Has This Happened to You? (reappearing cache)

[+BADFISH2]

I had a strange occurrence happen recently and I wondered if anyone has had a similar experience. I checked on a hide and found it missing. I looked all around GZ but found nothing. I returned a week later with a replacement and there the original cache was, back in its original spot. I can only assume the person responsible read the "Congratulations, you've found it (intentionally or not!)" note, felt bad and replaced it. Has anyone else had this happen?

[+Vater_Araignee]

Almost. I went to see how a logbook was holding up and couldn't find the cache, so I went home and posted a note that it was missing from it's location. (didn't see a need to disable it for 2 or 3 hours)

When I went to put out the replacement I spotted a dude removing it from what I assume was his "better spot" and put it back where it belongs.

I made sure I was hidden and yelled "Thanks I'll delete the note when I get home."

It was hard suppressing the laughter as he wandered around looking confused yelling "Hello?"

But I didn't want to know who he was so I couldn't have a name to hold it against and wouldn't recognize him now. Worked out nicely

[+hydnsek]

Yep. I had one reappear 4 years later. The original had been stolen and archived, and another published in the same scenic location. Then one day, years later, the former cache reappeared, left in the open near the original location. Original log, although the container had been upgraded and newer swag added. I figure the original was stolen and kept, and someone discovered it later, felt bad, and tried to correct the situation. Or the thief had a much-delayed attack of guilty conscience.

 

More recently, I was alerted that a cache had gone missing, but it was found next to a trail intersection 1.5 miles away, unmolested. Funny thing was, after carrying it that far, they left it near the final downhill section of trail to the exit - the hard part was over!

Edited June 7, 2010 by hydnsek

[+Eagle and the nuts]

Sometimes a missing and reappearing cache is just a matter of timing. I was after what seemed like a new, simple lamp post hide in a medical center parking lot, but couldn't find a thing. I logged the DNF and after a few days, checked the logs to see if there were any more finds or DNFs. There was a log from a finder that had to leave the area because of a security guard before she was able to return the cache to it's hiding place. By the time she put it back the next day, I had tried to find it. I appreciated her log and was soon able to log my own smiley.

[+dfx]

apparently some noobies think they can take the caches home with them and then go back to replace them afterwards. didn't happen to me, or rather one of my caches yet though

[Mr.Yuck]

I had a strange occurrence happen recently and I wondered if anyone has had a similar experience. I checked on a hide and found it missing. I looked all around GZ but found nothing. I returned a week later with a replacement and there the original cache was, back in its original spot. I can only assume the person responsible read the "Congratulations, you've found it (intentionally or not!)" note, felt bad and replaced it. Has anyone else had this happen?

 

Yes. Americorp volunteers took my very first cache, read the note, and put it back a few days later. I know this because they signed the logbook (and of course a DNF log when it wasn't there). I also found a cache about a year ago where the last online log was a DNF. Found it easily, and the last logbook entry was from a hunter who stumbled on the cache. He didn't mention taking it home and putting it back, but it seems pretty obvious he did. Since I know the DNF'er, it was fun to diss him in my online log.

[+StarBrand]

It has happened a number of times with my caches.

 

The oddest one was a cache I replaced and then 3 years later - somebody reported 2 caches in the hiding spot. They sent me photos and sure enough - it was the original container along with the replacement. My best guess is a parent found the thing in some kids room and read the note - then it got returned to where it was found. By the time I got back there to retrieve one of the containers - the old one was missing again. It showed up some months later about 20 feet away - meanwhile 2 cachers logged a DNF on both - sad to think there were 2 hides and they couldn't find either!!

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

Found a cahce 4 years after it went missing, with the log book from a replacement cache that went missing the previous year, all about 1 mile from the origianl hiding spot!

 

Melville Pond

[+terrkan78]

I found a cache a few months back and when I plopped down in my car to log it, I noticed some recent logs talking about a film canister with a drenched log - that didn't at all describe the well-camoed cache I had just found. So I went back out to see what the others were finding, and found a film can not far away. The log was indeed drenched but I dried it out - it had entries dating back to 2007. It took me awhile, but I finally matched the names up and figured out that this log (and maybe the container) came from a cache (that's still active) from approx. 80 miles away. Fun mystery to solve - but I've no clue why someone would migrate a container/log like that.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

It happened to one of my caches twice.

 

I got a DNF notice on an ammo can I had hidden behind a local ball park. Then a cacher called me from the site and asked for a hint. I ended up telling him exactly where it was; but it was in fact missing.

 

So I disabled the listing, put together a replacement cache and went to hide it about a week later... and there's my ammo box, properly rehidden, all contents intact. Cool!

 

A couple of months later a reporter contacted me to do a newspaper article and I took him out caching. I made a maintenance run the day before to stock the caches I planned to take the reporter to and all of them were fine. The next day the reporter and a photographer come to my house and we set out caching. This cache was our first stop, and it was gone again! Ooops! That's embarrassing.

 

So a few days later I take the new prepared cache back again to replace the missing one, and it's there, rehidden properly, all contents intact, but with a note that said "My son found this and did not know he was supposed to leave it there." Cool!

 

Another month goes by and I get a DNF notification. I go look and sure enough it's gone again. I figured that the word must be out amongst the kids who play ball there and that it was not going to be left alone, so I archived it.

 

One of these days I'm going to stop and check just to see if it ever got returned. It may still be there!

Edited June 7, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+briansnat]

Yes, twice.

[+wimseyguy]

I posted a DNF on one of my caches, and replaced the container. A geopal found the original on the ground a few days later. So I told her to just keep it and hide it in her area about 100 miles away for me to come look for another time.

[knowschad]

Yup, here, too.

 

1/24/09 Published

1/24/09 FTF by a well-respected old-timer & friend

1/27/09 Reported & confirmed missing (I found the retrieval mechanism about 150 feet from GZ)

2/4/09 New container put in place

2/17/09 Reported that there were two caches in place. Checked and found the original and the replacement, nothing missing.

[+mchaos]

Well, I have had them go missing, but never return. At least not yet anyway.

 

Some times, depending on the cache, I will remove the cache and walk to my car. Say like, a micro in a busy area, while driving in the car caching. But it will get returned right after. Recently I found one in town, which was very close to my house, so I rode down the street found it. It was a film canister Velcro'd under a bench in front of an art gallery. No pencil inside, and this was spur of the moment so I didn't have a pen. So I took the cache home to sign the log and put it back. Had it about 10 minutes.

 

As far as muggles finding it not knowing what it was, taking it, then putting it back later... I told a guy at work about geocaching and right away he said, " I think my father found one of those." He told me that his dad was out at a local park going for a walk, and while stopping to have a smoke he ended up looking at a tree but something didn't seem right. He went up to it and found an ammo box. So he just took it home. When he got home he checked it out. Found the cache note and checked out the web site. Thought it was real cool. The next day he brought it back.

 

I suppose if a muggle doesn't know what it is, and they remove it with out reading the not first, they might end up taking it home before the check it out.

 

All an all I can see many reasons they may go missing and return eventually. It doesn't surprise me that it happens.

[+NanCycle]

I had a strange occurrence happen recently and I wondered if anyone has had a similar experience. I checked on a hide and found it missing. I looked all around GZ but found nothing. I returned a week later with a replacement and there the original cache was, back in its original spot. I can only assume the person responsible read the "Congratulations, you've found it (intentionally or not!)" note, felt bad and replaced it. Has anyone else had this happen?

 

Yes, exactly the same, except it was only 3 days. The person who presumably took it signed the logbook, but never logged online.

[+mchaos]

HOLY CRAP!!

 

LoL. How strange is this...

 

So after my last post on this thread I headed out on my new big to give it a test run and snag a couple caches. I snagged 3. One of them was a cache that is a few thousand feet from my house and I had attempted to find it on 2 previous occasions with no luck.

 

It was a micro at a park, under a pick nick hut.

 

So today on my way back I decide to give it one last go. There were a bunch of kids skateboarding on the other side of the park within view, but I figured I had looked every where once and no luck, and didn't think I would find it so I looked.

 

So according to the clue which said, under cover. I originally thought it would be under one of the light covers. But they were screwed shut. So today when I got on one of the pick nick tables near where the coords brought me I looked over at the one light and saw something on top of it.

 

Now that wasn't there the last 2 times, because I completely inspected all of the lights above around on all sides. So now there was something on top of one

 

I retrieve it and its not one, but 2 wall outlet blanks with magnets, each a log. Above where the coords put me was a junction box which would be ideal to stick one of them on.

 

And it was lost once before and replaced. The logs matched up with the logs on the cache page.

 

Also noticed that some one left a note on the first log, "want week, and locally? and a number" now that's not right.

 

Any way, I couldn't put it back where it belonged or the kids would see. So I took it with me, and will replace it later when they are gone.

 

How is that for strange....

[+BADFISH2]

apparently some noobies think they can take the caches home with them and then go back to replace them afterwards. didn't happen to me, or rather one of my caches yet though

 

I think you're on to something. Often when I explain geocaching to people they ask if we just keep the cache.

[+mchaos]

 

I think you're on to something. Often when I explain geocaching to people they ask if we just keep the cache.

 

What sense would that make? muggles are strange.

 

Although I can see that mistake being made. Why is it that no one likes to read rule or directions for anything.