more than 100 hides. I am just a beginner myself, but it doesn't take much experience to see a trend in an area... or by one cacher who is all about the numbers. You hit the nail on the head about some of them just driving by throwing out micros for ease of placement and the numbers... I see that too, or in my case, hogging an area without regard for others or content... this was the point I was trying to make... very frustrating.

 

I took some suggestions and contacted two of the cachers asking them if they would archive one of their caches so my Grandson could reach one he made on his bike, but no go! The first told me to mind my own business, the second said as long as they are active they will stay put... even though he has six within three blocks. So since I can't be there, and there is no way I will let him stray any further out of his neighborhood, he will not be able to place his cache he has worked so hard to build... at least by his house. He wants to now put it by Grandpa's, which is fine and makes me proud, but it would have been nice to let him have one by his house he could check on!

 

Thanks again for some of the ideas you all have provided, I do appreciate them.

[+Robespierre]

Well, back to the original question:

 

If the hole area is as big as the Grand Canyon, then it would seem to be impossible to dominate.... then again, with a six-year head start, who knows? But if that hole is much smaller, then you might have to discuss it openly at a meet'n'greet, or something.

 

But seriously, I worked very hard NOT to totally dominate. I had a 4-year head start around here, and I needed to place enough to draw people. Eventually it worked. We have cachers now. At one of our first meet'n'greets I mentioned archiving caches for others...... no requests, so far. And I think I was pretty successful in leaving room, and in having some "standing permission" in-place when they arrived.

[+briansnat]

I, too, vote for no limit on the number of caches one person can own. I'd like to qualify that with "no hard limit." I wouldn't mind seeing a movement where folks are encouraged, maybe even expected, to voluntarily archive their more poorly received caches instead of simply letting them sit and hold a spot that might be better used by someone else.

 

Being that cache quality is purely subjective, that would be a difficult thing to accomplish. I realize that a lot of these big numbers hiders are getting those numbers by sprinkling dozens and often hundreds of junk micros

around. Not good for this sport in my eyes, but perfectly fine according to the guidelines.

 

Now if a big numbers hider was to have a bunch of caches out that needed maintenance, I wouldn't object to the idea of reviewers saying no more. But for those who can maintain them, keep on placing. More for me to find.

 

There are two newbies in my area who live near parks. Both have mentioned several times over the past year, how they'd like to place a cache in the parks near their homes. I've offered to help both as this would be a first time placement for both.

 

I have held off placing caches in those parks out of respect for these newbies. Neither park has a cache to this day - it's been over a year. How long should I wait?

 

A year is long enough. You are under no obligation to wait at all, but if they were going to place a cache, I think they've had their chance. Besides, there is no guarantee a third party won't come in and hide a cache there while you are so graciously waiting for these guys to place theirs.

Edited November 25, 2007 by briansnat

[+The Leprechauns]

Someone in my State who's hidden hundreds of caches started placing them in the early days over a very wide area, because there weren't very many other people hiding caches. But now, the Johnny Appleseed work is finished. So, this owner has made it very widely known that most all but the very best caches will be archived if someone local comes along and wants to place a new cache of their own in the same park, bike trail, etc. For caches that have been out for a year or more, I think this is a good policy if one hider has saturated an area. It eases the hider's maintenance burden, and makes it easier for newcomers to enjoy the excitement of receiving those "[LOG] Owner" notifications.