Finding caches in trees

[+TreadsByStarlight]

I am having trouble finding small and micro caches in trees. Sometimes there are no hints to show where on the tree the cache is. The type of trees I'm talking about are the large needled trees with branches that jut out horizontally for 5 to 15 feet. Should I look at the trunk or the innumerable hiding places within the branches? I am new, thanks so much whoever helps me out!

[+simpjkee]

I am having trouble finding small and micro caches in trees. Sometimes there are no hints to show where on the tree the cache is. The type of trees I'm talking about are the large needled trees with branches that jut out horizontally for 5 to 15 feet. Should I look at the trunk or the innumerable hiding places within the branches? I am new, thanks so much whoever helps me out!

 

I'd circle the tree, start from the outside, and then work my way in till I spotted it. And unless it says so, you can't be certain it's in the tree. It could be on the ground and you just overlook it. And check for fake pine cones and stuff.

Edited February 28, 2010 by simpjkee

[+godavid]

i did find a few in tress and as the member stated before me walk around the tree first and do like i do lo0k for any broken branches that may lead to someone before you been there ~~your the hunter

[+bittsen]

I've seen many caches in conifer trees. I've seen everything from fake pine cones to bottle cap caches screwed into the tree trunk to caches hanging like a Christmas ornament.

I HATE most conifer hides. I don't like sap getting on my clothes but it's geocaching, right?

 

So, my advice for searching conifers is.... look everywhere and sometimes it's easier to look from the inside to the outside. Yup, just get right inside the tree and look around.

[+briansnat]

look everywhere and sometimes it's easier to look from the inside to the outside. Yup, just get right inside the tree and look around.

 

Kind of what I do. I get on the ground, crawl inside and look up

[AZcachemeister]

I am having trouble finding small and micro caches in trees. Sometimes there are no hints to show where on the tree the cache is. The type of trees I'm talking about are the large needled trees with branches that jut out horizontally for 5 to 15 feet. Should I look at the trunk or the innumerable hiding places within the branches? I am new, thanks so much whoever helps me out!

 

If they tell you it's hanging from a branch, on the west side, about four feet off the ground, it's not much of a hunt...is it?

 

So the answer is no, there is no 'standard location'.

[GOF and Bacall]

Cache hides on trees are almost always someplace on the tree. That is about as standard as it gets.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

A properly painted bison tube, or blinkie can be awfully hard to spot hanging.

 

Have seen flashlight bodies (2-D cell) colored so that you don't see them hanging very well, and those were just hanging on the outside branches!

 

EDIT: Have seen some of those SD hides in trees (junipers, I think). Personally, we like them for the challenge they can be.

Edited February 28, 2010 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+eigengott]

I am having trouble finding small and micro caches in trees. Sometimes there are no hints to show where on the tree the cache is. The type of trees I'm talking about are the large needled trees with branches that jut out horizontally for 5 to 15 feet. Should I look at the trunk or the innumerable hiding places within the branches? I am new, thanks so much whoever helps me out!

 

If the terrain is rated at 5 and climbing gear is recommended, I would look straight upwards!

 

So, it depends on several factors like D/T rating, local geocaching customs, container size etc.

[+KeeperOfTheMist]

Pine tree hides..... the bane of my existance....

 

yeah they can be just about anywhere and even a big pill bottle strapped to a caribiner clip clipped to a branch can be a pain at times..

if you can get in the tree you might have a chance though. oh and dont forget to check the fungii either

[+edscott]

look everywhere and sometimes it's easier to look from the inside to the outside. Yup, just get right inside the tree and look around.

 

Kind of what I do. I get on the ground, crawl inside and look up

 

Brian... we think alike. The hider has probably tried to make it hard to spot so looking from an unusual perspective often works.

 

That's assuming it's not an older cache, in which case it is right behind the brown twisted limb by the hole in the side of the bush. I hate evergreen tree hides especially when the hider gives a hint of "Pine Tree" when it is really a cedar, or spruce or hemlock or juniper or whatever....

[+ThePetersTrio]

I always try to make these hides harder than they usually are. There was this one tree cache I went back to 3 times and I swear I looked at every single branch from every single angle. Then just as I was about to give up again (after several cachers logged how easy it was for them to find it) I noticed a spot just large enough to hold a bison tube and sure enough - there it was, well covered with pine needles and leaves. I really had to reach for it and push my way into the tree to get to it.

 

What makes me sad about these types of hides is that over the 3 times I hunted it, I could tell the tree was being damaged by cachers searching for the tube. I probably should have just put it on my ignore list and moved on. But...I...just...couldn't...give...up...

[+The Leprechauns]

look everywhere and sometimes it's easier to look from the inside to the outside. Yup, just get right inside the tree and look around.

 

Kind of what I do. I get on the ground, crawl inside and look up

 

Brian... we think alike. The hider has probably tried to make it hard to spot so looking from an unusual perspective often works.

Add me to the list of cachers who will do this when I can do so without harming myself or the tree.

 

I call it the "Be the Tree" strategy.

[+kunarion]

If you're new, don't know where to look and there are no hints, take a break from that cache. Find some other "tree" caches first. There are many fun, clever cache styles, and you need to discover them yourself. Then come back to that tree and you'll be amazed that you couldn't find it the first time.

[+joespaz]

Last time I was looking for a micro in a tree my brother WRITE SHOP ROBERT gave me an idea that worked great. Instead of looking closely for the item mixed into the brances, I looked through the branches. I was looking for something that stuck out from the profile. This was at night so we shined the flashlight through the tree instead of checking each branch. I did the same thing recently using the sun. Does that make sense?

 

Maybe someone else can explain it better.

[+narcissa]

Spotting micros in trees is something that just gets easier with experience. There's not a lot of advice that will make it any easier.

 

After 1200 finds, I still sometimes get stumped with a well-camouflaged micro in a spruce tree.

[+ras_oscar]

Think like a hider.

 

If the tree is in a landscape that's maintained its likely near the trunk where its less likely to accidently get "trimmed" by the maintenance crew. Dont forget to check them bird's nests, that's been done before. Fake pine cones, painted wooden acorns, all have delighted me in my short career.

 

Also, why are you sure its in the tree? Cache names are often designed to be misleading. I did one called "is it a lamp post" There was a lamp post nearby. Was it the lamp post? good question. I won't tell.

[+Chrysalides]

I try to look along the branches, sort of a variation of what joespaz described. But different trees, different possibilities. 3 4 (just thought of another one) so far required me to climb the tree. Bison hanging in shrubbery / leaves usually need a few visits as I seem to have a problem with those. A metal detector helped with a few hides - usually either the hanger or the cache is metallic.

Edited February 28, 2010 by Chrysalides

[+fishgeek]

I try to look the tree/bush over thoroughly, then move a few feet and look again. Repeat until you've gone all the way around. Sometimes the cache is behind a leaf or a branch. A little different angle of view will sometimes reveal it.

[+HawkLawless1]

Sometimes, depending on how new it is, there are occasional tell-tale signs. Look along the ground and look for recent activity. Sometimes, I just barge in and start looking around...if I don't see it right off, I'll step back and re-engage from a different angle. Haven't found any tree caches that are similar, so it comes with experience. Had a difficult one a couple weeks back where the CO had covered the hole in the tree with a cork. Couldn't imagine trying to find that one during the summer when all the leaves are out.

[+TreadsByStarlight]

Sometimes, depending on how new it is, there are occasional tell-tale signs. Look along the ground and look for recent activity. Sometimes, I just barge in and start looking around...if I don't see it right off, I'll step back and re-engage from a different angle. Haven't found any tree caches that are similar, so it comes with experience. Had a difficult one a couple weeks back where the CO had covered the hole in the tree with a cork. Couldn't imagine trying to find that one during the summer when all the leaves are out.

 

Thanks for all the hints guys, I appreciate it. Will hit this one spot with renewed vigor!

[+TreadsByStarlight]

One more question: when you say hiding "micros" in trees, do you mean those tiny blinkies? Do people do that???

[+Chrysalides]

One more question: when you say hiding "micros" in trees, do you mean those tiny blinkies? Do people do that???

Only found one. Quite an evil hide. In plain sight too.

 

More common is a bison tube attached to a metal wire shaped as a hook.

[+DonB]

I haven't tried this myself yet, but I have been told that if you shine a good bright flashlight around the branches, even in the daytime, a lot of times the cache will reflect a little different then the needles.

[+simpjkee]

I haven't tried this myself yet, but I have been told that if you shine a good bright flashlight around the branches, even in the daytime, a lot of times the cache will reflect a little different then the needles.

 

O fo sho. I cache a lot at night. Some cachers say that they think caching at night is harder, but a lot times it's easier. Like shining your light and getting a reflection. Not just in trees, but also in bushes and rocks and stuff too. I notice that a lot. I cache so much more at night that when I cache during the day it just feels weird not holding my flashlight.

[+rambrush]

Had one yesterday that was 20+ feet up a tree that was similar to a 35mm film cartridge camo'd to match. Took almost a hour to locate

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

I haven't tried this myself yet, but I have been told that if you shine a good bright flashlight around the branches, even in the daytime, a lot of times the cache will reflect a little different then the needles.

 

O fo sho. I cache a lot at night. Some cachers say that they think caching at night is harder, but a lot times it's easier. Like shining your light and getting a reflection. Not just in trees, but also in bushes and rocks and stuff too. I notice that a lot. I cache so much more at night that when I cache during the day it just feels weird not holding my flashlight.

A good method for finding spiders at night, too! Their eyes glow/shine brightly.

Of course, that's only if you want to find spiders at night.

 

EDIT: You must hold the flashlight at your eye level.

Edited March 1, 2010 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+bittsen]

I haven't tried this myself yet, but I have been told that if you shine a good bright flashlight around the branches, even in the daytime, a lot of times the cache will reflect a little different then the needles.

 

O fo sho. I cache a lot at night. Some cachers say that they think caching at night is harder, but a lot times it's easier. Like shining your light and getting a reflection. Not just in trees, but also in bushes and rocks and stuff too. I notice that a lot. I cache so much more at night that when I cache during the day it just feels weird not holding my flashlight.

A good method for finding spiders at night, too! Their eyes glow/shine brightly.

Of course, that's only if you want to find spiders at night.

 

EDIT: You must hold the flashlight at your eye level.

 

The easiest way to find spiders at night is to simply walk. I don't know why but the biggest spiders seem to enjoy building their webs exactly at face level.

[+DragonsWest]

I haven't tried this myself yet, but I have been told that if you shine a good bright flashlight around the branches, even in the daytime, a lot of times the cache will reflect a little different then the needles.

 

O fo sho. I cache a lot at night. Some cachers say that they think caching at night is harder, but a lot times it's easier. Like shining your light and getting a reflection. Not just in trees, but also in bushes and rocks and stuff too. I notice that a lot. I cache so much more at night that when I cache during the day it just feels weird not holding my flashlight.

A good method for finding spiders at night, too! Their eyes glow/shine brightly.

Of course, that's only if you want to find spiders at night.

 

EDIT: You must hold the flashlight at your eye level.

 

The easiest way to find spiders at night is to simply walk. I don't know why but the biggest spiders seem to enjoy building their webs exactly at face level.

 

I haven't looked lately, but I think it's in their contract.

 

I've often been graced with their silken strands during the day, hopefully while they're off in a hidey-hole feasting on mosquito carcasses and now down my shirt.

[+StarBrand]

As a general rule, small and regular sized caches tend to be at the center of the tree and under 4 foot high.

 

Micro caches tend to be well camo'd and within 2 to 3 feet of the outside of the tree and attached to branches. In this case I'd equate "tend to" = around 50% of the time.

 

Over the year's I've seen the micros from the base up to about 12 feet and anywhere from the tip of branches to the trunk.

[+DragonsWest]

Never rule out that the geotrail takes you to the side where the cache is.

 

I've encountered a few which required a climb, I have one placed so, but none which required further than 10 feet off the ground.

 

Difficulty should be adjusted and reflect for climbing. If it's less than a 3 then you should be able to fetch it without summoning your inner cache monkey.