Help, I'm awful at this

[Damascus2]

I bought a Garmin Nuvi 1300LMT for the car and found geocaching through Garmin. As I can seriously use all the exercise I can get, live in an area with abundant parks, and hate the monotony of walking, I gave geocaching a try. I have 14 finds, although I know I have missed more than 50 times, sometimes coming back and finding the cache. The Garmin is somewhat difficult to use (I think; I've never used anything else) since it sometimes spins around and is sometime slow to react to motion. It also might be fine. I doubt that any GPS gives you a 3 feet, 2 feet, 1 foot, "there it is" reaction, but if another unit would be a major improvement, I would like to know. I see some units allow you view the whole page, with hints and the like. The more information, the better. Even when I take notes I can seldom understand them. (No apps, I don't have a smartphone.)

 

So, first question: Is the Garmin acceptable? It gets me to within 10-30 feet each time.

 

Question two: I know I'm horrendous at finding caches. The ones I found were things like "hidden in the only hole in the only tree in sight." I have rooted around on the ground like a pig searching for truffles more than a few times. I have learned some things, however. It seems that caches are never hidden where you would have to crawl around or battle thick underbrush; they are more or less slightly off the trail, but well hidden. Are there any secrets or tips that might make me a better seeker? I know another pair of eyes (and brains) would be helpful, but I do this alone. I once took 30 minutes to find an ammo box that wasn't camouflaged! Something that is frustrating is something soon given up and I really enjoy geocaching (for now at least). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Edited July 26, 2012 by Damascus2

[+niraD]

You aren't alone. I've been known to trip over a regular-size cache that was sitting in the open. The others in the group who had already found it were amused. (We were playing huckle buckle beanstalk style.) But it does get easier as you gain more experience.

 

Anyway, here are some general tips that I've posted before.

 

A common recommendation for beginners is to stick with small size, regular size, and large size caches. Until you're more experienced, avoid micro size caches, some of which are smaller than most beginners can imagine (sometimes called "nanos"). Save those for later, after you have some experience.

 

Also, stick with caches that have a difficulty rating of no more than 2 stars . Save the more difficult ones for later. You may also want to choose caches with easy terrain ratings. (The difficulty rating tells you how hard it is to find the cache once you get there. The terrain rating tells you how hard it is to get there.) And it is often best to start with traditional caches, which will be at the published coordinates. Multi-caches or mystery/puzzle caches or other cache types can require more work just to figure out where the container is located.

 

Under ideal conditions, a consumer GPSr will be accurate to about 3m (10'). That applies both to your device, and to the cache owner’s device, so you may find the container 15-20' from ground zero under ideal conditions. Under less than ideal conditions, both GPSr readings can be much less accurate. Once you get within that distance of ground zero, put your device away and look around for places where a container could be hidden.

 

Go ahead and read the cache's additional hints (if provided), and read the past logs and look at any photos in the cache's image gallery. They may help you understand what you're looking for, and how/where it may be hidden. It may also help to look at some of the cache containers available online. For example, check out the cache containers sold by Groundspeak. Also, take a look at the Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's) thread in the forums.

[+StarBrand]

Here are some general hints:

 

Look for caches with a difficulty of 2 or less for your fist few caches. Stick with regular sized caches for your first few. Micros can be quite hard to find sometimes. Stick to areas you are familiar with. Look for anything out of place or unusual. Look for unusual piles of sticks, grass, leaves, rocks, sand, etc. Feel where you cannot look. Think vertical, not all caches are on the ground. Look up or at eye level. Look for traces of previous searches to zero in on the spot. Think like the hider - where would you put a container in this location? Look for things too new, too old, too perfect, not like the others, too many, too few. Change your perspective - a shift in lighting can sometimes reveal a cache. Keep in mind that many micros are magnetic or attached to something (via string, wire etc). Slowly expand your search area to about 40 feet from where your GPS says ground zero is. Bring garden gloves and a flashlight - they help! Be prepared to not find the cache more often then you think.

 

Most of all - have fun!!

[+kunarion]

So, first question: Is the Garmin acceptable? It gets me to within 10-30 feet each time.

That's a decent offset. The problem with a car GPSr is it guides to the center of streets. I only used my Nuvi for one day (when I was between handhelds), and it was an incredible chore to use -- I ended up just watching the coordinates click down. I can't stand that. Even "Pedestrian Mode" was not doing it for me. If you're getting good results, that's fine. I now have a Garmin 500T handheld GPSr, which has the hint, description, and last 5 logs. No picture or satellite map. If you need to pinpoint a tricky spot, the satellite view comes in handy. I've sometimes taken photos of the satellite view on the computer screen, so I can see them later on the Garmin, in the field.

 

Question two: I know I'm horrendous at finding caches.

I'm really bad at it, so maybe I'm no help . It shows when I hunt with others, where they find the container, then laugh while I try, then smiles fade and they look on in shock as I walk right past it a few times. Eventually someone will whisper, "Hey, it's right there, dude". It goes MUCH better for me when nobody else is there, and I can self-pace it.

 

One of the main things I did when I started Geocaching, is I'd be sure I know exactly where I'm gonna look, before I even leave the house. "I'm looking for a tree with four trunks", or whatever. If it's too vague (like when the hint "narrows it down" from GZ to the entire forest ), I know up front that it's not one I'm likely to find, so I may make a few educated guesses, then move on. You may begin to notice things out of the ordinary, or disturbed spots, or just plain "good hiding spots", to develop more of a Geo-sense.

Edited July 26, 2012 by kunarion

[+KBfamily]

I use my Garmin arrow to get within 20 feet then I use the coordinate portion of the GPS and find my caches using actual coordinates and NOT the little arrow on my Garmin...

[+The Blorenges]

Also, I'd recommend going along to a geocaching event - a smallish local one, not one of the huge events. Most geocachers are really friendly and are happy to help out new geocachers.

 

MrsB

[CraftyKel*]

Something that is frustrating is something soon given up and I really enjoy geocaching (for now at least). Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Plenty of good replies already, but I am new also, almost a week in and 29 finds.

 

My first couple of days were horrendous, we were about 50/50 on whether we'd find a particular cache or not, but as you discover more you get more of a feeling for seeing things out of place and likely hiding spots. All I can say is, stick with it, it gets better with experience

 

Russ

[+jk3700]

I have a Garmin 265w GPS and I use it to get to ground zero. Actually, I have pretty much moved up to my iPad 2. There is an app you can by for $10 written by Groundspeak that is awesome. The software pretty much automates everything. You have everything you need at your fingertips.

 

It gives you a list of caches in the area, navigate to the cache, choices of map types (street, topo, and sattilite), attributes, hints, notes, past logs. I'll tell you, this setup is the cats meow.

 

I use a 3G compatible ipad2. But the app will run on the iPhone. You need the Internet for it to be the most help.

 

The screen actually shows your progress as you go. It also has a distance to GZ numbers that gets you in the zone. Then you have to look around like folks have said.

 

Try it, you'll like it.

[+Misfit-77]

Like mentioned before, look for anything unnatural. A stack of rocks or bark, anything that seems like it wouldn't happen on it's own.

I'm up to 170 finds and the biggest lesson I've learned so far is never go off the trail to soon. Don't know how many times I've Bushwacked through 300± feet of brush to find a trail 100' from the cache lol.

Be sure to read logs also before you head to one. I've also went to caches i couldn't find, checked the logs and there are 6 dnf's.... No wonder! Still getting my process down but it happens MUCH less now.

[Damascus2]

Much excellent advice, thanks you. I'm off to try the one I missed yesterday.

 

[edit] Found it. One of those things that is impossible to find, but once you find it you can't believe how you could have missed it. Again, many thanks, confidence restored.

Edited July 26, 2012 by Damascus2

[hoosier guy]

D2 welcome to caching. Looks like you got good advice here. Just keep at it. Your geosense will soon be sharp as a knife.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I"m jumping in a bit late here. My advice: go for the larger containers, with the lower difficulty ratings, with good hints.

 

Some cache owners will make things easy for you, some will make it hard. If you stick with it, you'll discover which cache owners have excellent hints and/or put up flagging, then you can go look for more of their caches and ignore the rest.

 

Also, go hunting only when the light is good. I've had some really bad luck at some easy caches when I went too close to dusk.

 

Stay on the trail as long as possible. Expect an accuracy of +-30 feet. Look for geotrails and things out of place.

 

Don't get discouraged if you have to go back a number of times. You're getting fresh air and exercise.

 

Don't be afraid to email the cache owner or other cachers for extra hints.

 

And remember you WILL get better as long as you keep at it. You'll amaze yourself!

Edited July 27, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[TheDoctorPH]

my very first find ever was with a garmin Nuvi from my car and it worked great.

[Damascus2]

The Garmin is doing quite well; it got to me within three feet of the last cache I found. With more experience I would have located it quicker. It was well-hidden but the thing it was hiding under was totally out of place if you stopped to think about it. When you're dripping with sweat and avoiding thorns your brain sometimes forgets what's it's supposed to be doing.

[TheDoctorPH]

the more you cache the more your instincts like that will build. sounds like your doing great.

[+KBfamily]

Like some others have said, I would not use a GPS designed for Car use. I would use my smartphone or Handheld GPS

 

My car GPS works better than the very expensive handhelds I have purchased....I have had an Oregon and a Colorado...My car Garmin gets me dead on to the coordinates....The hand helds are in the closet...My Garmin goes every where with me.