+swissgreys Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I hid my first 4 caches 2 months ago, and they are all doing just fine. However today one of them logged 2 DNF. It isn't a particularly hard cache, and the cachers in question are experienced. Because of this I assuming it has gone missing. I will head out to check on it tomorrow, but if I don't find it, what do I do? It had 30+ finds and one favorite point, and people generally comment positively on the location. What do others do when one of their caches goes AWOL. I am happy to replace the missing cache, but as it is highly likely a muggle has found it once, should I assume they will find it again? Do I place another cache close by and just amend the coordinates? Advice is most welcome. Thanks, Swissgreys Quote Link to comment
knowschad Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I hid my first 4 caches 2 months ago, and they are all doing just fine. However today one of them logged 2 DNF. It isn't a particularly hard cache, and the cachers in question are experienced. Because of this I assuming it has gone missing. I will head out to check on it tomorrow, but if I don't find it, what do I do? It had 30+ finds and one favorite point, and people generally comment positively on the location. What do others do when one of their caches goes AWOL. I am happy to replace the missing cache, but as it is highly likely a muggle has found it once, should I assume they will find it again? Do I place another cache close by and just amend the coordinates? Advice is most welcome. Thanks, Swissgreys If it has only been two months, you should just fix it back up, unless you have good reason to assume that it was muggled, and will be muggled again if you put a replacement back. Two months is still a very new cache. The cache permanence guideline assumes 3 months. Quote Link to comment
+HHD Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I don't know what type of hide it was but if it could have blown away maybe try and add a fishing line lock to it so it is secured to whatever you hid it on. Quote Link to comment
+swissgreys Posted November 19, 2011 Author Share Posted November 19, 2011 Thanks for the replies. It is(was?) a snack box, under a pile of logs, in a small wood, by a lake. Quote Link to comment
+chillypenguin Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Replace the cache, it could just be bad luck. If it goes again, try a smaller / harder to find container. Quote Link to comment
+Legochugglers Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Looks a nice place for a cache, don't lose heart just replace it and hide it a little better. If it goes again then maybe change the co-ordinates a bit so any muggle that thinks its fun to take it won't know the new location. If it goes a third time then I'm afraid you will have to give up. Quote Link to comment
+Gitchee-Gummee Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Because of this I assuming it has gone missing. Never assume anything. Before you jump to any conclusion, you need to check on it yourself. It may simply have been moved or not replaced properly -- happens a lot when one in a party finds it, but another replaces it (especially family outings, where Ma or Pa has one of the kids put it back). If it is indeed missing from it's (original) hiding spot, you must search yourself. If gone, THEN you need to make a decision or whether or not to replace. 1st time -- replace it; 2nd time -- move it and amend coords; 3rd time -- probably best to archive it, as the location certainly has been compromised. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 If my cache goes missing it depends on the situation. Most of the time I will replace it. If it happens a second time I consider why it went missing. Was it a bad placement that non geocachers could find easily? Did floods take it away? At that point I might adjust the hide or simply archive it. Quote Link to comment
+Team OPJim Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 EVen experienced cachers log DNFs. I don't think that two is that many. I agree that you should check on it, but I recommend taking a replacement with you just in case. Also, recheck the coordinates when you get there. After 3, consider archiving. The only time I have ever archived a cache without looking for it first was after a devastating forest fire tore through the area. Quote Link to comment
+niraD Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Or possibly... 1st time -- replace it; 2nd time -- find original cache, but not replacement; 3rd time -- replace it again; 4th time -- find first replacement, but not original or second replacement; 5th time -- find original cache, but neither replacement; 6th time -- find original cache with both replacements stacked on top of it; 7th time -- who knows? Quote Link to comment
+power69 Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 I hid my first 4 caches 2 months ago, and they are all doing just fine. However today one of them logged 2 DNF. It isn't a particularly hard cache, and the cachers in question are experienced. Because of this I assuming it has gone missing. I will head out to check on it tomorrow, but if I don't find it, what do I do? It had 30+ finds and one favorite point, and people generally comment positively on the location. What do others do when one of their caches goes AWOL. I am happy to replace the missing cache, but as it is highly likely a muggle has found it once, should I assume they will find it again? Do I place another cache close by and just amend the coordinates? Advice is most welcome. if it was well hid and not pmo, move it a bit and make it pmo[maggots won't spend $10 to get the coords] Quote Link to comment
+swissgreys Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 Thanks for all the replies. I visited the site today, and the cache is definitely gone. It has been replaced however, with a pile of empty beer cans and an old car battery So I have disabled the listing, and will pop back this week with a replacement. I am hoping that the beer cans are a sign that someone had a bit of a party there, stumbled across the cache, and wandered off with it (we hunted all around the original spot, and there were no signs of it). The good news is that it is now getting a bit cold to hang around in the woods drinking beer, so hopefully the replacement will stay put. If not I think I will change the cords slightly, and make the next cache smaller. Thanks again for all the advice. Swissgreys Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Thanks for all the replies. I visited the site today, and the cache is definitely gone. It has been replaced however, with a pile of empty beer cans and an old car battery So I have disabled the listing, and will pop back this week with a replacement. I am hoping that the beer cans are a sign that someone had a bit of a party there, stumbled across the cache, and wandered off with it (we hunted all around the original spot, and there were no signs of it). The good news is that it is now getting a bit cold to hang around in the woods drinking beer, so hopefully the replacement will stay put. If not I think I will change the cords slightly, and make the next cache smaller. Thanks again for all the advice. Swissgreys I'd certainly consider moving the cache, even by a few feet, from where it was originally hidden. Unless you can guarantee the spot isn't a frequent party place... Quote Link to comment
Clan Riffster Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 I'd certainly consider moving the cache, even by a few feet, from where it was originally hidden. Agreed. In my mind, this is a critical step when replacing a muggled cache. Someone, outside of this activity, has apparently found it at least once, and made off with it. The odds are fair that, knowing there was a curious little box hidden at a certain spot in the past, the person who took it will look in that spot the next time they are in the area. By moving it slightly, you reduce the chance that they'll steal it again. Quote Link to comment
+Viajero Perdido Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 Unfortunately, a pile of sticks that might be covering a cache also looks like a great pile of firewood to someone building a fire. Quote Link to comment
+ngrrfan Posted November 20, 2011 Share Posted November 20, 2011 I visited the site today, and the cache is definitely gone. It has been replaced however, with a pile of empty beer cans and an old car battery That's good swag. They traded up. Quote Link to comment
+Team OPJim Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Agree that moving it slightly, and making it a premium member cache can both reduce the likelihood of being muggled. I also no longer state that I have hidden an ammocan, after having several ammocans stolen. Quote Link to comment
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