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Contacting cache owners


hoosier guy

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Posted

When I first started caching I ran into problems with a couple caches and emailed the COs (cache owners) and always got the help, hint, clarification or whatever I needed. Can't ever remember anyone being anything but helpful and gracious. (Well, 99.99% of them anyway)

 

Now I have started to set out some caches to promote families caching together. Hey, is there anything better for getting parents & kids outside and doing things together? But that means I am now the one getting the "Hey CO, what about..." emails and learning from that experience I thought a couple suggestions might be in order and maybe some other folks will throw in some good ideas as well

 

First, if you want to contact a CO click on their name which is on the cache page under the name of the cache. It will say "A cache by:” then there will be the CO's name in blue. This is a hyperlink and will take you to their profile where you can send a message.

 

Second, don't fear sending the CO an email. I am not going to make fun of you or be rude. I want you to enjoy caching. I'd be glad to send an extra hint or find out a cache needed attention.

 

Third, when you ask about a cache please identify it. Right now I only have 11 out but when someone emails me and says "give me a clue please" I need to know which cache you are talking about. Please include the cache ID (e.g. GC12345)

 

Fourth, make sure you send your email address along so I can get back to you.

 

Finally if I don't get back to you try again. Maybe I didn't get it for some reason.

 

Happy caching!

Posted

I must highlight, emphasize, make bold and bright the need to identify which cache your talking about when sending an email via a cache page link. The cache's ID is not included!!

 

Mention the name or GC code - please. I have 160+ hides and I often get an email something like: "Thought I would let you know the logbook only has 4 blank pages left". When I check, I see they have logged 20 (or more) of my caches over the past 4 or 5 days. Even more frustating is when I email them back asking which cache and I get something vague like: "the one under the tree by the dirt road".

 

Also, I might mention that I do not always acknowledge an email right away. Please understand that I run a web business and I repair computers and sometimes I get and respond to a hundred or emails a day. Geocaching emails sometimes get low priority and it might take a few days for me to respond. I haven't ignored you or forgotten, just need more time.

Posted

:blink: I would have assumed.. I know, shame on me, When you cantact a CO from the cache page, the identifying information was included, it seems not to be the case.

This detail should be addressed somewhere in the "getting started" area or at least somewhere.

Maybe it is and I missed it,

Now I know why I never recieved any clues, I thought I was being ignored. although I never did recieve any answers of any kind.

Maybe I was. "insert whine here" :huh:

Posted

This also works well going in the other direction. I DNFd the first cache that I looked for and posted a DNF log on it. A couple of hours later I got an email message from the cache owner welcoming me to the game and asking if I wanted a hint. It turned out that the cache was actually missing. Over the next few months I exchanged email with that CO several times, then met him at an event and went kayaking with him down a stream which now has a bunch of boat only accessible caches on it (we didn't do any geocaching that day...actually, I found a couple on the way home). When he moved out of the area a year or so later I adopted several of his caches.

 

Don't be afraid to contact other geocachers about their caches but keep in mind that every cache owner is going to have their own policy on how much information they want to share. I suspect most cache owners are happy to provide a hint and some will even provide an outright spoiler. However, if a cache has not yet been found many won't give a hint until there has been a FTF. How I've personally responded to email messages often depends on the how their email is written. Some have comes across with a sense of entitlement to find every cache and that I"m obligated to tell them where it is even though it didn't sound like they put in much effort.

 

I have also frequently contacted trackable item owners when I've picked up a TB/Coin to let them know it's in good hands and what my plans might be for it. Sometimes it's something like, "I picked up your Lion TB today from the "A walk in the park" cache. I see that the goal is to visit every state, but I am going to be traveling to Rome in two weeks and can bring it with me. Would you like me to do that, or I can just drop into another nearby cache in a few days if you'd prefer."

 

A couple of years ago I picked up a tb that was in a race and contacted the owner. I was planning a trip in three weeks to California and could bring it back close to the "finish line" of the race. I had some real nice conversations with that TB owner over the next few weeks.

 

The social part of this game is really one of the most attractive aspects for me.

Posted

I do believe there is a box you have to check for your contact info to be sent with your message and another one if you want a copy of the message sent to you. It is toward the bottom of the page I think.

Posted

Also, when sending a message you don't have to reveal your e-mail address if you don't want to. If you don't allow it to be sent, the CO will instead be given your caching name and can reply to that via the site. It's an extra step for the CO but most won't mind to help a newbie.

Posted (edited)

This thread feels a little sticky. :anibad:

 

EDIT: Good stuff here. So many questions come back to this.

Edited by d+n.shults
Posted

Also, when sending a message you don't have to reveal your e-mail address if you don't want to. If you don't allow it to be sent, the CO will instead be given your caching name and can reply to that via the site. It's an extra step for the CO but most won't mind to help a newbie.

 

But, if you're asking for help, providing your email address will save the CO several steps and may make the difference between getting a reply and not getting a reply.

Posted

...snip...

 

Third, when you ask about a cache please identify it. Right now I only have 11 out but when someone emails me and says "give me a clue please" I need to know which cache you are talking about. Please include the cache ID (e.g. GC12345)

...snip...

 

 

One of the GreaseMonkey scripts available will do that automatically ("GC Bag o Tricks").

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