+Packfan12 Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I was curious what people think about caches in a cachers front yards? I know i have encountered a few and they are not my favorite. One of the caches was a mason jar next to a mail box in a wealthy neighborhood and they other was in a tree right on the property line. Quote Link to comment
+Chokecherry Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Depends on the yard. I did one that I really liked because it was creative and it wasn't near the front yard of the owner's house but not in the front yard (althougho n their property). I did another one where the gps brought me to a curve in the block and there was quite a bit of bounce there which put me at any of the 3 houses on that corner. I logged a DNF on that because I'm not about to go rummage through numerous people's yards for a cache. And I hated looking for it in general. I've driven by one where the houses were close and it wasn't clear which house I was supposed to be at (good idea to put house color somewhere in that description for that reason). Quote Link to comment
+J the Goat Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 TAR? Where are you TAR? Quote Link to comment
+DashleyRVA Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 @packfan ....that sounds like one I found in the Smithfield VA area...possibly the same one? Quote Link to comment
+deercreekth Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I don't particularly like them. I usually won't do them if I'm not with another cacher. Quote Link to comment
+Yshf Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 I had a series that wasn't actually in my yard but involved going through it to get to a trail head. It only got found twice so i archived it. Quote Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 Depends. I've liked some - hated others. I certainly don't like them if I have to up to the house at all. Way out at the edge of the yard is ok though. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 TAR? Where are you TAR? Our Alabama Geocachers Association monthly dinner is two blocks from my house in about an hour. The TB Hotel on my front porch has been visited twice that I know of today and will likely be visited again tonight after the event. This cache or one of its predecessors has been on my porch since 2003 with no issues but lots of positive logs, and given me the chance to meet quite a lot of cachers. Quote Link to comment
+Packfan12 Posted November 16, 2010 Author Share Posted November 16, 2010 (edited) Dashley rva Correct that cache is now archived but it gave me fits the gc code is gc29916 Edited November 16, 2010 by Packfan12 Quote Link to comment
+John in Valley Forge Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. I'm guessing from Street View one of the trees in the so-called public right of way between the sidewalk and the curb? Public property yes, but in a residential neighborhood, horrible idea. What is this, horrible idea Tuesday around here? Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. Any cache that annoys its neighbors is a bad idea. Fortunately my neighbors are friends so we don't have such issues. I did get a call from a geocacher friend one day saying that she and her kids had been searching my porch for fifteen minutes, could the cache possibly be behind the shelf cabinet with the flower pots on it? After I quit laughing I told her that the flower cabinet is on my neighbor's porch. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted November 16, 2010 Share Posted November 16, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. Any cache that annoys its neighbors is a bad idea. Fortunately my neighbors are friends so we don't have such issues. I did get a call from a geocacher friend one day saying that she and her kids had been searching my porch for fifteen minutes, could the cache possibly be behind the shelf cabinet with the flower pots on it? After I quit laughing I told her that the flower cabinet is on my neighbor's porch. Since you're on good terms with your neighbors perhaps you can had a decoy cache on the flower cabinet with a note that reads. "Wrong house. Try next door." I've found a three caches that were on porches. I think all three of them mentioned the color of the house or something unique about where the cache was located. Quote Link to comment
+TheAlabamaRambler Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 (edited) I've found a three caches that were on porches. I think all three of them mentioned the color of the house or something unique about where the cache was located. Good idea. If you look at my listing you'll see that I make my house ID abundantly clear, the cache is out in the open and requires no searching, and my contact info is listed in case anyone has reservations about hunting it. I made it that way after the 'wrong porch' happening. Edited November 17, 2010 by TheAlabamaRambler Quote Link to comment
+Happy Paddlers Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 What is this, horrible idea Tuesday around here? I'm going to introduce all my bad ideas on Tuesdays from now on. How about a yard cache in a gated community? We can make it a PMO to keep the riffraff out. Quote Link to comment
RKip Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 Generally I avoid them though I have done two that I recall. One, I knew the CO quite well but still was not comfortable scrounging around his front yard without him around. I would be more likely to attempt a front yard cache if the cache page was detailed enough that I could go directly to the cache without having to "look like a stranger acting oddly". Quote Link to comment
+Walts Hunting Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 They go straight to my ignore list if it is in the description bu tif not and I drive by then it goes on it. Quote Link to comment
Derf69 Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I'm not a big fan of them. I always feel a bit creepy and paranoid that the CO didn't really get permission. Quote Link to comment
+Don_J Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 (edited) I'm not a big fan of them. I always feel a bit creepy and paranoid that the CO didn't really get permission. It's just a bad idea in my area. The few times people have tried, there have been problems. Straight to the ignore list for me. Edited November 17, 2010 by Don_J Quote Link to comment
+Coldgears Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. Awww, man. That was on my "to-do" list. I had that planned this weekend. Quote Link to comment
mtbikernate Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I have a puzzle in my yard. I got a few finds on it at first, but none for awhile. not a lot of active cachers here, so it's not surprising. at any rate, if my neighbors ever express any concerns about the people who search for it (we're good friends and they're aware of the cache, anyway), I'll archive it. one cacher did express concern to me at an event recently. he had driven by and saw my neighbor washing his car and was concerned about the safety of the neighborhood considering the race of my neighbor - and then he proceeded to tell me that he was once shot at pursuing a cache on some Deliverance-esque dead end rural road. I really wanted to throttle the guy (especially considering his profession), but I played nice and told him I'm friends with all my neighbors and I live in a very good neighborhood. Quote Link to comment
+jomouse Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I generally continue on and don't do these finds unless it says very explicitly in the description something like "all the neighbors know" AND the description is detailed enough that I can find the right spot quickly and not be in the wrong yard. Even then, I still feel uncomfortable. Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. Awww, man. That was on my "to-do" list. I had that planned this weekend. I hope your not serious, because I'd consider a bunch or strangers showing up on a quiet residential street in the suburbs and climbing a tree in view of the whole neighborhood an embarrassment to the hobby. You won't do it now, but someone is going to. Those coordinates are in a whole lot of GPS units right now. Quote Link to comment
+Sol seaker Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 I've found some yard caches. I am not fond of them. I found one on someone's porch. I would not have gone up and gotten it if they had not come out of the house and encouraged me to do so. I still was very uncomfortable. If they had not been home I had no way of knowing if the coord's I had were off, or my GPS had gone nuts that day or something. The thought of walking up onto someone's porch when it might not be the right house... And there was no clue that it would be at someone's house. Another yard cache was in a bird feeder on someone's front lawn in front of their huge front window. The cache page said it was a bird feeder, so this one I was more confident on when I saw the feeder. They waved at me from their couch. This was not terribly comfortable, but better than the other one. My friend would not go up with me but waited in the car. Quote Link to comment
+John in Valley Forge Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. Awww, man. That was on my "to-do" list. I had that planned this weekend. I hope your not serious, because I'd consider a bunch or strangers showing up on a quiet residential street in the suburbs and climbing a tree in view of the whole neighborhood an embarrassment to the hobby. You won't do it now, but someone is going to. Those coordinates are in a whole lot of GPS units right now. That's why it is important to double check the logs of a cache before going out to look for it (although I think CG was just kidding). Quote Link to comment
+Sol seaker Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. One thing that got me about this one: a GLASS container up in a tree!!! Just drop it once on the head of the waiting cacher below, or on the sidewalk and hope you aren't climbing down with bare feet. Glass???? what were they thinking??? Quote Link to comment
+John in Valley Forge Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. One thing that got me about this one: a GLASS container up in a tree!!! Just drop it once on the head of the waiting cacher below, or on the sidewalk and hope you aren't climbing down with bare feet. Glass???? what were they thinking??? I think it was a glass specimen bottle, about the size of a soda bottle pre-form. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted November 17, 2010 Share Posted November 17, 2010 This yard cache seemed to be a bad idea. Awww, man. That was on my "to-do" list. I had that planned this weekend. I hope your not serious, because I'd consider a bunch or strangers showing up on a quiet residential street in the suburbs and climbing a tree in view of the whole neighborhood an embarrassment to the hobby. That reminds me...awhile back there was a discussion about Webcam caches and I discovered that one of the closest to where I live is about 160 miles from me near Warren, PA. That town should sound familiar as it's where the the next Geowoodstock is going to be held. I've been caching for almost four years and have yet to find a Webcam so it's high on my list. I imagine that more than a few GW attendees will take the opportunity to find it as well. The thing is, the camera is on the CO's porch and from the photos appears to be on a small residential street in a small town. You can imagine what that might be like when hundreds if not thousands of geocachers arrive in northwest PA for GW9. Quote Link to comment
+Packfan12 Posted November 18, 2010 Author Share Posted November 18, 2010 have you ever seen a very creative yard cache. Most of the ones i have seen have been pretty bland. Quote Link to comment
+dakboy Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 For me, it depends a lot on the area around the cache. In urban areas, I stay away. Out in rural areas, it's a little more comfortable, but I prefer to stick to checking really obvious locations; I don't like wandering around in peoples' yards. In suburban areas/subdivisions, I wait till I'm there to make the call. If no one's around, I'll go for it. Exceptions abound, of course. I found one in a bush at the end of a driveway out in a rural area, placed by the homeowner (or more likely his teenage son). Then they moved away and didn't archive the cache. The new homeowners got a little upset about people poking around in their yard. Quote Link to comment
+Coldgears Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I just DNFed a cache hidden on the fence to someones backyard. It wasn't the CO's... I wonder how legal that is, because technically your on the other side of the fence... Quote Link to comment
Mr.Yuck Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I just DNFed a cache hidden on the fence to someones backyard. It wasn't the CO's... I wonder how legal that is, because technically your on the other side of the fence... You know, this thread could give someone a bad impression about Philadelphia caching. I'm just sayin'. Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I've got no problem with them. The way I figure it, the onus is on the cache owner to make sure the neighbors, if any, know what is going on. I used to be more cautious about them, but now, I'm unabashed about it. Quote Link to comment
+niraD Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 have you ever seen a very creative yard cache.One of the yard caches that I found was in a yard with a path made of round stepping stones. A stepping stone near the sidewalk had leatherman's public-domain logo on it. It wasn't hard for geocachers to figure out where the cache was, but I thought it was a creative way to hide such an exposed cache from muggles. Another was a small size container covered with the same shredded-bark mulch used in the landscaping. Maybe not the most exciting camouflage, but certainly a big step up from a lot of suburban hides. Quote Link to comment
+onthegomom Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 I hate them! I hate that I know they are in their watching or anyone else around me wondering what I am doing snooping around Quote Link to comment
GPS-Hermit Posted November 18, 2010 Share Posted November 18, 2010 (edited) Just because it is in someone yard doesn't bother me - I don't like any uninteresting cache close to the road cache at all - and I don't like muggle prone or privacy invading area. Get me out there. If there is a reason to have a cache there because the lure is interesting - I am fine with it. Just don't bore me! Edited November 18, 2010 by GPS-Hermit Quote Link to comment
+power69 Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I wish yard owners would put the house number on their listings so bad coords aren't met with an angry neighbor! Quote Link to comment
+power69 Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 have you ever seen a very creative yard cache. Most of the ones i have seen have been pretty bland. a peanut butter jar in a hole with a paver over it is bland? guess it depends on the brand of PB Quote Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I'm guessing from Street View one of the trees in the so-called public right of way between the sidewalk and the curb? Public property yes, but in a residential neighborhood, horrible idea. What is this, horrible idea Tuesday around here? Around here, the land between the sidewalk and the street might be public right of way, but it is privately owned. Landowner get the ticket if s/he doesn't mow the grass there... That being said... I've probably done four. The first was really bad. With the signal bounce, and soft coords, we searched the wrong lot first. It should have had a much better description to prevent that. The second was far better. "Turn into the driveway wher it says "Grandma's House". Say Hi to Grandma, if you see her." (Actually, Grandma said. "Hmm... He's a little strange with that game...") The other two were very specific which lot to check from the sidewalk. Though we felt very strange checking in the bushes from the sidewalk. I don't particularly care for them. Quote Link to comment
+TerraViators Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 I have a cache in my yard and have never had a problem with it. My neighbors are cool with it. I've met several cachers. I do, however, say in the listing that it is my house and that cachers are welcome to ring the door bell and introduce themselves. I've never been an uptight type of person, anyway. Quote Link to comment
+Don_J Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 (edited) I suppose yard caches are typically bad but I wouldn't know since all the yard caches I've found have been great. In fact, the best two caches I've ever found were located in a yard. Granted the yard is in the middle of nowhere and it's kind of a farm but they are still yard caches. The Air of Your Ways The Outlet Mall The only other yard cache I found was a TB exchange and all the neighbor's are aware of it and it's a really good TB exchange. Still, I wouldn't hide a cache in my yard. I live in the N/W area of Los Angeles known as the San Fernando Valley. Our sub divisions exist of houses, usually six to eight to a block. Occasionally, a (usually new), cacher will place a cache in front of his house. I can't think of a single one that turned out well. Yard caches are just a bad idea in the area. I'm happy that TAR"s cache has had so much success. Just can't do this around here. I do have a cache 300' outside my window. After a 100 finds, I a have only seen 2. Geoccachers are sneaky. Edited November 20, 2010 by Don_J Quote Link to comment
+michigansnorkelers Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 I agree with everyone who states that these caches make them nervous. I also agree with those who say that these have been some of the most creative hides they've ever found. I've found yard caches: In a beehive In an outhouse Under a rock, down a tube in the ground etc, etc, etc. However, I always check the full description and recent logs in my Palm Pilot! Quote Link to comment
+T_M_H Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 I did my first yard cache earlier this month. It popped up one evening less than 1/2 mile from my house. I was more than a little uncomfortable doing it, especially at 10:45 at night but it was for an FTF. LOL I did find a subsequent log entry very funny: [Found it] November 7 by thesemster (2 found) since i live on the property it was easy to find but im suprised i wasnt the first to find Quote Link to comment
+theshows Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I found one on the fence in someone's backyard. I felt funny b/c they were probably watching me wander around looking ridiculous. There is one in a front yard that is on my to-do list. He is a very active cacher around here, so I won't mind going in his yard. I'd like to meet him. I wanted one in my front yard, but there is a Mansion turned Museum across the street from my house and I thought that was probably a more appropriate location. So, I can still see it from my living room. Several finds so far....I've missed them all. Quote Link to comment
+TheLoneGrangers Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I refuse to do yard caches...I think they are retarded to put it lightly. Quote Link to comment
+svk616g Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 There aren't many of them in the UK, but they're straight onto my ignore list. I don't caching to poke around other peoples' yards Quote Link to comment
+popokiiti Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 We found a cache that was in the owner's backyard. Access was through a gate (complete with GC#) from a trail. The yard was beautiful, there was a spot to sit down as we signed the log. I felt as though I was intruding, even though I am sure the neighbours are aware of the existence of the cache. The cache was a "Premium Member Only" for obvious reasons. Quote Link to comment
mtbikernate Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I was riding my bike home yesterday and as I rode up to my house, I saw a pair of geocachers hunting for my yard cache. Though we'd never met, they knew who I was and we talked for awhile after they signed the log. First find on my yard cache since January (I made it a puzzle to keep traffic down). Quote Link to comment
Derf69 Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I'm not a big fan of them. I always feel a bit creepy and paranoid that the CO didn't really get permission. It's just a bad idea in my area. The few times people have tried, there have been problems. Straight to the ignore list for me. The only one I've gone after turned out to be in the neighborhood I grew up in which did make it interesting. While I did find and log that one, following lawn caches I just ignored. Just feels too creepy going on someones property. Quote Link to comment
+NYPaddleCacher Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I'm not a big fan of them. I always feel a bit creepy and paranoid that the CO didn't really get permission. It's just a bad idea in my area. The few times people have tried, there have been problems. Straight to the ignore list for me. The only one I've gone after turned out to be in the neighborhood I grew up in which did make it interesting. While I did find and log that one, following lawn caches I just ignored. Just feels too creepy going on someones property. That kind of depends on the property. My inlaws live about 4 miles from me on 25 acres of densely wooded property. It would be pretty easy to put a cache there such that anyone that looked for it was never in view of the house where they live *or* any of their neighbors. On the other hand, I've done a few caches that were on public property but had unobstructed views from one or more residences that were a few hundred feet away and wondered how long it would take to get approached by a nearby resident that wondered why someone as acting suspicious near their property. Quote Link to comment
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