Tips for a noob just starting

[+dakin55]

I am trying to find a faq for locating containers I presently take my wife as she has more patience So far I have either had bad luck or just feeel that I am looking for a needle in a haystack or wonder if they are gone.

I have found a couple and like the concept is there a standard for how hard and far they are hidden I am looking for easy finds atm and not sure as a gps can be off 10 meters so thats alot if in a bush! IN short are geocachers sadiistic?

Or maybe it is technic as I approach the area?

[+bittsen]

I am trying to find a faq for locating containers I presently take my wife as she has more patience So far I have either had bad luck or just feeel that I am looking for a needle in a haystack or wonder if they are gone.

I have found a couple and like the concept is there a standard for how hard and far they are hidden I am looking for easy finds atm and not sure as a gps can be off 10 meters so thats alot if in a bush! IN short are geocachers sadiistic?

Or maybe it is technic as I approach the area?

 

Allow me to try to translate.

 

I am trying to find a FAQ for locating containers. I presently take my wife as she has more patience. So far I have either had bad luck, or just feeel that I am looking for a needle in a haystack, or wonder if they are gone.

I have found a couple and like the concept. Is there a standard for how hard and far they are hidden? I am looking for easy finds atm and not sure, as a gps can be off 10 meters. Thats alot if in a bush! IN short, are geocachers sadistic?

Or maybe it is technique as I approach the area?

 

I think most people would tell you to start out with easier caches and work up to harder ones. Many, including myself, are hesitant to give out spoilers. Giving out spoilers would, possibly, take away from the experience of the hiders.

[+JohnE5]

I have never seen a FAQ about finding caches. You just have to keep trying. My advice is to touch everything you can. If it moves it may be the cache. Don't assume something is bolted down, pinned up, heavy as a rock. Look for 1 stars to begin with. Most of them will be magnetic and that will narrow down the possiblities. Good luck.

[+StarBrand]

Here are some general hints:

 

Look for caches with a difficulty of 2 or less for your fist few caches. Stick with regular sized caches for your first few. Micros can be quite hard to find sometimes. Stick to areas you are familiar with. Look for anything out of place or unusual. Look for unusual piles of sticks, grass, leaves, rocks, sand, etc. Feel where you cannot look. Think vertical, not all caches are on the ground. Look up or at eye level. Look for traces of previous searches to zero in on the spot. Think like the hider - where would you put a container in this location? Look for things too new, too old, too perfect, not like the others, too many, too few. Change your perspective - a shift in lighting can sometimes reveal a cache. Keep in mind that many micros are magnetic or attached to something (via string, wire etc). Slowly expand your search area to about 40 feet from where your GPS says ground zero is. Bring garden gloves and a flashlight - they help! Be prepared to not find the cache more often then you think.

 

Most of all - have fun!!

[+dakin55]

Here are some general hints:

 

Look for caches with a difficulty of 2 or less for your fist few caches. Stick with regular sized caches for your first few. Micros can be quite hard to find sometimes. Stick to areas you are familiar with. Look for anything out of place or unusual. Look for unusual piles of sticks, grass, leaves, rocks, sand, etc. Feel where you cannot look. Think vertical, not all caches are on the ground. Look up or at eye level. Look for traces of previous searches to zero in on the spot. Think like the hider - where would you put a container in this location? Look for things too new, too old, too perfect, not like the others, too many, too few. Change your perspective - a shift in lighting can sometimes reveal a cache. Keep in mind that many micros are magnetic or attached to something (via string, wire etc). Slowly expand your search area to about 40 feet from where your GPS says ground zero is. Bring garden gloves and a flashlight - they help! Be prepared to not find the cache more often then you think.

 

Most of all - have fun!!

 

Thanks this is what I was looking for. So placing a geocache and being sadistic can be combined. The gloves and flashlight are great tips, I was thinking about a flashlight but wife would need the gloves. More patience on my part as well will help. Will try to stick with regular size caches till I get the hang of it!

[oakenwood]

Read the cache page's comments for hints.

 

When you get to the location, give your GPS a minute to settle down, and you can get a more accurate reading.

 

Remember the size of the cache. It'll help you guess locations to look. (Too small for there, too big for there...)

 

Carry a stick to poke and tap things. A hollow "clunk" is often the sound of a cache.

 

I like to search in an expanding clockwise spiral from the center. If I don't find it when I get to about 20 meters out, I go back to the center (usually I leave my backpack there) and do another spiral in a counter-clockwise direction. Then I walk back and forth like I'm plowing a field.

[kcacher8]

Read the cache page's comments for hints.

 

When you get to the location, give your GPS a minute to settle down, and you can get a more accurate reading.

 

Remember the size of the cache. It'll help you guess locations to look. (Too small for there, too big for there...)

 

Carry a stick to poke and tap things. A hollow "clunk" is often the sound of a cache.

 

I like to search in an expanding clockwise spiral from the center. If I don't find it when I get to about 20 meters out, I go back to the center (usually I leave my backpack there) and do another spiral in a counter-clockwise direction. Then I walk back and forth like I'm plowing a field.

 

 

I am a newbie also but I did start having better success once I started using the "Distance From" feature on my GPS.

[oakenwood]

A few more occurred to me today.

 

Build your stamina. When you're tired, you don't search as well and quit sooner.

 

Be well-fed and well-hydrated, for the same reasons as above. Bring a snack and water.

 

Look for signs that something is hidden. Often it's a pile of sticks and bark.

[+dakin55]

A few more occurred to me today.

 

Build your stamina. When you're tired, you don't search as well and quit sooner.

 

Be well-fed and well-hydrated, for the same reasons as above. Bring a snack and water.

 

Look for signs that something is hidden. Often it's a pile of sticks and bark.

Thanks for all the tips used them and located a cache that I had missed. One thing that I also done was pay attention 25 meters away to direction, as I got closer it wasn't accurate but from a distance I could get a good bearing and distance to go, really helped in final location

[+mfamilee]

Thanks for all the tips used them and located a cache that I had missed. One thing that I also done was pay attention 25 meters away to direction, as I got closer it wasn't accurate but from a distance I could get a good bearing and distance to go, really helped in final location

Good job!

The forums are a great place to learn more about caching.