info for property owners

December 31, 2012

I am working on a brochure that I would be able to hand to property owners that I am interested in seeking permission to place a geocache on their property. Please take a minute to check out the PDF of what I have so far. You can leave comments here in the forums, or on the PDF page. Feel free to check for factual information, grammar (I hear there are some grammar police here), and general flow. Also, feel free to use for yourself if you like it.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3rTEbs-l_1-czRxUEc3MERwelk

Edited December 31, 2012 by Dr H0rrible

December 31, 2012

It looks pretty good to me but there are one or two spelling errors, it would be best to correct those because we want to make a good impression on land owners. The brochure is very good and contains lots of information! Good work!

2.7k · December 31, 2012

I am working on a brochure that I would be able to hand to property owners that I am interested in seeking permission to place a geocache on their property. Please take a minute to check out the PDF of what I have so far. You can leave comments here in the forums, or on the PDF page. Feel free to check for factual information, grammar (I hear there are some grammar police here), and general flow. Also, feel free to use for yourself if you like it.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3rTEbs-l_1-U3hZdjRmbE5UZ2M

A dozen different writers might have writen a dozen slight differences. Overall a good job. My observations:

Geocaching started in May of 2000. What is special about September?

You can write “restrictions” in the cache description, but you can not guarantee that all cachers will read them. Then some will write logs mentioning their non-compliance.

Geocaching.com has stared an environmental program entitled CITO.

ADD THE “n”

activities that encourages geocachers to help clean up

LOSE THE “s”

38.2k · December 31, 2012

I think one thing a lot of property owners will ask about is liability. It may be a good idea to address that.

2.6k · December 31, 2012

I think one thing a lot of property owners will ask about is liability. It may be a good idea to address that.

I've never thought a lot about that....any increased traffic on to a property increases risk......why would any property owner allow a cache placement considering the increased liability in today's litigious society ?

That said, I do have a few placed on business properties owned by friends.......the subject just didn't come up ( I have 5 on my own property as well )

December 31, 2012

It looks pretty good to me but there are one or two spelling errors, it would be best to correct those because we want to make a good impression on land owners. The brochure is very good and contains lots of information! Good work!

I would love for you to point out the spelling errors.

December 31, 2012

A dozen different writers might have writen a dozen slight differences. Overall a good job. My observations:

Geocaching started in May of 2000. What is special about September?

You can write "restrictions" in the cache description, but you can not guarantee that all cachers will read them. Then some will write logs mentioning their non-compliance.

Geocaching.com has stared an environmental program entitled CITO.

ADD THE "n"

activities that encourages geocachers to help clean up

LOSE THE "s"

The first geocache was hidden in May, however geocaching.com went live in September. Since I used stats and information only from geocaching.com, I choose to just use September as the beginning point.

As for the spelling errors, those have been corrected. And I will have to think about how to reword the portion about the restrictions to better manage the property owner's expectations. I will also work on a way to address the liability issue

1.3k · December 31, 2012

The C in CITO is for Cache not Cash

The very last sentence is dangling a preposition; it could be worded "the world in which we live."

I'd play around with the graphic placement and/or font and/or justification settings to try and prevent that weird w o r d s p a c i n g thing that happens sometimes with desktop publishing.

December 31, 2012

The C in CITO is for Cache not Cash

The very last sentence is dangling a preposition; it could be worded "the world in which we live."

I'd play around with the graphic placement and/or font and/or justification settings to try and prevent that weird w o r d s p a c i n g thing that happens sometimes with desktop publishing.

Thank you edits, have been made. Please use this link

1.3k · December 31, 2012

Nice!

The last suggestion I have will be the most challenging, if even possible.

I'd try to talk to some existing property owners who have had (good) experiences with having caches on their property and get some quotes to put on the back page, to push the "supplied by" box down to the bottom.

If you can get the parties quoted to consent to be identified and their quotes attributed, so much the better.

5.7k · December 31, 2012

I will also work on a way to address the liability issue.

Hi, attorney here.

Generally speaking, people who enter the land of another fall into three broad categories: trespassers, licensees, and invitees. See here for an explanation of those terms. If an owner has given permission to place a cache, then any geocachers who enter the property are going to be treated as licensees, and there are going to be increased liability issues.

I give that to you for your information. I would not recommend adding it to the brochure.

Probably for the best just to let property owners know of the disclaimer language that's linked every cache listing. Specifically, this part:

Cache seekers assume all risks involved in seeking a cache.

I also wouldn't bother capitalizing "property owner" and "cache owner." It makes it look like legalese, and that's going to be a warning flag to a property owner.

Maybe also change the sentence on rules or restrictions as follows:

As the property owner, you can work with the cache owner if you have any rules, restrictions, or disclaimers that you would like geocachers to observe.

I'm not sure how CITO is relevant to the other information in this brochure. To me, including that paragraph sounds like you're implying that cachers will voluntarily pick up all litter that they see when searching for a cache.

1.1k · December 31, 2012

Nice job, I love it. I will use it

It would be great if TPTB would add it to the web site.

6.5k · December 31, 2012

Yours looks pretty good. You might get better results with something from a group or existing website instead of one random individuals work.

There is already a link to a printable brochure section at the bottom of every website page. I think this is what the previous poster was wishing for.

Have you checked to see if your local/regional organizations already have a similar document?

Have you looked at Geocacher U to see if there is a document there you can use?

3.4k · December 31, 2012

spray paint, not spay paint

December 31, 2012

Yours looks pretty good. You might get better results with something from a group or existing website instead of one random individuals work.

There is already a link to a printable brochure section at the bottom of every website page. I think this is what the previous poster was wishing for.

Have you checked to see if your local/regional organizations already have a similar document?

Have you looked at Geocacher U to see if there is a document there you can use?

Well this is something that the local organization is making, most everyone in the group has had a chance to have their input, now I am looking to a broader base of geocachers for some outside perspective. The printable brochure that GS has produced is great if you run into someone while you are out geocaching and want to be quick about explaining what you are doing. It does nothing for introducing a property owner to allowing a geocache on their property.

December 31, 2012

I'm not sure how CITO is relevant to the other information in this brochure. To me, including that paragraph sounds like you're implying that cachers will voluntarily pick up all litter that they see when searching for a cache.

Thank you for the valuable information about liability.

I haven't had much experience with geocaching outside of my area, but almost all of the geocachers that I have talked to and have gone out with practice CITO on a regular basis. One fellow cacher, keeps at least a dozen grocery bags in her van at all times, just so she has something to put found litter in while geocaching. So I based that statement on what has been the normal practice of the local geocachers. If this is not how things usually work in other areas, maybe I will take it out.

2.7k · January 1, 2013

The first geocache was hidden in May, however geocaching.com went live in September. Since I used stats and information only from geocaching.com, I choose to just use September as the beginning point.

I still think you are using a faulty beginning point. I couldn't possibly care less where you got your stats and info. I do recognize that the tie does go to the document writer. Just consider this.

Geocaching was born on the internet, and caches were being hidden and found in May of 2000. Geocaching.com was born in September of 2000.

You are mixing the two. If you want to use “geocaching”, it’s May. If you want to use September it’s “geocaching.com”.

Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 hidden containers (caches) in nearly every country in the World.

My suggestion: Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 containers (caches) hidden in nearly every country in the World.

Anyone with a GPS receiver can log onto www.geocaching.com to find the coordinates for these caches. Actually, I was able to log in many years ago before I ever owned a GPS receiver.

My suggestion: Anyone can log onto www.geocaching.com to find the coordinates for these caches, and use a GPS receiver to find them.

The cache owner will camouflage the container in the effort to prevent the accidental discovery.

My suggestion: The cache owner will camouflage the container in the effort to prevent an accidental discovery.

Perhaps you just didn’t get to it yet, but just below that (as was pointed out by someone else because I missed it) SPAY = SPRAY.

I look forward to seeing if you agree with any of my suggestions.

January 1, 2013

alright, changes have been made and newer version is here. Thank you everyone for your suggestions, and keep them coming.

2.7k · January 1, 2013

A couple of things I noticed & recommend altering:

from: Anyone with a GPS receiver can log onto www.geocaching.com to find the coordinates for these caches.

TO: Anyone can log onto www.geocaching.com to find the coordinates for these caches and use a GPS device to locate them.

from: Geocachers tend to be environmentally conscious and respectful of the land a geocache is placed on.

TO: Geocachers tend to be environmentally conscious and respectful of the land where a geocache is placed.

January 1, 2013

I've got a couple. I think they have been suggested before, but...

"Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 hidden containers (caches) hidden in nearly every country in the World. The basic idea is a Cache Owner hides a cache and post the location on the Internet. Anyone with a GPS receiver can log onto www.geocaching.com to find the coordinates for these caches."

"The Cache Owner will may camouflage the container in the an effort to prevent an accidental discovery."

I would also lose all the extraneous capitalization. Beginning of sentences and acronyms only.

2.7k · January 1, 2013

I've got a couple. I think they have been suggested before, but...

"Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 hidden containers (caches) hidden in nearly every country in the World. The basic idea is a Cache Owner hides a cache and post the location on the Internet. Anyone with a GPS receiver can log onto www.geocaching.com to find the coordinates for these caches."

"The Cache Owner will may camouflage the container in the an effort to prevent an accidental discovery."

I would also lose all the extraneous capitalization. Beginning of sentences and acronyms only.

^This

3.3k · January 2, 2013

I've got a couple. I think they have been suggested before, but...

"Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 hidden containers (caches) hidden in nearly every country in the World. The basic idea is a Cache Owner hides a cache and post the location on the Internet. Anyone with a GPS receiver can log onto www.geocaching.com to find the coordinates for these caches."

"The Cache Owner will may camouflage the container in the an effort to prevent an accidental discovery."

I would also lose all the extraneous capitalization. Beginning of sentences and acronyms only.

I'd phrase it "The cache owner may camouflage the container in an attempt to prevent accidental discovery"

January 2, 2013

Thank you everyone for your comments. I have just finished the latest edition. I have taken out some superfluous words, fixed some capitalizations, reworded some phrases, and even changed some of the graphics. Please keep your suggestions coming.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3rTEbs-l_1-UGhlcTRaNDVpaDQ

January 2, 2013

Thank you everyone for your comments. I have just finished the latest edition. I have taken out some superfluous words, fixed some capitalizations, reworded some phrases, and even changed some of the graphics. Please keep your suggestions coming.

I have also noticed that your use of the oxford comma isn't standardized through the entire brochure. Personally, I am a fan of it.

Edited January 2, 2013 by Pork King

January 2, 2013

Thank you everyone for your comments. I have just finished the latest edition. I have taken out some superfluous words, fixed some capitalizations, reworded some phrases, and even changed some of the graphics. Please keep your suggestions coming.

I have also noticed that your use of the oxford comma isn't standardized through the entire brochure. Personally, I am a fan of it.

I like them too and I have made the edit.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B3rTEbs-l_1-bGRnS1c2WDcyWVE

2.7k · January 2, 2013

I notice these:

Geocachers tend to be environmentally conscious and respectful of the land a geocache is placed on. My English teacher called this a dangling participle.

Maybe"......respectful of the land where a geocache is placed."

This program

encourages cachers to collect an

properly dispose of trash as they geocache.

Shouldn't this be and?

Overall, this looks like a great resource for many cache owners.

2.7k · January 6, 2013

I notice these:

Geocachers tend to be environmentally conscious and respectful of the land a geocache is placed on. My English teacher called this a dangling participle.

Maybe"......respectful of the land where a geocache is placed."

This program

encourages cachers to collect an properly dispose of trash as they geocache.

Shouldn't this be and?

Overall, this looks like a great resource for many cache owners.

I missed seeing this pop up in any recent posts, so I looked it up again. Here is a bump for those that might have missed it the first time around. The placed on thing really doesn't bother me, but that most definitely needs to be AND.

2.5k · January 6, 2013

The mention of "spray paint" should specify that it is the container being painted, perhaps even leave out the "s" word altogether?

Camouflaging can be simply hiding the container under a log or rock, using paint or patterned duct tape to help obscure the cache, or even custom building a container that will seamlessly blend into the surroundings.

January 7, 2013

Your link goes to a 404 Not Found error.

January 7, 2013

AH HA, finally found the brochure after clicking every link in this thread.

A little off topic- I can't help but feel that universal health care (like they have in Canada)would help activities like geocaching because the landowner couldn't be sued to pay for the medical costs because the medical costs would proabably already be covered.

January 7, 2013

sorry about all the dead links. I have not figured out how to update a pdf in my Google Drive without deleting the previous version and uploading the newer and creating a new link.

2.4k · January 7, 2013

I still have to read this several times more. However, I would prefer that you avoid the 'treasure' hunt implication. Hide and seek alone would be better since it is 'treasure hunting' that raises images in a landowners mind. Something that has caused problems before.

"Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 ......" or something like that perhaps.

Maybe a link to the placement guidelines somewhere on the page.

Doug 7rxc

January 7, 2013

I still have to read this several times more. However, I would prefer that you avoid the 'treasure' hunt implication. Hide and seek alone would be better since it is 'treasure hunting' that raises images in a landowners mind. Something that has caused problems before.

"Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 ......" or something like that perhaps.

Maybe a link to the placement guidelines somewhere on the page.

Doug 7rxc

Thank you for the suggestions. I am trying to make sure this brochure explains things very simply. Most property owners aren't going to have the slightest idea of what geocaching is, and since most people have a starting concept of treasure hunts what is why I choose to say streasure hunt, but I can see the issue of people thinking things might be buried. I will try to mention that caches are not buried. Also, with a brochure, any web addresses have to be retyped and the most people do not want to retype long address and don't trust redirection services like Tiny Url.

January 7, 2013

I still have to read this several times more. However, I would prefer that you avoid the 'treasure' hunt implication. Hide and seek alone would be better since it is 'treasure hunting' that raises images in a landowners mind. Something that has caused problems before.

"Geocaching is a worldwide game of hiding and seeking treasure, with almost 2,000,000 ......" or something like that perhaps.

Maybe a link to the placement guidelines somewhere on the page.

Doug 7rxc

Thank you for the suggestions. I am trying to make sure this brochure explains things very simply. Most property owners aren't going to have the slightest idea of what geocaching is, and since most people have a starting concept of treasure hunts what is why I choose to say streasure hunt, but I can see the issue of people thinking things might be buried. I will try to mention that caches are not buried. Also, with a brochure, any web addresses have to be retyped and the most people do not want to retype long address and don't trust redirection services like Tiny Url.

Well, some caches can get pretty extreme. I have heard of ones that need scuba diving to get to them. So I think that they would be able to be buried, but you probably wouldn't want to bury one.

January 7, 2013

Well, some caches can get pretty extreme. I have heard of ones that need scuba diving to get to them. So I think that they would be able to be buried, but you probably wouldn't want to bury one.

According to Ground Speaks guidelines for placing a geocache, you can not dig to hide or find a geocache. Geocaching is never supposed destroy nature.

January 8, 2013

Well, some caches can get pretty extreme. I have heard of ones that need scuba diving to get to them. So I think that they would be able to be buried, but you probably wouldn't want to bury one.

According to Ground Speaks guidelines for placing a geocache, you can not dig to hide or find a geocache. Geocaching is never supposed destroy nature.

Okely-dokely!!! What if the land owner specifically allows it, though? And what about scuba-diving?

Edited January 8, 2013 by floridabiker1

2.7k · January 8, 2013

It doesn't really matter what the property owner will allow, the Groundspeak guidelines do not allow for the burying of a geocache.

5.7k · January 9, 2013

floridabiker -- I see you're relatively new. (Welcome, by the way.) The prohibitio against burying caches and digging for caches has been around for a while. If you search for "digging" on the forums, you'll get the full background. Bottom line, caches cannot be buried because we want to keep land managers as a whole happy and allowing geocaches on the land they manage.

3.3k · February 4, 2013

Geocaching.com has stared an environmental program entitled CITO.

ADD n

This shows the oft-qutoed rule that any correction of a spelling or grammar error will itself contain a spelling or grammar error.... :lol:

February 4, 2013

That's looking pretty good.

Waterproof is a compound word.

February 6, 2013

I think the brochure is a great resource to use when approaching property owners.

A property owner approached me to ask if I might come out and place a geocache on his property, pending further permission by his wife.

His wife has very valid concerns about strangers coming around at all hours of the day and doing who knows what.

I think this brochure is great for explaining the game and explaining what a property owner might expect.

Great work!

info for property owners

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