Progressing Newbie Needs Help With Camo'd Cache in a Pinetree

[ChefErick]

My partner, rudyskagirl, and I are still newbies to geocaching. Our first two were traditional ones, both hidden under lamp skirts. The first one took 15 minutes to figure out. And the second just about 30 seconds.

Our next few were all micros, mostly magnetic.

 

We, however, are having slight trouble locating a camo'd tube in a small group (2-3) of pinetrees. GCM5CX

We have given it 2 go-arounds so far. For the 3rd one, I have an idea:

 

Would I be correct in pondering that the cache might be a camouflaged film canister? Possibly inside of an un-screwable pine cone, or a fake branch that screws out of the tree?

 

I think in the mere week that we've been geocaching, we've developed our geocaching senses quite a fair amount by tackling a few harder ones, one where the coordinates purposely place you about 40'+ off the urban cache, and one that leads you to a multi-level staircase and requires a riddle solved to pinpoint the cache, but this one camo has gotten the best of us so far.

[+vw_k]

Have you read through all the previous logs for clues as to what the hiding place may be?

 

The listing says "camoflaged slender tube" so you'll have an idea of what you're looking for.

 

Alot of micros I've gound in trees have been tucked in the forks of the tree or in natural creases or holes in the bark. If they have been covered over with pine needles or leaf mold then they can be hard to spot. Look for areas of the tree that seem to have collected deposits of dead leaves/needles.

 

Good luck and have fun

[Keystone]

A "fake branch that screws out of the tree" would be a listing guidelines violation. When I search, I limit myself to ideas that don't violate the listing guidelines. Otherwise I would always carry a shovel.

[+deb3day]

A lot of pine tree hides are hanging somewhere in the tree like a Christmas ornament. Depending on how large the tree is and how thick the needles are, that can make it quite difficult. Then again, sometimes they pop right out at you.

 

deb3day

[+cwelt]

Another thing to do is don't forget to look on the ground. Alot of the tree hides here end up lying in thedirt as they fall off the branches. Many a time we have been standing right next to one while scanning the branches. And some peopel have wrapped micro's in bark and hung them right next to the trunk, blending in quite nicely. Don't just scan those branches..

[+Goldfinch593]

A lot of pine tree hides are hanging somewhere in the tree like a Christmas ornament. Depending on how large the tree is and how thick the needles are, that can make it quite difficult. Then again, sometimes they pop right out at you.

 

deb3day

 

I'll offer this up as a spoiler an example of what to look for. There is a waterproof match container, wrapped with cammo tape, hanging *somewhere* is this pine tree...

 

Can you see it?

 

 

Maybe look a little closer...

 

 

The "AHA" moment! Sometimes they do just pop out at you after looking for awhile! Good luck with your search!

 

[+Renegade Knight]

A "fake branch that screws out of the tree" would be a listing guidelines violation. When I search, I limit myself to ideas that don't violate the listing guidelines. Otherwise I would always carry a shovel.

Personally I like using a team of retired truffle hunting dogs. It doesn't take much to shift them from digging up truffles to digging up caches and better still other treasures like rusty soda cans. I still need a shovel but the dogs at least get me a head start on the rare occasion they can't dig up the treasure and drop it at my feet. The only flaw in this system is that I have to bury the beer before they will bring it to me.

[+xshooter]

I always find a spot that I can stick my head inside the tree and look out. It's much easier to see a cache looking out towards the light than looking into the darkness of the tree.

[+busterbabes]

I try to think like the hider... if the tree is dense, I look on the outer branches. If there are voids in the branches, I like to look for the cache while standing near the trunk looking out. (after searching around the trunk first) Good Luck! I know I always need luck on PTC's!

[+cwelt]

I always find a spot that I can stick my head inside the tree and look out. It's much easier to see a cache looking out towards the light than looking into the darkness of the tree.

 

VERY good point... I always (even if the tree is dense and smaller) find a way to get inside and look out towards the light, makes a huge difference.

Edited November 14, 2008 by cwelt

[+TellMeIfYouSeeAChicken]

Also, if there pinecones, keep an eye out for pinecones that don't belong on that particular tree - for example, a big barrel-shaped cone when all the others are tight and pointy. I learned this the hard way, but at least the CO (who was watching me search) got a good laugh out of it.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Well. I've been around the block a few times... Three trips so far, looking for the dreaded camoed bison tube in the yew tree. I cannot find the dratted thing!!! But I find myself in the area, so I keep looking.

[+ameryan]

Did you check the log to see when the last time the cache was found .... there is always a chance it is gone. I've found that to be the case a few times now, especially if no one has logged the cache in a longer period of time than most of the others in the area.... just a thought. Good luck!

[+GrateBear]

One clever one I found in a pine tree was a film canister that had been disguised using fake pine roping. Blended in very nicely, thus the 3 times it took before I found it.

[TermiteHunter]

Looking at the logs... It sounds to be perhaps longer than a film can, free hanging, well camoed and in the pine that leans. I could be off base here but thats half the fun when you find your totally wrong.