Geocache Owner Notification

[izzynco]

We are new to hiding caches, and we are receiving email notifications every time the cache has been found. Is there a way to disable the notifications? We plan to eventually hide a lot, and we don't want to get swarmed with too many emails. I can't seem to find any option for this. Thanks!

[+teamhaynes]

I don't know which email service you use, but with gmail I can set up filters so that the log owner emails don't go to my inbox, but to sub category.

 

Just a thought

[+L0ne.R]

We are new to hiding caches, and we are receiving email notifications every time the cache has been found. Is there a way to disable the notifications? We plan to eventually hide a lot, and we don't want to get swarmed with too many emails. I can't seem to find any option for this. Thanks!

 

You'll want to stay connected so that you'll know when your cache has maintenance issues - full logbook, missing, cracked container etc. So far you've had 3 logs (posted in 2 days). Not bad. Expect to have the most finders in the first couple of weeks and then things will slow down.

 

If keeping up with email notifications is difficult for you, you may want to re-consider hiding caches. There's no pressure to hide caches if it's difficult for you to keep up with hider responsibilities.

[+JesandTodd]

 

You'll want to stay connected so that you'll know when your cache has maintenance issues - full logbook, missing, cracked container etc. So far you've had 3 logs (posted in 2 days). Not bad. Expect to have the most finders in the first couple of weeks and then things will slow down.

 

If keeping up with email notifications is difficult for you, you may want to re-consider hiding caches. There's no pressure to hide caches if it's difficult for you to keep up with hider responsibilities.

 

Well said. I hate it when CO don't respond to emails, or logs. If you can't handle the upkeep, don't hide caches.

[+Lil Devil]

It's really simple to stop all those pesky emails. Go to each of your caches, click "archive listing" in the Navigation box, enter a short note, and Submit. Voila! No more emails.

[+bittsen]

Getting the email notification on a find is something I look forward to.

With 14 caches out there I might get 3 logs a day on average. Oddly enough I am getting more notifications with the cold weather than I did in the summer.

 

Don't disable the email notifications. If you are going to disable anything, disable the caches. You are supposed to get email notifications as part of the whole hiding process.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Getting the email notification on a find is something I look forward to.

With 14 caches out there I might get 3 logs a day on average. Oddly enough I am getting more notifications with the cold weather than I did in the summer.

 

Mark ths day in red! I agree with bittsen! I enjoy when cachers find my caches! I probably average three a week. (Though one weekend I had thirty-three finds!) I love every one of them!

[+trondkj]

When you hide caches, you will of course want to get notified when anyone finds them. Otherwise there is no reason to hide a cache, and you should not do so. There may also be issues with your caches that you ought to know about, and these few email notifications are worth it. I wouldn't be without them.

[Clan Riffster]

Mark ths day in red!

Done!

[+briansnat]

You can filter them but it's a bad idea. Those e-mails are your connection to the cache. Unless you plan on visiting each one every few weeks, how else are you going to know if there are issues?

 

With over 200 active caches, I can can get a couple dozen logs on a nice weekend. I look forward to every one. Partly to see if the finders enjoyed the cache, but more importantly to make sure the caches are OK.

 

Seriously, if a few e-mails every week are too much of a bother, how are you going to deal with having to run out to replace a wet or full logbook, or a cracked or missing container? You really need to think this cache ownership thing through.

 

One possibility is to create an e-mail account specifically for geocaching e-mails, but I don't recommend this unless it is an account that you will check frequently.

[+Walts Hunting]

WOW. You've hideen one whole cache with a total of 3 logs. That is an overwhelming amount of email. I am not sure I could keep up with that pace either.

[+Stargazer22]

I'll chime in with the others here and say that if you don't plan to receive the emails from your caches, then please don't hide any.

 

The site does not offer the option because it is important that cache owners see the logs on their caches in case maintenance on the cache is needed, or the reviewer needs to contact you about your cache for some reason.

 

Besides, why wouldn't you want to read the cache logs to see who is finding your caches and what they have to say about their experiences?

 

Hiding caches is not something you should do and then ignore them. We have enough irresponsible cache owners as it is.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Ditto what others have already said.

 

Dunno why you wanna hide lots if'n you wouldn't want to know how they (the caches, at least) are doing.

I don't believe this was intended to be a "hide and forget" game.

Perhaps you would be better off to "find and forget", instead.

[+Coyote's Girl]

I have two caches, and I can see them from where I work. In fact, when I pull my bus off the lot and I have to wait for my right turn because someone is comming out of the park, I always hurry home after my run to check my e-mail. Each log is like a little gift. I could very very easily walk to both caches to check on them; every day if I wanted to. But I don't. I even look after two caches that someone has abandoned. One is the first cache I ever found, the other is in a place that's special to me. Both have the same"Owner" who has since stopped caching. The logs are crucial to upkeep. They keep me informed and make me smile. They're very useful. Enjoy them.

[+FunnyNose]

We are new to hiding caches, and we are receiving email notifications every time the cache has been found. Is there a way to disable the notifications? We plan to eventually hide a lot, and we don't want to get swarmed with too many emails. I can't seem to find any option for this. Thanks!

 

Your cache is about 8 miles from me, to acquiesce to your wishes, yours will be the first and only cache on my ignore list.

 

Now you will get 1 less owner notification.

[knowschad]

Mark ths day in red!

Done!

Mark this day with a gold star! I also agree with Bittsen!!

[+StarBrand]

I have about 125 active caches. That generates a fair amount of emails.

 

I look forward to reading them as each and every one represents a special place I was trying to share with others. I also have the responsibility to maintain those caches so I NEED to be reading those emails so i know what is going on.

 

If you do not feel like reading those emails, then that tells me a lot about how special your cache hides will be.

[+LisaandDarin]

We have 72 active caches and look forward to all the emails that come from finders, we actually hope that people take the time to comment .. something more than found it or TFTC.

 

When the 20" of Snow fell just before Christmas our Inbox went empty ... I sure do miss all those finders ..

 

Place the cache, enjoy what you'll learn from all those people who find your caches !!!

 

Be an active cache owner and provide a quality cache for everyone to find.

[+Moose Mob]

When you own a cache, you not only agree to maintain the cache itself, but the online logs that are put on it. How can you do that if you don't read them?

 

I have 426 caches, 377 of them still active. Most only get 1-5 visits per year (or less), the rest can generate a lot of e-mail (especially the Welcome to Las Vegas virtual).

 

Edit to add: I get over 100 geocaching e-mails each day.

Edited December 29, 2009 by Moose Mob

[+9Key]

It'll be interesting to see if the OP chimes in here after reading these responses.

[+briansnat]

When you own a cache, you not only agree to maintain the cache itself, but the online logs that are put on it. How can you do that if you don't read them?

 

I have 426 caches, 377 of them still active. Most only get 1-5 visits per year (or less), the rest can generate a lot of e-mail (especially the Welcome to Las Vegas virtual).

 

Edit to add: I get over 100 geocaching e-mails each day.

 

Those who place a lot of easy PLMs you can expect a lot of logs every day. Even with 200+ active caches I'll often go a few days without a log on any. On a nice weekend all bets are off.

 

I long ago stopped putting every cache I found on my watchlist. I still get dozens of watchlist logs every day but usually delete them without looking at them. I'm slowly deleting all but the most interesting caches from my watchlist.

[+Jennifer&Dean]

I have two caches, and I can see them from where I work. In fact, when I pull my bus off the lot and I have to wait for my right turn because someone is comming out of the park, I always hurry home after my run to check my e-mail. Each log is like a little gift. I could very very easily walk to both caches to check on them; every day if I wanted to. But I don't. I even look after two caches that someone has abandoned. One is the first cache I ever found, the other is in a place that's special to me. Both have the same"Owner" who has since stopped caching. The logs are crucial to upkeep. They keep me informed and make me smile. They're very useful. Enjoy them.

LOL! So nice to see another First Student person on here!

I trained some folks in O'Fallon during the past year and totally loved exploring the St Ellen Mine area. I always joke about putting a cache near every branch I visit so folks there have to take care of it for me and get into Geocaching... great to see someone actually DID! Now I gotta come up with an excuse to visit your location again to find your caches!

 

On Topic- If you don't want to read your logs as they come in, don't place caches- the logs are how to evaluate the health of your cache and every well written one is an update of it's condition. Of course, if all you are getting is TFTC, it may be time to re-evaluate the cache you placed. You want the logs that tell stories and share the fun folks had, right?

 

Jennifer of Jennifer&Dean from Missoula, MT

[+sbell111]

Seems like the best solution to the OP's problem was found in the very first response (post #2). Happily, it's the very solution that I put in place a year or two ago.

 

It allows me to keep up with the geocaching-related emails, but it doesn't risk my missing a much more important nongeocaching-related email.

[+Renegade Knight]

We are new to hiding caches, and we are receiving email notifications every time the cache has been found. Is there a way to disable the notifications? We plan to eventually hide a lot, and we don't want to get swarmed with too many emails. I can't seem to find any option for this. Thanks!

 

It pains me to say this but what you will want to do is filter your emails so the found logs get trashed. The logs you want to pay attention to (and this is the painful part becaue you are killing my arguments against this evil and vile log type) are the need maintenance logs.

[+Cardinal Red]

Seems like the best solution to the OP's problem was found in the very first response (post #2). Happily, it's the very solution that I put in place a year or two ago.

 

It allows me to keep up with the geocaching-related emails, but it doesn't risk my missing a much more important nongeocaching-related email.

Actually I thought the best advise was post #3.

[+L0ne.R]

We are new to hiding caches, and we are receiving email notifications every time the cache has been found. Is there a way to disable the notifications? We plan to eventually hide a lot, and we don't want to get swarmed with too many emails. I can't seem to find any option for this. Thanks!

 

It pains me to say this but what you will want to do is filter your emails so the found logs get trashed. The logs you want to pay attention to (and this is the painful part becaue you are killing my arguments against this evil and vile log type) are the need maintenance logs.

 

That could work, but so many don't use the Needs Maintenance option, probably for fear of appearing rude or pushy. Many in the forums have advocated contacting the owner via email instead. From experience, most people just mention the maintenance issue in their log.

 

I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the enjoyment someone would experience in hiding a cache and never wanting to receive feedback about whether you provided a good caching experience. I don't understand the point of it.

[jholly]

Seems like the best solution to the OP's problem was found in the very first response (post #2). Happily, it's the very solution that I put in place a year or two ago.

 

It allows me to keep up with the geocaching-related emails, but it doesn't risk my missing a much more important nongeocaching-related email.

Actually I thought the best advise was post #3.

 

I would vote for #5.

 

Jim

[+Cardinal Red]

Seems like the best solution to the OP's problem was found in the very first response (post #2). Happily, it's the very solution that I put in place a year or two ago.

 

It allows me to keep up with the geocaching-related emails, but it doesn't risk my missing a much more important nongeocaching-related email.

Actually I thought the best advise was post #3.

 

I would vote for #5.

 

Jim

 

Ok. You've convinced me. #5 it is.

[+sbell111]

Neither post three nor post five fit the requirements of the OP.

[+StarBrand]

Neither post three nor post five fit the requirements of the OP.

No they don't.

 

But they are far more in line with guidelines, the intent of logging, the spirit of hiding a cache and just good plain sensibility.

[+wimseyguy]

I go one step further than the option in post #2.

I like to keep my life compartmentalized.

I've got separate gmail accounts for geocaching, personal, work, and a few other activities.

 

That way if I don't want to be bothered with those wonderful logs of praise on my hides, or share in the wonderment of those who found the caches I keep on my watchlist, or follow the travels of my trackables, I simply don't open that account for an hour or three.

[+briansnat]

Neither post three nor post five fit the requirements of the OP.

 

Nor does #2, or any other post here. He wants the e-mails stopped.

[+flask]

 

LOL! So nice to see another First Student person on here!

 

crashco also drives for them. and is a mechanic/safety instructor.

 

yes, they know we call him "crashco".

[+WRITE SHOP ROBERT]

Wow, those are some interesting solutions. The way I would handle it is to open up a seperate email account used only for geocaching, and then check it during the times you set aside to do so.

[+brslk]

Wow, those are some interesting solutions. The way I would handle it is to open up a seperate email account used only for geocaching, and then check it during the times you set aside to do so.

 

Bingo!^^^

 

It really isn't all that hard to figure out.

[+HouseOfDragons]

As others have said, not receiving the emails in some way is a really bad idea. You need to know when people have DNFed it - if it happens on an easy cache I'll check it asap, a more difficult one I'll wait and see if someone else finds it.

 

I've got 30 caches and I'm never inundated with excessive emails - all geocaching mail is directed to a Geocaching folder anyway.

 

If you can't handle the emails, you can't handle the work of maintaining a cache and therefore shouldn't hide any.

[RuideAlmeida]

For each email notification I receive, I send another to the geocacher that found one of our caches, thanking him for the visit.

 

It never occurred me not to receive those emails... keep them coming!

 

PS: Some more days and I will receive an email notification of the 4000th found in one of our caches... I intend to give a prize to the lucky geocacher

Edited December 30, 2009 by ruidealmeida

[+sbell111]

Wow, those are some interesting solutions. The way I would handle it is to open up a seperate email account used only for geocaching, and then check it during the times you set aside to do so.

Bingo!^^^

 

It really isn't all that hard to figure out.

That's virtually the same solution as in post two, except the emails just hang out in a seperate folder, rather than in a seperate email account. Either way, they aren't cluttering up the inbox.

For each email notification I receive, I send another to the geocacher that found one of our caches, thanking him for the visit.

Honestly, I would rather not recieve an email every time I find a cache. Those would rank right around spam on teh list of things I need in my inbox.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

Seems like the best solution to the OP's problem was found in the very first response (post #2). Happily, it's the very solution that I put in place a year or two ago.

 

It allows me to keep up with the geocaching-related emails, but it doesn't risk my missing a much more important nongeocaching-related email.

 

I have an entirely separate email account for caching. With Thunderbird, I have separate folders for each account I own, so things stay nice and tidy, without filters.

[+Jennifer&Dean]

 

LOL! So nice to see another First Student person on here!

 

crashco also drives for them. and is a mechanic/safety instructor.

 

yes, they know we call him "crashco".

Cool to know! That makes 5 of us that I know of now.

 

On Topic-

A separate email address on gmail was our solution for keeping all the logs from cluttering the other email accounts. We check it daily and clean it out of logs and confirm virtual/EC finds through it most of the time. I ended up forwarding it to my work address so I can see the logs on my Blackberry as they arrive. Has come in pretty handy a few times.

Example:

We once got a log describing an issue with a popular cache of ours that had to be taken care of ASAP- it had been muggled and was full of poo. I was heading to the airport, about .40 of a mile from the cache and got the email just as Dean dropped me off. So he was able to immediately drive over and retrieve the cache while I disabled it using the wi-fi at the airport. We later Archived the cache as the area became a camp for several homeless folks and no longer a good hiding spot. Logs are important, would have hated to have anyone else come across that particular container as it was probably the nastiest cache we had ever dealt with. (second nastiest was the one where a finder the previous fall had left a soft boiled egg... we found it in the early summer on a warm day- just about killed us when we opened that ammo can.)

Jennifer