help on micros

[+Caching Kitty]

Im still fairly new, and have gotten pretty good at spotting small and regular caches, but spotting micros still stump me! I was wondering if there were any tips or tricks the pros had to share?

 

thanks!

[+The Pathman]

Practice!!

We have gotten fairly good at finding them, but it was real hard in the beginning. They still pose a challenge around here as you don't find them on guardrails or under lamp skirts. Most are very well camo'd and blend in like they are part of where ever they are hidden.

 

Keep looking and don't let the pesky little things get you down

[+The Pathman]

 

I hate double posts!!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 20, 2008 by The Methow Finders

[+briansnat]

Micros are often magnetic, so check guardrails, street signs and any other metal objects nearby. The back side of the guardrail post or under the overhang on the back are popular spots. With street signs look in the space between the sign and the post, or near the base. If its in a parking lot check under the lamp post skirt.

 

You might have to feel around in spots you can't see and get on the ground to look under things like park benches.

 

Also check out the knot holes in trees, or the crotch where trees branch off. That area often collects leaves and duff and you sometimes find micros shoved into the duff. Also investigate any tree stumps and look for a depression or hole in the top that might be able to fit a micro. If you see an evergreen tree or bush, look for a small container that is hanging somewhere among the branches, kind of like a Christmas ornament.

 

I think that covers about 90 percent of the micros I've found.

Edited May 21, 2008 by briansnat

[+StarBrand]

Look for anything out-of-place, unusual. Look for things that are too new, too old, too perfect. Feel where you cannot look. Often micros are velcroed or are magnetic. Look anywhere that has enough plant material to cover something the size of a film canister. Change your perspective while looking at the same spot. Different lighting can reveal them sometimes. Use a flashlight while in the shadows to help reveal things. Look at eye level as many micros are hidden in trees that way. Look for pine cones under leafy trees. Have fun at it - when you are not having fun anymore it is time to move on.

[+Pegasi]

Im still fairly new, and have gotten pretty good at spotting small and regular caches, but spotting micros still stump me! I was wondering if there were any tips or tricks the pros had to share?

 

thanks!

 

For some, look for nuts without bolts or bolts without nuts, look for wire or string where there should not be any, look at metal objects and find things that are not symetrical. Micros near trees are often in holes or hung just out of sight. Have found many but also have a lot of early DNF's. Almost all of the DNF's that later became founds were in a spot I know I checked at least 3 times.

Edited May 20, 2008 by Pegasi

[+TeamTwisted]

Where I am in Canada, 90 % of all the micro's are in spruce trees. I found it quite helpful if I lay on my back under the tree and view the branches from the bottom as they are usually clipped/hung underneath them.

[+DaFunkyFrogs]

Some micros can be a lot of fun to find, and others can be just aggravating...........ya never which it's going to be (unless you're in the parking lot of wallyworld and your GPSr is pointing at the far lamp post, LOL). I really enjoy the challenging ones.

The only tip I have would be:

Read all of the cache page, including logs, to get as much information as possible about a particular hide, then, armed with this info start looking around GZ for where YOU would hide it. That's usually NOT where it is! LOL.

[+joranda]

Micros can be hard at times. It just depends on the hiding stlye of the cacher. Start of with the easier ones and work your way up.

[Neos2]

I've notice that with the tricky ones, the best thing to do is to stop looking when you start feeling the least frustrated, then go awy for a bit....find another cache or just call it a day.

 

Your mind will keep thinking about where it 'could' have been, and when you go back --you'll walk right to it. (It's usually somewhere you thought you looked already, too).

 

A lot of people forget to look UP and some people don't bother to bend DOWN for micros.