+dartymoor Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Coming from Dartmoor, I'm aware that some things hide. Pixies, for example. You can sometimes catch them out of the corner of your eye, but look directly in their direction and they fade out of view. I believe the same is true of Geocaches. They're wily, wild and cunning creatures that deserve respect. This is not just a case of stumbling over Tupperware, it's a battle of wits between man and cache. Sometimes it's easy, the nesting geocache covering itself with a layer of perfectly aligned sticks, or crawling into the only cache-sized hole in the area, but sometimes the cache is wise and careful. I have developed some tricks to hunting wild geocaches that I thought I might share in the hope others would share their tricks with me... Close your eyes and slowly open them, allowing them to fall naturally on the cache's location. Turning your back to the cache area, then suddenly turning around and pointing an accusing finger out whilst shouting "Hah!", the cache will be surprised and forget to conceal itself. Say loudly "Oh well, another DNF. I suppose I'll have to give up now", then walking away around the corner. The cache will relax and lower its guard. If you suddenly rush back, you will spot it immediately. Sit back against a tree and pretend to go to sleep. A geocache cannot resist the temptation to creep up on sleeping cachers and check out the contents of their caching bag. Listen for the rustling and then pounce! How do you uncover your prey? Quote Link to comment
+The Real Boudica. Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Oh I like those tricks, its true hidden things always relax their guard when you aren't frantically trying to find them - or at home if I have been searching for something if & ask for help they suddenly appear under your nose - perhaps I should rope passing muggles in on the act. My only trick is take someone with better geosense than me along. My husband (not a keen cacher) sometimes lets me get one or to if we are on a drive somewhere new then always goes 'Is it over there in that tree/hole/under that pile etc' while I am still trying to work out what direction I am sposed to be going, ruins all my fun Quote Link to comment
+Legochugglers Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Coming from Dartmoor, I'm aware that some things hide. Pixies, for example. You can sometimes catch them out of the corner of your eye, but look directly in their direction and they fade out of view. I believe the same is true of Geocaches. They're wily, wild and cunning creatures that deserve respect. This is not just a case of stumbling over Tupperware, it's a battle of wits between man and cache. Sometimes it's easy, the nesting geocache covering itself with a layer of perfectly aligned sticks, or crawling into the only cache-sized hole in the area, but sometimes the cache is wise and careful. I have developed some tricks to hunting wild geocaches that I thought I might share in the hope others would share their tricks with me... Close your eyes and slowly open them, allowing them to fall naturally on the cache's location. Turning your back to the cache area, then suddenly turning around and pointing an accusing finger out whilst shouting "Hah!", the cache will be surprised and forget to conceal itself. Say loudly "Oh well, another DNF. I suppose I'll have to give up now", then walking away around the corner. The cache will relax and lower its guard. If you suddenly rush back, you will spot it immediately. Sit back against a tree and pretend to go to sleep. A geocache cannot resist the temptation to creep up on sleeping cachers and check out the contents of their caching bag. Listen for the rustling and then pounce! How do you uncover your prey? Its amazing how many times you can walk away from GZ and then , just go back for 'one more look' and there it is! Now I know why, it relaxed and let its guard down. Quote Link to comment
+MartyBartfast Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I've found they are attracted to dogs. Take the dog to the GZ, find something handy to tie it to while you engage on a fruitless hunt, then simply go to untie the dog and you will find that the geocache has often crept out of it's hiding place and is nicely nestled right there; note that while the cache is attracted to the dog, the dog is totally oblivious to the cache and will not help you in your search in any way shape of form. Quote Link to comment
+mellers Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I've found they are a bit like cats in their hiding habits. As natural ambush predators, cats like a certain sort of hiding place which will conceal most of their body, but leave only a head or eyes or whiskers showing. I've found that many caches exhibit similar behaviour leading me to conclude that they are in fact reverting to their natural ambush predator habits. Just as a cat will go for the camouflage of a cardboard box, or the helpful recess of a sink, a cache often likes to break up its outlines or camouflage most of itself leaving only the sensory organs uncovered. Also they seem to like boundaries.... (perhaps this is some sort of memory aid, in case it forgets where its fave hiding place is). The boundary between a post and the ground... or a trunk and a branch... or a wall and sign. Wherever one linear dimension meets another is always a good start. I think they have good hearing. I've found they quite often respond to a loud and hearty "well, I'm going to give it only 5 more minutes..." before showing themselves. I also have to conclude that they are contrarily shy exhibitionists at heart as they seem to have this unnerving habit of advertising themselves on line. Shocking behaviour if you ask me! I bet if you were to appeal to that sense of exhibitionism in some way, that they would respond. Gently waving a log-signing pencil in the air in a provocative manner perhaps? I've not tried it yet though... Quote Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 They instinctively know which will be the last place you'll look and always manage to squeeze into that location. MrsB Quote Link to comment
+Simply Paul Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Solly has remarkable, cache seeking pee. The number of times he's paused for a... pause and found the cache by its drumming noise..! Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 The best way to find a cache is to give up on it and then take a novice cacher with you. You know, the kind of guy who managed to "find" a cache that was a tupperware with no disguise sitting in plain view on a busy path and nothing more than that. Then show them the general area where you (as an experienced cacher) spent an hour hunting without success and watch them reach out of view and produce the cache with a slightly bemused "is this it?" expression on their face. Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Say loudly "Oh well, another DNF. I suppose I'll have to give up now", then walking away around the corner. The cache will relax and lower its guard. If you suddenly rush back, you will spot it immediately. I'm usually well into a really, really good story for the DNF log... And then find the cache. Quote Link to comment
+drsolly Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I've found they are attracted to dogs. Take the dog to the GZ, find something handy to tie it to while you engage on a fruitless hunt, then simply go to untie the dog and you will find that the geocache has often crept out of it's hiding place and is nicely nestled right there; note that while the cache is attracted to the dog, the dog is totally oblivious to the cache and will not help you in your search in any way shape of form. Also bikes. I lean my bike against a handy tree and start searching ... 20 minutes later, I notice that the cache is just behind my bike. Quote Link to comment
+Bobbinz Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Also bikes. I lean my bike against a handy tree and start searching ... 20 minutes later, I notice that the cache is just behind my bike. I have done that a few times I know a fair few of the local cachers so tend to recognise them, I have spotted a few recently though Quote Link to comment
+drsolly Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 Solly has remarkable, cache seeking pee. The number of times he's paused for a... pause and found the cache by its drumming noise..! The key is widespread broadcast. Quote Link to comment
+CathyLesleyMichael Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 So all those caches we keep finding with a damp log book... Quote Link to comment
+dartymoor Posted February 2, 2012 Author Share Posted February 2, 2012 This is the real reason for the 0.1mile rule. So caches can't gather together and overwhelm inconsiderate sprinklers. Quote Link to comment
+drdick&vick Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) Some of the ones in Cornwall are so devious that they even have their own doorbells so as visitors can announce themselves. But some of the really clever & devious ones deliberatly move themselves and hide 20 or 30yds away from where they are supposed to be. Edited February 2, 2012 by DrDick&Vick Quote Link to comment
+drdick&vick Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 (edited) This is the real reason for the 0.1mile rule. So caches can't gather together and overwhelm inconsiderate sprinklers. Also to stop them holding CACHE meets and discussing the best way to hide themselves from us. Edited February 2, 2012 by DrDick&Vick Quote Link to comment
+drsolly Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 My favourites are the Schrodinger cache containers, which are able to be there or not be there depending on who is the observer. Quote Link to comment
+RoPeHe Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 When you've been thrashing around for ages and the GPS arrow is pointing all over the place, just sit down on that handy log or rock or bench and watch the GPS count down to zero .... let the cache come to you! Quote Link to comment
+NickandAliandEliza Posted February 2, 2012 Share Posted February 2, 2012 My favourites are the Schrodinger cache containers, which are able to be there or not be there depending on who is the observer. Just googled Schrodinger. I got the bit about him having a pet cat that mucked about with radiation, but then it got confusing........ Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 My favourites are the Schrodinger cache containers, which are able to be there or not be there depending on who is the observer. Are they the ones with a cat in -or should that be Hamster?- that may, or may not be dead? Quote Link to comment
+NickandAliandEliza Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 My favourites are the Schrodinger cache containers, which are able to be there or not be there depending on who is the observer. Are they the ones with a cat in -or should that be Hamster?- that may, or may not be dead? I've read it again - he definitely had a cat. All I can say though is that if he was so clever, why did he give his cat a flask instead of a bowl???? Quote Link to comment
+drsolly Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 My favourites are the Schrodinger cache containers, which are able to be there or not be there depending on who is the observer. Are they the ones with a cat in -or should that be Hamster?- that may, or may not be dead? I've read it again - he definitely had a cat. All I can say though is that if he was so clever, why did he give his cat a flask instead of a bowl???? Well, no. Not definitely. Only maybe. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.