This must be some sort of record

[+ThePetersTrio]

Cache placed March 22. Cache stolen March 30.

 

8 whole days. I'm totally bummed.

 

Thieves must be some of the lowest scum of the earth.

 

I guess what makes me feel worse about the whole thing is that I've got 3 caches here ready to be placed. Now I'm thinking better of it. Seems like a waste of time/energy/money now.

 

Edited March 31, 2008 by ThePetersTrio

[Mushtang]

Unfortunately it's not even close to a record.

 

I'd hope you still place your other caches. Look at the situation that your other cache was in and see if you can figure out what may have led to it being stolen. Hide the next ones better, more cammo, less public, etc., if you think that had anything to do with it.

 

Good luck!

[+ThePetersTrio]

I bought a waterproof pre-cammo'd container that cost me a bit of $ but fit perfectly into the spot I'd chosen. Granted the spot was in a park in a family-friendly neighborhood but it is certainly no more muggle dense than the majority of caches in parks I've been to lots of times.

 

*sigh*

 

Maybe I should just stick to crappy tupperware containers or altoids tins in the future.

[cowcreekgeeks]

Perhaps someone saw you put the cache there? Or maybe a cacher was caught by a muggle...? We do look pretty suspicious out there, you know. BTW...is that building right next to the cache a private residence a business? If so, have you spoken to the resident or business owner?

Edited March 31, 2008 by cowcreekgeeks

[+Driver Carries Cache]

I was at an event last year and one of the caches published for the event was muggled by someone who lived on the street the cache was hidden on, and replaced with a nasty note in under 4 hours.

 

DCC

[+Mopar]

DONT stop hiding caches.

DO find better places to hide future ones.

 

I'm looking at your cache, and I can't help but see this cache didn't stand a chance.

Busy neighborhood park with nearby houses. Please be on alert for muggles.

 

You are looking for a small camouflaged container. Please replace it with care so as not to be found by the neighborhood kids. There are lots of nearby caches to grab while you are at this one. Have fun!!

 

Additional Hints ( Encrypt )

Don't fence me in

 

And this is where google puts the cache.

If that's right the cache was less then 20ft from a house?

Remember, consumer gps is usually only accurate 10 9-12ft under the best conditions. The combined inaccuracy of you gps and the hiders gps means people can be looking 30ft away.

If you hide a cache where muggles can observe people searching for a cache it's not gonna last.

[+PhxChem]

Maybe I should just stick to crappy tupperware containers or altoids tins in the future.

 

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO......

 

Seriously....people do appreciate time put into cache creation, set up, etc. I'd rather see 1 really beautifully executed cache than 100 Altoids tins.

 

Although, depending on the location, Altoids tins can also be done well.....

Edited March 31, 2008 by PhxChem

[+NeoAddict]

Don't give up on hiding just because one of your caches was muggled. Giving up after the first time is lame!

I worry about the caches I've placed, but I'm confident that they'll last long enough that enough people will enjoy them in the time they're given. That's all one can hope for.

 

And placing it in an area that isn't going to be scrutinized by neighbors, concerned parents, and nosy children.

[+ThePetersTrio]

DONT stop hiding caches.

DO find better places to hide future ones.

 

I'm looking at your cache, and I can't help but see this cache didn't stand a chance.

 

If that's right the cache was less then 20ft from a house?

Remember, consumer gps is usually only accurate 10 9-12ft under the best conditions. The combined inaccuracy of you gps and the hiders gps means people can be looking 30ft away.

If you hide a cache where muggles can observe people searching for a cache it's not gonna last.

 

What you can't see from that google shot is that the house has a high fence in back. The home owner couldn't have seen the spot without walking behind the house and behind the fence - off of his/her property. The cache was in a public park that has other caches located in it.

 

The logged finds indicated the coordinates were spot on, so I don't really think it was that.

 

I am more inclined to believe that someone was seen at the cache - perhaps from a house across the park - and didn't realize it. But the placement was very near a paved walking trail so I (incorrectly) thought that people would see the cachers as the same as other people who frequently walk the park.

 

I realize that many of you will see me as just another newbie who made a mistake in cache placement. And that's fine, I realize I have more to learn. But I have done my homework and have been to other cache placements that were also close to houses in and around public parks. These caches have been up and runnning for long periods of time. So while I very likely will not replace this particular cache, I certainly don't find this place for a hide to be drastically unrealistic either.

 

I'm still just really upset by the mindset of people who think it's ok to steal. Sorry for posting my vent here. I really didn't need to be made to feel like I did something wrong or somehow deserved it by my own stupidity. Or that being discouraged to place more makes me lame.

Edited March 31, 2008 by ThePetersTrio

[+NeoAddict]

Sure, stealing sucks. But there's not much we as geocachers can do outside of camping out near our caches with tasers and a bullhorn to zap and yell at anyone who might not be a geocacher getting too close.

Extreme example, but nonetheless:

 

You might be dealing with a geocacher that thought your container was super awesome and thought they would be sneaky and take off with it. If that's the case, that supremely blows, and I'd be on the lookout for any suspicious users and whatnot.

 

On the other hand, you might be dealing with a kid who found a container lodged in a tree/stump/your choice of camo and thought it was neat, so they took it home. I know I did that when I was a kid, because I honestly didn't know any better.

 

As said before, the only thing you can do is press on and continue placing caches.

[miles_vagar]

You might be dealing with a geocacher that thought your container was super awesome and thought they would be sneaky and take off with it. If that's the case, that supremely blows, and I'd be on the lookout for any suspicious users and whatnot.

 

Or you might be dealing with THE WONGS!

[+NeoAddict]

You might be dealing with a geocacher that thought your container was super awesome and thought they would be sneaky and take off with it. If that's the case, that supremely blows, and I'd be on the lookout for any suspicious users and whatnot.

 

Or you might be dealing with THE WONGS!

DON'T MESS WITH THE WONGS!

 

Man that whole situation is funny.

Edited March 31, 2008 by NeoAddict

[nobby.nobbs]

You could try leaving a note in the same place explaining and asking for the cache back. Chances are whoever took it is going to come back to see if there's anything else there.

 

You never know it might work and if not then it's only taken a quick note in a clear bag.

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

DONT stop hiding caches.

DO find better places to hide future ones.

 

I'm looking at your cache, and I can't help but see this cache didn't stand a chance.

 

If that's right the cache was less then 20ft from a house?

Remember, consumer gps is usually only accurate 10 9-12ft under the best conditions. The combined inaccuracy of you gps and the hiders gps means people can be looking 30ft away.

If you hide a cache where muggles can observe people searching for a cache it's not gonna last.

 

What you can't see from that google shot is that the house has a high fence in back. The home owner couldn't have seen the spot without walking behind the house and behind the fence - off of his/her property. The cache was in a public park that has other caches located in it.

 

The logged finds indicated the coordinates were spot on, so I don't really think it was that.

 

I am more inclined to believe that someone was seen at the cache - perhaps from a house across the park - and didn't realize it. But the placement was very near a paved walking trail so I (incorrectly) thought that people would see the cachers as the same as other people who frequently walk the park.

 

I realize that many of you will see me as just another newbie who made a mistake in cache placement. And that's fine, I realize I have more to learn. But I have done my homework and have been to other cache placements that were also close to houses in and around public parks. These caches have been up and runnning for long periods of time. So while I very likely will not replace this particular cache, I certainly don't find this place for a hide to be drastically unrealistic either.

 

I'm still just really upset by the mindset of people who think it's ok to steal. Sorry for posting my vent here. I really didn't need to be made to feel like I did something wrong or somehow deserved it by my own stupidity. Or that being discouraged to place more makes me lame.

 

Any chance that someone told the resident of that house that they had seen people snooping around their back fence. any way you look at it, unless that's your house, It's too close. If you were able to see what we look like while searching, and you were not familiar with the game you'de probabaly think we were on drugs. Then would you want someone who you thought might be on drugs poking around in the bushed right against your fence?

[miles_vagar]

Then would you want someone who you thought might be on drugs poking around in the bushed right against your fence?

 

Is this question rhetorical? Because my answer is yes. That would be awesome and hilarious.

[+JohnnyVegas]

Cache placed March 22. Cache stolen March 30.

 

8 whole days. I'm totally bummed.

 

Thieves must be some of the lowest scum of the earth.

 

I guess what makes me feel worse about the whole thing is that I've got 3 caches here ready to be placed. Now I'm thinking better of it. Seems like a waste of time/energy/money now.

 

Don't feel bad, I have had a problem with caches of mine being traken for the past year. I always have one of two of them go missing when a certain cacher an his partners is in my the area on a cache run. I think I am going to set up a wild life camera to cache him/her in the act.

[+Chuy!]

Ball gets hit over the fence; kid finds cache.

 

Homeowner clearing brush from around the house; cache discovered.

 

Frisbee from park side flies into cache area; kids find cache.

 

Dog taking a walk around park, dog hits on scent; dog owner finds cache.

 

A cacher seen by muggles; muggles find cache after cacher leaves.

 

etc...

 

My property has 6-foot high fence and I can't see other side. But I can tell right away when some is on the other side by the noise they make. Noise from stepping on rocks and dried leaves; noise from moving foliage about; at night you can hear someone breathing over the fence! Don't believe me? Try it!

[+Kit Fox]

DONT stop hiding caches.

DO find better places to hide future ones.

 

I'm looking at your cache, and I can't help but see this cache didn't stand a chance.

 

If that's right the cache was less then 20ft from a house?

Remember, consumer gps is usually only accurate 10 9-12ft under the best conditions. The combined inaccuracy of you gps and the hiders gps means people can be looking 30ft away.

If you hide a cache where muggles can observe people searching for a cache it's not gonna last.

 

What you can't see from that google shot is that the house has a high fence in back. The home owner couldn't have seen the spot without walking behind the house and behind the fence - off of his/her property. The cache was in a public park that has other caches located in it.

 

The logged finds indicated the coordinates were spot on, so I don't really think it was that.

 

I am more inclined to believe that someone was seen at the cache - perhaps from a house across the park - and didn't realize it. But the placement was very near a paved walking trail so I (incorrectly) thought that people would see the cachers as the same as other people who frequently walk the park.

 

I realize that many of you will see me as just another newbie who made a mistake in cache placement. And that's fine, I realize I have more to learn. But I have done my homework and have been to other cache placements that were also close to houses in and around public parks. These caches have been up and runnning for long periods of time. So while I very likely will not replace this particular cache, I certainly don't find this place for a hide to be drastically unrealistic either.

 

I'm still just really upset by the mindset of people who think it's ok to steal. Sorry for posting my vent here. I really didn't need to be made to feel like I did something wrong or somehow deserved it by my own stupidity. Or that being discouraged to place more makes me lame.

 

This article written by a geocacher for geocachers, perfectly explains the nature of your cache hide.

 

What would you think?

 

The hobby of geocaching is quite unusual when compared to most leisure activities. It relies on annonymity and discretion--stealth even.

It relies even more on being able to hide geocaches on other people's property for our colleagues to find. Geocaching cannot exist without discretely placing geocaches where others can find them. This usually means on property we don't own, either public or private. Let's think about how our hobby looks to others.

 

Pretend for a moment that you are a normal person.

You look out your window toward a greenbelt in your neighborhood and see a stranger lurking about with a strange device, obviously trying hard not to be noticed. Then you see several other strangers doing the same thing over the course of a weekend. You might even spot them looking for something hidden, or hanging around for a few minutes and then hiding something before leaving.

 

What would you think? You find yourself overlooking an open area near a train station, or even an airport. A stranger comes to the area, and furtively walks around with a strange device (looks like some kind of homing system or remote detonator like they use in spy movies!). He stops for a while, repeatedly pushing buttons on the device. He then gets an olive drab container with military markings out of his car and hides it! The whole time he has obviously been on the lookout for anyone watching him, and generally looked very sneaky!

 

What would you think? Suppose you happen to notice a lot of folks showing up, for no reason that you can think of, behind the local convenience store. They seem to crawl around on the ground for a while, feel there way around trash containers and electrical boxes until they find a small container. They surrepticiously take this container a short distance away, all the while looking around to see if they are being watched. They rifle through the contents before, just as secretively, returning the container where they found it and then making a quick getaway!

 

What would you think? Okay, enough trying to think normally!

 

Let's think like a geocacher planning a cache hide (much easier than thinking normally for many of us). The importance of considering appearances is growing by the day. We need to consider how unusual activity at our cache location looks to observers who know nothing about geocaching. In today's society, most of us recognize that there can only be a limited number of responses by various bomb squads before they start comparing notes and decide that geocaching is a waste of resources and/or a potential cover for other covert activities. If communities begin to consider geocaching in this light, it would be easy for them to decide it should simply be banned. So how do we keep from bringing geocaching to the attention of regulatory bodies who may feel the need to help us keep things from looking bad? By behaving responsibly, and encouraging our fellow geocachers to do the same. Start by always following the spirit of the geocaching.com submission guidelines. This includes getting permission BEFORE placing a geocache, where appropriate. Most of the folks I have approached and discussed geocaching with have been happy to allow geocaches to be placed on property they administer. Obviously, the cache must be placed in an appropriate area, and designed to not cause conflicts or difficulties. If you have communicated with the property manager or owner, it should reduce the likelihood of calls to the police. Be prepared to take "NO" a an answer! There are plenty of places to hide a geocache in southern California. For a bit more information on selecting a cache location, please read: "Ready to Hide Your First Geocache?" We should all encourage other geocachers to place responsible caches. If you find a geocache that you think may draw unwanted attention or is in an area that is questionable for geocaches, you should contact the cache owner and explain your feelings. They may not be receptive, but you will have done your part. A diplomatically worded email could draw their attention to something they may not have considered. We shouldn't have to form the "cache police", but we do need to encourage each other to behave responsibly. If we continue to have bomb squads respond to geocaches, we will draw even more attention of a type we don't want. I am not trying to re-ruffle feathers or salt any recent wounds, but this is a topic we have to discuss openly for our hobby to survive!

 

by Dave_W6DPS

[+mvigor]

Maybe the GPSr of one of the first finders was off by enough that they decided your cache must be on the other side of the fence. When they were caught in the neighbor's yard, they explained the whole thing to the homeowner, who went and removed your cache???

[+NikkiPoooo]

I think I'd leave the note and try to talk to the residents of the house adn explain the situation. There's a chance that they are the ones who took it, and even if they aren't you'll know for sure whether they're okay with having a cache placed behind their fence should you decide you want to replace it.

[+DavidMac]

Nope, 8 days is not a record. I had a cache disappear after less than three, and the replacement didn't even survive for four hours!

[+nikcap]

I've had a cache muggled before it was published.

I placed it about 2 weeks before I activated the cache page for publishing, and visited the cache 2 or 3 days before the cache was actually published. I though it was a good spot and it well hidden and camo'ed, but it turns out it wasn't.

I found a spot about 35ft away. It wasn't hidden as well in this new spot, but it was more obscured from the trail. The cache has been in place for 2+ years now.

[+ThePetersTrio]

You could try leaving a note in the same place explaining and asking for the cache back. Chances are whoever took it is going to come back to see if there's anything else there.

 

You never know it might work and if not then it's only taken a quick note in a clear bag.

 

I think I'm going to do this. Thanks for the suggestion. It certainly can't hurt.

 

After a decent night's sleep, I am feeling a bit better. Yesterday was one of THOSE days. I had planned to do a bunch of caching but due to various reasons (me coming down with a nasty head cold being one of them) I only got to 1 of them.

 

Then after being out in the rain/hail all day, I come home to an email saying my cache has likely been stolen. I go back out to check and confirm, feeling like something the cat dragged in and also looking at the disappointment in my daughter's face.

 

FWIW, the cache container was well marked - both outside and inside - that it was a geocache, with the web site addy and the fruitless "Please do not remove!" in bold across the top. I realize the muggles who aren't familiar with the sport might get alarmed to see activity starting up in the area of the cache - this is true of any cache - and I had hoped that someone finding it who didn't know about it would take the trouble to check it out. What would I think? (as the article asks) I would think, "Gee maybe I should check into this geocaching thing". What I wouldn't think is, "Gee look here is something cool someone left behind, I think I should take it." But that's just me...

 

Anyhow, I've decided that everything in life has it's ups and downs. I shouldn't expect geocaching to be any different. I've received several messages off board from folks who have gone through the same thing, including cachers from my local area. So this is one of those things that I can chalk up to a learning experience and move on from. The biggest lesson learned is to not spend so much money on setting up a cache.

[+carleenp]

I once had a cache go missing within a day of publication and before it was ever found. But the replacement, which was put in the same place but better camoflauged, has been there for years now.

[+Sioneva]

I've had a cache thrown in the trash twice - a /big/ ammo can, clearly marked with a geocaching sticker and "do not remove". Fortunately, it's in a rec area where permission was required to hide it - and the staff is extremely helpful! Both times they have retrieved it from the trash and contacted me to let me know to pick it up at their offices. I've disabled the cache, am pondering whether to try putting it back again.

 

I hate the idea of archiving this cache, since it's one of a pair of puzzle caches that I worked hard on. So I'm still considering.

[+briansnat]

Sorry to hear that, but it's no record. I've actually heard of caches stolen before they were published.

[+rhelt100]

That's not a very good location, despite it being on the edge of a park, and I'll tell you why. A good portion of cachers use a navi in the car now to get to cache locations. Some either don't read the descriptions at all or don't remember particular cache descriptions when they're on their 10th out of 40 finds for the day. Many of this type cacher are going to route their GPS to the coordinates which will bring them the closest road location. In this case, that's right in front of this house. I bet you that if this cache was in place for a week and more than 5 people found it, at least 1 parked on the road and snuck through the yard to make the grab. You also need to consider that another's GPS could be off 30 feet in any direction...which might put them in the front yard of the house.

[+ThePetersTrio]

That's not a very good location, despite it being on the edge of a park, and I'll tell you why. A good portion of cachers use a navi in the car now to get to cache locations. Some either don't read the descriptions at all or don't remember particular cache descriptions when they're on their 10th out of 40 finds for the day. Many of this type cacher are going to route their GPS to the coordinates which will bring them the closest road location. In this case, that's right in front of this house. I bet you that if this cache was in place for a week and more than 5 people found it, at least 1 parked on the road and snuck through the yard to make the grab. You also need to consider that another's GPS could be off 30 feet in any direction...which might put them in the front yard of the house.

 

Well if anyone were to cut through the yard of the house they would have run smack dab into a very tall fence. There was no way they could sneak through the yard to get to the cache.

 

Look I realize people love to look at the google map and tell me how wrong it was for me to put a cache there, but unless you can stand there and see where it was, you really can't say what people would have done. It would have made zero sense for someone to go through these people's yard when the paved path to the cache is clearly visible from the street.

[GeoPirates2007]

that Blows, however it is the same as dropping a bug and having it vanish. You have to take the bad with the good. and Keep on keeping on

[+burgessfour]

Hi PetersTrio,

We actually were one of the first ones to find this one and we did use our Nuvi in the car, and then our handheld after that. We realized easily we were in front of a house and the coordinates definately led us around it and to the cache site. There were a few muggles, but it seemed to be hid in a pretty good spot. We never felt the owners of the house could see what we were doing.

As soon as we are over that way we are going to get Dancing Queen; Please don't stop hiding them!

burgessfour

Edited March 31, 2008 by burgessfour

[+Happy Humphrey]

Look I realize people love to look at the google map and tell me how wrong it was for me to put a cache there, but unless you can stand there and see where it was, you really can't say what people would have done.

Don't feel bad about it, quick mugglings are very common and in my experience happen no matter how well hidden the cache is. The latest one I know of was a very convincing "stone" micro hidden amongst other stones high in the hills next to a plantation. Lasted a week.

 

One of mine disappeared before being published: a camouflaged ammo box hidden under a rock in a boulder field high on a big, unpopulated hill, well away from the path. I couldn't see it from two feet away and had to take a photo of the spot to ensure that I could find it again. Lasted a few hours.

[+ThePetersTrio]

Hi PetersTrio,

We actually were one of the first ones to find this one and we did use our Nuvi in the car, and then our handheld after that. We realized easily we were in front of a house and the coordinates definately led us around it and to the cache site. There were a few muggles, but it seemed to be hid in a pretty good spot. We never felt the owners of the house could see what we were doing.

As soon as we are over that way we are going to get Dancing Queen; Please don't stop hiding them!

burgessfour

 

Thanks for this. I won't stop. I'll just have to find harder cache locations.

[hardkoretech]

One of mine disappeared before being published: a camouflaged ammo box hidden under a rock in a boulder field high on a big, unpopulated hill, well away from the path. I couldn't see it from two feet away and had to take a photo of the spot to ensure that I could find it again. Lasted a few hours.

Do you mind posting the pic?

[4wheelin_fool]

DONT stop hiding caches.

DO find better places to hide future ones.

 

I'm looking at your cache, and I can't help but see this cache didn't stand a chance.

Busy neighborhood park with nearby houses. Please be on alert for muggles.

 

You are looking for a small camouflaged container. Please replace it with care so as not to be found by the neighborhood kids. There are lots of nearby caches to grab while you are at this one. Have fun!!

 

Additional Hints ( Encrypt )

Don't fence me in

 

And this is where google puts the cache.

If that's right the cache was less then 20ft from a house?

Remember, consumer gps is usually only accurate 10 9-12ft under the best conditions. The combined inaccuracy of you gps and the hiders gps means people can be looking 30ft away.

If you hide a cache where muggles can observe people searching for a cache it's not gonna last.

 

Even though there is a fence there, it would be difficult to imagine the homeowner would not notice the extra traffic directly behind the fence in his own backyard. My guess is that he went out to see what the attraction was and found the cache. He probably brought it inside to type in the geocaching url and it's sitting next to his computer.

 

The best thing to do is to knock on his door and introduce yourself and ask him about it. Since you invited several geocachers to congregate very close to his backyard, the very least you could do is get to meet him. He might think the cache placement is creepy, but that doesnt mean you wont get your cache back.

 

I would hide it in a different spot. Why do you think people put up fences?

 

 

.

[+ThePetersTrio]

I would hide it in a different spot. Why do you think people put up fences?

 

 

Um...because their backyard is adjacent to a very busy park complete with a walking trail that is a mere half dozen feet from the back property line?

 

And FWIW that google shot doesn't correctly show the placement of the cache. As I've said previously, unless you've been standing at the cache location, you really can't get much of an accurate idea from the picture that was posted on this thread.

Edited March 31, 2008 by ThePetersTrio

[4wheelin_fool]

I would hide it in a different spot. Why do you think people put up fences?

 

 

Um...because their backyard is adjacent to a very busy park complete with a walking trail that is a mere half dozen feet from the back property line?

 

And FWIW that google shot doesn't correctly show the placement of the cache. As I've said previously, unless you've been standing at the cache location, you really can't get much of an accurate idea from the picture that was posted on this thread.

 

The maps show it as narrow strip of grass which runs between several houses. Putting up a fence for privacy from a walking path is a bit different than having over a dozen people searching a tiny area just on the other side of it.

 

One of my neighbors frequently walks his dog late at night between 11pm and 1am. Although there is nothing wrong with that, the fact that he stands near houses which are lit up from the inside, and ignores using the sidewalk on the other side of the street raises a few flags. If I knew of a logical reason why he did this I would feel better, but until then it seems creepy.

[+ThePetersTrio]

I would hide it in a different spot. Why do you think people put up fences?

 

 

Um...because their backyard is adjacent to a very busy park complete with a walking trail that is a mere half dozen feet from the back property line?

 

And FWIW that google shot doesn't correctly show the placement of the cache. As I've said previously, unless you've been standing at the cache location, you really can't get much of an accurate idea from the picture that was posted on this thread.

 

The maps show it as narrow strip of grass which runs between several houses. Putting up a fence for privacy from a walking path is a bit different than having over a dozen people searching a tiny area just on the other side of it.

 

And as I said, the map is NOT showing the correct cache location. The "narrow strip of grass" you are referring to is actually a very thick hedge. There is no grass there. There was no cache there. That is obviously on private property and AGAIN the cache was not on private property nor was it where the arrow on the picture is.

Edited April 1, 2008 by ThePetersTrio

[+proimion]

Rather than defend the placement, learn from it. Regardless of whether it is a hedge or a strip of grass or whatever, it is too close to the house. Sure, the house backs up to open space. But think about it from the homeowner's perspective. They will notice the traffic and the people snooping around the fenceline. I know I would.

 

I won't do caches like this. I always check the Google pic before I go. I'm 6'4" tall (the fence does me little good) and I know I will be spotted and I hate alarming people. It would freak out a homeowner to look out a window some early morning and see a big guy sneaking around the fenceline. Don't you agree?

[+kingsting]

Last summer I put out a three stage multi with a smashed penny theme. It took me weeks to find locations and get accurate coordinates for the stages, make up some way kool custom containers, buy a bunch of pennies as trade stock, and get everything in place. The cache went live the same day I placed it and a few hours later someone logged a FTF - but they noted that they got to the stage with the pennies and only found the chewed remains of the container lid and pennies were all over the ground. A hungry something with sharp teeth liked the camo duct tape on my Lock N Lock. I'm guessing a raccoon because it managed to get the container open and drag it about 50 feet away from the original location.

This stuff happens a lot. My cache is still active but I had to pick up the container and completely rework it to be more critter-proof.

Edited April 1, 2008 by kingsting

[+ThePetersTrio]

Rather than defend the placement, learn from it. Regardless of whether it is a hedge or a strip of grass or whatever, it is too close to the house. Sure, the house backs up to open space. But think about it from the homeowner's perspective. They will notice the traffic and the people snooping around the fenceline. I know I would.

 

I won't do caches like this. I always check the Google pic before I go. I'm 6'4" tall (the fence does me little good) and I know I will be spotted and I hate alarming people. It would freak out a homeowner to look out a window some early morning and see a big guy sneaking around the fenceline. Don't you agree?

 

I keep saying the same thing and no one seems to get it. Unless you saw the exact cache placement, you don't know. The google shot is INACCURATE.

 

I am 6 feet tall. The fence when standing at the cache was at least 2 feet if not more above me. I'm done arguing the details of something when people can't understand how it really was from the dang picture.

 

I get that people think that it was still too close. I am going to take this as a learning experience as I've already said. Geez what more do you want from me???

 

I'm so sorry that I even made this post. I came here looking for support (and I have gotten some support from some VERY nice people). What I didn't need was a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacks piling on and telling me what a horrible placement it was. I get it. I GET IT.

Edited April 1, 2008 by ThePetersTrio

[+rhelt100]

I get that people think that it was still too close. I am going to take this as a learning experience as I've already said. Geez what more do you want from me???

 

I'm so sorry that I even made this post. I came here looking for support (and I have gotten some support from some VERY nice people). What I didn't need was a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacks piling on and telling me what a horrible placement it was. I get it. I GET IT.

 

 

Relax, man. Nobody's trying to crucify you here. What I think you might not realize is that, from my experience anyways, google earth is pretty accurate. That little red arrow on google earth is likely where the posted coordinates actually are on the earth. Your GPS just happened to be erroring out correctly to put you over in the park. I might show up there tomorrow with my GPS erroring 30 feet the other way and suddenly I'm looking for a magnetic keyholder on that poor guy's mailbox, LOL. This is why I think it's a bad idea to put a cache so close to a house even if it's legal.

 

 

Seriously though, relax. Every one of the people here that you think are being "monday morning QBs" made the same mistake or type of mistake at some point in their caching history. Some show it in a different way than others, but they're trying to offer good advice. Don't quit hiding, don't quit finding, get out there and use that GPS!

[+ThePetersTrio]

Relax, man. Nobody's trying to crucify you here. What I think you might not realize is that, from my experience anyways, google earth is pretty accurate. That little red arrow on google earth is likely where the posted coordinates actually are on the earth. Your GPS just happened to be erroring out correctly to put you over in the park. I might show up there tomorrow with my GPS erroring 30 feet the other way and suddenly I'm looking for a magnetic keyholder on that poor guy's mailbox, LOL. This is why I think it's a bad idea to put a cache so close to a house even if it's legal.

 

 

Seriously though, relax. Every one of the people here that you think are being "monday morning QBs" made the same mistake or type of mistake at some point in their caching history. Some show it in a different way than others, but they're trying to offer good advice. Don't quit hiding, don't quit finding, get out there and use that GPS!

 

I was perfectly relaxed - please re-read post 23.

 

What bothers me is the need for people to come on here and explain exactly what is wrong with the placement (grass path - being seen behind the fence - people walking through some homeowner's yard) when they don't have any of the correct facts. They see an overhead shot and think they know it all. I'm merely trying to explain that the reality of the placement was NOT what people are assuming. And we all know what happens when people assume.

 

I'm all for getting people to tell their stories of similar problems. THAT is why I posted this thread. I wanted to hear - "yeah, it happens - you aren't the only one - this is what happened to me." But instead I get people making incorrect assumptions and telling me what I did wrong when I figured that all out the moment I discovered the cache was gone. I may be a newbie but I'm not stupid and I don't like being treated like I am. I don't think that it's wrong for me to defend myself. Do you?

 

An interesting side note: I've been contacted privately by people who have said that they've made posts on this part of the forum and have been treated the same way. And that they have learned that this is not a good place to bring up topics such as this because of the way some members here behave towards the OP. Well honestly I'm starting to understand their POV.

 

If people can't come here to get help/advice/support without being made to feel like complete idiots then what is effectively happening is newbies are being made to feel like they don't belong here. Not a very good way to invite people into the sport now is it? I've read lots of threads on this part of the forum and there are definitely people who are into making people feel like they are asking dumb questions and then are being laughed at in the process.

 

Not very good PR if you ask me. Just a thought.

 

Another thing I'd like to share is that I requested this thread be closed a few hours after I posted it because I could see where it was going to go. My request was obviously not honored for some reason. I had hoped to avoid the whole situation. And you can bet, I won't be posting another thread like it again. So talk about lessons learned? Yeah - I learned a HUGE lesson by posting this thread. But the real lesson had nothing to do with a missing cache.

[+Moose Mob]

Closed on request.