Geotips

[koolkat95]

Hi, I'm new to geocaching, and I've only found 8or9 caches so far, is there any advice for a rookie?

[koolkat95]

Hi, I'm new to geocaching, and I've only found 8or9 caches so far, is there any advice for a rookie?

No help?

[+The Blorenges]

Of course there is help

 

My advice - get some more basic traditional caches under your belt.. get your cachers 'eye' trained up so you can spot the 'big pile of sticks' in the middle of nowhere and think 'hmmm, I bet that is where the cache is'.

 

Learn not to rely too much on the GPS coords - they can be a bit off sometimes particularly under trees and that's where the cachers eye comes in. Get stuck into a few multicaches - but don't worry if you find some of them are a bit harder than you expected.... geocachers can be a sneaky bunch but you'll soon get the hang of how it's done!

 

Then, after you've found a few, got some ideas think about placing your own cache. Don't go for anything hugely complicated at first.... save that for later!

 

Look out for events near you, there you'll get to meet loads of like minded people (and probably partake of suitable refreshments )

 

Finally, enjoy yourself, don't be put off by not finding caches, sometimes you just can't make it work on the day, of course it could be that it isn't there!

 

Happy caching!

 

Chris (MrB)

[+AMMOACE]

I am new too, so new that I don't even have a GPS unit yet. I print them out off the website and the family and I go hunting. We are good for about 6 a day in the local area. So far we are 11 out of 12 found using this method. My son has found one, my wife one and I have found the rest. I have a devious mind so may be that is why I find them before they do.

The best thing of all, so far, is all the wife and I have to do is mention going geocaching and the son shuts down his video games and ready for the hunt. He has really gotten into this. Not so much the riding around but the actual hunt once we get to the location. We let him navigate last weekend and interpret the clues, that took a LOT of patience and fuel for my truck but he seemed to learn from the experience.

[+michigansnorkelers]

First of all, don't make this harder than it should be!

 

Start off with LOW DIFFICULTY, REGULAR or LARGE caches, that are TRADITIONAL (ie not multi stage).

 

Go to an area with more than one cache within walking distance.

 

Read the ENTIRE cache page. Pay attention to the title and the cache description. Look at the hint. Read through ALL the logs for additional clues.

 

The logs also give you an idea of the true difficulty.

 

And don't forget, the GPSr just gets you to the VICINITY of the cache. Imagine being led blindfolded into the woods, then told the cache is within 50 feet of you.

 

Look for obvious hiding places...where would YOU hide a cache here. The cache owner had some reason for placing the cache here. An unusual tree or other formation. A pile of fallen logs. Whatever. And, don't assume that it will be on the ground either! I've found ammo boxes 6 feet up a tree. I've seen PVC tubes tucked down long holes under tree trunks. Oh, and I've seen fake or hollow tree trunks numerous times.

 

So, good luck and keep trying. If you don't find it, hopefully you had a nice walk in the woods.

[+Headhardhat]

Best advice I can give for beginners....

 

Keep to traditional caches. There is tons of time to do multi, mystery and unknowns.

 

Keep the terrain and difficulty at or below 2 until you get a couple of dozen under your belts.

 

Go to an event as soon as possible and hook up with experienced cachers to start learning the tricks of the trade.

 

Treat your GPS as if it has a personality. Some days your coords will click and others it just won't. Caches can be 30 to 50 feet from ground zero on a good day.

 

Not all caches are grab and goes.. We do want to trick you with our hides and can be very clever. The title, description and hint have a real purpose - use them.

 

Number one bit of advice when geocaching... Take nothing for granted.

 

You will understand with experience.

 

My .02c

 

-HHH

Edited August 28, 2008 by Headhardhat

[stryder717]

Hi, I'm new to geocaching, and I've only found 8or9 caches so far, is there any advice for a rookie?

No help?

stick to traditional caches medium or large. tink to yourself where would i hide the cache if i were going to hide it here. never overlook the obvious. more eyes usually means more finds ( but not always) so bring friends along, if you do caches in teh woods have bug spray with you. always be prepared. have fun

Edited August 28, 2008 by stryder717

[+rambrush]

Around here you can not always think look on the ground. you might be standing next to a vertical rock face. Guess what? some sadistic cacher has decided that the cache should be on top of the rock pile. Getting up there you might have to hike around till you locate a safe place to scramble to the top and over to the area. So if possible determine the elevation the cache is sitting at and where you are located.

In other words look up look down look all around. Ensure there are no crittters in the hiddy holes before placing hands inside.

So after a day of climbing to every peak to get to the caches can make for a very long day.

[+WRASTRO]

Hi, I'm new to geocaching, and I've only found 8or9 caches so far, is there any advice for a rookie?

No help?

Find more caches. Experience is the best teacher. You won't really understand for a while.

[+AMMOACE]

Read the ENTIRE cache page. Pay attention to the title and the cache description. Look at the hint. Read through ALL the logs for additional clues.

 

The logs also give you an idea of the true difficulty.

 

 

Please, please please log your visit even if you didn't find it. I love clues in the logs but please do not give it away, I like the hunt and when someone logs "It is behind the red tombstone" it kind of ruins it.

 

I think the best information sometimes, not always can be the type of container. I love it when I know that as I can get an idea of what size it is. Also, I went to some of the stores linked off the main webpage and looked at all the different type of containers they sell to get an idea of what may be out there. Some of the containers are viciously sadistic, you could trip on one and not know it was the cache.

[+rambrush]

Read the ENTIRE cache page. Pay attention to the title and the cache description. Look at the hint. Read through ALL the logs for additional clues.

 

The logs also give you an idea of the true difficulty.

 

 

Please, please please log your visit even if you didn't find it. I love clues in the logs but please do not give it away, I like the hunt and when someone logs "It is behind the red tombstone" it kind of ruins it.

 

I think the best information sometimes, not always can be the type of container. I love it when I know that as I can get an idea of what size it is. Also, I went to some of the stores linked off the main webpage and looked at all the different type of containers they sell to get an idea of what may be out there. Some of the containers are viciously sadistic, you could trip on one and not know it was the cache.

 

Man you are not a kiddin there, I tripped over a rock near a cache and guees what there was a hole drilled in the bottom side of it.

[+Marcas_Found]

First of all, don't make this harder than it should be!

 

And don't forget, the GPSr just gets you to the VICINITY of the cache. Imagine being led blindfolded into the woods, then told the cache is within 50 feet of you.

 

 

Can't emphasize this enough. The GPSr is a tool, don't let it override geosense i.e. common sense. You should be heads up looking around at least 50 feet or so from the cache as you walk in. Don't wait to get to ground zero and start looking around. As you get more caches under your belt you'll start to get a feel for what you're looking for, for each cache type and terrain type. You'll also get accustomed to certain cachers' hiding techniques which makes it fun when they throw a curve ball technique at you!

 

-galaP-

[+cotontop3]

Read the ENTIRE cache page. Pay attention to the title and the cache description. Look at the hint. Read through ALL the logs for additional clues.

 

I have went back to the truck many many times while looking for a cache to re-read a listing. Only to see something that I overlooked by mistake, but every cacher does it. If someone says that they haven't they are lying to you.