Tips for finding woodland micros

[+JeepFreak81]

Hey everyone,

 

So I'm going on almost 2 months of caching with about 20 finds so far and a few DNF's. I definetly have the most trouble with woodland micros. I enjoy looking for them but feel like I'm just not getting it. I tried doing a search here on the forums but after reading about 5 threads all about urban micros I decided to start a new thread. So what are some tips for going after these types of caches. One thing I learned already is that I look down too much assuming they are all below my knees. Aside from that what else might help me locate some of these tricky little buggers!

[+The Real Boudica.]

I have found they are more likely disguised as something else that will appear more natural, at least the ones I have found are. ie fake logs, pine cones etc

[+NanCycle]

Micros hanging in trees are my least favorite type of hide. I either find them quickly or give up, maybe to come back another time. The best hints I have are look from different angles, at different times of day, different seasons, with different people.

[+DazeDnFamily]

Micros hanging in trees are my least favorite type of hide. I either find them quickly or give up, maybe to come back another time. The best hints I have are look from different angles, at different times of day, different seasons, with different people.

 

I think these are some slick hides, but they can be annoying. This is exactly the advice that I'd have given, though.

[+redwoodkestrel]

Yes, I agree that they're often exceptionally camouflaged to blend in with the natural surroundings. If it's not a "natural" camouflage, then I've often seen bisons hanging on branches in trees. You gotta figure if it's really small, there has to be a way to keep track of it: either make it bigger by hiding it inside of something (i.e., the natural camouflage), or put it someplace where it's not going to get buried and/or moved under leaf litter (i.e., hang it on a branch of a tree).

[+dfx]

Around here, most of the time you look at the evergreen tree (cedars, pines) closest to the coordinates and you find a film can hanging from one of the branches. No big deal

[+niraD]

Well, let's see... High terrain ratings can indicate that you'll need to climb to find the cache. High difficulty ratings can indicate a well-camouflaged container. And of course, you can check the cache's hint, logs, and photo gallery, just like any other cache.

 

Sometimes it helps to change the environment slightly to make the cache more visible. If the branches are small enough, you can jiggle them gently: hanging caches will move differently from the foliage. If the tree is big enough, you can stand at the trunk and look outwards. Using a powerful flashlight at twilight or at night can help too: the cache may reflect the artificial light differently from the foliage. Try holding the flashlight near your head (minimizing shadows like a headlamp) and to the sides at arms length (to emphasize shadows).

[+A & J Tooling]

Around here, they're either hanging from a branch in an evergreen or stuck inside of a pinecone.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Define "woodland".

 

A city park? An overgrown subdivision lot? A Pacific forest? A southern pine plantation? Desert scrub? How about a cedar swamp in Upper Michigan? Perhaps some northern Ontario bush, eh?

 

 

Some of these locations favor a micro. Others, well... let's just say that a geocache should fit the area that can support it.

[+coggins]

Not like this:

[+briansnat]

The first places I check are at the base of trees among the roots, inside any knothole or hollow spot or in the crotch.

 

Next I look alongside any down tree and if there is an exposed root ball I'll pay close attention to that.

 

If I'm still skunked then I'll consider that it might be uniquely camouflaged. Maybe a fake rock or hollow pine cone.

[+DonB]

Micros hanging in trees are my least favorite type of hide. I either find them quickly or give up, maybe to come back another time. The best hints I have are look from different angles, at different times of day, different seasons, with different people.

I go along with the above, but another thing I have found especially with caches hanging in pine trees is to shine a good bright light around in the branches. I have found sometimes it makes the cache stand out.

[+JeepFreak81]

Seems there's a good deal of them in forest areas around me and being the way I am I want to find them ALL!! haha, anyway...lots of good tips here I will definitely keep them in mind. Planning to go out today for a couple of caches, maybe a micro!

[+luvvinbird]

Seems there's a good deal of them in forest areas around me and being the way I am I want to find them ALL!! haha, anyway...lots of good tips here I will definitely keep them in mind. Planning to go out today for a couple of caches, maybe a micro!

Some of them are really clever hides that give you a great sense of satisfaction when found. Others are the opposite...blinkies jammed behind a bit of tree bark or just plain old "pain-in-the-***" hides that are better off ignored than found. I hope you find the fun ones.

[+popokiiti]

We found a cammoed film canister in a natural hole in the base of a broken branch near a fork of the tree. I was squatting down, checking a hole by the roots and glimpsed a bit of black out of the corner of my eye as I glanced up. There were pieces of bark attached to the top of the canister.

Others we have found were in the end of small broken branches on the ground.

Most of the tricky finds have been made when looking out of the corner of our eyes...

Edited October 29, 2011 by popokiiti

[+Ry Dawg]

I generally ignore all micros hanging in trees, as it really takes no talent to hide & is just honestly a pain in retrieving.

 

The ones I have found, however, tend to be bison tubes wrapped in some type of camo, or a smaller tube in a crevasse somewhere. There's also the rare fakes: pinecones, leaves, bugs & even bark.