A Hide is A Hide or is it?

[+Flatouts]

We're kinda new but the green is wearing off and appreciation for the art of the hide taking it's place.

 

We've learned a few important aspects along the way. Especially the art of the hide. With placing a few hides this has become even more apparent... Not everyone gets it!

 

Now if the hide is in a place it probably should be - like 4 miles into a swamp or deeply nested in the side of a mountain that nobody in their right mind would venture, perhaps it's not all that important. So lets just say for the sake of argument this discussion is about Urban Hides.

 

Urban hides don't have to be boring, most we've done in our area are not anyway. Urban hides don't always have to be LPH or Newsstand Hide-a-keys. In fact in our area it could be almost anything anywhere including Amocans in a swamp or a bug in a tree. Yes there are swamps/wet lands in our Urban area.

 

Perhaps because we are exposed to Urban hides more than anything else, we've developed the sense awareness that even good Camouflage usually still requires careful placement and usually includes extra cover from materials in the immediate area (Texas style sorta). Not buried just a little moss or some sticks you know UFO's (Unnatural Formation of Objects). Obviously you want it to look as natural as possible.

 

Urban hides are expose to heavy traffic of people that aren't participating in our sport (Muggles), therefore it takes real good camo to keep them safe.

 

When we do a cache we take in the surroundings, the way the cache is placed, the use of external (UFO) and pathways (you know the ones us Cacher's probably made). We try not to break anything even branches - Bushwhacking even on Caches that state it's probably necessary usually don't really mean you have to clear the land.

 

We've learned that it had to get there and be maintained therefore there's usually an approach that will require very little disruption of natural vegetation. Besides I hate thorns and hides that are thrown into the middle don't impress me at all - but the ones that have a sneaky back door the hider used to place and maintain are very cool.

 

We still haven't learned how to fly in snatch the cache and fly out without touching anything - so for now we just try to be careful - now if the path(s) are trampled and so obvious there's not much we can do about it that's one thing - but for the ones that aren't we try our best to make it look like we flew in signed the log and flew out leaving no trace except our paw print on the log.

 

Now that we have hidden a few we can appreiate it even more. We are also learning very quickly that we might not be with the majority on our retrieval methods. That it almost looks like some folks get the cache, sign the log and carelessly toss it back making little or no effort toward it's future safety.

 

Perhaps I need to just relax and chill out but for some reason after spending hours creating and camouflaging, getting permission then carefully placing a hide thinking all Cachers are accomplished Woodsmen and know about the importance of the art of cache placement and camouflage right, then to check on it or perhaps come up on someone else's and clearly it's been exposed - just burns my goenads!

 

Sometimes it's mother nature. But most of the time it's careless thoughtless attitude.

 

I guess I'm having trouble understanding the mentality here - if you enjoy Geocaching and appreciate a cache/hide/find why would you jeopardize it for your fellow cachers?

 

I like all others I'm sure, I check my hides (probably that little bit of green still behind the ears). I do go the extra mile so my fellow cacher's will experience something a bit different and in a nice interesting place. I place caches to bring folks to see what we saw that inspired us to want to share. The problem is sometimes these spots also have other patrons thus the need to camouflage. But I'm finding that folks do not put things back like they found them. If we were just dealing with Kids here perhaps I would be more understanding...

 

Some folks put things back but not where they found it - this is a problem especially when the Coordinates are part of the application for the approval and for GS to know where what is let along with the owner for maintenance. Some get it back in the right spot but leave it exposed to anyone that walks by... Isn't it obvious that it will mean this hide will be muggled?

 

I might be alone here or there may be 1,000,000's of post just like this - some Cache Hider whining about hides not being returned properly. I guess we'll figure that out by the comments.

 

To Me it's simple.

 

1. Be careful not to disturb the natural surroundings - the Hider had to put it there so there is obviously a way to get to it. (Boy if folks ever catch on to this aspect of the sport there will be a lot less tree/brush and structure (Walls/Monuments/Lamp Post/Signs) damage caused by cachers huh).

 

2. Be respectful of the Hide and look how it is placed and return it exactly like you found it (exception if it obviously was already a victim of "Poor Caching Practices" then do your best to remedy that situation and if your not sure contact the owner). At the same time Do not take it upon yourself to improve the original hide!

 

3. Be courteous to the hider - if the log, baggy or something minor can be done to help maintain it just do it. We carry the supplies and field mend when necessary - a few little words on your log can let the Cache Owner know the status and anything that was done to help preserve it. Perhaps you might even save them a trip.

 

4. Leave no trace you were there except for inside the cache - I've been know to sweep my tracks and some get fussy at me for taking that time... But they catch on fast and that makes it go much faster when you're all on the same page.

 

Anyway I feel better - I hope someone catches on by reading this - I hope others will contribute to the preservation of the Caches so we can do them eventually ourselves.

 

Cache On!

 

Vince of the Flatouts (please don't hold Janet responsible for my dribble)

[+Stargazer22]

Nice post, Vince.

I totally agree with you. Finders should be careful to replace hides as they find them, do light maintenace like leaving a pen or extra log sheet pages, try to leave no traces, and CITO the local area when they can.

 

Maybe we will run into each other on the trails sometime since we cache in the same area as you.

I think we're both planning to attend a local CITO soon so maybe we can meet up there.

It's always nice to meet like-minded folks!

 

I'll bet you don't look green at all!

[Clan Riffster]

To Me it's simple.

1. Be careful not to disturb the natural surroundings

2. Be respectful of the Hide

3. Be courteous to the hider

4. Leave no trace

Great advice at all caches!

 

I'll bet you don't look green at all!

Jerry, the only time I saw Vince looking green was after eating my cooking at a BBQ.

[+Stargazer22]

I'll bet you don't look green at all!

Jerry, the only time I saw Vince looking green was after eating my cooking at a BBQ.

 

Uh oh....maybe I'd better re-think that hot dog request at our next event!

 

I'll take this opportunity to reiterate the comments to hide them like we find them.

Finders should not decide to 'improve' on the original hide by making it harder to find, turning a difficulty 2 hide into a 4.

 

I have enough troubles finding some of them as it is!

[+Flatouts]

To Me it's simple.

1. Be careful not to disturb the natural surroundings

2. Be respectful of the Hide

3. Be courteous to the hider

4. Leave no trace

Great advice at all caches!

 

I'll bet you don't look green at all!

Jerry, the only time I saw Vince looking green was after eating my cooking at a BBQ.

 

Hey Riff....you cooking something for the Q tomorrow???

[Clan Riffster]

I can't afford the lawsuits.

[+Flatouts]

 

I'll take this opportunity to reiterate the comments to hide them like we find them.

Finders should not decide to 'improve' on the original hide by making it harder to find, turning a difficulty 2 hide into a 4.

 

I have enough troubles finding some of them as it is!

 

Yes we are on the same page / wavelength!

 

However there are two lines of thought here;

 

1) Would be sometimes you come up to a cache and it's not hidden - perhaps the cacher before you or even mother nature has left it reveled... Usually that's pretty obvious... But this also depends on where it is - if it's 10 miles into the forest and the last 1,000 foot was up the side of a mountain range with heavy bush whacking for the last three hours - perhaps it wasn't necessary - READ THE DARN CACHE PAGE FOLKS!

 

2) I read a cache page one time that stated as a clue that during certain times of day the cache is more visible - being a silver bison tube the sun in the afternoon would reflect upon it.

 

A cacher posted a note that he/she had found this one several times and lived close by - with that said this cacher decided to help out by doing some maintenance - so they took it home and put some camo tape or something to that effect and put it back a couple days or so later only now it's better hidden.

 

Needless to say that was almost a year ago and we've blocked it off our to do list - since we've pretty much cached out that area anyway I doubt we'll see how good of a job that cacher did to the Hider's cache & hide.

We opted not to do it because it wasn't what the page/hide was about anymore.

 

If it were my hide I'd pull it - game over!

 

Do Not Alter another persons hide - sometimes a little maintenance can go to far.

 

I replace logs and bags if needed (I'll note that in my log online - if the log is FUBAR I'll take it home try to salvage, email the owner and offer to mail it to them). I also carry an empty film canister (as they are pretty darn popular in these here parts) if the repair goes beyond that it falls back on the Cacher Owner to maintenance - if that doesn't happen then it's up to someone to adopt or GS to Archive.

 

I realize the gesture is done out of kindness - but less is more sometimes.

 

I do wish that cacher would go around and police some of my caches that aren't put back right and are sitting in plain view as they will surely get muggled - being one of a kind and some took hours of artwork or prep time, I can assure you they will not be replaced. However, if someone was to take one and alter it we would have words and they wouldn't be very nice.

 

The reality is that we are all learning constantly, some quicker than others - Experienced Cachers are capable of making the same mistakes too! Although mush less frequently.

 

How dare I say such a thing - because I've gone behind some and well the cache wasn't returned as found - I know cause they were my caches.

 

Oh and for sake of argument - there was nothing wrong with the hide - and I can also assure you they were not in plan sight of the general public.

 

I guess what I'm saying is if you want to see some of my work you best hurry...

 

So far so good none have come up missing yet - Ah I probably shouldn't have said that huh... Course it could be that nobody seems to be caching here much lately or my hides have the proverbial stench of a newbie hide? IDK

 

Vince of the Flatouts

Cache On!

[+Stargazer22]

 

I'll take this opportunity to reiterate the comments to hide them like we find them.

Finders should not decide to 'improve' on the original hide by making it harder to find, turning a difficulty 2 hide into a 4.

 

I have enough troubles finding some of them as it is!

 

Yes we are on the same page / wavelength!

 

However there are two lines of thought here;

 

1) Would be sometimes you come up to a cache and it's not hidden - perhaps the cacher before you or even mother nature has left it reveled... Usually that's pretty obvious... But this also depends on where it is - if it's 10 miles into the forest and the last 1,000 foot was up the side of a mountain range with heavy bush whacking for the last three hours - perhaps it wasn't necessary - READ THE DARN CACHE PAGE FOLKS!

YES! There are a plethora of caching 'ills' that can be cured simply by reading the cache page.

These days, there are way too many variations of hides and combinations of types to just go out in the field 'blind'. Everything from the way the cache is hidden to watching out for hazards in the cache area.

 

I sympathize a lot with your statement about where it is hidden and how hard it is to find. My wife and I recently went to a cache that required us to bushwhack about 600 feet through very heavy and dense brush, tons of downed trees, and hilly terrain. The cache had been found twice in the last year. Once we got there, we had a 40 minute search for the cache because it had been hidden so well by the last finders (some of my friends!). The words we spoke while searching are probably still hanging in the air with a sort of purplish hue to them.

 

2) I read a cache page one time that stated as a clue that during certain times of day the cache is more visible - being a silver bison tube the sun in the afternoon would reflect upon it.

 

A cacher posted a note that he/she had found this one several times and lived close by - with that said this cacher decided to help out by doing some maintenance - so they took it home and put some camo tape or something to that effect and put it back a couple days or so later only now it's better hidden.

 

Needless to say that was almost a year ago and we've blocked it off our to do list - since we've pretty much cached out that area anyway I doubt we'll see how good of a job that cacher did to the Hider's cache & hide.

We opted not to do it because it wasn't what the page/hide was about anymore.

 

If it were my hide I'd pull it - game over!

 

Do Not Alter another persons hide - sometimes a little maintenance can go to far.

Wow! How'd you get so savvy so fast? You been hanging out with Riff again??

 

This is one reason that we've been talking about going out to find hides we like the sound of pretty soon after they are published. The sooner we visit them, the more likely they are going to be what the original hider had in mind when he put them there.

 

So far so good none have come up missing yet - Ah I probably shouldn't have said that huh... Course it could be that nobody seems to be caching here much lately or my hides have the proverbial stench of a newbie hide? IDK

Nah, nothing wrong with your hides, I'm sure. I think it's partly just that we are fortunate enough to live in a cache rich area. It may take folks a while to work through finding the other several thousand we have within short driving range before they eventually get to some of yours.

 

I've also found that when we placed our first hides, we didn't get very much traffic at all. Although I can understand on some of them because 4X4 is required on a few. But as time has gone by and they still hit people's radar, they are getting more finds. Sometimes the nag factor is what motivates folks. Wait until some of the people have cleared off their local maps of most of the caches and they start seeing yours still sitting there, taunting them for that smiley. They'll eventually get off the couch and go for them!

 

Have a great weekend!

 

Stargazer22

Jerry