boobytrapped caches, or cache areas

[ih8censorship]

So a while back a friend brought up that he thought it would be cool to have to cache around boobytraps. I'm assuming he meant harmless ones. Anyway I've been thinking about this and a person could make some neat harmless booby traps. Like with electrical noise makers, a lightbulb that might light up, or something on that order. I've even figured out how I would hide one within a cache, so it would be set off by someone carelessly opening it, and could be reset easily. Within the cache I think is best, as it wouldn't be mistaken for a real boobytrap, though motion detector noise makers in an area might be neat too.

 

Anyway what do you think? Ever run into a harmless boobytrap? What if you did? Would your opinion change if it was listed as boobytrapped or if it wasn't listed as boobytrapped?

[jholly]

I ran into an ammo can that had a Staples "That was easy" button rigged to activate when the lid was opened. I got a chuckle out of that. I ran into another that when you opened the logbook it said "Surprise!". I guess it was some sort of talking card innards. A night cache had a light bulb that came on when the lid was opened, not exactly a boobytrap, but still cute.

 

If it was something along these lines I think most would enjoy them. If it goes much beyond that I think many would have problems.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Discussed not too long ago in the forums. Probably can't search it as "boobytrap" though. Not sure if that term was used or not.

 

About 50/50 if I remember. Ranging from "hilarious" to "If I survived, I'd kill the CO".

 

Keep in mind, funny is one thing, being the catalyst for a coronary is something else.

[HOG1]

We did this at work to a truck door. I know it will work on an ammo can: The horn/strobe from a commercial fire alarm system will work quite well with a standard 9v battery. I'll leave the assembly instructions to your imagination. Only prob is that the first person will probably take the device with them.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

i wouldn't like a trapped cache. Just personal preference. i don't like being startled, having my heart race for no reason. Not fun. i like the location of a cache, a decent (challenging) hide, and signing a log. That's enough fun for me!

 

[+Chokecherry]

I would be into it depending on the booby trap. I have a little PTSD and am trying to get some friends with worse PTSD into this as they enjoy the outdoors and such. A boobytrap could send them into a tail spin and put a damper on my depending what it is. I enjoy the nice quiet nature of this game.

[+Harry Dolphin]

It's a sadistic thing to do. Is your friend really that nasty? You might want to find new friends?

[+ipodguy]

I've got a puzzle night cache that involves watching a certain scary movie about being lost in the woods at night. The ammo can is rigged with a door alarm.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

I've got a puzzle night cache that involves watching a certain scary movie about being lost in the woods at night. The ammo can is rigged with a door alarm.

 

That does sound neat! Maybe i'd go for that with a friend! Not alone like i usually do.

[Dan]

Maybe something inside the cache like the old trick with a button on a wound-up rubber band inside an envelope labled as rattlesnake rattles.

[+dbrierley]

Please be careful not to use something that might appear or sound suspicious to non-geocachers. There was a cache with a trip wire that didn't go over well: GCH94F.

[+fheil]

I think that would be cool to find a cache with a little something extra added to it.

[+SeekerOfTheWay]

Please be careful not to use something that might appear or sound suspicious to non-geocachers. There was a cache with a trip wire that didn't go over well: GCH94F.

 

Wow! Thanks for that link. Interesting and something to consider.

[ih8censorship]

Ah ya I can see how something like that would make someone flip out. Mercury switches and motion detectors seem like they would be safer and less apt to cause muggle alarm (pun intended)

[+pamlicojack]

This one has a bit of a surprise to it...

 

GC263QP

[+rokito87]

I ran into an ammo can that had a Staples "That was easy" button rigged to activate when the lid was opened. I got a chuckle out of that. I ran into another that when you opened the logbook it said "Surprise!". I guess it was some sort of talking card innards. A night cache had a light bulb that came on when the lid was opened, not exactly a boobytrap, but still cute.

 

If it was something along these lines I think most would enjoy them. If it goes much beyond that I think many would have problems.

 

I found a cache a little while back that also utilized a portion of a talking card. It was neat, but since the cache had gotten wet inside, when you opened the ammo can it only made a weird gurgling noise...

[+Chrysalides]

Consider the prank carefully. It only takes one annoyed finder with anger management issues to trash your cache.

[BCProspectors]

Boobytrapped caches aren't a good idea. It's better to focus your efforts on a good hiding spot than on boobytrapping. Let's not turn Geocaching in some sort of crazy thing.

[drewmm]

Boobytrapped caches aren't a good idea. It's better to focus your efforts on a good hiding spot than on boobytrapping. Let's not turn Geocaching in some sort of crazy thing.

 

I disagree. Boobytrapping can be fun, for some people. Just like multis, letterbox hybrids, puzzles, etc don't make this "some sort of crazy thing," boobytrapped caches also wouldn't. Some people will like them, some people will hate them.

 

The trick, though, is making sure only people who will like it go hunting for it. Obviously there aren't as many attributes you can set on it to mark that it's boobytrapped, but you should include at least a general warning in your cache description. "Don't hunt this cache if you aren't fine with getting (scared/startled/whatever's appropriate for the specific surprise you're plotting)."

 

You'll ruin the surprise to an extent, but not too much if you make the warning general. And you'll avoid any problems with people who are going to get mad at you hunting it. And if they go hunting it without reading the description first, it's their problem.

[+ras_oscar]

I think I'd kinda like to find something like that. Of course it should be sturdy enough not to be damaged if someone flings it into the air when they get startled.

[+birder428]

We found an ammo can that was rigged to play "BAAAAD TO THE BONE" when opened. It was very cool !

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I wouldn't really call this a booby trap but I just read about a cache that may have been an geo-urban legend but it described a multi cache where the first stage was in view of the COs house. If the CO saw someone searching for it he'd stealthily take a picture. The second stage was someways off and the final close to the first stage. Those completing the cache might find a photo of themselves in the final.

[+d+n.s]

I'd hate to see some folks here get one of those talking gift cads

 

I think I'd enjoy it if it was clever and wouldn't hurt my ears as I'm a sound engineer and try to treat them well. I don't really see the harm if its just one or two caches in a given area and you give a blanket warning to cachers. People can ignore it.

 

I'm not sure how a light turning on or a voice saying something when you open a cache would really be that scary(and I'm a total chicken), but people here seem to be pretty spooked by it... maybe I need to experience something like this to know why some would be so frightened? I would cassume I'd find it less spooky than a cache disguised as a snake or spider.

 

Tell us if you go through with it OP.

 

It's a sadistic thing to do. Is your friend really that nasty? You might want to find new friends?

huh?

 

I wouldn't really call this a booby trap but I just read about a cache that may have been an geo-urban legend but it described a multi cache where the first stage was in view of the COs house. If the CO saw someone searching for it he'd stealthily take a picture. The second stage was someways off and the final close to the first stage. Those completing the cache might find a photo of themselves in the final.

Now THIS would scare me to DEATH

Edited June 13, 2010 by d+n.shults

[+Chokecherry]

I'd hate to see some folks here get one of those talking gift cads

 

I think I'd enjoy it if it was clever and wouldn't hurt my ears as I'm a sound engineer and try to treat them well. I don't really see the harm if its just one or two caches in a given area and you give a blanket warning to cachers. People can ignore it.

 

I'm not sure how a light turning on or a voice saying something when you open a cache would really be that scary(and I'm a total chicken), but people here seem to be pretty spooked by it... maybe I need to experience something like this to know why some would be so frightened? I would cassume I'd find it less spooky than a cache disguised as a snake or spider.

 

Tell us if you go through with it OP.

 

It's a sadistic thing to do. Is your friend really that nasty? You might want to find new friends?

huh?

 

I wouldn't really call this a booby trap but I just read about a cache that may have been an geo-urban legend but it described a multi cache where the first stage was in view of the COs house. If the CO saw someone searching for it he'd stealthily take a picture. The second stage was someways off and the final close to the first stage. Those completing the cache might find a photo of themselves in the final.

Now THIS would scare me to DEATH

 

Lights going off (we're talking a light bulb not a strobe light), or those innards from talking cards etc. probably wouldn't be so bad. Trip wires, air horns, fire alarms etc. are kind of a different story. Or things that scream or fly at you would probably be more problematic for me and my friends. If given warning we would likely avoid any/all boobytrapped caches as you never know in those cases how far the cache owner really was going to push it or what they find as funny.

[+d+n.s]

I'd hate to see some folks here get one of those talking gift cads

 

I think I'd enjoy it if it was clever and wouldn't hurt my ears as I'm a sound engineer and try to treat them well. I don't really see the harm if its just one or two caches in a given area and you give a blanket warning to cachers. People can ignore it.

 

I'm not sure how a light turning on or a voice saying something when you open a cache would really be that scary(and I'm a total chicken), but people here seem to be pretty spooked by it... maybe I need to experience something like this to know why some would be so frightened? I would cassume I'd find it less spooky than a cache disguised as a snake or spider.

 

Tell us if you go through with it OP.

 

It's a sadistic thing to do. Is your friend really that nasty? You might want to find new friends?

huh?

 

I wouldn't really call this a booby trap but I just read about a cache that may have been an geo-urban legend but it described a multi cache where the first stage was in view of the COs house. If the CO saw someone searching for it he'd stealthily take a picture. The second stage was someways off and the final close to the first stage. Those completing the cache might find a photo of themselves in the final.

Now THIS would scare me to DEATH

 

Lights going off (we're talking a light bulb not a strobe light), or those innards from talking cards etc. probably wouldn't be so bad. Trip wires, air horns, fire alarms etc. are kind of a different story. Or things that scream or fly at you would probably be more problematic for me and my friends. If given warning we would likely avoid any/all boobytrapped caches as you never know in those cases how far the cache owner really was going to push it or what they find as funny.

Oh yeah, definitely.

[+kunarion]

motion detector noise makers in an area might be neat

There's a cache in my local area that has a talking monkey in the container, motion activated. A toy somebody placed one day, nobody's traded for it, nobody turned it off -- I'm an accomplice, since I could have shut it off when I found it. In some logs, cachers mention how they were startled by the monkey.

 

So I'm leaning towards not boobytrap. Unless it were a micro in a busy park that says "hey, whatcha doing?"

Edited June 13, 2010 by kunarion

[BCProspectors]

Please be careful not to use something that might appear or sound suspicious to non-geocachers. There was a cache with a trip wire that didn't go over well: GCH94F.

 

Wow! Thanks for that link. Interesting and something to consider.

Consider? Does "Didn't go over well" mean anything to you?

Edited June 13, 2010 by BCProspectors

[+Buck&RoundHead]

I was thinking of rigging the cache to do something with electronics too. The "booby trap(s)" name needs to be changed to something less sinister sounding, though.

 

I would prefer a name like surprises, gags, tricks, activated props, et cetera. "Trap" sounds violent, like when "stash" sounded illicit and "cache" was used in our pastime.

[ashnikes]

came across an air horn one today when i grabbed it it was surprisingly heavy, i thought man this one must have some good stuff in it, turns out it was an air horn rig of some sort, an ammo can, not much room for anything else in that can except the noise maker, i liked it, thought it was classic, ide love to encounter more boobytraped caches, just i think they are a bad idea in urban settings, out in the woods sure anything is game, but near buildings and in city parks, very bad idea.

[+TeamMJ2]

As a new geocacher and one who often takes his 13 month old son with him....I'm definitely not in favor of "booby trapped" caches to the effect of sirens, startling loud noises and such. That said, all the ideas about lights, and funny sound effects when you open sound pretty cool. I would love to find one of these someday.

[+RandomH3ro]

i just did a night cache that was in a hiking park right near a "upscale" neighborhood. we could see into these peoples houses, as the trail was slightly below them and about 100 feet east.

 

im sure these people didnt think much of people on the hiking trail with flashlights. but when we opened the ammo can, an alarm rigged to a pressure switch went off and it was loud. all the dogs in the houses started going nuts.

 

it was hilarious, i got a kick out of it.

[+Nature Kids]

A night cache with a couple of those motion activated critters along the trail, maybe up in a tree, croaking frogs, growling raccoons etc..........

[+popokiiti]

Avoid anything to do with strobe lights - they can trigger seizures in susceptible people.

[jdwest32]

I opened one up once that had a VERY real looking rubber snake inside.

[+Trucker Lee]

Must be tastefully done. Best I have found was a container that when opened played a 3 Dog Night tune. I left there laughing.

 

Did find one that had a rubber snake in it. Heavily wooded and damp area, the swag almost went airborne before I caught myself after that fell into my hand.

[ashnikes]

Hahahahahaha thats great!

[+JL_HSTRE]

There is a cache at UCF in Orlando, FL called "Just Another Ammo Can?" (ashnikes should try this one if he hasn't already). The description and logs make it clear you are in for some kind of surprise when you open it. It was amusing if a bit annoying.

 

My biggest concern which such caches - especially those rigged to make a loud noise when opened - is that they will draw the attention of muggles.

[+kleetus]

I have a night cache that when you open the final the log is on a spring. You unscrew the top and the log jumps out at you. I wanted to have a big spider on a spring but couln't make it work.

[+roziecakes]

I think it's fine as long as you give a little bit of warning on the cache page; you don't need to spoil it, just make sure that folks know to expect something different.