Hide Statistics

[lajwa]

With all the statistics listed under profiles for when, where and how many caches you find, why isn't there a stat for how many you hide?

Also in the last month I have read two different complaints about how someone else has hidden a cache and when I checked the poster's profile I find that they have done very little or no cache hiding for the rest of us to enjoy. Show us how to do it before you shoot down another cacher's stash. I'll probably get crap for posting this but I believer you should put as much into something as you take from it. Let other's enjoy.

[+Shawn&Holly]

I don't think there should be more of a stat for hidden beyond what there is, cachers should never feel pressured to hide a cache because they should. They should hide a cache they want to hide, hopefully one they will also maintain and of the type and variety akin to those they enjoy finding. Making cachers feel obliged to hide a cache may shy away some from the hobby and also encourage unmaintained, tossed out there caches. Just by finding caches hidden by those who enjoy hiding caches is contributing to geocaching in a positive way. Hopefully the complaints were constructive, just because they have not hidden many does not mean they don't know a bad hide from a good one.

[+Landsharkz]

When we lead 'Introduction to Geocaching' seminars we strongly recommend that people have found about 50-100 caches before contemplating hiding one. By the time a new cacher has found that many caches, they'll see some great hides/containers, mediocre hides/containers and awful hides/containers so they'll be able to determine what works and what doesn't, what is popular and what isn't, what gets muggled and what doesn't.

 

If we find a poorly hidden cache, it would be ok to say in our log that the hider may want to check their cache because it may not be how they intended it to be hidden since it seemed to us to be not well hidden or something tactful like that.

 

We know of a new cacher (zero finds) who hid a large quantity of caches, some were muggled before they were ever found, coordinates were off and location choices were poor. Unfortunately the community response to this can really turn someone off geocaching, especially when the logs on these caches are not always worded well.

 

There are cachers who only find caches and have never hid any and usually the community doesn't mind at all. They are most likely great ambassadors for geocaching nonetheless. They certainly do know a good hide from a bad one, having been caching for many years, and their opinion is valued and appreciated. Think of them as the seniors who never had children, but may have had a career teaching. It doesn't mean they don't know children and we can all learn from them. I hope that's not a wonky analogy...

 

Helen

[lajwa]

I am just saying that people also need to give back to the sport. If no one is hiding then what's there to find? I was looking at the world stats and they list the hides and finds. Why list anything? If it's just for fun why do we feel the need to be the first to find or to build up a stat for how many finds. Gosh one of the cachers has over 28000 finds and 3 hides. Come on, all I'm saying that we also need to help build the sport. I can see it dying off in my city if we don't get more people to hide. I found everyone here so far and if I don't travel I guess I might as well put the gps for sale. I don't hunt or fish, I don't need it for any other reason other than geocaching. Maybe I can just ask you guys out there. How do you get more people interested in promoting the sport and getting involved? I love this sport and it fits in so well with jogging, hiking,snowshoeing and mountain biking.

[+Geo_Raptor]

There is the possibility to add hider stats, but you would need to learn GSAK. Check out my public profile and scroll down to hidden cache section, to see whats possible.

 

cheers

[+northernpenguin]

I am just saying that people also need to give back to the sport. If no one is hiding then what's there to find? I was looking at the world stats and they list the hides and finds. Why list anything? If it's just for fun why do we feel the need to be the first to find or to build up a stat for how many finds. Gosh one of the cachers has over 28000 finds and 3 hides. Come on, all I'm saying that we also need to help build the sport.

 

There are over 20,000 active geocaches in the Province of Ontario. I would hate to see geocaching dry up in a given town/city, but .... If local geocachers are not willing to make the long term commitment to hide - and maintain - a cache, perhaps the activity *should* die out in a city where nobody wants to hide one. Shaming someone into hiding a cache does not mean you will have fun finding their caches - you'll likely end up with more poor hides.

 

The difference between the 28,000 finds and the 3 hides is that you don't have to maintain a cache find. You do have to maintain caches you hide.

[+Shawn&Holly]

I understand your motives, but also prefer well placed maintained caches that will be taken care of after placed, even after we find them.

[+Keith Watson]

There is the possibility to add hider stats, but you would need to learn GSAK. Check out my public profile and scroll down to hidden cache section, to see whats possible.

 

cheers

 

I keep stats on caches I have hidden as well. I love your term Cache Karma. I have placed 91 caches, some events and CITO's, and have over 7,000 visits by almost 2,000 unique cachers. I have found just over 4,000 caches so I think I have given back pretty good. I can understand people being worried about people being bullied into placing bad hides but lets be honest. There are plenty of bullies out there already and plenty of what people call bad hides.

 

Every one was a newbie at one time. Part of geocaching is accepting what ever people place out there for us to find. It is a delicate balancing act. The opposite could happen and the person that is bullied from not placing a caches because they don't have enough finds could have been the person that placed the most amazing geocaches ever but was put off because of an initial hide that some people didn't like.

[+northernpenguin]

There are plenty of bullies out there already and plenty of what people call bad hides.

 

Yes, there certainly are.

[lajwa]

Well I guess I'll just drop this idea I had of promoting this sport in my area somehow. I'm not sure now if I'm beating a dead horse or being called a bully. By the replies so far I am realizing that you can't ask people to contribute by hiding caches. I'll keep hiding for the few folks around here that still contribute to the fun both ways and I'm sure those few will continue to reciprocate.

Happy Caching

[+Keith Watson]

Well I guess I'll just drop this idea I had of promoting this sport in my area somehow. I'm not sure now if I'm beating a dead horse or being called a bully. By the replies so far I am realizing that you can't ask people to contribute by hiding caches. I'll keep hiding for the few folks around here that still contribute to the fun both ways and I'm sure those few will continue to reciprocate.

Happy Caching

 

My advice is to play the game your way and have fun. Don't worry about what other people think or you will spend most of your time trying to please others.

[+Shawn&Holly]

Well I guess I'll just drop this idea I had of promoting this sport in my area somehow. I'm not sure now if I'm beating a dead horse or being called a bully. By the replies so far I am realizing that you can't ask people to contribute by hiding caches. I'll keep hiding for the few folks around here that still contribute to the fun both ways and I'm sure those few will continue to reciprocate.

Happy Caching

Nothing wrong with promoting, guilting folks into hiding caches is ill advised, encouragement with positive logs on good caches is best.

 

Shawn

[+Keith Watson]

Constructive criticism done well can go a long way.

[+SooMukwas]

Lajwa, you have done well to promote geocaching up in the Soo and have some great hides. I always look forward to going up there to find your new ones and I've been lucky to FTF a few too, woohoo!

 

I do know how you feel, but sooner or later, we all run out of caches in our own areas to look for(until some new ones in the area pop up!) Hence, a new reason to travel, lol!

 

I've come up north to find most of yours...maybe you need to come down here for a visit and find some of mine and the other thousand or so in my area.

[+RickOnTheRange]

... I do know how you feel, but sooner or later, we all run out of caches in our own areas to look for(until some new ones in the area pop up!) Hence, a new reason to travel, lol!

 

After running out of caches in my area, I felt the best option was to begin hiding my own caches. My hope was to bring people to the area, and get some new cachers involved in our sport. Who knows ... maybe one of those new cachers will become a "master" hider.

[lajwa]

Maybe I'll have to get drunk and go out hiding geocaches under another name. then I'll have some to look for. LOL

[+SooMukwas]

On my next trip up there, I'll make sure to hide a few new ones for you up there.

 

I have two up on Highway 17 south of Wawa that have yet to be found yet....

[lajwa]

Hey Thanks SooMukwas. I'm sure everyone here will appreciate that.

[+The Blue Quasar]

There are plenty of bullies out there already and plenty of what people call bad hides.

 

Yes, there certainly are.

 

Yeap, couldn't agree more.

[+The Blue Quasar]

Well I guess I'll just drop this idea I had of promoting this sport in my area somehow. I'm not sure now if I'm beating a dead horse or being called a bully. By the replies so far I am realizing that you can't ask people to contribute by hiding caches. I'll keep hiding for the few folks around here that still contribute to the fun both ways and I'm sure those few will continue to reciprocate.

Happy Caching

 

My advice is to play the game your way and have fun. Don't worry about what other people think or you will spend most of your time trying to please others.

 

That's solid advice! ^^^^ I tip my hat to that!

 

Another player once said something to the effect of "Place caches you would enjoy finding" and that has stuck with me as my guiding principle.

I've been known to say "For every avid hiker there is a single mom pushing a stroller. Both deserve to enjoy the game how they are able."

 

BQ

[+mrcanoehead224]

How do you get more people interested in promoting the sport and getting involved?

hide more caches and be an ambassador? One couple I know Iwould guess at one point owned about 60% of the caches in their city. Then they and some others organized a cache and release event. Their ratio is probably down to about 25% now and their hides have increased. They also host breakfast or other events a few times a year. People will drive over two hours to attend.

 

I'll keep hiding for the few folks around here that still contribute to the fun both ways and I'm sure those few will continue to reciprocate.

oh, you said that already

 

Constructive criticism done well can go a long way.

amen, better to catch flies with honey than vinegar.

[+ToonAl]

A note because I may be one of the two people mentioned. I made a mention of the winter attribute on caches a month back. I have over 1000+ finds and 1 hide. So even if it wasn't me then guilty as charged.

 

But from a person who is curling in his toes at the original comment let me make a few points.

 

I have seen a lot of hides. I know what I like, read Fangly Fish, Kdotbluedot and entogeek among others. I often end up thinking "How do they imagine this stuff up" and no matter how I try to think up good caches I find myself unworthy. Do I feel guilt about my one hide, sure every now and then, but then I could go out and toss a piece of tupperware into the bushes and, as has been mentioned, that would help no one. In fact in a weird sort of way it would take a way a spot for someone with imagination to hide a really good cache.

 

Do I feel like I am sucking off the system? Nope. I find my strength is in ambassadorship. I talk so much about caching my friends are sick of me. I have taken quite a few people caching. In fact I introduced FanglyFish and rngrrngr to the game, so when you do one of their amazing caches give pause to think how they found out about the whole thing. Maybe it was one of those one hide guys who needs a tiny bit of thanks.

 

Do I feel that my one hide also takes away my right to make a comment about hides. Obviously not. In fact after i made my comment people taught me a whole different way of looking at things. Does it still frustrate me when I walk into a forest and I am up to my knees in snow wondering if I have no chance. A little less than before I made the comment on the forums but ya still. Did I go yesterday and look for the same cache I think is hidden in the snow, yep and DNF'ed again, and I will go back. My comment was never a criticism, it was just a comment, that is what discussion is about.

 

Anyway thanks to all who have hidden for me. Keep it up.

 

Have a great day.

[+entogeek]

I'd just like to add that giving back to the geocaching community is not restricted to just placing caches. Introducing others to this activity, inviting someone new to go caching with you, sharing track logs, answering questions in the forums are all ways of giving back. I'd much rather see someone do this instead of throwing down a cache as useless as this one.

[+Keith Watson]

I'd just like to add that giving back to the geocaching community is not restricted to just placing caches. Introducing others to this activity, inviting someone new to go caching with you, sharing track logs, answering questions in the forums are all ways of giving back. I'd much rather see someone do this instead of throwing down a cache as useless as this one.

 

I love it. Even has two favorites.

[+Flintstone5611]

Well lajwa, you are a cacher of your word! You just published like a million caches!! I plan on coming back to the Soo sometime soon (maybe in May), and am looking forward to enjoying your hard work. Incidentally there was a cache published that you could run after as well GC2Q97P. Your efforts have not been in vain!

[lajwa]

Well lajwa, you are a cacher of your word! You just published like a million caches!! I plan on coming back to the Soo sometime soon (maybe in May), and am looking forward to enjoying your hard work. Incidentally there was a cache published that you could run after as well GC2Q97P. Your efforts have not been in vain!

 

Thanks Flints5611. I like to hike, mountain bike, snowshoe, run, etc so I seem to always bring a cache or two along just per chance I find that perfect spot or just a place that I think needs a visit. As for the cache you suggested, I was almost out the door to head for it when I saw your email. There is another new one as well so I should take care of them today. I was heading out of town so I thought I give the cachers something to do while I was gone. Hope they enjoy. The other hard core cachers here have been doing well this winter to keep me busy so I felt the urge to reciprocate. Not because I was "pressured" as some call it but as a courtesy you tend to keep others interested when things are slow and it just makes it more fun for everyone. Afterall, it is a multiplayer game, not solitairre. haha anyway thanks for the heads up on the new cache.

Lajwa

[lajwa]

Well lajwa, you are a cacher of your word! You just published like a million caches!! I plan on coming back to the Soo sometime soon (maybe in May), and am looking forward to enjoying your hard work. Incidentally there was a cache published that you could run after as well GC2Q97P. Your efforts have not been in vain!

 

Thanks Flints5611. I like to hike, mountain bike, snowshoe, run, etc so I seem to always bring a cache or two along just per chance I find that perfect spot or just a place that I think needs a visit. As for the cache you suggested, I was almost out the door to head for it when I saw your email. There is another new one as well so I should take care of them today. I was heading out of town so I thought I give the cachers something to do while I was gone. Hope they enjoy. The other hard core cachers here have been doing well this winter to keep me busy so I felt the urge to reciprocate. Not because I was "pressured" as some call it but as a courtesy you tend to keep others interested when things are slow and it just makes it more fun for everyone. Afterall, it is a multiplayer game, not solitairre. haha anyway thanks for the heads up on the new cache.

Lajwa

[lajwa]

When you folks hit the Sault the next time you will be surprised. The hardcore cachers whiskers53, frogman100 and jmac1 have been keeping up with me here and the cache count has risen immensely. Thanks to all of you and keep on cachin. It's been a great winter hiking. No flies, no bears, very quiet in the woods. Thanks to all of you who have made the winter a prosperous caching experience.

lajwa