Geocache Hiding Spot Pet Peeves

February 7, 2010

Ever found or hunted for a geocache that was hidden in an area that was less than appropriate or made you uncomfortable? I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide doesn't look suspicious at all. Please stop hiding geocaches in places like this!!!

8.6k · February 7, 2010

We have found a couple of those. BUT, they were not "public" playgrounds. Our finds were at church playgrounds and the hide was by church members. Too, it was requested not to attempt the find if the playgrounds were in use (but I bet all of the kids knew about the cache, anyway).

Also I must add, that these finds were not within 80 miles of a "city"! :laughing:

22k · February 7, 2010

Moving - not a Website feature or function issue.

1.4k · February 7, 2010

While maybe not inappropriate, blackberry bush hides just grind my gears. There's one here that placed in the blackberry bushes not 15 feet from the Juvenile Hall rec yard. (placed by a friend of mine, he knows my gripes) Not only do the bushes make for unpleasant hunting, but when it's play time you see tons of muggles in the orange jumpsuits getting their incarceration on.

February 7, 2010

While maybe not inappropriate, blackberry bush hides just grind my gears. There's one here that placed in the blackberry bushes not 15 feet from the Juvenile Hall rec yard. (placed by a friend of mine, he knows my gripes) Not only do the bushes make for unpleasant hunting, but when it's play time you see tons of muggles in the orange jumpsuits getting their incarceration on.

That's hilarious.

1.9k · February 7, 2010

Mine is area with 999999999999999 rocks and clue is 'under a rock'

February 7, 2010

Ever found or hunted for a geocache that was hidden in an area that was less than appropriate or made you uncomfortable? I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide doesn't look suspicious at all. Please stop hiding geocaches in places like this!!!

I just "love" bush hides, and the hint is "hanging".

OldA'sFan

4.8k · February 7, 2010

Peeves?

Rock in a rock pile. Not funny, not fun, not interesting, not anything but a nuisance. I gladly skip them. Any hide in holly bushes, juniper bushes, pine trees, rose bushes, blackberry bushes, and many more pokey bushes. Micros in the forest.

2.3k · February 7, 2010

Peeves?

Rock in a rock pile. Not funny, not fun, not interesting, not anything but a nuisance. I gladly skip them. Any hide in holly bushes, juniper bushes, pine trees, rose bushes, blackberry bushes, and many more pokey bushes. Micros in the forest.

And in banana trees? :laughing:

4.8k · February 7, 2010

Peeves?

Rock in a rock pile. Not funny, not fun, not interesting, not anything but a nuisance. I gladly skip them. Any hide in holly bushes, juniper bushes, pine trees, rose bushes, blackberry bushes, and many more pokey bushes. Micros in the forest.

And in banana trees?

I'm pretty sure it was a palm tree. I hated that one too.

February 7, 2010

Mine is area with 999999999999999 rocks and clue is 'under a rock'

I'm still a newbie, but I agree 999999999999999% I've spent plenty of time going, "maybe its that one.......nope.......ooo maybe its that one..........nope.......maybe......ahh forget it, where's the next one!!!! :laughing:

February 7, 2010

Ever found or hunted for a geocache that was hidden in an area that was less than appropriate or made you uncomfortable? I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide doesn't look suspicious at all. Please stop hiding geocaches in places like this!!!

I just "love" bush hides, and the hint is "hanging".

OldA'sFan

You have a lot of those in that town as I found out in September. Then I came home and did a series where we had to park on the side of the highway. I've decided to avoid both in the future.

February 7, 2010

Peeves?

Rock in a rock pile. Not funny, not fun, not interesting, not anything but a nuisance. I gladly skip them. Any hide in holly bushes, juniper bushes, pine trees, rose bushes, blackberry bushes, and many more pokey bushes. Micros in the forest.

Not all micros in the forest are a chore. We have found a few inside ammo cans! One comes to mind, the hint was "magnetic."

14k · February 7, 2010

Peeves?

Rock in a rock pile. Not funny, not fun, not interesting, not anything but a nuisance. I gladly skip them. Any hide in holly bushes, juniper bushes, pine trees, rose bushes, blackberry bushes, and many more pokey bushes. Micros in the forest.

Not all micros in the forest are a chore. We have found a few inside ammo cans! One comes to mind, the hint was "magnetic."

I've got my share of DNFs but the number of DNFs on larger containers, even a few ammo cans, has far exceeded the number of DNFs I've had on micros in the woods.

One of my more memorable finds was on one called Woodchunk. The title kind of tells you what to look for. The cache was .5 mile up a steep trail into an area with a lot of fallen trees but with nobody around it was pretty easy to do a thorough search. I had honed my geoskills enough to notice a particular piece of wood that was just a bit different from all the other wood on the ground and I was able to find it after only a few minutes of searching. That was in July, 2008 and I'm the last person to find it (only 8 other finds since it was placed in Aug. 2006). For me, finding a cache that is rarely found by anyone else is worth the difficulty of the search.

3.2k · February 7, 2010

In my opinion micros in evergreen trees and playground equipment nanos are the bottom feeders of caches.

6k · February 7, 2010

I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide

Making that search is a choice. Since you chose to do that search you have no right to complain. If I see that info in the description or arrive at the site and feel it isn't appropriate I don't seek it and place it on my ignore list.

Asking the cacheing world to change their procedures because of a personal dislike seems a bit egotistical. Since this hobby has a strong anarchist bent it wouldn't be well received.

Next you will want to vote on cache ratings.

3.2k · February 7, 2010

I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide

Making that search is a choice. Since you chose to do that search you have no right to complain. If I see that info in the description or arrive at the site and feel it isn't appropriate I don't seek it and place it on my ignore list.

Asking the cacheing world to change their procedures because of a personal dislike seems a bit egotistical. Since this hobby has a strong anarchist bent it wouldn't be well received.

Next you will want to vote on cache ratings.

I vote yes.

38.2k · February 7, 2010

I dislike caches that put me in plain view of homes or businesses. I particularly dislike the ones near homes where the the dogs start barking (it always seems these houses have 2 or more dogs) as soon as you approach GZ.

7.3k · February 7, 2010

in my opinion micros in evergreen trees and playground equipment nanos are the bottom feeders of caches.

I see these two types quite differently. While I'm not a big fan of haystack hides, for me what makes a cache placement inappropriate is whether the cache search will make other people uncomfortable, or if it strikes me that the owner or manager of the property would want it removed if they knew about it.

Of course, you can't tell about permission on many caches. I might assume that the owner would want it gone, and I might be wrong. Perhaps they do know about it.

You can tell that your search is making other people uncomfortable or unhappy. Certainly on playground hides, if there are children present, it's time to go. Unless you've got kids of your own to send out after the cache. Which is why playground hides may be okay.

3.3k · February 7, 2010

I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide

Making that search is a choice. Since you chose to do that search you have no right to complain. If I see that info in the description or arrive at the site and feel it isn't appropriate I don't seek it and place it on my ignore list.

Asking the cacheing world to change their procedures because of a personal dislike seems a bit egotistical. Since this hobby has a strong anarchist bent it wouldn't be well received.

Next you will want to vote on cache ratings.

Great points. I have always felt that newspaper rack, lamp post, playground equipment, apartment complex, homeless outhouse, and parking structure caches are inappropriate but I have never advocated a ban on them. I protest them by placing them on my ignore list.

I'm not going to deny a "couch potato" his "100 finds a day" stats.

I believe there is a strong correlation between premium members (those who support Groundspeak) and a proliferation of inappropriate caches. "Power cachers" love easy access caches to pad their stats. Nearly every "bomb squad stroy" involves caches on my personal inappropriate list. Groundspeak has never made any changes regarding the regulation of these caches, because it "bites the hand" that feeds them.

18.9k · February 7, 2010

You know, nothing in the world can "make you" go search after any cache out there. Realizing that it is ok to walk away when you uncomfortable with any aspect of a hide is the first step to enjoying the activity much more.

9.3k · February 7, 2010

Ever found or hunted for a geocache that was hidden in an area that was less than appropriate?

Many many times. Typically, I just walk away and find the next one.

38.2k · February 7, 2010

You know, nothing in the world can "make you" go search after any cache out there. Realizing that it is ok to walk away when you uncomfortable with any aspect of a hide is the first step to enjoying the activity much more.

Oh yeah, what if someone walks up to you on the street and puts a gun to your head and demands you search for a certain cache?

6.7k · February 7, 2010

I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide

Making that search is a choice. Since you chose to do that search you have no right to complain. If I see that info in the description or arrive at the site and feel it isn't appropriate I don't seek it and place it on my ignore list.

Asking the cacheing world to change their procedures because of a personal dislike seems a bit egotistical. Since this hobby has a strong anarchist bent it wouldn't be well received.

Next you will want to vote on cache ratings.

When I arrive at a location and find that the cache is hidden on playground equipment I leave. I log a DNF on the cache mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

Those hides are like LPCs in the parkinglot of a park, stupid. Go out into the park and find a good spot to hide a cache that everyone can find. That way no one gets left out. Those seekers with small kids who say they love hides on playground equipment because the kiddies enjoy the swings and slides can still enjoy those things if the cache is in a tree 100 feet away.

All that said I am not loosing any sleep over the few hides I pass up because they are on the puke machine in the local park. Do they even have those things anymore?

14k · February 7, 2010

You know, nothing in the world can "make you" go search after any cache out there. Realizing that it is ok to walk away when you uncomfortable with any aspect of a hide is the first step to enjoying the activity much more.

Oh yeah, what if someone walks up to you on the street and puts a gun to your head and demands you search for a certain cache?

It better be rated 5 star terrain (a gun wielding thug is special equipment) but it wouldn't be published under the new ALR guidelines if you were required to find it with a gun to your head in order to log it online.

5.6k · February 7, 2010

You know, nothing in the world can "make you" go search after any cache out there. Realizing that it is ok to walk away when you uncomfortable with any aspect of a hide is the first step to enjoying the activity much more.

Oh yeah, what if someone walks up to you on the street and puts a gun to your head and demands you search for a certain cache?

It better be rated 5 star terrain (a gun wielding thug is special equipment) but it wouldn't be published under the new ALR guidelines if you were required to find it with a gun to your head in order to log it online.

Me, I was wondering if I could use that to help find the **** cache I have 4 DNF's on... :laughing:

6.7k · February 7, 2010

You know, nothing in the world can "make you" go search after any cache out there. Realizing that it is ok to walk away when you uncomfortable with any aspect of a hide is the first step to enjoying the activity much more.

Yes yes. We have all heard this line and most of us have used it. But this isn't geocaching this is a discussion about geocaching. I walk away from many caches that I find inappropriate to search for. Sometimes the reason is as permanent as the cache and sometimes it is as temporary as the person who just happens to be walking by as I approach the hiding spot. The questions being discussed are more about the first scenario. What places, although not against the guidelines, are a less than ideal for a cache hide and why? What caches do you walk away from every time they cross your sights.

4.8k · February 7, 2010

<snip> mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

Who was the one that decided that adults shouldn't enjoy playing on playgrounds? That's just unfair!!

I think the last time I actually played on playground equipment I was almost 30. My kids loved that I would play just like they did.

There even used to be a place where kids could eat pizza and then do the indoor jungle gym thing. Parents were welcome to play on the equipment too. My kids loved it when their grandpa would go in there. ALL the kids loved it when the 50yo bald guy was playing in the ball pit.

6.7k · February 7, 2010

<snip> mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

Who was the one that decided that adults shouldn't enjoy playing on playgrounds? That's just unfair!!

I think the last time I actually played on playground equipment I was almost 30. My kids loved that I would play just like they did.

There even used to be a place where kids could eat pizza and then do the indoor jungle gym thing. Parents were welcome to play on the equipment too. My kids loved it when their grandpa would go in there. ALL the kids loved it when the 50yo bald guy was playing in the ball pit.

Ah, but you were accompanied by the kids. If you were a 20 something mom with your three or four year old kids on the playground equipment how would you feel if you showed up and started poking around looking for something on that same equipment?

February 7, 2010

For me, the worst place is within a ten foot radius of poison oak. These hides are especially bad this time of year because the foliage is gone (the warning leaves of three) and just shiny harmless looking sticks are showing. Anytime (well, to be honest, most of the time :laughing: ) I'll pass up caches hidden anywhere near poison oak.

10.1k · February 7, 2010

When I arrive at a location and find that the cache is hidden on playground equipment I leave. I log a DNF on the cache mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

And, I put the CO on my ignore list.

February 8, 2010

One other spot that bugs me. Micros in the middle of busy parking lots. No problem at night when no one is around but mighty uncomfortable during the day when your poking around makes you look like a car prowler.

Edited February 8, 2010 by team_malaglot

February 8, 2010

I also wish people wouldn't put them right in their front yard either. Sure you have permission to enter the property but not everybody seems to explain geocaching to their neighbors and when you are snooping around the fire hydrant in front of their house trying to zero in on the cache hidden next door at their neighbors.....well lets say a lot of us have found ourselves uncomfortably trying to explain to the neighbor why they shouldn't call the cops.

Edited February 8, 2010 by team_malaglot

1.5k · February 8, 2010

Least favorite for me are those in someone's front yard or a neighborhood--these are the only ones I ignore and will not search for. Next are any type of evergreen or bush--I'll give them a look, but really despise them, especially when the tree is 40' around. Playgrounds are iffy, but I save them for a rainy day--most have been quick finds.

February 8, 2010

I hunted for one that was hidden somewhere on a children's playground INSIDE a piece of playground equipment! Yeah that's just what I want to be doing. A grown man skulking around a playground carrying a piece of electronic equipment looking up under the kiddie slide

Making that search is a choice. Since you chose to do that search you have no right to complain. If I see that info in the description or arrive at the site and feel it isn't appropriate I don't seek it and place it on my ignore list.

Asking the cacheing world to change their procedures because of a personal dislike seems a bit egotistical. Since this hobby has a strong anarchist bent it wouldn't be well received.

Next you will want to vote on cache ratings.

Walter no one is askng the caching world to do anything. We are just venting our pet peeves about cache placement. If you like placing/hunting for caches on playgrounds, in the middle of shopping mall parking lots, or in blackberry patches you go right ahead and knock yerself out. The rest of us will (in the anarchist spirit) do as we please and vent our pet peeves as we please. Lighten up.

February 8, 2010

When I arrive at a location and find that the cache is hidden on playground equipment I leave. I log a DNF on the cache mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

And, I put the CO on my ignore list.

Yeah it was cute when my kid was a great excuse to hang out near the jungle gym. Now it's just creepy. What I hate most is that you might have wasted a bunch of time going to do that one cache only to find it was at one of those places when you could have been spending time at another location.

February 8, 2010

When I arrive at a location and find that the cache is hidden on playground equipment I leave. I log a DNF on the cache mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

And, I put the CO on my ignore list.

Yeah it was cute when my kid was a great excuse to hang out near the jungle gym. Now it's just creepy. What I hate most is that you might have wasted a bunch of time going to do that one cache only to find it was at one of those places when you could have been spending time at another location.

Then there was the cache where you actually had to dismantle the playground equipment to get the cache container.

2k · February 8, 2010

1. Caches hidden in large fields of river rocks.

2. Caches (mostly micros) lazily thrown in to bushes with complete disregard to the landscaping/enviroment.

4.8k · February 8, 2010

Oh, another peeve. Any cache that is placed where someone has used the area as a toilet.

6.7k · February 8, 2010

When I arrive at a location and find that the cache is hidden on playground equipment I leave. I log a DNF on the cache mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

And, I put the CO on my ignore list.

One bad cache is not enough to get me to ignore all of the caches placed a cacher. That would take a history of bad caches.

6.7k · February 8, 2010

When I arrive at a location and find that the cache is hidden on playground equipment I leave. I log a DNF on the cache mentioning that I walked away because fifty year old bald guys have no business messing around with playground equipment.

And, I put the CO on my ignore list.

Yeah it was cute when my kid was a great excuse to hang out near the jungle gym. Now it's just creepy. What I hate most is that you might have wasted a bunch of time going to do that one cache only to find it was at one of those places when you could have been spending time at another location.

Then there was the cache where you actually had to dismantle the playground equipment to get the cache container.

Any cache that required dismantling property like that would get a NA from me.

6.7k · February 8, 2010

Oh, another peeve. Any cache that is placed where someone has used the area as a toilet.

Agreed. But that isn't always the CO's fault. You can add any cache that HAS been used as a toilet. A horror story I've heard but thankfully never had to deal with.

19k · February 8, 2010

At the front desk at the police station. Especially those that are swagged with illegal substances. I just hate that sort of cache!

Nanos hidden on rifle range targets... I don't wanna get all angsty on you folks, but I think that those should probably be banned.

Any cache hidden in the molten lava of active volcanos. Including ammo cans. Those are just plain nasty.

1.8k · February 8, 2010

Mine is area with 999999999999999 rocks and clue is 'under a rock'

I walked away from one of these just this morning. So many other places nearby to hide a good cache and in a bed of rocks next to a building is the best they could do?

I also dislike those that have no safe place to park nearby. I refuse to park in the road or drive down into a ditch for the joy of finding a micro along a highway. I know we cache at our own risk, but why bring someone out to dodge traffic?

14k · February 8, 2010

At the front desk at the police station. Especially those that are swagged with illegal substances. I just hate that sort of cache!

Nanos hidden on rifle range targets... I don't wanna get all angsty on you folks, but I think that those should probably be banned.

Any cache hidden in the molten lava of active volcanos. Including ammo cans. Those are just plain nasty.

Like this one?

1.8k · February 9, 2010

Two types " chip my concrete "

In ivy plants.

In a redwood forest full of stumps and dead-falls and the hint is ... in / near / under a stump Riiiiiiiiiiiggggghhhht

February 9, 2010

Lately we have had a couple place micros throughout the area. I don't mind micros but the two things they do that bother me are...

1. Most have no description on the cache page or they will post "Bring a pin." and no hints.

2. If you post a find and you provide to much info on the location of the cache they will delete your find. They even say that on the cache page. They feel there are not enough geocaches that are a challenge. And the caches are usually posted with no more than 3 stars for difficulty.

The second has happen to me at lest once. I had to argue my case. And I re-posted my find.

February 9, 2010

<snip>If you post a find and you provide to much info on the location of the cache they will delete your find. They even say that on the cache page. <snip>

The second has happen to me at lest once. I had to argue my case. And I re-posted my find.

Why do you feel that you should provide info on the location of the cache in your log?

February 9, 2010

Oh, one other peeve.

People that program their Geocache account to send a text to their phone when a new cache has been placed. Two different people in my area have more than 10 FTFs in the last few months because of this. One of them at a meeting even blurted out that, they got a text late one night and so they ran out in their PJs to get the FTF. I like geocaching but I also have a life.

February 9, 2010

<snip>If you post a find and you provide to much info on the location of the cache they will delete your find. They even say that on the cache page. <snip>

The second has happen to me at lest once. I had to argue my case. And I re-posted my find.

Why do you feel that you should provide info on the location of the cache in your log?

I don't mean exact location. I'm talking about little clues or spoilers as the cache page says.

"Warning. Spoilers may be included in the descriptions or links."

I didn't give anything away and I wouldn't. But Some times if I can't find a cache I would read through the post and a clue or hint is given that will help.

My post they deleted said "The tape was not sticking and it may fall." To them it was grounds to delete.

Edited February 9, 2010 by cmhall9

Geocache Hiding Spot Pet Peeves

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