How Long Did It Take You To Stop Following The Arrow?

[+obsidianspider]

I was out caching for a bit yesterday with nJim and when we got close to the GZ area he just started looking and I kept poking around looking at the GPSr until I got "closer" to the coords. I didn't even realize I was doing it until he said not to bother with it and to start looking.

 

As I get more experience under my belt I rely less on "the arrow" and more on my geosense. How long did it take you to wean yourself from the arrow and just look for the find?

[+1mech]

I still use the "arrow" until I get pretty close, then hopefully there will be obvious areas within 10 feet. If things don't seem right to me, I will take multiple approaches using the arrow to try to narrow it down, then use "geosense" I have over 600 finds.

Edited May 11, 2009 by 1mech

[knowschad]

I was out caching for a bit yesterday with nJim and when we got close to the GZ area he just started looking and I kept poking around looking at the GPSr until I got "closer" to the coords. I didn't even realize I was doing it until he said not to bother with it and to start looking.

 

As I get more experience under my belt I rely less on "the arrow" and more on my geosense. How long did it take you to wean yourself from the arrow and just look for the find?

 

Depends totally on where and what sort of cache. In our neck of the woods, caches in or up against hollow trees, covered with sticks and bark are quite common. If there are only one or two of such "geobeacons" in the area, then, by all means... just get to looking. But even with that type of hide, sometimes the area is littered with fallen trees and branches and stuff. In that case, its almost always helpful to get as close to the posted GZ as possible.

 

Micros (LPC's not included) are often much easier to find if I keep my eye on the arrow (and the distance, of course!) and get as close as possible.

[Clan Riffster]

I owned hand held GPSr units before I started playing this game, so I came into it knowing that once you're within 20' or so they become paper weights.

As such, I don't spend much time with my nose to the arrow.

[+BlueDeuce]

In my early days I got to cache with some very skilled people (like Welch) so the basics were covered right off.

[Skippermark]

I still look at the arrow. Maybe that's why I have so many DNFs.

[GOF and Bacall]

I usually watch the arrow until it does that odd little swing around that it does when you get within the circle of accuracy.

[+Frank Broughton]

I usually watch the arrow until it does that odd little swing around that it does when you get within the circle of accuracy.

 

I do the same thing here. Look for that swingie thingie and get a hunting.

[+kraushad]

I don't use the arrow per se, as much as i use the map page. BUT, I do keep zooming in until my traingle is as close to the treasure chest as possible, then i usually turn it off to save battery power (because I am anal) and start looking.

 

If I haven't located it after a few minutes, I will walk away from the area and approach it from another angle if possible, again using teh GPSr, and try to do a rough triangulation of GZ.

 

Overall, I have found that I refuse to admit the error of both my and the hiders GPSr though, and end up trusting the electronic brain more than my own..... I am getting better at putting it away though...

[+StarBrand]

Follow the arrow until about 30 foot out - then start looking up for likely spots. Put the GPS away if it reads under 20. Back off and repeat if I am unsuccessful after 10 minutes or so.

[knowschad]

Follow the arrow until about 30 foot out - then start looking up for likely spots. Put the GPS away if it reads under 20. Back off and repeat if I am unsuccessful after 10 minutes or so.

 

I used to do that, but with today's technology, I find that I can usually get it down to 5 feet or better, and more often than not, that is where the cache really is. I've been shocked more than once when I go back to places that I had hunted with my old Legend Cx and recalled the huge area that I covered when looking for the cache there!

[+uxorious]

I follow the arrow as long as the distance keeps getting closer, when the arrow starts to swing, or the distance starts jumping higher, I check the spot I'm at and start looking from there. If the cache isn't found in a little while, I will recheck the GPSr. I have found times the GPSr has either overshot, or undershot, by sometime 60 ft or more. If I let it settle while looking, it sometimes will settle to a much more accurate spot.

[AZcachemeister]

The arrow knows where the cache is.

You MUST obey the arrow.

 

OBEY!

[+tfc0869]

 

I used to do that, but with today's technology, I find that I can usually get it down to 5 feet or better, and more often than not, that is where the cache really is. I've been shocked more than once when I go back to places that I had hunted with my old Legend Cx and recalled the huge area that I covered when looking for the cache there!

 

Definitely agreed...my new GPSr (Oregon) takes me literally to the spot, much less beating around the bush compared to my 7-year old eTrex Summit. But then you've got to pocket the unit and start hunting, especially when you arrive at a very strange spot. Like a hard-packed trail with no hiding places nearby

 

I dig the arrow because even my 4-year old boy can understand it. He's fun to take along, even though he usually exclaims to any and all nearby people that "We're looking for the GEO-cache!"

[+Yno]

I found two caches near an airport this weekend, and I would not have found one of them without the arrow. I don't usually use or need it, but on the first cache, the map page took a while to settle down, and on the second, it didn't settle at all. Very strange. I switched to the compass, and it led me directly to the cache, which was actually close to where the map first led me, but far from where it took me after that. So I use whatever tool is most useful.

[+SUp3rFM & Cruella]

As your "geosense" improves you'll stop looking at the arrow: "Feel the force, obsidianspider!"

 

Usually, I turn the GPSr off when I'm close to 10feet or so. If I can't find it, I move away, turn it on and make a new approach. If I still can't find, I usually go home and cry.

[+JonInNH1]

How long did it take you to wean yourself from the arrow?

 

When I got sick of the arrow trying to figure out which way to point as I got close. I rely on an "old fashioned" compass now.

[+mrbort]

How long did it take you to wean yourself from the arrow?

 

When I got sick of the arrow trying to figure out which way to point as I got close. I rely on an "old fashioned" compass now.

 

I tried this method but then I found that a lot of my DNFs were near the north pole

[+solo63137]

Once I get to about 50 ft I start looking more at the ground and looking for potential hide spots... Once I'm @ 20' and under I quickly start relying on my eyes more and the GPS less...

 

Though I have gotten it down to 3 foot and just below... Had one last night, I walked it from 500' right to it... Quickest one yet for me...

Edited May 12, 2009 by solo63137

[the3gmen]

I follow the arrow as long as the distance keeps getting closer, when the arrow starts to swing, or the distance starts jumping higher, I check the spot I'm at and start looking from there. If the cache isn't found in a little while, I will recheck the GPSr. I have found times the GPSr has either overshot, or undershot, by sometime 60 ft or more. If I let it settle while looking, it sometimes will settle to a much more accurate spot.

 

I have a similar approach. I follow the arrow and distance as long as I can and when either one of them starts going the wrong way I will find a nice resting place for my gpsr and set it down while I search. If I don't find the cache in a few minutes, I'll recheck the gpsr and see where it is pointing and repeat the process.

 

If I have to repeat this procedure a few times I will try approaching ground zero from a different direction.

[+Colonial Cats]

I'm getting better, but I probably follow the arrow closer than my Cache Mate, Denise. I recall once where I was still letting the arrow settle down while Denise had already found the cache.

[+WRASTRO]

I rarely use anything but the compass on my Garmin 76cs (no x). Get me to the general area and then I start the actual hunt. When I can't find the cache I keep walking around and watching the arrow to get a better feeling for where the GPS thinks GZ is. I also keep my eyes open to try to see anything that I missed when I started the hunt. I am often blind to what is right in front of me. But that is a big part of what makes the game fun for me.

[+Colonial Cats]

I'm getting better, but I probably follow the arrow closer than my Cache Mate, Denise. I recall once where I was still letting the arrow settle down while Denise had already found the cache.

I just had another thought. If we didn't follow the arrow, how else would we do the drunken bee dance???