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To get the ball rolling in your community of mugglers!


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Frankly, I think we shouldn't try to strive for more awareness. Caches are vulnerable enough as it is, without introducing more risk of theft and vandalism by advertising the game. The game has grown well enough without advertising it. There are plenty of caches to be found, and plenty of users playing. If anything, there's a bit too much.

 

Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That was probably the best example you can get.

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To the OP: If you really feel you want to advertise with posters, consider changing the "Treasure Hunt" bit to something like "Scavenger Hunt." The whole treasure hunt concept brings up images of buried stashes, an image that got caches banned from National Parks for a long time.

 

Seconded.

 

You might want to look toward contacting local outdoors groups as their members are those most likely to be interested.

 

Your enthusiasm is great, but if you're fairly knew at the hobby you might not be a good advocate yet. You may be well served finding more caches, meeting other caches (especially any local caching organizations - and possibly working with them), and caching a little longer. It might be even a matter of not what you don't know but even what you don't know that you don't know.

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Yeah, I think Harry Potter is lame squared. I'm sticking with mugglers.

 

Well, there went your PM gift. <_<

 

LOL. We need some new words anyway. The old ones are boring. Is like to see a pair or ammo boxers.

57012695v5_480x480_Front_Color-White.jpg

 

Wait, I love Harry Potter! He's my favorite vampire!

 

LOL at the ammo boxers! I'll stick to hunting ammo cans after all.

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Yeah, I think Harry Potter is lame squared. I'm sticking with mugglers.

 

Ha! Awesome. First, +1. Second, I hadn't considered switching from "muggle" to "muggler" as a way of distancing myself from Potterers, but I like this idea. A lot. "Muggler" it is.*

 

--Matt

 

*I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the first time someone corrects me on this so I can give them the explanation. Thanks Seeker!!

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Yeah, I think Harry Potter is lame squared. I'm sticking with mugglers.

 

Ha! Awesome. First, +1. Second, I hadn't considered switching from "muggle" to "muggler" as a way of distancing myself from Potterers, but I like this idea. A lot. "Muggler" it is.*

 

--Matt

 

*I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the first time someone corrects me on this so I can give them the explanation. Thanks Seeker!!

 

:) No problem. We can also use plunderers. But, that's got more syllables and I often goof it up when I say it! I think we are the only 2 on earth that don't like/know about Harry Potter. I have to pretend I know at work or I'll be strung up! Lol.

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Hunter275, welcome to the world of the internet where the frustrated hide behind their computer screens. I see both sides of this, you are new and excited about something and that is great.... Hang on to that feeling as long as you can. Your posters would be great but I think you should consider you audience as with everything in life (including posting in forums). If I were to try to promote something like this, I would start by finding out if there is a local organization of like-minded people, if there is join them, you will learn from people with experience and have a support for you efforts to gain more followers. If there is no local organization, consider setting one up. Use your posters in places that sell GPSr units, hiking equipment, local park offices (if they allow geocaching). However, be careful to not blanket spam your town with something like this. You may not like some of the responses to your advertising....

 

On the other hand, you are very new to this (some would say I am too), so I'm sure some of the critical posters have seen this type of thing before. There are some people who are against our hobby, and work to steal the caches in the name of 'whatever cause fits the bill' so advertising it may not seem like a good idea. Other cachers have complained about the larger number of people getting involved in the game ruining it for them (in other words they don't feel 'elite' anymore). Ask yourself if advertising this will promote this hobby in the best possible light. With caches being mistaken for bombs all over the country and making the news, you need to make sure you won't be seen in a negative way. For example: 'CASH IN TRASH OUT is a big part of the game. How many flyers will become the trash part of the TRASH OUT?

 

Your enthusiasm needs to be controlled and focused into learning as much as you can about the game before going gung ho into becoming the Johny Appleseed of geocaching.

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Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That's an awful comparison. People are born as wizards, and the wizarding world is hidden from non-wizards because they'd be in trouble if the muggles found out about their existence. All geocachers were muggles at some point. There's nothing wrong with geocaching and we don't have to be an underground community. You are the same people who come up with wild stories to tell muggles when they ask you what you're doing.

 

I made some of my own posters, and I'm going to put them up around my area. To make achieve the maximum effect, I've listed the closest cache to each poster. Take that.

 

posterls.png

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Hunter275, welcome to the world of the internet where the frustrated hide behind their computer screens.

:blink: What did you just post to the internet?

 

The rest of the post wasn't that bad really. :) I will not further comment on teenagers making flyers "advertising" Geocaching to the masses, be it out of youthful exuberance, or a "take that" attitude. :o

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Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That's an awful comparison. People are born as wizards, and the wizarding world is hidden from non-wizards because they'd be in trouble if the muggles found out about their existence. All geocachers were muggles at some point. There's nothing wrong with geocaching and we don't have to be an underground community. You are the same people who come up with wild stories to tell muggles when they ask you what you're doing.

You're a clever guy... would you mind coming up with a superior comparison?

 

Oh, and yeah, we do have an underground community... less than we used to, but more than we will, at this rate. I like knowing that not everybody is aware of what we are doing.

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Yeah, I think Harry Potter is lame squared. I'm sticking with mugglers.

 

Ha! Awesome. First, +1. Second, I hadn't considered switching from "muggle" to "muggler" as a way of distancing myself from Potterers, but I like this idea. A lot. "Muggler" it is.*

 

--Matt

 

*I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to the first time someone corrects me on this so I can give them the explanation. Thanks Seeker!!

 

:) No problem. We can also use plunderers. But, that's got more syllables and I often goof it up when I say it! I think we are the only 2 on earth that don't like/know about Harry Potter. I have to pretend I know at work or I'll be strung up! Lol.

Count me in as #3 to admit never having read the books or seen the movies. Just not my thing. When I'm around people talking about it I just keep quiet. I often just say "non cachers"

 

I don't get caught up in hype and I worked in a book store when the first few books came out, I was glad so many kids were reading the books, anything to help them know the love of reading.

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Hunter275, welcome to the world of the internet where the frustrated hide behind their computer screens. I see both sides of this, you are new and excited about something and that is great.... Hang on to that feeling as long as you can. Your posters would be great but I think you should consider you audience as with everything in life (including posting in forums). If I were to try to promote something like this, I would start by finding out if there is a local organization of like-minded people, if there is join them, you will learn from people with experience and have a support for you efforts to gain more followers. If there is no local organization, consider setting one up. Use your posters in places that sell GPSr units, hiking equipment, local park offices (if they allow geocaching). However, be careful to not blanket spam your town with something like this. You may not like some of the responses to your advertising....

 

On the other hand, you are very new to this (some would say I am too), so I'm sure some of the critical posters have seen this type of thing before. There are some people who are against our hobby, and work to steal the caches in the name of 'whatever cause fits the bill' so advertising it may not seem like a good idea. Other cachers have complained about the larger number of people getting involved in the game ruining it for them (in other words they don't feel 'elite' anymore). Ask yourself if advertising this will promote this hobby in the best possible light. With caches being mistaken for bombs all over the country and making the news, you need to make sure you won't be seen in a negative way. For example: 'CASH IN TRASH OUT is a big part of the game. How many flyers will become the trash part of the TRASH OUT?

 

Your enthusiasm needs to be controlled and focused into learning as much as you can about the game before going gung ho into becoming the Johny Appleseed of geocaching.

 

Thanks for the welcome but I am not new to the internet or forums for that matter.

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Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That's an awful comparison. People are born as wizards, and the wizarding world is hidden from non-wizards because they'd be in trouble if the muggles found out about their existence. All geocachers were muggles at some point. There's nothing wrong with geocaching and we don't have to be an underground community. You are the same people who come up with wild stories to tell muggles when they ask you what you're doing.

 

I made some of my own posters, and I'm going to put them up around my area. To make achieve the maximum effect, I've listed the closest cache to each poster. Take that.

 

posterls.png

 

I'm sure the CO of that cache is going to love you for that. Did you also put a big red X where the container is? Sorry CO but I can see your cache reported as missing in no time at all.

 

There are topics about how we found out about caching - NONE say they saw fliers - IMO that just goes against the whole concept of the game. This is not a mainstream activity, kind of like unicycle riders - it's not for everyone. People may know it's out there but if they have no interest they don't pursue it. There have been plenty of news articles about geocaching, comments made in public, friends and coworkers that share experiences with non cachers and it's not hard to do a google search or even happen upon it in error.

 

I'd like to know what the frog feels about his website being plastered around town.

 

Again I'll ask the question : when someone puts their info on the pull off tabs, are they going to give classes or ????

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Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That's an awful comparison. People are born as wizards, and the wizarding world is hidden from non-wizards because they'd be in trouble if the muggles found out about their existence. All geocachers were muggles at some point. There's nothing wrong with geocaching and we don't have to be an underground community. You are the same people who come up with wild stories to tell muggles when they ask you what you're doing.

 

I made some of my own posters, and I'm going to put them up around my area. To make achieve the maximum effect, I've listed the closest cache to each poster. Take that.

 

posterls.png

 

I'm sure the CO of that cache is going to love you for that. Did you also put a big red X where the container is? Sorry CO but I can see your cache reported as missing in no time at all.

 

There are topics about how we found out about caching - NONE say they saw fliers - IMO that just goes against the whole concept of the game. This is not a mainstream activity, kind of like unicycle riders - it's not for everyone. People may know it's out there but if they have no interest they don't pursue it. There have been plenty of news articles about geocaching, comments made in public, friends and coworkers that share experiences with non cachers and it's not hard to do a google search or even happen upon it in error.

 

I'd like to know what the frog feels about his website being plastered around town.

 

Again I'll ask the question : when someone puts their info on the pull off tabs, are they going to give classes or ????

 

I have not seen Geocaching.com advertise anywhere. Garmin's Opencaching.com, I have (a futile attempt, in my opinion). Groundspeak is well aware, I'm sure, of the fact that they can grow at a near exponential rate (as evidenced by Fizzy's recent bumped thread), without doing anything. Apparently unsupervised children making "in your face" flyers aside, whether they're serious or not. :o

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Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That's an awful comparison. People are born as wizards, and the wizarding world is hidden from non-wizards because they'd be in trouble if the muggles found out about their existence. All geocachers were muggles at some point. There's nothing wrong with geocaching and we don't have to be an underground community. You are the same people who come up with wild stories to tell muggles when they ask you what you're doing.

 

I made some of my own posters, and I'm going to put them up around my area. To make achieve the maximum effect, I've listed the closest cache to each poster. Take that.

 

posterls.png

 

Hmm....

 

1. Remove the "being stealthy" off of the "Do you like" statement. It might make passerbys think its some sort of make-people-suspicious-and-become-uncomfortable kinda thing (which kinda is, but not the right thing to say to a newbie).

 

2.Remove the "social networking" off of the "do you like" statement. Leave social networking to facebook. After all, geocaching is a family hobby.

 

3. Don't include "the closest cache" for two reasons. I assume you don't have the CO's permission and you never now what his/hers reaction will be if he/she finds out. Secondly, A person who is newly introduced to geocaching might like an ammo can hidden in the woods compared to an LPC.

 

I think you should take Groundspeaks permission on doing this. Same for you, Hunter275, as it might be considered "free advertising" and you never know how Groundspeak will react to this.

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What I don't understand is WHY the OP feels he needs to 'spread the word' to 'the masses'. :unsure:

Considering that Geocaching shows up often enough on the TV news, in magazines, etc, why the urgency to involve more people?

I would think a program somehow related to other outdoor activities would be more productive than a random poster at the local laundromat.

 

Seriously...if I saw it, I would remove it. :back:

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The entire world, or even your entire community is not interested in, desires to try, or even is necessarily wanted in breathing. I know, that's really hard to believe, but it's true.

Those that aren't interested should remain as they are, non-breathers. To introduce everyone and everybody to breathing is not a good thing. Should they be aware of it, yes (perhaps). Should everyone know all there is to know about it? I think not! It will only invite trouble. You could teach everyone how to load, aim and shoot a gun, but should you? No? Why not?

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The entire world, or even your entire community is not interested in, desires to try, or even is necessarily wanted in breathing. I know, that's really hard to believe, but it's true.

Those that aren't interested should remain as they are, non-breathers. To introduce everyone and everybody to breathing is not a good thing. Should they be aware of it, yes (perhaps). Should everyone know all there is to know about it? I think not! It will only invite trouble. You could teach everyone how to load, aim and shoot a gun, but should you? No? Why not?

Another great example.

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I have not seen Geocaching.com advertise anywhere. Garmin's Opencaching.com, I have (a futile attempt, in my opinion). Groundspeak is well aware, I'm sure, of the fact that they can grow at a near exponential rate (as evidenced by Fizzy's recent bumped thread), without doing anything. Apparently unsupervised children making "in your face" flyers aside, whether they're serious or not. :o

 

Neither have I. Geocaching has grown very well on largely Word of Mouth, and I think it should stay that way, for the safety of caches.

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Frankly, I think we shouldn't try to strive for more awareness. Caches are vulnerable enough as it is, without introducing more risk of theft and vandalism by advertising the game. The game has grown well enough without advertising it. There are plenty of caches to be found, and plenty of users playing. If anything, there's a bit too much.

 

Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That was probably the best example you can get.

Wait I take that back.

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I think its unfortunate that so many people with great points about why this is actually an idea with possibly unforeseen negative side decided to dole out their wisdom with inelegance.

That said, you might look past the tsk-tsking and OP. because the do raise a valid oint.

Geocaching is not something that suits the average person, and many people wh discover geocaching through a stranger end up with weird ideas about what it is and why they need to make it stop.

 

P.S. I often call them Muggz in logs because its funnier. Who cares....

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Seriously...if I saw it, I would remove it. :back:

 

I agree.

 

Discretion is the better part of valor. Caches are able to survive because cachers are discrete about hunting the caches. Broadcasting to the world about hidden caches destroys their cover and protection. That's why we have stealth.

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The main thing that really grinds my gears about Opencaching, is the fact that you can't contact someone. For example, I saw someone post a few found it notes on opencaches. They said that they were going to stop caching because of lack of caches in the area. Apparently they had no idea geocaching.com existed! I desperately felt bad for these potential cachers, and tried everything I could to send them a quick email letting them know of the thousands of caches that are so much closer to their home. Nope, no way to do that...

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The main thing that really grinds my gears about Opencaching, is the fact that you can't contact someone. For example, I saw someone post a few found it notes on opencaches. They said that they were going to stop caching because of lack of caches in the area. Apparently they had no idea geocaching.com existed! I desperately felt bad for these potential cachers, and tried everything I could to send them a quick email letting them know of the thousands of caches that are so much closer to their home. Nope, no way to do that...

I took a quick peek at opencaching.com and found this explaining geocaching.

 

Geocaching (pronounced: geo • cashing) is a game invented by pirates. Well, not exactly. But they were definitely on to something. As legend goes, swashbucklers hid their treasure and marked the spot so that they could find it again. Geocaching works the same way – only advances in technology have taken things to a whole new level.

 

LMAO :lol:

 

 

As for contacting that opencacher that was goingto quit, Garmin must have their email address obtained by account setup. YOU can try asking garmin...not that they would give it to some stranger...

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Frankly, I think we shouldn't try to strive for more awareness. Caches are vulnerable enough as it is, without introducing more risk of theft and vandalism by advertising the game. The game has grown well enough without advertising it. There are plenty of caches to be found, and plenty of users playing. If anything, there's a bit too much.

 

Exactly!! Did Harry Potter go around putting up posters about his magic in an effort to convert the "mugglers" [sic]? I don't think so.

That was probably the best example you can get.

Wait I take that back.

 

Too late. Sorry.

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I'm sure the CO of that cache is going to love you for that. Did you also put a big red X where the container is? Sorry CO but I can see your cache reported as missing in no time at all.

I haven't put the posters up yet, but good idea, I'll try that! It'll be green paint though. We used to have that red survey paint, then my dad tried to take it on a flight up to Prince George (where his mining property is) and they confiscated it at the airport because of the liquids thing. Don't worry though, green paint is just as good! :)

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I'm sure the CO of that cache is going to love you for that. Did you also put a big red X where the container is? Sorry CO but I can see your cache reported as missing in no time at all.

I haven't put the posters up yet, but good idea, I'll try that! It'll be green paint though. We used to have that red survey paint, then my dad tried to take it on a flight up to Prince George (where his mining property is) and they confiscated it at the airport because of the liquids thing. Don't worry though, green paint is just as good! :)

If it were my cache, I wouldn't be ok with you openly advertising its existence for all to see. The hunt should begin with geocaching.com. If you want to get people to visit a cache, feel free to make an "anarchy cache" and place it, post coordinates for that cache on your poster, and then see how it goes.

 

Don't risk a cache getting muggled ("stolen or sabotaged", for you HP loathing folks :anibad: ) just so you can go on a recruitment crusade of sorts. Your enthusiasm is great, albeit misdirected, IMO

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The main thing that really grinds my gears about Opencaching, is the fact that you can't contact someone. For example, I saw someone post a few found it notes on opencaches. They said that they were going to stop caching because of lack of caches in the area. Apparently they had no idea geocaching.com existed! I desperately felt bad for these potential cachers, and tried everything I could to send them a quick email letting them know of the thousands of caches that are so much closer to their home. Nope, no way to do that...

good grief! Is there anyone out there that has NOT heard of Google????? If those people want to continue caching but not use that other site it would be almost impossible to not happen upon this site.

when you google opencaching this is the second item to come up: opencaching vs geocaching

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The main thing that really grinds my gears about Opencaching, is the fact that you can't contact someone. For example, I saw someone post a few found it notes on opencaches. They said that they were going to stop caching because of lack of caches in the area. Apparently they had no idea geocaching.com existed! I desperately felt bad for these potential cachers, and tried everything I could to send them a quick email letting them know of the thousands of caches that are so much closer to their home. Nope, no way to do that...

 

The newer Garmin units only mention Opencaching.com in their literature. I have seen Garmin advertise it in Outside Magazine, a Mag that's been around for 35 years with a circulation of 700,000/month. It is very possible to hear about Opencaching.com before hearing about this.

 

A Geocaching website where you can't contact another player is beyond ubsurd. Pretty much tells you how quickly it was rushed to Market, and not programmed by anyone who Geocaches. YOU CAN CONTACT ANOTHER PLAYER ON NAVICACHE, FOR PETE'S SAKE. Not to mention GPSgames.org, Terracaching, and the "other" Opencaching network of websites. How's that for off-topic? :D

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A different perspective...

 

This may seem a little Nit-Picky, but I think you are pushing a little too hard. Good intentions, yes, but too much good can be bad.

 

Now, before we all jump to conclusions.....

I know you are excited about geocaching. Probably not different than any of us others. Yes -- here comes the ....but...

 

You have been a member for 4+ months, with 5 finds (on this account), all within the past week. Now, here you are, trying to convert the world.

Don't you think you just may be rushing things a bit? No? Well, I do.

You have a geocaching blog, you have a lot of ideas. This is all and good, in fact it is great, but I would really suggest that you s-l-o-w down a bit. Quite likely, there is a bit more for you to learn about geocaching.

A simple, very simple example: The term is MUGGLE or MUGGLES, not mugglers.

 

The entire world, or even your entire community is not interested in, desires to try, or even is necessarily wanted in geocaching. I know, that's really hard to believe, but it's true.

Those that aren't interested should remain as they are, muggles. To introduce everyone and everybody to geocaching is not a good thing. Should they be aware of it, yes (perhaps). Should everyone know all there is to know about it? I think not! It will only invite trouble. You could teach everyone how to load, aim and shoot a gun, but should you? No? Why not?

 

For another thing, your posters (as you have them at this time), seem to portray you as a spokesperson for geocaching.com, a commercial enterprise owned by Groundspeak, Inc. Just what position do hold within that organization or what right do you have to do what you propose? Are you sure they want you to do that?

Before you make such a leap, I would suggest that you present it to those in control of this enterprise, or use both hands to cover your buttocks.

 

+1!

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The main thing that really grinds my gears about Opencaching, is the fact that you can't contact someone. For example, I saw someone post a few found it notes on opencaches. They said that they were going to stop caching because of lack of caches in the area. Apparently they had no idea geocaching.com existed! I desperately felt bad for these potential cachers, and tried everything I could to send them a quick email letting them know of the thousands of caches that are so much closer to their home. Nope, no way to do that...

I took a quick peek at opencaching.com and found this explaining geocaching.

 

Geocaching (pronounced: geo • cashing) is a game invented by pirates. Well, not exactly. But they were definitely on to something. As legend goes, swashbucklers hid their treasure and marked the spot so that they could find it again. Geocaching works the same way – only advances in technology have taken things to a whole new level.

 

LMAO :lol:

 

 

As for contacting that opencacher that was goingto quit, Garmin must have their email address obtained by account setup. YOU can try asking garmin...not that they would give it to some stranger...

Don't they know that Dave Ulmer invented geocaching? :mad:

Pirates did not!!

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