Hiding in an open park

[+cjs_team]

There are several parks in my area that do not have caches hidden in them yet. I visited several today, and they are all great locations, but I don't see a lot of hiding places for a small cache.

 

I'm not a big fan of the nanos. I might consider a film canister if it were unique in some way. Ideally, I'd like to hide a small lock n lock or something similar.

 

The parks all have large grassy areas, a play structure, and large trees. There aren't really many bushes or things like that to hide containers under. What kinds of hides have you seen in places like this?

 

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

Chris

[+vwaldoguy]

Hang a bison tube from one of the tree branches. Put a fake bird in the tree. Put a nano somewhere on the playground equipment out of sight, or a magnetic reflector on a sign nearby.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Put a nano somewhere on the playground equipment out of sight

 

NO! Never hide a cache on playground equipment! Makes we guys caching alone (or together) look like pervs. Not a good idea.

I try to fit the cache to the park. If it's worth taking people to, and all that can be hidden is a nano, then a nano it is. If I can hide a Lock and Lock, then that's what I hide. (Well. Except when I'm feeling particularly evil...)

[+Bamboogirl]

There's a lot of ways for a cache to be a micro and very entertaining. The thread on Cool Cache Containers show several examples of spiffy hides in a pinecone.

 

A pinecone in an elm or oak tree will bring a smile to whomever finds it. I found a green wax apple in a oleander bush once and that was quite entertaining as well.

 

(Edit for bad spelling)

Edited November 9, 2008 by Bamboogirl

[+Buggheart]

I've found lots of film containers tucked into holes in big trees so that might be an option too.

[Luckless]

Parks can be hard. I have some small parks around here that are so well manicured that a micro is barely able to hide in them. The crevices are all raked clear, the bushes are all trimmed and people swarm all over everything. Anything in those areas will be found by the grounds crew or muggles. Takes some doing to find an out of the way place where the grounds crew don't clear out everything as trash or the muggles don't frequently poke around.

[jholly]

I found a bison tube in a tree once. It was tied to a stick with some fish line and tucked out of sight in the hole. Pulling the stick retrieved the tube. nasty, very nasty.

 

Jim

[+GrateBear]

In my area, there is a cacher who has many playground equipment hides, and his hints usually refer to his "m.o.". The ones I've found are Altoid tins with magnets on the underside of steps. And like Harry Dolphin noted, I do feel like a perv looking for them So, I prefer looking on rainy days or during the winter when the parks are likely to be deserted.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

There are several parks in my area that do not have caches hidden in them yet. I visited several today, and they are all great locations, but I don't see a lot of hiding places for a small cache.

 

I'm not a big fan of the nanos. I might consider a film canister if it were unique in some way. Ideally, I'd like to hide a small lock n lock or something similar.

 

The parks all have large grassy areas, a play structure, and large trees. There aren't really many bushes or things like that to hide containers under. What kinds of hides have you seen in places like this?

 

Thanks for your suggestions!

 

Chris

 

If an area doesn't have natural hiding spots you might have to use your imagination and camouflage a container so that it's hidden in plain sight. A fake rock, a fake log with a cut out, or something covered with material from the location are all options.

[+ThePachecos]

I love parks.. I think what is cool about them is the fact that you have to find them when muggles are about. Stealth is required and that makes it exciting.

[Mr.Yuck]

In my area, there is a cacher who has many playground equipment hides, and his hints usually refer to his "m.o.". The ones I've found are Altoid tins with magnets on the underside of steps. And like Harry Dolphin noted, I do feel like a perv looking for them So, I prefer looking on rainy days or during the winter when the parks are likely to be deserted.

 

Not this again! Count me amongst those who think hiding a cache on playground equipment is a horrible idea, one of the worst ideas ever. I'm not no perv or anything though.

 

Oh, I think the fake rock idea is cool. Not sure if they still sell them via the Groundspeak store, but I'm sure there are other vendors.

Edited November 10, 2008 by TheWhiteUrkel

[rogheff]

Hiding a larger geocache in a big, open, grassy area is the holy grail of cache hides in my opinion. Camo has to be perfect, you must be bold. The CCC thread will give you inspiration.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

Oh, I think the fake rock idea is cool. Not sure if they still sell them via the Groundspeak store, but I'm sure there are other vendors.

 

I just made one out of a real rock. Using a masonry bit I drilled a hole that was sufficiently deep and wide enough to put in a metal pill container I found at Rite-aid. The container is actually slightly larger than a bison tube. I was replacing the container for an existing cache and the rock actually fits much better with the theme of the cache than the original.

[+pigpen4x4]

Fake bird house on one of the trees.

Being in plain sight just rases the difficulty level a bit.

PP

[+WatchDog2020]

I kind of like the fake dog poop with a Bison tube concealed in the bottom

Edited November 10, 2008 by WatchDog2020

[+Buggheart]

I kind of like the fake dog poop with a Bison tube concealed in the bottom

 

OMG! I dont think I'd be able to bring myself to pick that up.

 

Another option would be to think of non-obvious places in a park. For example, something hung down the hollow post of a fence, something rolled up and crammed into a hole in a telephone pole or one of those cement things used to mark parking spots (they must have a name but I don't know what it is).

[+Mother Wolf]

I kind of like the fake dog poop with a Bison tube concealed in the bottom

 

OMG that is disgusting.

 

I did however just have an epiphany when I saw 'Luckless's' avatar. I saw at the dollar store ton of these different size bugs. I'm thinking they would be great for decoy cache holders. It would have to be a nano or a mini bison but I will be stopping by there today now to try this idea out.

 

I dont know if it helped you but Im excited to tr it for myself. Thanks

Edited November 10, 2008 by Mother Wolf

[+sbell111]

A cache cannot ever make anyone look like a perv. A cache also cannot make you look in a bush or under a dumpster. A cache cannot make you climb a tree or down a cliff. A cache cannot make you do anything.

[+Okiebryan]

An open area to me screams for a fake electrical equipment hide, or a rusty old gas pipe poked into the ground with a bison hidden inside. The trick is to find decoy camo that is old and weathered.

[+WatchDog2020]

An open area to me screams for a fake electrical equipment hide, or a rusty old gas pipe poked into the ground with a bison hidden inside. The trick is to find decoy camo that is old and weathered.

 

One area hider likes the top caps on chain link fence poles. He has removed them and then used 2 part epoxy to secure a bison tube in the cap and then replaced it. Another one he secured fishing line to the top cap and then the bison tube. I pulled the cap off, saw nothing and then heard a tink sound down in the pipe when I replaced the top.

[+J-Way]

There are several parks in my area that do not have caches hidden in them yet. I visited several today, and they are all great locations, but I don't see a lot of hiding places for a small cache.

I hate to be the person who first mentions the "P" word, but somebody needs to. You appear to live in a very cache dense area, and the presence of several public parks with no caches would imply to me that they do not allow caches. You might want to call your city parks and recreation department (or whatever the local equivalent is called) to ask if they have a geocaching policy.

[Skippermark]

A cache cannot ever make anyone look like a perv. A cache also cannot make you look in a bush or under a dumpster. A cache cannot make you climb a tree or down a cliff. A cache cannot make you do anything.

I'm not so sure. Some of those caches are quite influential and when you get close to them, you're drawn into their power.

[+cjs_team]

Wow, thanks for all the great input! I see a lot of good ideas here.

 

I knew not to hide on the playground equipment, so that's why I was looking for another spot. I like the rock idea, But I do not have the tools or skill to do something like that. I will have to see if I can find someone who does.

 

I suppose it is possible that the parks may not allow geocaches, but I would guess it is more likely that most of the caches are near the highway since it is a frequently traveled road. I'll check into it.

 

The ideas for micro hides would probably work- I have seen all of these before in my area. I was just hoping to do something a bit bigger. I will keep it all in mind, though.

 

Please feel free to keep the ideas coming, and a big thanks to all of you who replied

 

Chris

[+WatchDog2020]

 

The ideas for micro hides would probably work- I have seen all of these before in my area. I was just hoping to do something a bit bigger. I will keep it all in mind, though.

 

Chris

 

You've seen a fake dog poop cache - Wow

[+Okiebryan]

I just found a fake dog poop cache on Saturday. I thought it was pretty neat. The group I was with started doing a Cheech and Chong skit...

 

"Good thing we no step in it!... Yeah, good thing."

[+J-Way]

The ideas for micro hides would probably work- I have seen all of these before in my area. I was just hoping to do something a bit bigger. I will keep it all in mind, though.

Something a bit bigger.... fake buffalo poop with a bison tube in it?

[+Renegade Knight]

...The parks all have large grassy areas, a play structure, and large trees. There aren't really many bushes or things like that to hide containers under. What kinds of hides have you seen in places like this?...

 

The kind that don't last long. Seriously. Nice as it may be to put a cache in some spots, not all spots are good places for a cache. Perhaps the inspiration on how to make it work will hit you on an idle Tuesday afternoon. Until it does, the caches are just muggle bait.

[+Renegade Knight]

A cache cannot ever make anyone look like a perv. A cache also cannot make you look in a bush or under a dumpster. A cache cannot make you climb a tree or down a cliff. A cache cannot make you do anything.

I'm not so sure. Some of those caches are quite influential and when you get close to them, you're drawn into their power.

Strong in the force they are. Obey you must.

[+Pat in Louisiana]

One of my favorite hides is in the middle of a field.

Sprinkler heads are good.

Fake storm drains work well also.

Water meter box? A little pricy.

I don't think any of these would be considered as being burried do you?

[+J-Way]

One of my favorite hides is in the middle of a field.

Sprinkler heads are good.

Fake storm drains work well also.

Water meter box? A little pricy.

I don't think any of these would be considered as being burried do you?

I don't consider any of them to be buried (they're not covered back up), but if you use a pointy object to dig the hole then they ARE in violation of the guidelines as interpreted by TPTB.

[+Pat in Louisiana]

TPTB?

[+Okiebryan]

TPTB=the powers that be

 

I've seen a few fake drains and nobody had a problem with them.

[+Okiebryan]

Burp...

Edited November 11, 2008 by Okiebryan

[+Okiebryan]

How do you get a triple post when you only hit the submit button once????

Edited November 11, 2008 by Okiebryan

[+NYPaddleCacher]

 

The ideas for micro hides would probably work- I have seen all of these before in my area. I was just hoping to do something a bit bigger. I will keep it all in mind, though.

 

Chris

 

You've seen a fake dog poop cache - Wow

 

Actually I think there is one not to far to the east of you. I haven't searched for it yet but the description in the listing led me to believe that would be what to look for.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

The ideas for micro hides would probably work- I have seen all of these before in my area. I was just hoping to do something a bit bigger. I will keep it all in mind, though.

Something a bit bigger.... fake buffalo poop with a bison tube in it?

 

There's a buffalo farm across the road from the parking coordinates for one of my caches and I've found one other cache that was right next to a buffalo farm.

 

I found a cache yesterday that was down a trail that went through a large field that had lots of cow pies, but the cache (a large ammo can) was actually in a pine tree grove on the other side of the field.

[+deb3day]

I have a park near my that has no cache but it has such a large contingent of young people hanging out there that I would be concerned about it being muggled. I've decided that I'm going to find a good hiding spot nearby, then do a multi that takes people around the park for clues, then have to go elsewhere to find the actual cache. Makes use of the park without having to find a hiding spot.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

There's always an EXISTING hole or depression in the ground. Take a piece of plywood, glue the container to the bottom, glue grass or leaves or sand, whatever looks natural on top, and lay it over the depression. Looks quite natural!

 

Hammer a 2" x 3" piece of PVC in the ground with the top even with the dirt. A film can fits perfectly in the hole. Paint the film can lid to match the terrain. It's a bugger to find!

Edited November 11, 2008 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+team_goobie]

There are two park hides that have eluded and perplexed me.

 

GC15WPT 15 Minute Parking

 

and

 

GCKDN1 Double Diamond Devil

 

I'd LIKE to say I have a better idea where/what they are now that I've read this thread- time will tell! Thanks for the topic!

 

Other park hides I've actually found -fake birds nest, keysafe mag on a sign pole, bison tubes disguised as twigs. Here in Reno bushy pine trees are common and the Parks Service (they have an account) likes to just stick 'em in amongst the branches a coupla feet up.

 

Nicest camo job I've bumped into was this one;

 

GCW6H1 The Woman with the Bowl

 

Check out the Find to DNF ratio on that. Awesome!

[GPS-Hermit]

Hang a bison tube from one of the tree branches. Put a fake bird in the tree. Put a nano somewhere on the playground equipment out of sight, or a magnetic reflector on a sign nearby.

 

This has already been said but never put a cache near where the children are playing and I don't want to be perceived as an unwanted intruder that is up to something in a childrens environment - you got thing think like a muggle when hiding a cache and avoid problems associated with our game. I personally don't think hiding anywhere about lots of muggles is a good idea. A person should be able to retrieve the cache, make a trade, sign the log, and leave without drawing attention.

 

Never hide on playground equipment -ever!

Edited November 15, 2008 by GPS-Hermit