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This was the log on one of my caches that I just received: "Looked long and hard with no luck, started to leave and found it about 20 feet east of where it should have been. So we put it back at the right cords. SL TFTC"

 

I checked on this cache last Tuesday and it was where I had placed it. No one found it between then and the time this cacher logged his find. Isn't it nice to have people be so helpful?! I know his/her intention was good, but going to cost me a 70 mile round trip to make sure the cache is where it is supposed to be; assuming, of course, I can find where he re-hid the cache.

 

No need for discussion...just venting. And it isn't the first time I've had this happen either. So, nothing new, just an annoyance I felt like vening over.

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This was the log on one of my caches that I just received: "Looked long and hard with no luck, started to leave and found it about 20 feet east of where it should have been. So we put it back at the right cords. SL TFTC"

 

I checked on this cache last Tuesday and it was where I had placed it. No one found it between then and the time this cacher logged his find. Isn't it nice to have people be so helpful?! I know his/her intention was good, but going to cost me a 70 mile round trip to make sure the cache is where it is supposed to be; assuming, of course, I can find where he re-hid the cache.

 

No need for discussion...just venting. And it isn't the first time I've had this happen either. So, nothing new, just an annoyance I felt like vening over.

 

Just send them a friendly note to tell them to return it to where they found it and see how helpful they are.

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This was the log on one of my caches that I just received: "Looked long and hard with no luck, started to leave and found it about 20 feet east of where it should have been. So we put it back at the right cords. SL TFTC"

 

I checked on this cache last Tuesday and it was where I had placed it. No one found it between then and the time this cacher logged his find. Isn't it nice to have people be so helpful?! I know his/her intention was good, but going to cost me a 70 mile round trip to make sure the cache is where it is supposed to be; assuming, of course, I can find where he re-hid the cache.

 

No need for discussion...just venting. And it isn't the first time I've had this happen either. So, nothing new, just an annoyance I felt like vening over.

 

Just send them a friendly note to tell them to return it to where they found it and see how helpful they are.

 

I did send the cacher an e-mail and he is more than willing to help me locate where he placed the cache; but, I'm still going to need to make the trip to make sure it does get back where it was supposed to be. It's always possible an animal 'moved' the cache from its original location to where the cacher found it; so, having the cacher return it to where he found it won't necessarily put it back in its original location. Thus, the need for a maintenance trip.

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Am I missing something here?

 

The cache was NOT in the right place. The cache finder put it back in the right place. The CO has confirmed that the cacher did in fact return the cache to the right spot. Now the CO is mad because the cacher corrected a problem with the cache, correctly?

 

Really?!?

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Am I missing something here?

 

The cache was NOT in the right place. The cache finder put it back in the right place. The CO has confirmed that the cacher did in fact return the cache to the right spot. Now the CO is mad because the cacher corrected a problem with the cache, correctly?

 

Really?!?

 

You may want to go back and re-read what has traspired. I have no idea where the cacher found the cache; only that it was where it was supposed to be on the previous Tuesday. I made a statement in my second post that it is always possible an animail may have moved it since I checked it; not that it was/wasn't where it was supposed to be. There is no way of knowing until I visit the cache site where the cache is now. And I don't recall ever saying I was "mad" at the cacher; only annoyed because the cache wasn't replaced where the cacher found it. Hence, resulting in the need to make a maintenance run to make sure the cache is where it is supposed to be, not where the cacher thought it should be.

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Am I missing something here?

 

The cache was NOT in the right place. The cache finder put it back in the right place. The CO has confirmed that the cacher did in fact return the cache to the right spot. Now the CO is mad because the cacher corrected a problem with the cache, correctly?

 

Really?!?

 

You may want to reread the OP.

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This was the log on one of my caches that I just received: "Looked long and hard with no luck, started to leave and found it about 20 feet east of where it should have been. So we put it back at the right cords. SL TFTC"

 

I checked on this cache last Tuesday and it was where I had placed it. No one found it between then and the time this cacher logged his find. Isn't it nice to have people be so helpful?! I know his/her intention was good, but going to cost me a 70 mile round trip to make sure the cache is where it is supposed to be; assuming, of course, I can find where he re-hid the cache.

 

No need for discussion...just venting. And it isn't the first time I've had this happen either. So, nothing new, just an annoyance I felt like vening over.

 

You mean no one logged a find on-line between last Tuesday and this cacher's log.

 

I understand you are annoyed by this. I will say ranting about how long you have to drive to maintain you cache makes me want to bring up the argument about caches being close enough to maintain. If it's skin off your rear, maybe it's too far?

 

I know, I know. You were just there! So that's the annoying part. Anyone you can ask that lives closer? Any previous finders you know live closer and you can buy them a coffee later?

Edited by scorpio_dark
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This was the log on one of my caches that I just received: "Looked long and hard with no luck, started to leave and found it about 20 feet east of where it should have been. So we put it back at the right cords. SL TFTC"

 

I checked on this cache last Tuesday and it was where I had placed it. No one found it between then and the time this cacher logged his find. Isn't it nice to have people be so helpful?! I know his/her intention was good, but going to cost me a 70 mile round trip to make sure the cache is where it is supposed to be; assuming, of course, I can find where he re-hid the cache.

 

No need for discussion...just venting. And it isn't the first time I've had this happen either. So, nothing new, just an annoyance I felt like vening over.

 

You mean no one logged a find on-line between last Tuesday and this cacher's log.

 

I understand you are annoyed by this. I will say ranting about how long you have to drive to maintain you cache makes me want to bring up the argument about caches being close enough to maintain. If it's skin off your rear, maybe it's too far?

 

I know, I know. You were just there! So that's the annoying part. Anyone you can ask that lives closer? Any previous finders you know live closer and you can buy them a coffee later?

 

You are correct in the assumption that no one else logged a find on-line between the time I was there and the time the cacher found it. The cache has been found a total of eleven times since it was placed on 4-13-07. The preivous find was on 5-14-09. I used to live within 12 miles of the cache. The cache has a rating of 3, 3.5. So, it doesn't get a lot of visits. And it's not that I don't trust someone else to check on it; it is my responsibility to make sure it is where it was supposed to be and in good condition. As far as it being 'skin off my rear'; it wouldn't matter if it were only a five mile drive, the 'annoyance' is in the cache not being returned to where it was found and instead placed where the finder thought it should go, according to his GPSr. I have caches much farther away than this particular cachen and maintain them all. If I know I can't get to one for more than a week or two I disable it until I can rectify any problem; as I have done with the cache in question (GC1251C). I hope this clarifies things for you.

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Better disable GC28NFF til you can check it too. Lots of helpful folks in your area. Maybe a cow got the other one too? ;)

 

I happen to be good friends with that cacher and he called to let me know where he put it; right back where it had been, a cow had apparently kicked over the rock it was under. But, thanks for the headsup.

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Even if the "helpful" cacher had just left it where it was and made note that it was likely *not* where it was supposed to be. Wouldn't you have to make a maintenance trip either way? ;) I mean, it hadn't been found in a while. At least the guy tracked it down for you so you can get the cache back in action.

Edited by cinematopographer
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Even if the "helpful" cacher had just left it where it was and made note that it was likely *not* where it was supposed to be. Wouldn't you have to make a maintenance trip either way? ;) I mean, it hadn't been found in a while. At least the guy tracked it down for you so you can get the cache back in action.

...oh wait. I misread the OP. Fail.

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Even if the "helpful" cacher had just left it where it was and made note that it was likely *not* where it was supposed to be. Wouldn't you have to make a maintenance trip either way? ;) I mean, it hadn't been found in a while. At least the guy tracked it down for you so you can get the cache back in action.

 

If the cacher had stated something in his log that the cache was exposed or laying in the open, no doubt I would make a trip to make sure the cache was where it was supposed to be. There was no mention of where the cache was found, only that he put it where his GPSr said it should be. That doesn't give me a lot of confidence that it was placed anywhere near where it should have been. If I had his phone number I would ask if he found it xxxxxxx. Then I would know if it had been disturbed since I had been there just a few days before. As it stands, I'll make the trip, hopefully find where he placed it, and return it, if necessary, to where it was supposed to be.

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Even if the "helpful" cacher had just left it where it was and made note that it was likely *not* where it was supposed to be. Wouldn't you have to make a maintenance trip either way? ;) I mean, it hadn't been found in a while. At least the guy tracked it down for you so you can get the cache back in action.

 

If the cacher had stated something in his log that the cache was exposed or laying in the open, no doubt I would make a trip to make sure the cache was where it was supposed to be. There was no mention of where the cache was found, only that he put it where his GPSr said it should be. That doesn't give me a lot of confidence that it was placed anywhere near where it should have been. If I had his phone number I would ask if he found it xxxxxxx. Then I would know if it had been disturbed since I had been there just a few days before. As it stands, I'll make the trip, hopefully find where he placed it, and return it, if necessary, to where it was supposed to be.

 

Yeah, that earlier post was my bad. Your argument is legit. Too bad though, I'd be kinda ticked too

Edited by cinematopographer
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Am I missing something here?

<snip>

 

You may want to go back and re-read what has traspired. <snip>

 

Sorry about that, I missed the time-line. I thought you had checked the cache "after" this event, not before.

 

Curious... were you able to contact the cacher via email? If so, can't you confirm if they found it in the right spot with a description of either where they put it or asking them if they found it in such-n-such spot?

 

Just trying to keep that open mind, but there could have been a dozen cachers or even a band of muggle-kids who visited the cache between your visit and this log entry. There are lots of people who don't log online or have delays before logging online. Or, maybe the cache they found was a "throw down" cache from the guys that visited the day before, spent 5 minutes searching with their GPS-enabled phone, couldn't find it and did the cache drop. You just never know.

 

Alas, the only solution is a maint visit. But when you go, I'd suggest bringing some 550 cord and tying your cache to the nearest fixed object. They are much less likely to wander around that way.

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I'm always happy when I find the cache within 20' of where my GPS tells me to look. Some people just don't get that.

 

I can see a new geocacher coming along, and going "Oh look! According to my GPS unit, this geocache is 17 feet from where it is supposed to be. I will be oh so very helpful, and move it to... um.. how about that log 17 feet over there? Oh boy I am so helpful!"

 

Sometimes the most helpful thing to do is to not be helpful at all. :laughing:

Edited by heyjonathan101
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As in most things, situation is everything surely.

 

If the cache appeared hidden but at the "wrong" co-ords then it would be a mistake to move it to where you thought it "should" be. But this morning I found a cache lying on gravel in full view of passers-by (an urban cache). I moved it to where I thought it should be, basically moving it upwards in to the tree that it probably fell out of. So I haven't changed the co-ords of GZ but I have changed the location.

 

Was I wrong to do this? Had I left it then it could have been picked up by anyone, and even picked up as trash. I have put it in a safer place, and alerted the owner as well so he can check it.

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As in most things, situation is everything surely.

 

If the cache appeared hidden but at the "wrong" co-ords then it would be a mistake to move it to where you thought it "should" be. But this morning I found a cache lying on gravel in full view of passers-by (an urban cache). I moved it to where I thought it should be, basically moving it upwards in to the tree that it probably fell out of. So I haven't changed the co-ords of GZ but I have changed the location.

 

Was I wrong to do this? Had I left it then it could have been picked up by anyone, and even picked up as trash. I have put it in a safer place, and alerted the owner as well so he can check it.

 

You absolutely did the correct thing for the situation! There is a difference between replacing a geocache to where you think it should go to do the cache owner a "favor," and replacing a geocache to the approximate location because it was clearly (exposed) out of place.

 

As long as you send the cache owner a notification of the situation, you did exactly what every geocacher should do.

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We had that happen to us too twice! This one was under the X of two fallen trees in the little forest The story of the second is in my email.

 

July 12, 2009 by XXXXXXXX (1X found)

 

Second find of the day fairly easy despite a small amount of bush pushing, but overall very accessible! Cache is fairly full of odds and ends trinkets. Cache found at 3m off waypoint and replaced at 1m off waypoint to correct. Lots of fun for all! Great quiet rest area to stretch your legs. Clocked our running speeds with GPS against the kids. Lots of fun! TSLS SL TFTH

 

Our Reply:

______________________________________________________________________________________

Hi XXXXXXXX

 

Welcome to Geocaching!

 

We started Geocaching two years ago as a way to exercise and discover interesting areas in Western Canada and we have not been disappointed.

 

Glad that you enjoyed our XXXXXXX cache!

 

Just a note about geocaching etiquette. GPS nits do vary from each other and even day to day depending on the weather ie clouds and storms. We have two Garmins, a Legend Hcx and a Venture Cx and they never agree and are often 10 feet apart. We are happy if we get 3m away with 3m accuracy when we are hunting for caches. Knowing this, when I had a DNF there, on my next trip by, I retook my coordinates and they are both different as you can see in my note. I am not sure which set you used. The more accepted practice is to post your coordinates in your found it log and then often the owner will correct their coordinates. It can be hard to find a spot that the muggles won't find especially in a little park like XXXXXXX.

 

Our M5-R13-4000 SK11 (GC1FPZT) is a magnetic keyholder that migrates all over a threshing machine. One time we had to have a previous finder email us the picture of where she found it before we could find it! We almost placed another cache there. Then cachers would have been signing both logs.

 

Enjoy your geocaching adventures! And we look forward to finding one of yours one day!

 

mwellman

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Hi mwellan,

 

I just wanted to clarify that I didn't actually move the cache 2m from waypoint as my log post read.

 

I only moved the cache approx 2 feet due east of location under large fallen tree where we originally found it, but my GPS showed I was within 1m instead of 3m which is what the GPS said at location where we actually found it.

 

The coordinates should not have changed and should not cause you to be concerned. Thanks for the heads up as to how to properly record corrections.I guess next time I'll just leave it where I found it. Thought I was doing a favor, sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused!

_________________________________________________________________________________________

 

Now it is under one fallen tree with their hollowed out log hiding it. I am planning to upgrade the Lock n Lock to a ammo can so then I will move it back the few feet to the original spot. And when I do visit, I do retake the coordinates as the weather and season of the year can affect the coordinates and post them in my log. And when I have received visitor coordinates, I often do correct my coordinates.

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One of our early finds was layin on the ground out in the open. The cache's name suggested that it was suppposed to be in the adjacent tree. I hung it in a semi-obvious spot on said tree and e-mailed the CO.

 

They said thanks and said it was defintely in the wrong place when I found it, but I sometimes wonder if I could have handled it better...

Maybe we should have hidden it ourselves to avoid muggles? We were afraid that the CO would get a headache trying to find the cache if we hid it too well :laughing:

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Seriously, people need to stop playing cache owner when they are hunting caches.

 

IMO, their 'help' is neither wanted nor appreciated.

concur. this is what causes cache migration.

shudders to see "i hid it better" in a log

What about; I found your micro under the lamp skirt. Now this was obviously not where it was meant to be because that's so lame, so I instead placed it in the much less lame area of the guardrail 15 meters away at GZ.

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Seriously, people need to stop playing cache owner when they are hunting caches.

 

IMO, their 'help' is neither wanted nor appreciated.

concur. this is what causes cache migration.

shudders to see "i hid it better" in a log

What about; I found your micro under the lamp skirt. Now this was obviously not where it was meant to be because that's so lame, so I instead placed it in the much less lame area of the guardrail 15 meters away at GZ.

 

Or here in Canada, "found your cache in the spruce tree next to the one that my GPS said it should have been in and moved it for you".

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There's a bit of a science to placing "markers" in terrain so that they'll remain where they're set. Surveyors used to set boundaries with rocks and slash marks on trees. Then some force of nature would destroy the tree or move the rock.

 

I'm in an area where there are LOTS of wild animals, hunters, and mugglies picking up "litter." I hid one cache so far. It's secured to a huge limb on a tree, out in a meadow . . . off the beach, about a mile from the nearest access road unless you have 4WD.

 

Make it hard to get to, not hard to find. Then tie it down so that it's not going to "drift."

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Seriously, people need to stop playing cache owner when they are hunting caches.

 

IMO, their 'help' is neither wanted nor appreciated.

concur. this is what causes cache migration.

shudders to see "i hid it better" in a log

What about; I found your micro under the lamp skirt. Now this was obviously not where it was meant to be because that's so lame, so I instead placed it in the much less lame area of the guardrail 15 meters away at GZ.

Thanks a lot, now I have some allergies splattered on my desk.

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I've found a few that I was fairly certain were not where they were supposed to be, but so far I haven't moved one. I would if I was 100% sure it was in the wrong place or if it was in the open but so far it's looked safe enough where it was so I left it and posted in my find that I thought it might have been moved. Actually on one when I got home there was a post before mine that stated it was moved. It looks like was destroyed after that, so now I'm second guessing my decision not to move it where I thought it should be. Another one that I'm pretty sure was moved, the CO hasn't been on since late last year and the only other find since posted that the coords were off. I plan to take my DS to that one someday and I've been considering rather I should move it if the CO still hasn't checked in and it's still where I found it last time. The spot I found it, it was pretty easy to spot once you got close. It was just sitting on the ground under a tall bush. (I think it was over 50' from where I started looking.) The name of the cache was in the hands of trees" and right where my GPS took me as GZ were some trees growing together making a perfect hiding place (hands) for the container to sit. It was actually the only place around the clearing that fit the name in the least. I keep hoping the CO will check it and I won't have to decide, but I worry that someone exploring will go to the clearing and see the cache on the way in. (Assuming they take the trail and don't bushwhack like I did.) Since this thread is about newbies moving caches what do you think? If there was a place nearby that fit the discription to a T and your GPS put it as being GZ would you move a cache. Oh yes and the hint also fit where I thought the cache should be and not where it was. But mostly I agree. I moved it or I hid it better is usually bad news. Neither should be done based solely upon your GPS reading.

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Well I sure fill like a smuck now after reading these posts. I am the "newbie" cacher that moved Setan's cache and now realize my mistake. When we arrived near the cache there was already somebody up in the area of where the cords were but I assume that they were unable to find it because there was no log in when I found it. I have found a number of Setan's hides before and when I found this one laying out in the open and covered in rockchuck droppings, I knew that it was not Setan's style to leave it out in the open. I figured that it had been moved and thought I would be a "helpful cacher" and move it, which now I realize was a mistake that I won't make in the future!!!! Setan as I told you in the email I would be honored to go out to the cache with you and make sure that it is put back in it's right spot. Hell we can take my truck and I will buy you lunch for your troubles!!! :)

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Well I sure fill like a smuck now after reading these posts. I am the "newbie" cacher that moved Setan's cache and now realize my mistake. When we arrived near the cache there was already somebody up in the area of where the cords were but I assume that they were unable to find it because there was no log in when I found it. I have found a number of Setan's hides before and when I found this one laying out in the open and covered in rockchuck droppings, I knew that it was not Setan's style to leave it out in the open. I figured that it had been moved and thought I would be a "helpful cacher" and move it, which now I realize was a mistake that I won't make in the future!!!! Setan as I told you in the email I would be honored to go out to the cache with you and make sure that it is put back in it's right spot. Hell we can take my truck and I will buy you lunch for your troubles!!! :)

 

Lunch isn't necessary, but I would enjoy a cup of coffee with you next time I'm over there. I didn't refer specifically to you because it isn't the only time this type of thing has happened and is an all too common mistake some new, as well as experienced, cachers make. In your defense, the cache being in the open would nessisatate it being placed in a less obvious hiding spot to keep animals and two-legged critters from making off with it. And I believe that is what you did to the best of your ability. But, I have had other caches moved just because they weren't where the finder thought they should be, according to their GPSr or some other reasoing. In several of those instances they logged that the cache was found in the open when one of their caching buddies informed me it was not. And I do thank you for making sure the cache was no longer in the open. Hope to meet you at our next Meet & Greet at the El Sombrero restaurant in Jerome on June 14 at 6:00 p.m.

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Aw, a venting with a happy ending! :blink:

 

I do understand the need to vent over this as it has also happened to me...and I suspect that it happens to most cache owners at some time. The one that ticked me off was a log entry that simply said that it was moved to a much better location...and in fact it wasn't a better location as I had it where it was for a specific reason. Again, vent away and I think that most would agree that there is a big difference between being helpful and trying to act like they own my cache.

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As a totally new person to this game, I read with interest the discussion regarding moving somebody's cache.

If people would just remember courtesy, that a person does not move somebody else's things. I have studied some martial arts, and a rule is never touch another person's weapons without permission. (you can come to harm that way)

Also, it is good to practice to try to be invisible in a space, and when you are gone, there is no impression that you have been there. Especially nature spaces. Humans all too often destroy that balance just by walking.

 

Perhaps everyone that wants to participate should take an oath dipped in chocolate or something promising to not move a found cache other than to open it, do the log in thing , and put it back. Makes sense to me. I do see the other side, the person wanted to be helpful, who can fault that?

I totally will not move anybody's caches, no matter where I find them! Promise, to you all out there!

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