Micros in Trees

[+St.Matthew]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for hiding micros in tree branches?

 

Do you use match containers, superglue, and zip ties? What other methods tend to be waterproof?

[+Coldgears]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for hiding micros in tree branches?

 

Do you use match containers, superglue, and zip ties? What other methods tend to be waterproof?

I'm assuming you mean Bison tubes? I would suggest using a cable-tie.

[+d+n.s]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for hiding micros in tree branches?

 

Do you use match containers, superglue, and zip ties? What other methods tend to be waterproof?

I'm assuming you mean Bison tubes? I would suggest using a cable-tie.

Wish I had pictures, (Maybe I'll go get some if no-one else does) but...

 

1.

I take:

zip ties

a strong magnet

Duct tape (I get black duct tape free so I use that but camo or brown tape would probably help)

A match safe

A cheap metal door hinge plate from home depot

Some strong outdoor adhesive

 

2. I adhesive AND tape the magnet to the match safe.

 

3. I paint everything (including the zip ties and plate) brown(or whatever) with krylon brown (or whatever color works)

 

4. Go to my cool location where a micro in a tree happens to work best

 

5. I attach the metal plate to the tree (EDIT: zip ties trough the holes in the door hing plate thingy) and put the magnet safe on the tree.

 

I stole this method from someone on these forums and some who've found mine have mentioned they will steal it in turn.

 

EDIT: I whipped together a quick fake version for visual adi (NOTE: This is not the cache. It's missing an o-ring and I didn't paint it or anything. This is just a quick example made up from the intended back up.

 

Edited June 27, 2011 by d+n.s

[+Coldgears]

Duct tape (I get black duct tape free so I use that but camo or brown tape would probably help)

 

Better yet, use Camo Tape.

[+d+n.s]

Duct tape (I get black duct tape free so I use that but camo or brown tape would probably help)

 

Better yet, use Camo Tape.

Yep, read it again.

 

I think it depends on the location.

My cache is attached to a branch. The brown I use blends in great by coincidence, especially since you climb the tree a very short distance to find it, I'm only hiding it from muggles. No problems yet.

That said, I'd use camo tape if I felt like it made sense and I didn't have an infinite supply of free black duct tape

[AZcachemeister]

Hows about a hunk of plain ol' balin' wire formed into a hook to go around a branch?

Much better than screwing something into the tree.

[+d+n.s]

Hows about a hunk of plain ol' balin' wire formed into a hook to go around a branch?

Much better than screwing something into the tree.

No one has suggested screwing anything into a tree

 

EDIT: I see a point of confusion. I edited my post to clear it up.

Edited June 27, 2011 by d+n.s

[+Warturtle]

A guy here just made a hook for the container, and then wrapped the container in Christmas garland, and hooked it to a pine tree. Blends in very nice.

[+St.Matthew]

d+n.s, that is brilliant! Have you ever used old pill bottles instead of the match container?

[AZcachemeister]

Hows about a hunk of plain ol' balin' wire formed into a hook to go around a branch?

Much better than screwing something into the tree.

No one has suggested screwing anything into a tree

 

EDIT: I see a point of confusion. I edited my post to clear it up.

 

I jumped to a conclusion, my apologies.

[+t4e]

Hows about a hunk of plain ol' balin' wire formed into a hook to go around a branch?

Much better than screwing something into the tree.

 

ooh and where does that wire go when the tree grows?

 

there's nothing wrong with nails/screws in trees, otherwise the park's staff won't nail/screw their signs on them, would they?

 

picture i took personally and this tree is very much alive, so please stop the myths about the nails in the trees

 

Edited June 27, 2011 by t4e

[+St.Matthew]

.

Edited June 27, 2011 by St.Matthew

[+LEGO]

d+n.s, that is brilliant! Have you ever used old pill bottles instead of the match container?

 

Oh please don't use pill bottles! They are not watertight - the contents always get wet.

[+Coldgears]

d+n.s, that is brilliant! Have you ever used old pill bottles instead of the match container?

 

Oh please don't use pill bottles! They are not watertight - the contents always get wet.

Nope, just found a pill bottle in the middle of the woods, had nearly 1K finds, and was watertight, with no plastic bag.

[+St.Matthew]

d+n.s, that is brilliant! Have you ever used old pill bottles instead of the match container?

 

Oh please don't use pill bottles! They are not watertight - the contents always get wet.

Nope, just found a pill bottle in the middle of the woods, had nearly 1K finds, and was watertight, with no plastic bag.

 

Agreed, I have a pill bottle cache out there that is bone dry... for now.

[+dfx]

Nope, just found a pill bottle in the middle of the woods, had nearly 1K finds, and was watertight, with no plastic bag.

 

Maybe that was a "special" pill bottle, but when I tried it in the sink, the contents got soaked within minutes. So, don't use them.

[+Coldgears]

Nope, just found a pill bottle in the middle of the woods, had nearly 1K finds, and was watertight, with no plastic bag.

 

Maybe that was a "special" pill bottle, but when I tried it in the sink, the contents got soaked within minutes. So, don't use them.

The pill bottle I found was raised above the ground and attached to a tree, sideways. I think the trick is to leave it above the ground so the rain drains off, and doesn't soak in as a puddle on the ground, and to have it sideways. If you hide it like that it should work perfectly.

[+dfx]

The pill bottle I found was raised above the ground and attached to a tree, sideways. I think the trick is to leave it above the ground so the rain drains off, and doesn't soak in as a puddle on the ground, and to have it sideways. If you hide it like that it should work perfectly.

 

Either it's waterproof or it isn't. The one I tested wasn't. If it isn't, the contents will get soaked sooner or later, no matter how you hide it. Unless it's in a spot where it never gets wet, of course.

[+Flintstone5611]

there's nothing wrong with nails/screws in trees, otherwise the park's staff won't nail/screw their signs on them, would they?

 

picture i took personally and this tree is very much alive, so please stop the myths about the nails in the trees

 

 

Oh don't start putting a fire under the new guys. You know that our reviewers perceive nails as essentially the death of any tree. We have foought this fight and lost too many times.

[+t4e]

 

Oh don't start putting a fire under the new guys. You know that our reviewers perceive nails as essentially the death of any tree. We have foought this fight and lost too many times.

 

with all due respect to all our reviewers for the great, yet thankless job they do, nailing things to trees is not an issue

 

i really want to know what started that though

 

i remember as a kid growing up, the clothes line was nailed to the cherry and the plum tree, and for the 20 years i spent at my parents house those trees not only didn't die, they bore fruit every single year...so i don't get what/where the obsession about it being harmful to the tree comes from, if you think about it in the old days people were more mindful of mother nature than we are now, the fruit from those trees was viewed more back than as a "provider' rather than ornamental item for the back yard

[+L0ne.R]

Nope, just found a pill bottle in the middle of the woods, had nearly 1K finds, and was watertight, with no plastic bag.

 

Maybe that was a "special" pill bottle, but when I tried it in the sink, the contents got soaked within minutes. So, don't use them.

The pill bottle I found was raised above the ground and attached to a tree, sideways. I think the trick is to leave it above the ground so the rain drains off, and doesn't soak in as a puddle on the ground, and to have it sideways. If you hide it like that it should work perfectly.

 

You mean one of these, right?:

Not one of these:

I agree with those who've experienced wet logs in the top pharmaceutical type of pill bottle. It's been my experience that any pill bottle that's been out in the elements for more then a month is very likely going to be wet or at least moist inside.

[+keehotee]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for hiding micros in tree branches?

 

 

Use a bunch of zip ties to fix the handle of an ammo can to the branch - then put the micro in the ammo can

[+JL_HSTRE]

I've usually see zip ties or mono-filament fishing line.

[Mushtang]

i really want to know what started that though

I think I remember the issue being the danger that a nail in a tree would cause (someday when the cache is gone but the nail has been left behind) to someone with a chainsaw. If they cut up the log for whatever reason and hit the nail, bad things could happen.

 

I don't remember the reviewers being concerned that a nail would harm a tree.

[+edscott]

i really want to know what started that though

I think I remember the issue being the danger that a nail in a tree would cause (someday when the cache is gone but the nail has been left behind) to someone with a chainsaw. If they cut up the log for whatever reason and hit the nail, bad things could happen.

 

I don't remember the reviewers being concerned that a nail would harm a tree.

 

Yes... the danger is to the guy that harvests the tree or the mill that processes it.

[knowschad]

I think its clear from the Hungry Trees thread that I don't believe for one second that nails, screws, or bicycles can kill a tree. I doubt that Groundspeak or many reviewers believe so, either. But all it takes is for one land manager to get freaked out about it to cause a major disruption of our favorite activity. Its a perception and a permission issue, not a bontanical one.

[+sidekeck]

I went to a cache recently where the CO screwed an eye hook into a tree right next to where three nails were already in place, onto which their bison tube could be hung. Don't see why s/he had to put that fourth piece of hardware in the tree, but whatever.

[+briansnat]

there's nothing wrong with nails/screws in trees, otherwise the park's staff won't nail/screw their signs on them, would they?

 

picture i took personally and this tree is very much alive, so please stop the myths about the nails in the trees

 

 

Oh don't start putting a fire under the new guys. You know that our reviewers perceive nails as essentially the death of any tree. We have foought this fight and lost too many times.

 

Reviewers do not perceive nails as the death of a tree. They do however know that if the perception is that geocachers indiscriminately hammer nails into trees it could mean the death of geocaching in many parks.

[+SuperRat]

I've seen many bison tubes with a clip attached to the top which is just clipped to the tree and that works.

[+mountainman38]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for hiding micros in tree branches?

 

Do you use match containers, superglue, and zip ties? What other methods tend to be waterproof?

 

I like to use a waterproof match container for hanging in a tree.

 

I paint it flat green, then wrap thin wire around it with a hook at the top.

 

Find a tree with good needles (I like pine trees), hang the container out of sight, and away you go!

[+d+n.s]

d+n.s, that is brilliant! Have you ever used old pill bottles instead of the match container?

Nah, I stole the idea from someone here.

I just know a good I dea when I see it.

 

I make a lot of small caches (I keep a spare copy of most of my caches ready to go because I'm insane) and I often put the log in a pill bottle inside the actual container, but thats as far as I go. I definitely enjoy recycling/reusing containers from home, but not at the expense of a bad caching experience.

 

I have found some perfectly fine pill bottle caches, but match safes can be had for less than a dollar at wall mart and Academy Sports has green ones for about the same. To me, it's worth it.

 

I've also seen people use camo tape to attach a clothes pin. Seems smart, fast and cheap.

Edited June 28, 2011 by d+n.s

[+Flintstone5611]

Reviewers do not perceive nails as the death of a tree. They do however know that if the perception is that geocachers indiscriminately hammer nails into trees it could mean the death of geocaching in many parks.

 

They do around here. We have 3 or 4 of our regular reviewers that have archived caches as soon as they heard that a nail or screw was used to secure the cache (to anything). But if you use a Fire Tack, there is no problem.

[+d+n.s]

Reviewers do not perceive nails as the death of a tree. They do however know that if the perception is that geocachers indiscriminately hammer nails into trees it could mean the death of geocaching in many parks.

 

They do around here. We have 3 or 4 of our regular reviewers that have archived caches as soon as they heard that a nail or screw was used to secure the cache (to anything). But if you use a Fire Tack, there is no problem.

You are sure they couldn't have considered the other concerns knowschad listed?

[+AlohaBra and MaksMom]

I've seen many bison tubes with a clip attached to the top which is just clipped to the tree and that works.

ditto...just camo the carbiner clip...just saw one that shines a lot and made it too easy...

just don't nail into tree...it just doesn't look good ...

[+power69]

d+n.s, that is brilliant! Have you ever used old pill bottles instead of the match container?

 

Oh please don't use pill bottles! They are not watertight - the contents always get wet.

thats why you use a ziplock for the log

[+power69]

there's nothing wrong with nails/screws in trees, otherwise the park's staff won't nail/screw their signs on them, would they?

 

picture i took personally and this tree is very much alive, so please stop the myths about the nails in the trees

 

 

Oh don't start putting a fire under the new guys. You know that our reviewers perceive nails as essentially the death of any tree. We have foought this fight and lost too many times.

I like how they say to protect trees then proceed to hammer the placard in with 7 nails!

[+Klatch]

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for hiding micros in tree branches?

 

 

Use a bunch of zip ties to fix the handle of an ammo can to the branch - then put the micro in the ammo can

+1

[+Rckhnd]

Hows about a hunk of plain ol' balin' wire formed into a hook to go around a branch?

Much better than screwing something into the tree.

 

ooh and where does that wire go when the tree grows?

 

there's nothing wrong with nails/screws in trees, otherwise the park's staff won't nail/screw their signs on them, would they?

 

picture i took personally and this tree is very much alive, so please stop the myths about the nails in the trees

 

 

Correct. Nails don't kill trees, girdling them does. Girdling a tree is when the tree is wrapped with an item such as wire. The tree tries to grow around the wire. IF it is a uniform wrap, the wire ends up blocking the cambium layer and strangling the tree. Many trees survive growing in fences because there is a section of bark that can still transport nutrients while the other section is growing around the wire. .....sorry, had a nerd moment.

Edited June 28, 2011 by Rckhnd

[knowschad]

Reviewers do not perceive nails as the death of a tree. They do however know that if the perception is that geocachers indiscriminately hammer nails into trees it could mean the death of geocaching in many parks.

 

They do around here. We have 3 or 4 of our regular reviewers that have archived caches as soon as they heard that a nail or screw was used to secure the cache (to anything). But if you use a Fire Tack, there is no problem.

 

I think you missed Briansnat's point. It isn't that the reviewers think that the nail will be the death of the tree. The reviewers you mention are aware of the perception issues that have arisen from driving nails into trees. Big difference.

[+Chrysalides]

Use a magnet and attach it to ironwood

 

I like d+n.s's suggestion (and thanks for the photos). Just make sure there's enough space for the branches to grow. The ones I find usually are metal wires bent into a hook. I like those since I can use a wand type metal detector to hunt for them