Geo caching, profession or not?

[+GonCachin']

I love Geocaching so much I would love to get paid to do it all of the time. I mean, if you can hit a little white stupid ball around on a lawn and get paid, it or my favorite - FISHING. What the...??? I think they need to make it a profession. I know that as soon as it becomes a "job", it will not be fun anymore... My dad always told me to find a job that, when you wake up in the morning, you look forward to going to work. This is one of the few jobs that I would look forward to. What do you think?

[+OZ2CPU]

who want to pay you to go out and find caches ?

maybe someone want to pay you to check out a park ?

or someone will pay you to fix a road ?

and then while at job, you can find a few caches while you are in the area anyway.

but a direct, find caches for money, and nothing else involved, I think it is impossible..

but if you find a way tell us :-)

 

there was a site claiming to go and sign caches with YOUR name, for money.

this way your can legally be in the log book, and sit home and relax meanwhile.

but who will do this ? the same kind of people who log caches as found online, while NOT signed the log,

so I assume there are plenty of customers for this kind of "job"

But is like who will pay someone to live their hobby for them, while not playing them self ?

[+SKAMS]

I've seen cities here in Germany and also in Denmark where the tourism information bureaus lend out GPSRs with a kind of Geocaching Tour attached. (Would describe it as Multi)

I've seen a Danish Tourism Brochure where some Geocaches of a region were listed with short description and coords.

 

So probably there'll be a job for someone who places and/or maintains and documents gecoaches in an area to make it more attractive for tourists.

 

Also maintaining Powertrails with several #100 of caches could be a full-time job.

 

Job: GC-Ranger

Edited August 3, 2012 by SKAMS

[+briansnat]

I saw a reference to Craigslist ad where someone was offering to find caches and sign other people's names in the logbook for a fee. I suspect it was tongue in cheek, but heck you never know, there may be a market for that service.

[Mr.Yuck]

I saw a reference to Craigslist ad where someone was offering to find caches and sign other people's names in the logbook for a fee. I suspect it was tongue in cheek, but heck you never know, there may be a market for that service.

 

Yes, I think that was tongue in cheek, and posted by those mostly military Dirtbag cachers.

 

Your best chance? Move to Seattle, and become a Lackey. Hey, a former East Coast Reviewer did it. http://www.Groundspeak.com/jobs.aspx

[+JBnW]

I've seen cities here in Germany and also in Denmark where the tourism information bureaus lend out GPSRs with a kind of Geocaching Tour attached. (Would describe it as Multi)

I've seen a Danish Tourism Brochure where some Geocaches of a region were listed with short description and coords.

 

So probably there'll be a job for someone who places and/or maintains and documents gecoaches in an area to make it more attractive for tourists.

 

Using geocaching as a way of advertising??? Say it isn't so.

 

[+hzoi]

Yes, I think that was tongue in cheek, and posted by those mostly military Dirtbag cachers.

Pshaw and pish. Those DGS guys are, like, totally legit, man.

[+GonCachin']

who want to pay you to go out and find caches ?

maybe someone want to pay you to check out a park ?

or someone will pay you to fix a road ?

and then while at job, you can find a few caches while you are in the area anyway.

but a direct, find caches for money, and nothing else involved, I think it is impossible..

but if you find a way tell us :-)

 

there was a site claiming to go and sign caches with YOUR name, for money.

this way your can legally be in the log book, and sit home and relax meanwhile.

but who will do this ? the same kind of people who log caches as found online, while NOT signed the log,

so I assume there are plenty of customers for this kind of "job"

But is like who will pay someone to live their hobby for them, while not playing them self ?

 

You said WHO would pay me to cache and I say why not. Heck America's favorite past time started in someone back yard w a stick and rock. Now that get paid doing what they love to do. And that goes for any sport. So y can't I. And fishing started as a hobby as well.

[knowschad]

who want to pay you to go out and find caches ?

maybe someone want to pay you to check out a park ?

or someone will pay you to fix a road ?

and then while at job, you can find a few caches while you are in the area anyway.

but a direct, find caches for money, and nothing else involved, I think it is impossible..

but if you find a way tell us :-)

 

there was a site claiming to go and sign caches with YOUR name, for money.

this way your can legally be in the log book, and sit home and relax meanwhile.

but who will do this ? the same kind of people who log caches as found online, while NOT signed the log,

so I assume there are plenty of customers for this kind of "job"

But is like who will pay someone to live their hobby for them, while not playing them self ?

 

You said WHO would pay me to cache and I say why not. Heck America's favorite past time started in someone back yard w a stick and rock. Now that get paid doing what they love to do. And that goes for any sport. So y can't I. And fishing started as a hobby as well.

 

More power to you. I don't know how you're gonna make it work, but if you do, be sure to let us know, OK?

[Andronicus]

Ya, we just need to figure out how to make a 4 day tournement. Then make a Professional Geocaching Association. Then get it televised and flocks of fans to watch.

[+GonCachin']

Ya, we just need to figure out how to make a 4 day tournement. Then make a Professional Geocaching Association. Then get it televised and flocks of fans to watch.

 

It could happen. Just got to put our heads togethers is all.

[+GonCachin']

Ya, we just need to figure out how to make a 4 day tournement. Then make a Professional Geocaching Association. Then get it televised and flocks of fans to watch.

 

It could happen. Just got to put our heads togethers is all.

I mean look at the show "american pickers" their treasure hunters look at what they do. But we, has a whole put a whole new meaning on treasure hunting.

[+uxorious]

there was a site claiming to go and sign caches with YOUR name, for money.

this way your can legally be in the log book, and sit home and relax meanwhile.

 

Whether you sign or someone signs for you, I believe you must be at the cache when it is signed. It would be hard to do, but if I could prove someone found one of my caches, and signed your name while you sat at home and relaxed, I would delete the log. I would bet the farm, Goundspeak would not reinstate it.

[+GonCachin']

there was a site claiming to go and sign caches with YOUR name, for money.

this way your can legally be in the log book, and sit home and relax meanwhile.

 

Whether you sign or someone signs for you, I believe you must be at the cache when it is signed. It would be hard to do, but if I could prove someone found one of my caches, and signed your name while you sat at home and relaxed, I would delete the log. I would bet the farm, Goundspeak would not reinstate it.

 

 

Thats not what I'm tring to get at. All my saying is DO WHAT YOU ALREADY DO( and that's actually caching) there's been many times I've cached all day and went all over to do it and thought "boy it would be nice if I could get paid to do this" and if anyone has ever thought this, THAT'S what this forum is all about. Once again someone,where, was fishing and had a thought "boy it would be nice if I could get paid to do this" and it HAPPENED. That's all. Now let's get out there and start our very own Professional Geocaching Association League. PGAL, cause the stupid golf people took PGA.

[+The A-Team]

Once again someone,where, was fishing and had a thought "boy it would be nice if I could get paid to do this" and it HAPPENED.

I doubt that's how it happened. It probably started with one guy betting another guy that he could catch a bigger fish. Then a guy betting a group of guys that he could catch a bigger fish. Eventually it turned into an official competition.

 

However it happened, it certainly didn't happen all in one shot. It gradually built up over a LONG time from "fishing = survival" to "fishing = hobby" to "fishing = competition".

 

You want to just find caches and make money? Nice pipe dream, and that's all it is. There are lots of people making money from geocaching, but not by just finding caches.

[Andronicus]

...

My dad always told me to find a job that, when you wake up in the morning, you look forward to going to work. ...

A bit of social commentary. I thik that this advice is one of the biggest dis-services that Baby Boomers have done for Generation X/Y. The fact is that people who find work like that are the exception, not the rule (if I can steal a line from the movie "He's Just Not That Into You"). You need to find something that you are good at, doesn't drive you nuts, and pays reasonable.

 

Anyway, make some amature video, do some creative editing to make it look more dramaic, submit it to "Out Door Live" network, and see if they will pick it up.

[+The_Incredibles_]

You could film yourself traveling the world and finding geocaches and make it into a t.v. series.

[+OZ2CPU]

>You could film yourself traveling the world and finding geocaches and make it into a t.v. series.

 

and lazy people LOVE to pay to look at other people do sports or other cool things,

they are just to lazy to do them self..

[7rxc]

How about being a Professional Geocache GUIDE / Outfitter? This would be closer to Golf Pro than golfer, same for fishing analogy.

 

Once you hunt out your local caches, you could simply escort people not familiar with the surroundings. Lots of groups do this and get paid for it. There are liablility costs of course, and a degree of training. Mountain guides have this, but there used to be a policy of not returning without your client one way or the other.

You could make arrangements to place a cache in advance (permanent of course per guidelines, and non commercial of course, and no agenda per se) for the client to get FTF on. Then it would be open to all comers (this is done often anyway for friends by lots of people). So this makes some sense. I get people ask fairly often if I could show them the trail or get directions to a lake or campsite as well as what caches are in the area. So it could work if you had the client volume (rich ones).

 

May not be caching as it were, but as close as making caches or geocoins or other gear. The outfitting side might allow profit from rentals of things many would not have available such as a boat or climbing gear providing the stuff is maintained well and not abused.

 

Doug 7rxc

[+The_Incredibles_]

>You could film yourself traveling the world and finding geocaches and make it into a t.v. series.

 

and lazy people LOVE to pay to look at other people do sports or other cool things,

they are just to lazy to do them self..

 

Never understood spectator sports myself. The technical term, I believe is "living vicariously", it's all the rage, apparently.

[knowschad]

The first question you must ask, if you expect other people to pay you for something, is, what need will you be fulfilling for them? That need can be a product, a service, entertainment (which, I guess could be considered a service)... something that will make them willing to part with their hard-earned cash.

[+Chrysalides]

Hey, didn't someone offer to find and sign caches for others at $5 a pop? There you go

 

Before you run off and register a company for that, I believe that guy did it as a joke, and there's no serious takers.

 

(Note to self : read all posts before posting...)

Edited August 4, 2012 by Chrysalides

[+SwineFlew]

Yes, I think that was tongue in cheek, and posted by those mostly military Dirtbag cachers.

Pshaw and pish. Those DGS guys are, like, totally legit, man.

I havent forgot them! LOL!

[+SwineFlew]

who want to pay you to go out and find caches ?

maybe someone want to pay you to check out a park ?

or someone will pay you to fix a road ?

and then while at job, you can find a few caches while you are in the area anyway.

but a direct, find caches for money, and nothing else involved, I think it is impossible..

but if you find a way tell us :-)

 

there was a site claiming to go and sign caches with YOUR name, for money.

this way your can legally be in the log book, and sit home and relax meanwhile.

but who will do this ? the same kind of people who log caches as found online, while NOT signed the log,

so I assume there are plenty of customers for this kind of "job"

But is like who will pay someone to live their hobby for them, while not playing them self ?

 

You said WHO would pay me to cache and I say why not. Heck America's favorite past time started in someone back yard w a stick and rock. Now that get paid doing what they love to do. And that goes for any sport. So y can't I. And fishing started as a hobby as well.

 

Oh no...its the other way around. Fishing was for food to eat and we turned it to a hobby. They didnt fish for fun 3000 years ago.

[+briansnat]

I recently met a guy who was a professional paintballer. If you can make a living at paintball, why not geocaching?

[+GonCachin']

I recently met a guy who was a professional paintballer. If you can make a living at paintball, why not geocaching?

 

THANK YOU!!! THAT'S ALL I'VE BEEN TRYIN TO SAY !!!!!

[+SwineFlew]

Theres a way to become a professional geocachers.

 

A full size van and covered with commercials. Yes, it might draw too much attention and people caches will disappear after they go through the area.

[+Ambrosia]

My daughter got paid to geocache this summer.

[+Chrysalides]

I recently met a guy who was a professional paintballer. If you can make a living at paintball, why not geocaching?

 

THANK YOU!!! THAT'S ALL I'VE BEEN TRYIN TO SAY !!!!!

And what many have been trying to say is, it is up to you to figure out how to get paid geocaching without becoming Ambrosia's daughter.

 

If someone can win millions of dollars through lottery, who's to say I can't? But it's not going to happen if I don't at least buy a lottery ticket.

[+SwineFlew]

My daughter got paid to geocache this summer.

 

Did you pay her just to get her to go with you?

[+Ambrosia]

My daughter got paid to geocache this summer.

 

Did you pay her just to get her to go with you?

No. She worked at a summer camp, and taught a geocaching class. This was her third year teaching geocaching, but this year was her first time being paid. She was also a counselor.

 

In a way, my husband and I are paid, as well. Each year we head over to camp and set up/maintain the temporary caches, go through the course with the geocaching teacher, and check on the nearby listed caches that we also maintain. In return, our family gets a free family camp trip (we are leaving for camp tomorrow). Then we take down the temporary caches at the end of family camp and pack it away.

[knowschad]

I recently met a guy who was a professional paintballer. If you can make a living at paintball, why not geocaching?

 

THANK YOU!!! THAT'S ALL I'VE BEEN TRYIN TO SAY !!!!!

 

I met a woman who was a....

 

nevermind.

[+niraD]

FWIW, I know people who are paid to go geocaching (among their many other duties). They work for REI, and parts of their jobs involve leading geocaching trips of various kinds.