forming a cachers eye

[+sparklefingers]

well i have just started, been at it a week i think and i have to say its getting me down at times.

 

I read the logs and they all seem to say cache and dash or nice easy find yet if i do find the cache it's taken me at least half hour to find, 2 days ago i went looking for 8 different caches and i found 1. am i missing something or am i just not very good at this? lol

 

What should i be looking out for?

[+eusty]

It all come with practice!!

 

Also check the difficulty rating on the caches and stick to a D1-2 until you get an idea of how people hide them.

 

Are there any cachers nearby who could give you a hand?

 

[+sparklefingers]

Thanks for the reply

 

yes and no, my other half started me off doing this as our friends in germany showed him when he was there but he's only been doing this a week longer then me and we're struggling through it together.

 

I did email a couple of people in my area (the last to finds in the logs) for some hints and some have been great and others haven't answered. i can't really see where i am going wrong.

 

For me i find it easier to find the nanos/micros then the really easy ones, I have all the easy ones highlighted in my area, i just can't find them. i did attempt a urban group of 10 caches and found the two hardest ones but not all the easy ones.

 

most caches in my area are nanos/micros. i do drive but i don't want to drive for an hour to look for caches and not find any if you get what i mean, i want to get a bit better before doing that.

Edited August 3, 2012 by sparklefingers

[Chino1130]

I big problem I had when starting out was over complicating things. I assumed that every cached was hidden so well that there would be no possibility of a muggle finding it. In time, I learned the majority of caches are well hidden, but very simple. Look at your surroundings and think about how you would hide the cache. You'll find that in time it gets easier.

 

For example, lets say you are convinced the cache is in a nearby tree... You can easily nail down the type of container it should be, there are very few options. When looking in trees, one of the first things I do is shake it really hard. If there is a cache hanging by a string, it should still be swaying once the rest of the tree comes to rest. If the cache is not dangling, I know the most probable container would be a match stick container, a film tube, or a bison tube. I'd start checking in the holes of the trunk or look for any big chunks of bark that are starting to break away.

 

You'll figure it out in time. Don't get discouraged!

[+sparklefingers]

Thanks,

 

one cache that i have been looking for for days is a nano cache at a bridge by where i live. i've been there 4 times to find it. it's marked as difficulty 2 terrain 2

 

the hint is under the bridge the logs say that it's just under the bridge and is a cache n dash and when i go there i can't find it. i have even jumped in the stream and looked under every nook i can find on this bridge and i can't find it, i know it's there because it was found the other day i just can't find it!

 

i dunno lol.

[+Lieblweb]

It takes time...and can be frustrating!!

 

There are days when our 'cache senses' are ON and other days they're not.

 

Don't get frustrated - just move on. Move on to other caches. Give it a month or even 6 months before going back to those DNF's.

 

Experience is beneficial..... but that experience is only beneficial when you've seen a large variety of cache styles/types. If you're only seeing the same MKH's or LPC's - then you're really not seeing what's out here.

But then again - it depends on the area you're caching in. I'm lucky that I live in an area there is such a variety creative hides and I'm never bored with it.

 

Is there other cachers in your area that you can team up with??

[+sparklefingers]

well i do know that our town is a historic town and they are placed all over at these historic areas and in all our parks and things but i haven't gone too far out of the area i live. all within a 10 minute drive of my house. so most of them are in urban areas and then the park that falls into that area

 

like i said i have my other half but no one else really, i emailed a couple of other cachers in the area and got replies from some but others didn't i was informed theres an event on the 18th i might try and go to.

[Chino1130]

Thanks,

 

one cache that i have been looking for for days is a nano cache at a bridge by where i live. i've been there 4 times to find it. it's marked as difficulty 2 terrain 2

 

the hint is under the bridge the logs say that it's just under the bridge and is a cache n dash and when i go there i can't find it. i have even jumped in the stream and looked under every nook i can find on this bridge and i can't find it, i know it's there because it was found the other day i just can't find it!

 

i dunno lol.

 

Are you checking for anything magnetic?

[+sparklefingers]

yes and no. i looked for magnetic caches but i have just realised how small they can be found one that was the size of a fingernail so it could be that i was looking for something bigger then what it is

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

One more small thing...

 

Don't think like a finder, think like a hider... "Now, just where would I hide this thing?"...

It isn't 100%, but it allows you to approach the hunt just a little bit differently.

 

Another thing that I am surprised that nobody has mentioned, don't get locked into "But, this is where the GPSr says it is" -- it doesn't know where the cache is -- it only takes you to the posted coordinates. It may be hard to believe, but sometimes it just isn't where you were lead to. It could be as much a 50 ft. away, even more. A lot of reasons for this, but mostly because of a bit of "inaccuracy" of the posted coordinates. Sometimes too, caches have a tendency to "migrate".

 

Hints: Lately I've noticed many hints tell you where the cache is -- sort of lame, in my opinion. Other hints are, well... a bit more subtle or even cryptic. Usually, when you do spot the cache, it is a face-palm moment -- I had one of those the other day that just about made me fall over laughing -- suddenly I knew where the cache was, though I had not yet found it, getting to it was an entirely different story! It's a funny (good) feeling when that light bulb in your noggin turns on!

 

Chino's remark was a good one -- don't over-think the hunt. Let your brain relax, just like any other type of activity, stay focused but relaxed. Things seem to work much better that way.

 

Just NEVER forget to look ↑.

 

The time does come to us all, that it is time to walk away. You don't have to "git 'em all" -- besides, you can always come back to it.

Just because somebody else posted "Easy Find", does not mean that it is for all....

[+The Blorenges]

When you're just starting out in this geocaching game it's normal to DNF quite a lot of them. As you find more caches of more varieties, you're building up your Experiences Database (Do you like that? I think I might copyright that...) and so next time you'll check for that particular type of hide too.

 

Going to a local event can be helpful because it gets you into contact with other cachers who'll be able to give you more hints/help/ideas.

 

If you give us a couple of the GC numbers of caches that you're really stuck on we might be able to look at the details and give you some more ideas for hunting them down.

 

MrsB

[+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!!

[+sparklefingers]

cheers guys n gals.

 

the only ones i am looking at are 2 stars n under but like i said most in my area are nanos/micros which are okay because i find them easier to find.

 

i tend to read all the logs and the hints to see if they will help so with the 2 that has really stumped me i know i am in the right place just i can't see the wood through the trees. one i even know what the container looks like but still can not find it. lol.

 

this is the bridge one http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=20ccef0d-6c73-4f86-8bfb-d1816c229859

 

this is the beach one at the park http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c6307458-9ddf-4bab-80bb-c245a4bfbcee this one has a picture of the container

[CraftyKel*]

I recently started too and had a lightbulb moment after finding one very well disguised cache....don't rule anything out is the best advice I can give. Quite a few caches in my area are snails! (real snail shells, filled with a magnet, resin and a tube)

 

I don't want to post any more spoilers, but do a search online for crafty/sneaky geocache containers if you want more ideas of what caches can look like, there really are some evil ones out there, but it's very satisfying when you find a well hidden/disguised one, I got bored very quickly of tubs under logs or piles of sticks.

[+jlinbu]

I remember how much trouble I had the first few times I went caching. I tried everything to find them but NOPE. Then I remember finding one of the rebar caches within seconds. (piece of rebar in a concrete parking block with a bison tube in the end) That was kind of my "ah ha" moment that convinced me that finding these things was actually possible. But nonetheless I still get a lot of frownies. So many I joined "I Suck At Geocaching". LOL.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=20ccef0d-6c73-4f86-8bfb-d1816c229859 has a nice hint, but the cache is a micro so.... there's lots of hiding places for it, I am sure. Good clue in logs -- it's not a micro, it is a nano (very small). Also, many people seem to have gotten wet and/or muddy!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c6307458-9ddf-4bab-80bb-c245a4bfbcee has what I call a "steering hint" in that it eliminates all other possibilities. Logs are split between "easy finds" and "not-so-easy" finds. A clue in one of the logs -- look for "pricklers".

[+luvvinbird]

well i have just started, been at it a week i think and i have to say its getting me down at times.

 

I read the logs and they all seem to say cache and dash or nice easy find yet if i do find the cache it's taken me at least half hour to find, 2 days ago i went looking for 8 different caches and i found 1. am i missing something or am i just not very good at this? lol

 

What should i be looking out for?

You beat me to it. I was just about to write in and ask what I'm still doing wrong, lol. I can tell you that the frustration you feel has been felt by all of us, but I can't tell how terrific you'll feel when you locate a really cleverly hidden cache on your own...that you'll experience soon, just hang in there. Hey, after awhile you'll be just like the rest of us...some finding, some posting DNF's, but all of us loving it!

[+sparklefingers]

I recently started too and had a lightbulb moment after finding one very well disguised cache....don't rule anything out is the best advice I can give. Quite a few caches in my area are snails! (real snail shells, filled with a magnet, resin and a tube)

 

I don't want to post any more spoilers, but do a search online for crafty/sneaky geocache containers if you want more ideas of what caches can look like, there really are some evil ones out there, but it's very satisfying when you find a well hidden/disguised one, I got bored very quickly of tubs under logs or piles of sticks.

 

I've been looking at different caches on ebay. it's shocking what they can be hidden in.

i haven't found any in a couple of days but i do have a plan of going off tonight to try and find some urban ones as i seem to have more luck with those.

[+sparklefingers]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=20ccef0d-6c73-4f86-8bfb-d1816c229859 has a nice hint, but the cache is a micro so.... there's lots of hiding places for it, I am sure. Good clue in logs -- it's not a micro, it is a nano (very small). Also, many people seem to have gotten wet and/or muddy!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c6307458-9ddf-4bab-80bb-c245a4bfbcee has what I call a "steering hint" in that it eliminates all other possibilities. Logs are split between "easy finds" and "not-so-easy" finds. A clue in one of the logs -- look for "pricklers".

 

thanks, i have found the pricklers, on the second and i sent an email to another cacher who has found it and she basically pointed me to where it is but i still can't find it. lol i just think i am rubbish. still i am giving it a couple of weeks then i am going to go back to see if i can find it. the same with the pond.

[+The Blorenges]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=20ccef0d-6c73-4f86-8bfb-d1816c229859 has a nice hint, but the cache is a micro so.... there's lots of hiding places for it, I am sure. Good clue in logs -- it's not a micro, it is a nano (very small). Also, many people seem to have gotten wet and/or muddy!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c6307458-9ddf-4bab-80bb-c245a4bfbcee has what I call a "steering hint" in that it eliminates all other possibilities. Logs are split between "easy finds" and "not-so-easy" finds. A clue in one of the logs -- look for "pricklers".

 

thanks, i have found the pricklers, on the second and i sent an email to another cacher who has found it and she basically pointed me to where it is but i still can't find it. lol i just think i am rubbish. still i am giving it a couple of weeks then i am going to go back to see if i can find it. the same with the pond.

 

Have you seen how small a nano cache can be? A tiny cylinder about 0.5" diameter x 0.5" high, often magnetic. They are sometimes cleverly painted to match whatever they're on, so that they appear like a small nut part of a structure (e.g. on a bridge, or gate.)

 

MrsB

[+knowltonGeo]

I recently started too and had a lightbulb moment after finding one very well disguised cache....don't rule anything out is the best advice I can give. Quite a few caches in my area are snails! (real snail shells, filled with a magnet, resin and a tube)

 

I don't want to post any more spoilers, but do a search online for crafty/sneaky geocache containers if you want more ideas of what caches can look like, there really are some evil ones out there, but it's very satisfying when you find a well hidden/disguised one, I got bored very quickly of tubs under logs or piles of sticks.

 

I've been looking at different caches on ebay. it's shocking what they can be hidden in.

i haven't found any in a couple of days but i do have a plan of going off tonight to try and find some urban ones as i seem to have more luck with those.

 

One of my caches is in a fake rock. Like the kind you would hide a spare key inside of. Don't forget about fake rocks. : )

 

Here are some other diabolical ones:

 

 

If they don't get your geocaching "juices" flowing, then hopefully they are just plain fun to watch.

 

 

Some hiders are EEEEEEEEEvil.

 

Keep at it!

[+macatac1961]

well i have just started, been at it a week i think and i have to say its getting me down at times.

Don't let it get you down. I've been at this since 2003 and still stumble on the easy ones. I just logged my 851st and 852nd dnf's. It's just part of the game, you'll get used to it.

[TheSheltonGang]

My family and I just went today for our first trip. We searched for 4 but only found 1. It was fun looking but we began to get discouraged when we could not find the first 2. We plan on making this a regular outing for our family but we really hope that we can get the hang of finding them. We searched for a long time for one that we were never able to find. After reading some of your tips here we may go back to those ones to give them another shot. I do have one question for all of you though. I was on this site on my IPad and downloaded an app there that was listed on here for beginners. It is a free app that gives you 3 finds. Do any of you use this app? We do not have a GPS as of yet since we just got started so are using this app. If you do not use this app then is there one you do use? The regular one is available for purchase in the app store but we wanted to see what it was all about before we jumped in feet first. THANKS! (sorry for the ramble)

[+briansnat]

I think the major novice mistake is relying too much on the GPS. The cache is rarely right where the GPS says it is and can be 30, 40 or more feet from where your GPS points you. I'd say about 85 percent of the time it is under 25 feet away but even that gives you a fairly large search radius.

 

So don't worry so much about what the GPS is telling you and think more about where something can be hidden in that area. I think Gitchee-Gummee said it best, look at the area with hiders eye. Pretend you're going to hide a cache there and check out the spots that you might use.

[+sparklefingers]

My family and I just went today for our first trip. We searched for 4 but only found 1. It was fun looking but we began to get discouraged when we could not find the first 2. We plan on making this a regular outing for our family but we really hope that we can get the hang of finding them. We searched for a long time for one that we were never able to find. After reading some of your tips here we may go back to those ones to give them another shot. I do have one question for all of you though. I was on this site on my IPad and downloaded an app there that was listed on here for beginners. It is a free app that gives you 3 finds. Do any of you use this app? We do not have a GPS as of yet since we just got started so are using this app. If you do not use this app then is there one you do use? The regular one is available for purchase in the app store but we wanted to see what it was all about before we jumped in feet first. THANKS! (sorry for the ramble)

 

hey there, i also do not have a GPS but on my iphone i d/led the official geocaching app (which i believe was £6.99 not sure what it is in $) and then a GPS app it looks like a white background with a blue cross (for £0.69) between those two apps i seem to be getting to the point and then working things out for myself. they both have the GPS system and the offical app will give you distance from the cache on the map but also has a compass and the GPS its basically that, just a GPS but between the 2 you find where you need to be pretty fast.

 

I had a good day caching yesterday. i found all 4 i set out to find. looked in all the places i would hide them and found them in minutes one i walked up to the coordinates looked up and went found it! everyone just looked at me strange but then again they were easy ones.

[TheSheltonGang]

Thanks for the advice. With yesterday being our first time out I was happy with just finding one. I will be able to take these tips with me on our next outing and hopefully have better luck I think for now we will stick with using the app since we can't really afford a GPS.

[+popokiiti]

Some nanos can be hidden IN something! A plastic tree frog has one up its rear end and it is in plain sight, on moss. Fake stones too. Pieces of wood, large and small.

Relax and enjoy. You'll return to those you DNF (I put ours on a watchlist) and wonder how you missed it. At Ground Zero, look around and ignore the unit you are using - it has done its job getting you there. I still miss easy caches, that's life. Good days, bad days and going half mad days - they are all part of caching!

[+The_Incredibles_]

Sounds like you're getting the hang of it.

 

Honestly, I stayed cleared of micros at the beginning. Nanos especially can be hard to find. I just didn't go for them. I went for the large containers until I got a little braver.

 

Just a couple thoughts about your day with only 1 find out of 8, that seems excessive, but maybe the hints in your area aren't that good? One other thing, maybe your iPhone is not that accurate. I've heard of some being 100 meters off, while others are extremely accurate, depending on the model. +- 10 meters would be a good accuracy. If you're finding caches much further than 10 meters off, maybe there's a problem with your iPhone.

[+sparklefingers]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=20ccef0d-6c73-4f86-8bfb-d1816c229859 has a nice hint, but the cache is a micro so.... there's lots of hiding places for it, I am sure. Good clue in logs -- it's not a micro, it is a nano (very small). Also, many people seem to have gotten wet and/or muddy!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c6307458-9ddf-4bab-80bb-c245a4bfbcee has what I call a "steering hint" in that it eliminates all other possibilities. Logs are split between "easy finds" and "not-so-easy" finds. A clue in one of the logs -- look for "pricklers".

 

thanks, i have found the pricklers, on the second and i sent an email to another cacher who has found it and she basically pointed me to where it is but i still can't find it. lol i just think i am rubbish. still i am giving it a couple of weeks then i am going to go back to see if i can find it. the same with the pond.

 

Have you seen how small a nano cache can be? A tiny cylinder about 0.5" diameter x 0.5" high, often magnetic. They are sometimes cleverly painted to match whatever they're on, so that they appear like a small nut part of a structure (e.g. on a bridge, or gate.)

 

MrsB

the one with the prickles is a sandwhich box. an evil kids camo lunch box. ive been all round the tree and can't find it. thought it was gone but someone else found it 2 days ago. grrrrr.

 

incredibles, both me and my other halves iphone read the same coordinates his is the 4s and mine is the 4 and they're normally within 5m or so they say...

 

like i said i picked up 4 the other day and they showed up to me straight away. it took me longer to find my keys to drive out to the area then it did to find all 4. lol

[ll JK ll]

I can relate to the beginner frustration.

 

One of the very first caches I went after was highlighted as a beginner cache. It was placed in the woods right beside a shopping center, around 15 feet from the paved area. I searched for it on two separate occasions and didn't find it until the third. I felt like an idiot because every log spoke to how easy the find was and yet I was struggling.

 

I searched everywhere in the bushes, in piles of pine needles, everywhere....on the ground. My mind was in the mode of it being stashed on the ground somewhere and didn't consider any other possibility. The whole time I was scrounging on the ground the decon container was hanging from a branch of a pine tree. It was just out of sight until I got close and pulled the branches apart.

 

It's easy to over-complicate things. In this case hiding it on the ground wouldn't make any sense because it would be easy to be muggled. Now I try to search with the mindset of being a hider, looking for a good spot that wouldn't be stumbled upon by a passerby.

[+J the Goat]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=20ccef0d-6c73-4f86-8bfb-d1816c229859 has a nice hint, but the cache is a micro so.... there's lots of hiding places for it, I am sure. Good clue in logs -- it's not a micro, it is a nano (very small). Also, many people seem to have gotten wet and/or muddy!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c6307458-9ddf-4bab-80bb-c245a4bfbcee has what I call a "steering hint" in that it eliminates all other possibilities. Logs are split between "easy finds" and "not-so-easy" finds. A clue in one of the logs -- look for "pricklers".

 

thanks, i have found the pricklers, on the second and i sent an email to another cacher who has found it and she basically pointed me to where it is but i still can't find it. lol i just think i am rubbish. still i am giving it a couple of weeks then i am going to go back to see if i can find it. the same with the pond.

 

Have you seen how small a nano cache can be? A tiny cylinder about 0.5" diameter x 0.5" high, often magnetic. They are sometimes cleverly painted to match whatever they're on, so that they appear like a small nut part of a structure (e.g. on a bridge, or gate.)

 

MrsB

the one with the prickles is a sandwhich box. an evil kids camo lunch box. ive been all round the tree and can't find it. thought it was gone but someone else found it 2 days ago. grrrrr.

 

incredibles, both me and my other halves iphone read the same coordinates his is the 4s and mine is the 4 and they're normally within 5m or so they say...

 

like i said i picked up 4 the other day and they showed up to me straight away. it took me longer to find my keys to drive out to the area then it did to find all 4. lol

 

Don't just focus on the tree, what other structures are close? Within 30 feet kind of close. The other thing to remember is that things aren't always hidden at ground level, you'd be amazed at how often I forget to look above my head...

 

I still can't find nanos. I skip them. It's just not an enjoyable hunt for me so don't get frustrated when you can't find them.

[+AutisticMajor]

When looking in trees, one of the first things I do is shake it really hard.

 

One should be careful in shaking trees. Bits and branches may fall off and hit you. If the tree is rotten, the top may actually come off and hit you in the head! I have had this happen to me once. If you intend to search this way, a hardhat is a good investment to make.

[+Cachefoxxe]

Youtube has a ton of stuff to watch. I sit and watch those videos for a long time, and they really help. I am new to this myself, and some of those vids were the difference between a DNF and a smiley. Also google "evil geocaches", and look at the containers that are for sale. This will help by showing you what is out there. Good luck

Edited August 13, 2012 by ghosthunterlogan

[+sparklefingers]

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=20ccef0d-6c73-4f86-8bfb-d1816c229859 has a nice hint, but the cache is a micro so.... there's lots of hiding places for it, I am sure. Good clue in logs -- it's not a micro, it is a nano (very small). Also, many people seem to have gotten wet and/or muddy!

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=c6307458-9ddf-4bab-80bb-c245a4bfbcee has what I call a "steering hint" in that it eliminates all other possibilities. Logs are split between "easy finds" and "not-so-easy" finds. A clue in one of the logs -- look for "pricklers".

 

thanks, i have found the pricklers, on the second and i sent an email to another cacher who has found it and she basically pointed me to where it is but i still can't find it. lol i just think i am rubbish. still i am giving it a couple of weeks then i am going to go back to see if i can find it. the same with the pond.

 

Have you seen how small a nano cache can be? A tiny cylinder about 0.5" diameter x 0.5" high, often magnetic. They are sometimes cleverly painted to match whatever they're on, so that they appear like a small nut part of a structure (e.g. on a bridge, or gate.)

 

MrsB

the one with the prickles is a sandwhich box. an evil kids camo lunch box. ive been all round the tree and can't find it. thought it was gone but someone else found it 2 days ago. grrrrr.

 

incredibles, both me and my other halves iphone read the same coordinates his is the 4s and mine is the 4 and they're normally within 5m or so they say...

 

like i said i picked up 4 the other day and they showed up to me straight away. it took me longer to find my keys to drive out to the area then it did to find all 4. lol

 

Don't just focus on the tree, what other structures are close? Within 30 feet kind of close. The other thing to remember is that things aren't always hidden at ground level, you'd be amazed at how often I forget to look above my head...

 

I still can't find nanos. I skip them. It's just not an enjoyable hunt for me so don't get frustrated when you can't find them.

 

I got really angry with the camo lunch box one and emailed the last to find for a hint and they emailed back (very nice of them to do so as a couple of others have not replied) and told me what side of the beach it's on and that its ground level but not quite on the ground. Went back looked around and still I couldnt find this cache. lol. That one is on hold for a while.

 

Been going for all the easy ones close to me at the moment which is good but they're slowly running out now. Will have to start driving out to places now.

All I have left round me are a couple of puzzle cache, a multi cache and then about 5 normal caches left 2 of which are the 2 I have listed in this thread. Which sucks...