Jump to content

Faster finds


chemitzi

Recommended Posts

I'm a newbie. I've found several caches so far, but I seem to be spending a lot of time looking. When I post my finds, other people's logs say they "went right to it," or "found it immediately." Is this something that just comes with experience, or are there tips people can pass along (without spoiling the experience)?

 

Mistakes I've made so far:

 

--not writing down the title and the hints

--not looking at the Gallery pictures beforehand

--reading all the logs but not taking written notes with me

--getting my notes confused because they were not well labeled

Link to comment

My wife and I make the best "Geocahcer"....We both enjoy the hike, I handle the technology she's got the eye.

Like he said, I run the GPS and she is "The Finder"

Once you get used to the way people hide things in your area it will get easier. That is until you run into a real cleaver hide then it will most likely take you several tries before you find it <_<

Link to comment

The first cache I looked for took me several months to find. After finding nearly 100 other ones, I went back and found it easily. Just a couple of days ago I walked right up to a cache I had DNF'd a year ago. I've found a lot of caches after an initial DNF (or two, or four...). Usually it's due to nothing more than developing better cacher's eyes. I think it must be like developing tracking skills. After awhile you can't even explain exactly how you do it. For me, what saved me from being very concerned about it is that I love being out in the woods, so I was just happy to find new places.

Link to comment

Also, it's good to remember that your GPSr is not always going to put you on top of the cache. Once you get to the area the GPSr points to, start looking around and forget about trying to make the unit zero out. Just think "Where would I hide a cache here?" and look in the most obvious spots first, then widen your focus if you don't find it right away. They WILL get easier, I promise, or we would have given up long ago, it took forever to find our first ones!

Link to comment

One of the things that I have learned that has helped the most is cachers develop a hide style. Some cachers place their hide in a particular landmark, tree, or they design their container a certain way. This has helped alot when I am looking. Also hide styles and containers vary by region.

 

I also learned to start looking when you get within 30 feet of ground zero. Your GPS may be off, and with time older caches sometimes migrate further from GZ. Usually not 30 feet but they can be off a bit.

 

I still have much to learn but I know that these two things have sped up cache hunting for me.

 

Good Luck! :P

Link to comment

As others have said, geosense just takes some time. And even then, it isn't foolproof. I have DNF'd a 1/1 cache TWICE! I assumed it had to be gone, but sure enough there were finders right before and after me, and the overwhelming response was, "thanks for the quick park and grab! Went right to it!" So you never know.

Link to comment

Here are some general hints:

 

Look for caches with a difficulty of 2 or less for your fist few caches. Stick with regular sized caches for your first few. Stick to areas you are familar with. Look for anything out of place or unusual. Look for unusual piles of sticks, grass, leaves, rocks, sand, etc. Feel where you cannot look. Think vertical, not all caches are on the ground. Look up or at eye level. Look for traces of previous searches to zero in on the spot. Think like hider - where would you put a container? What would make a good spot. Look for things too new, too old, too perfect, not like the others. Many micros are magnet or velcroed to something. Get familar with the common containers that cachers use. Be prepared to not find the cache more often then you think.

 

Most of all - have fun!!

Link to comment

It will definitely get easier. You will begin to develop senses you didn't know you had.

You will start seeing 'geotrails' and signs of other's passage before you.

You will begin to get the feeling that the spot you are in looks like a good spot for a geocache.

 

Once last year, my wife and I were on a walk when we were not geocaching.

We passed a spot and jokingly, I said that it looked like a good place for a cache.

I took a quick look behind a couple of logs and found one!

We had a good laugh over that, and making jokes that we can sell our GPSr's now, since apparently we don't need them anymore! B)

 

Give your senses time to develop. You will be amazed at how quickly you will improve.

Have fun at it! I think it's easier to find them when you're having fun.

Link to comment
It will definitely get easier. You will begin to develop senses you didn't know you had.

You will start seeing 'geotrails' and signs of other's passage before you.

You will begin to get the feeling that the spot you are in looks like a good spot for a geocache.

 

Once last year, my wife and I were on a walk when we were not geocaching.

We passed a spot and jokingly, I said that it looked like a good place for a cache.

I took a quick look behind a couple of logs and found one!

We had a good laugh over that, and making jokes that we can sell our GPSr's now, since apparently we don't need them anymore! B)

 

Give your senses time to develop. You will be amazed at how quickly you will improve.

Have fun at it! I think it's easier to find them when you're having fun.

I agree. Experience is the key but it is still challenging. That's what makes it fun. If it was shooting fish in a barrel I would get bored.
Link to comment

I have just started and even went looking without a GPS - just the mapquest pic which actually is pretty close. I looked for three caches that were close to each other - missed all three. Went to first one after reading a log and found it. Went to other two and missed again. Third time i had my GPS and two others to help and i found both of them. So like other said - i guess the fun it being outdoors and the joy of the hunt. I'm totally into this and have a whole bunch of caches just waiting to me to find the time to go get them.

 

All three caches were different (containers used) two of them were very creative and really enjoyed finding them.

 

Go hard or Go home! is what i say :o:):)

Link to comment

I'm still new to Geocaching as well. I went out on a weekend when it was nice and in between all the rains we have been having and had no luck with any of them. I felt like the weekend was wasted. I even had the clues with me. I was more dissapointed to know that someone else went out on the same day and found 2 of the three I had gone after that day. This experience has not detered me from attempting the hunt again later. I called my dad up and sked him to come back for a visit in order to get his help.

 

I am real leary on the ones that say watch out for muggles because there is an abundance of them around and the caches appear to be micro or nano's. How do you get away with using a GPS in areas such as these? Not sure if I'm brave enough for any of those ....

 

kc5nvj

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...