Geocaching etiquette

[jeffrey2]

I was out caching today and ran into someone looking for the same cache. When and If this happens what is the etiquette in this situation. I am still new to Geocaching, and I am having a blast doing it. Amy info will be appropriated. Thanks Jeffrey2

[+PhxChem]

I was out caching today and ran into someone looking for the same cache. When and If this happens what is the etiquette in this situation. I am still new to Geocaching, and I am having a blast doing it. Amy info will be appropriated. Thanks Jeffrey2

 

Introduce yourself!! You might enjoying looking for the cache together...

[+J-Way]

Option 1: The New Jersey-style greeting, developed by briansnat:

This started in NJ, but has taken the nation by storm. I've encountered cachers throughtout the US doing it. It goes like this:

 

When meeting somone you think might be a geocacher you yell "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" and the correct response is "Yay I a geocacher am I".

 

Upon the confirmation, the two then approach each other, put their left hand on the other person's right shoulder, standing arm's length and dance around in a circle while skipping and singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes

Option 2: The Jeremy Salute:

(click on picture to go to the hilarious thread where this image first appears)

 

Option 3: Wave friendly-like with your GPS receiver in your hand. A geocacher will recognize it instantly, a muggle will either wave back or walk the other direction.

[+Sagefox]

...someone looking for the same cache. When and If this happens what is the etiquette in this situation.

 

You can hunt the same cache together and each sign the logbook and post a Found It log if one of you finds it.

 

If you have the container in your hand when they discover you they can sign the logbook and log a Found It.

 

If you discover them with logbook in their hand you can sign the log and claim a Found It.

 

Being at the cache site and signing the logbook qualifies for a Found It no matter who actually finds the container.

[+Happy Bubbles]

If you both search for it at the same time, be sure to ask her if she wants to you to tell her where it is if you find it first. Some people like to find things for themselves, in which case you should ignore the cache if you find it and give the other person a chance to find it on her own before you both sign it.

[+atmospherium]

I encountered a family on their way back from the 1st stage of a multi while I was on my way to that stage. We said howdy and went on our way. I was moving faster than them, so I caught up with them just as they were finding the final. I wrestled the cache out of the hands of their 6 year old daughter, gave the father a solid sock on the nose when he tried to intervene, and...no, I'm exaggerating slightly for dramatic purposes. Actually, I just hung back in the woods out of sight while they made their find and moved on. It didn't ruin my search and they had the fun of finding the cache without some stranger hovering nearby. Courtesy and friendliness should be the guideline, I think.

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

I recently found myself looking for a cache in the woods. Dense woods. Even though GZ was sufficiently off any path or trail that no one but a dedicated cacher could have found something as big as a refrigerator, someone decided to hide a micro. In any event, after searching for a while, I heard a voice say something like "It says 70 feet." So, I decided to sit down on a log and wait. After a while, I heard a voice say something like "40 feet that way." I continued to sit quietly. Then I heard someone say "I think someone is sitting on it." So, I asked, "What do you think I'm doing here?" We then proceeded to look for the cache. It was a lot of fun meeting up with other cachers.

[+HouseOfDragons]

As I am usually caching with my female caching companion, there's no way I'm making the sign for lesbian at strangers.

 

Having said that, I'm in the UK so perhaps I'd get away with it as the BSL sign is slightly different.

 

I've only met cachers in the wild once before ad we opted for "Are you doing what I think you're doing?" As if anyone would be rummaging around in the undergrowth. cluthing £100s of electronic equipment for any other reason.

[+poohstickz]

I was out caching today and ran into someone looking for the same cache. When and If this happens what is the etiquette in this situation. I am still new to Geocaching, and I am having a blast doing it. Amy info will be appropriated. Thanks Jeffrey2

 

You have to shoot them, knife them, kneecap them, or somehow disable them so as to avoid being left with the consideration of saying hello and getting to know them.

Edited May 18, 2009 by poohstickz

[+J-Way]

I was out caching today and ran into someone looking for the same cache. When and If this happens what is the etiquette in this situation. I am still new to Geocaching, and I am having a blast doing it. Amy info will be appropriated. Thanks Jeffrey2

You have to shoot them, knife them, kneecap them, or somehow disable them so as to avoid being left with the consideration of saying hello and getting to know them.

Nah, that's WAAAAY too extreme, unless you're making a FTF attempt. Anything goes when a FTF is at stake.

[+tango501]

I always sneak up on them and say in a very Authoritive voice "What are you doing on my land?"

 

then laugh and introduce myself

j/k

[+Chrysalides]

I always sneak up on them and say in a very Authoritive voice "What are you doing on my land?"

You sound like a candidate for the greeting method proposed in post #9

 

I hope you don't surprise one of those folks who like to grow marijuana in the woods.