Possibly disturbed cache found--how to report?

[Mycologista]

I was out on a mushroom foray and found a Geocache, just sitting in the middle of a field of a pretty well-traveled park--shoebox-sized. I've got the coordinates of it--I didn't move it (or open it)--what to do in a case like this? I was with someone who has experience w/ Geocaching who says they're usually much better concealed--

 

I have no experience at all in this (just scored a GPS to try to stop getting lost in the woods while mushroom-hunting), but am planning on getting into it very soon, because it looks like awesome fun.

 

Any feedback on this situation I found is most welcome.

[+Cardinal Red]

I was out on a mushroom foray and found a Geocache, just sitting in the middle of a field of a pretty well-traveled park--shoebox-sized. I've got the coordinates of it--I didn't move it (or open it)--what to do in a case like this? I was with someone who has experience w/ Geocaching who says they're usually much better concealed--

 

I have no experience at all in this (just scored a GPS to try to stop getting lost in the woods while mushroom-hunting), but am planning on getting into it very soon, because it looks like awesome fun.

 

Any feedback on this situation I found is most welcome.

 

What are the coordinates? If you thought it was a Geocache, why didn't you open it?

[Mycologista]

I was out on a mushroom foray and found a Geocache, just sitting in the middle of a field of a pretty well-traveled park--shoebox-sized. I've got the coordinates of it--I didn't move it (or open it)--what to do in a case like this? I was with someone who has experience w/ Geocaching who says they're usually much better concealed--

 

I have no experience at all in this (just scored a GPS to try to stop getting lost in the woods while mushroom-hunting), but am planning on getting into it very soon, because it looks like awesome fun.

 

Any feedback on this situation I found is most welcome.

 

What are the coordinates? If you thought it was a Geocache, why didn't you open it?

 

It was clearly a Geocache, said so right there on the container. I didn't want to mess with it, since I have absolutely no experience with this, beyond doing a little reading online at Geocache.com

I did as much as I thought to do under the circumstances.

 

Is giving the coordinates the thing to do in a case like this? Can I find the owner from the coordinates?

 

Please bear in mind I am a COMPLETE NEWBIE.

[Mycologista]

I was out on a mushroom foray and found a Geocache, just sitting in the middle of a field of a pretty well-traveled park--shoebox-sized. I've got the coordinates of it--I didn't move it (or open it)--what to do in a case like this? I was with someone who has experience w/ Geocaching who says they're usually much better concealed--

 

I have no experience at all in this (just scored a GPS to try to stop getting lost in the woods while mushroom-hunting), but am planning on getting into it very soon, because it looks like awesome fun.

 

Any feedback on this situation I found is most welcome.

 

What are the coordinates? If you thought it was a Geocache, why didn't you open it?

 

It was clearly a Geocache, said so right there on the container. I didn't want to mess with it, since I have absolutely no experience with this, beyond doing a little reading online at Geocache.com

I did as much as I thought to do under the circumstances.

 

Is giving the coordinates the thing to do in a case like this? Can I find the owner from the coordinates?

 

Please bear in mind I am a COMPLETE NEWBIE. Be gentle.

Edited November 21, 2009 by Mycologista

[+Cardinal Red]

I was out on a mushroom foray and found a Geocache, just sitting in the middle of a field of a pretty well-traveled park--shoebox-sized. I've got the coordinates of it--I didn't move it (or open it)--what to do in a case like this? I was with someone who has experience w/ Geocaching who says they're usually much better concealed--

 

I have no experience at all in this (just scored a GPS to try to stop getting lost in the woods while mushroom-hunting), but am planning on getting into it very soon, because it looks like awesome fun.

 

Any feedback on this situation I found is most welcome.

 

What are the coordinates? If you thought it was a Geocache, why didn't you open it?

 

It was clearly a Geocache, said so right there on the container. I didn't want to mess with it, since I have absolutely no experience with this, beyond doing a little reading online at Geocache.com

I did as much as I thought to do under the circumstances.

 

Is giving the coordinates the thing to do in a case like this? Can I find the owner from the coordinates?

 

Please bear in mind I am a COMPLETE NEWBIE.

 

If it was a Traditional cache very near it's intended location, yes we could track it down with the coordinates. That is why I asked for them. If it was a Multi or Puzzle it's not going to be that easy. Did it have a GC#. Did it have a Cache Name or Owner Name. Unless you have more information for us to go on, it's the coords or nothing.

[+Team Cotati]

Nothing.

[+Cardinal Red]

Nothing.

 

Very helpful. Thank you.

[Mycologista]

I was out on a mushroom foray and found a Geocache, just sitting in the middle of a field of a pretty well-traveled park--shoebox-sized. I've got the coordinates of it--I didn't move it (or open it)--what to do in a case like this? I was with someone who has experience w/ Geocaching who says they're usually much better concealed--

 

I have no experience at all in this (just scored a GPS to try to stop getting lost in the woods while mushroom-hunting), but am planning on getting into it very soon, because it looks like awesome fun.

 

Any feedback on this situation I found is most welcome.

 

What are the coordinates? If you thought it was a Geocache, why didn't you open it?

 

It was clearly a Geocache, said so right there on the container. I didn't want to mess with it, since I have absolutely no experience with this, beyond doing a little reading online at Geocache.com

I did as much as I thought to do under the circumstances.

 

Is giving the coordinates the thing to do in a case like this? Can I find the owner from the coordinates?

 

Please bear in mind I am a COMPLETE NEWBIE.

 

If it was a Traditional cache very near it's intended location, yes we could track it down with the coordinates. That is why I asked for them. If it was a Multi or Puzzle it's not going to be that easy. Did it have a GC#. Did it have a Cache Name or Owner Name. Unless you have more information for us to go on, it's the coords or nothing.

 

I'm just trying to do the right thing here, in what seemed to be an odd situation. All I did was get the coordinates.

N 38 52.632

W092' 19.523

All the rest of what you said is meaningless to me, I cannot impress upon you enough that I know nearly NOTHING about this.

[+briansnat]

Is giving the coordinates the thing to do in a case like this? Can I find the owner from the coordinates?

 

Probably. You can do a search from the coordinates on the search page. It will show you the caches in the area with the one nearest to the coordinates first. I suspect it will be a matter of a few feet if the cache inded belonged in that spot and wasn't moved from elsewhere.

[+briansnat]

Here is the nearest cache to those coordinates, but it is over 300 feet away. Says its an ammo box

[Mycologista]

Here is the nearest cache to those coordinates, but it is over 300 feet away. Says its an ammo box

 

Okay, thanks. I sent an email to the owner.

[+Cardinal Red]

The Geocache container did not belong where it was found. The cache briansnat linked to is not a Multi or a Puzzle. It has no additional stages associated with it that could be at that location, and no other Cache is allowed to intrude on that spot. All nearby cache locations have to be checked to see if one is missing. The closest one is a good place to start, but I see it was found less than two weeks ago.

[+sicariusdracus]

If it really is disturbed, I'd sign the log and take it to the nearest psychiatric ward for thorough evaluation. If nothing else, ask it to paint while on LSD. The results might be interesting.

[+Cowboy Camper]

I'm a relative newbie too, but I have a couple points to add. May seem obvious, but ask the fellow you were with who has some experience with geocaching. He should have been able to tell what to do and where to start.

 

After that, I'd say to go back to it and open it up and check the actual log book that should be inside. Often times that log book will contain an email contact for the cache owner. Send him an email letting him know that you found his cache in a strange spot, give him the coords in case it really is way off base from where he intends it to be, and he can then go after it and put it back to it's proper location.

 

This topic has me thinking now. As an owner, I need to make sure I put the GC: # somewhere on my container and also make sure it's listed in the log book inside. I understand that you're a total newbie and might not know what the heck a GC # is, but your friend with the experience should know. Together, you guys could have compared the coords and also found the CO to let him know that it's out of place.

 

I know for a fact that my email contact info is in my log book inside the container I own. So hopefully, so is this owner's information in his. If so, you did real good by getting the coordinates. If you find his email address, send him the coords that you have. That's the best thing to do here on this one.

------------------------

You could be off to a good start in a really fun game actually. You have a GPSr, you have a friend with some experience (though it seems he could have helped more than he did originally...) and you already found a cache. OK, so that one was by accident... but you did the right thing by asking for some here at the forums. And I can't say enough how good you did by getting at least the coords for this cache.

 

Good Luck on this. I think you may have just stumbled onto a great way to spend some more time outdoors. Keep on reading and learning from the site and when your ready to do so, go out there and have fun. Happy Geocaching!

[knowschad]

I think that it is very cool that you've done as much as you've done. Thanks for that!! It has already been much more than anyone could expect from a non-cacher!

 

If, as it was reported, the nearest cache is 300 feet away, I think that it is highly doubtful that you found a geocache listed on this site, but there are a couple of other, smaller, geocache listing sites, as well as "letter boxes". I guess your email to the owner of that nearest geocaching.com cache will be the next piece of this puzzle.

 

I'm also a mushroom hunter. Your new GPS will also work great for marking mushroom patches. I particularily like mine, though, for marking wild asparagus, which you pick in the spring, but can really only spot in the fall when the large fern-like plants are very apparent.

 

Again, thanks much for taking the time to create a membership, check the coords, post this note, and email the cache owner! Awesome!!

[Mycologista]

I'm a relative newbie too, but I have a couple points to add. May seem obvious, but ask the fellow you were with who has some experience with geocaching. He should have been able to tell what to do and where to start.

 

--Yeah, but we were on a time-sensitive mission, there were a bunch of other people we were trying to keep track of, etc.

 

After that, I'd say to go back to it and open it up and check the actual log book that should be inside. Often times that log book will contain an email contact for the cache owner.

 

--I might just do that...

 

Send him an email letting him know that you found his cache in a strange spot, give him the coords in case it really is way off base from where he intends it to be, and he can then go after it and put it back to it's proper location.

 

--Already did, based on brainsnat's locating the nearest cache's coordinates.

 

This topic has me thinking now. As an owner, I need to make sure I put the GC: # somewhere on my container and also make sure it's listed in the log book inside. I understand that you're a total newbie and might not know what the heck a GC # is, but your friend with the experience should know. Together, you guys could have compared the coords and also found the CO to let him know that it's out of place.

 

I know for a fact that my email contact info is in my log book inside the container I own. So hopefully, so is this owner's information in his. If so, you did real good by getting the coordinates. If you find his email address, send him the coords that you have. That's the best thing to do here on this one.

------------------------

You could be off to a good start in a really fun game actually.

 

--Oh, I KNOW! This may get me through the winter, once the mushrooms are under cover...it's VERY APPEALING, looks like incredible fun, guess that's why so many people are excited about it...

 

You have a GPSr, you have a friend with some experience (though it seems he could have helped more than he did originally...) and you already found a cache.

 

--Don't hardly know the guy, met him through a mushroom workshop thing, we've just been meeting up with other people and foraying. Ours is a mushroom relationship only, that is clear.

 

OK, so that one was by accident... but you did the right thing by asking for some here at the forums. And I can't say enough how good you did by getting at least the coords for this cache.

 

--Well, I TRIED. I did all I had time for under the circumstances. It's like seeing a dog wandering around in a parking lot--what do you do, just leave it, or...?

 

Good Luck on this. I think you may have just stumbled onto a great way to spend some more time outdoors. Keep on reading and learning from the site and when your ready to do so, go out there and have fun. Happy Geocaching!

 

--I am very much looking forward to it! Thanks for your substantial reply and time.

[+Cowboy Camper]

You are very welcome, and I hope to help. Perhaps you and the mushroom friend/acquaintance can learn Geocaching together. After all, I have heard that it's best to do this geocaching game with at least One companion. Better safe than sorry ya know? Things can go wrong in the great outdoors. Myself, I always have my daughter with me. VERY seldom have I gone on a cache hunt all by myself.

 

Funny you should mention the winter months. One might think caching is better done at another season, but the daughter and I have found most of our caches in the winter ish time of the year. I guess we like the lack of foliage and bugs.

 

The cold ain't so great, but we can dress up and prepare for that. Bugs and Over growth on the other hand... Well, I guess we just have a good way to get outside even in the winter months.

 

Again, I wish the best on this one for ya. Happy Caching, hopefully very soon!

 

Take Care!!

[+popokiiti]

I was out on a mushroom foray and found a Geocache, just sitting in the middle of a field of a pretty well-traveled park--shoebox-sized. I've got the coordinates of it--I didn't move it (or open it)--what to do in a case like this? I was with someone who has experience w/ Geocaching who says they're usually much better concealed--

 

I have no experience at all in this (just scored a GPS to try to stop getting lost in the woods while mushroom-hunting), but am planning on getting into it very soon, because it looks like awesome fun.

 

Any feedback on this situation I found is most welcome.

 

What are the coordinates? If you thought it was a Geocache, why didn't you open it?

 

It was clearly a Geocache, said so right there on the container. I didn't want to mess with it, since I have absolutely no experience with this, beyond doing a little reading online at Geocache.com

I did as much as I thought to do under the circumstances.

 

Is giving the coordinates the thing to do in a case like this? Can I find the owner from the coordinates?

 

Please bear in mind I am a COMPLETE NEWBIE.

Welcome in advance to geocaching and thanks for posting this. It is a shame you didn't get to sign the logbook and score your first find though, but you did learn that caches are usually better hidden. If you are in the area again and can get the GC number on the cache (GC plus a mix of digits and letters) or logbook, you will be able to contact the owner directly.

I have found that a local mushroom "hunter" hides some of the best geocaches - we'll have to watch out for you!

All the best

[+kkhill]

Here is the nearest cache to those coordinates, but it is over 300 feet away. Says its an ammo box

 

I think that it is very cool that you've done as much as you've done. Thanks for that!! It has already been much more than anyone could expect from a non-cacher!

 

If, as it was reported, the nearest cache is 300 feet away, I think that it is highly doubtful that you found a geocache listed on this site, but there are a couple of other, smaller, geocache listing sites, as well as "letter boxes". I guess your email to the owner of that nearest geocaching.com cache will be the next piece of this puzzle.

 

Actually, I think it's very likely they found the cache that was listed 300 feet away. If muggled, disturbed by a non cacher, it could have been carried somewhere else and then just left. I believe all caches must be about 500 feet, or .1 miles away from each other, so this would be the only possible cache in this area. I think that's more likely... altho it could possibly be another site, but I'd bet it was this one. If it was labeled as a geocache, did it list this site? Official Geocache Gamepiece, etc... common indicators that it is indeed geocaching.com and not some other site?

 

Hope you hear back from the owner. I always hate when a good cache goes missing!