Dog, noisy children and geocashing

[+seashore.eagle]

Can one get a Cache deleted becuase they didn't follow the proper amount of stelth? I geocash when I'm watching my friends kids....2-12yo's. It's great and fun thing to do but between sibiling rivilry and, quite frankly, being kids they are very noisy and have a tendency to scream "I FOUND IT FIRST!" especally when in the woods. The dog adds to the chaos.

 

They are mostly well behaved children, and I am not their parent and they are not hurting any one, and from previous walks they know that they are alowed to run and shout their hearts out.

 

But, if another GEOcacher comes by can they make a note that I was not stelthy about my find and am disqualified? I did geocaching in college and found it a much quieter sport.

[alandb]

My answer is "Have fun and don't worry about it."

[+Sapience Trek]

Sign the log, claim the find. I wouldn't worry about anything else.

[+Bear and Ragged]

In that situation, I don't think any muggles around will be taking too much notice of what you are all doing!

[+seashore.eagle]

In that situation, I don't think any muggles around will be taking too much notice of what you are all doing!

 

It's not really the muggles that I'm worried about but other geocachers.

[+arprodeo]

Other geocachers probably would not care, I have enjoyed seeing kids out on the trail, yelling out the coordinates and having fun. Have fun, it's a game!!!

[+NanCycle]

In that situation, I don't think any muggles around will be taking too much notice of what you are all doing!

 

It's not really the muggles that I'm worried about but other geocachers.

 

Other geocachers might give you dirty looks, but that is the extent of their power. They cannot do anything to prevent you from claiming your finds. Have fun, and let those kids have their fun too.

[+stijnhommes]

If those kids are at all into spies, ninjas or anything supposedly secret, you might get them interested in taking the stealthy approach, but I wouldn't worry about it.

I'm actually more worried that sibling rivalry would rear its ugly head on a fun day out.

[+cerberus1]

Kids and dogs are probably the best items to have (but, no thanks) when going after caches in public places.

Non cachers would see the kids/dog being themselves and it's a great cover wherever you are.

Nobody pays much attention to kids and dogs playing.

If any cachers would happen to be bothered about "drawing attention" to a cache where stealth is required, than the cache is in a location that stealth required really means, "the owner doesn't know it's here and it will be archived when he does" and has issues beyond a couple of kids and pets.

[+T.D.M.22]

Nothing would happen any differently than if those same kids and dog where on the playground. Some might give weird looks at the loud kids, some older and grumpy people might be ticked off. Other may smile when they see kids having fun. When you place a cache you expect it to go missing at one time or another.

 

That being said, it's not the best idea to find a cache when there are lots of people around(think crowded bus-stop) and those people can see exactly what you are doing, however in a large park with people maybe reading a book, having coffee whatever I wouldn't worry about it.

[+cerberus1]

When you place a cache you expect it to go missing at one time or another.

Really?

I can honestly say I've never placed a cache expecting it to go missing and am unaware of anyone else who'd think differently (until now).

Trackables maybe...

Edited March 17, 2013 by cerberus1

[DannyCaffeine]

Teach your kids to be stealthy or they don't get to go on treasure hunts. Not trying to sound mean, its how my GF gets her kids to settle down while we cache.

[+seashore.eagle]

Teach your kids to be stealthy or they don't get to go on treasure hunts. Not trying to sound mean, its how my GF gets her kids to settle down while we cache.

 

They aren't my kids, they are my friends' kids. I usually take them for walks in order to give their parents a break while I walk my dog....they all burn off more energy together. Yes, it is a treat, but my letting them be noisy is also a treat. One of the little girls lives in an apartment, and the others are a family of 5 kids who are all constantly reminded to keep the volume down. I'm the only one who dosn't require it.

 

Like I said, they're usually pretty good kids, but like all kids they are loud and noisy.

 

As I said also, I used to geocache with college folks who were very mild. We all looked and when someone found it was as a team.

 

Being as Im in NH I don't know if there are many city finds, just woods and more woods....beaches and water if you go down to MA.

 

I just wanted to know the rules.

[+cerberus1]

You have a good outlook on it and I think it'd be fine to just let kids be kids.

These are kids afterall (and not yours).

"Teaching them to be stealthy" (and the enforcement of) with kids not yours, could cause more problems for you than noisy kids.

And it certainly wouldn't make them want to play that "find it" game any longer.

[+T.D.M.22]

When you place a cache you expect it to go missing at one time or another.

Really?

I can honestly say I've never placed a cache expecting it to go missing and am unaware of anyone else who'd think differently (until now).

Trackables maybe...

 

Expect..Maybe that's not the right word...Maybe don't be surprised or shocked if it goes missing?

Or maybe that's a bit of prepare for the worst, hope for the best thinking. Anyway, all cache owners should know it's a possibility that the cache should go missing. Maybe that's what I should have written?

[+K13]

There's nothing in the guidelines about a level of stealthiness required to log finds. Just let the kids have fun. If anyone (another cacher) has issues with the kids, it is their problem, not yours.

 

Just please make sure the kids write good stories in their logs....NO TFTC, and none of the scatterbrained run on sentences and stuff like that when they write their logs you know?

[+TheWeatherWarrior]

Yup, just enjoy. Try to stick with caches that don't need significant amount of stealth if the kids/dogs are a handful. A few good wooded hikes to the cache not only keeps the kids busy, but also the noise is much less of a factor.

[+dprovan]

Frankly, having a bunch of kids running around shouting "I Found It!" is probably excellent camo for geocaching. Kids are always doing that kind of thing, so no one will think there's anything interesting enough to investigate going on. If another cacher can't see that, they have a problem. (But, really, the chances of you running into another cacher are fairly low.)

 

One of my foundest caching memories was when I was by myself looking for a cache in a very busy park, and I was descended on by a cacher and the group he was introducing to caching. Despite many people in the area watching us, stealth was just not in the cards, although the kids were subtle compared to one of the adults that was the one that shouted "We Found It!" and turned every head in the area. I thought it was hilarious, although the other cacher did decide that stealth was the best choice for their next lesson.

[+The_Incredibles_]

They can't delete your log just because you made some noise. So what if one of your kids shouts 'found it!' If someone's not a geocacher, they'll probably just ignore you anyway.

[+luvvinbird]

What are the odds of having another geocacher in the wings ready to take his turn and commenting on your friend's noisy children? I can count on one hand the number of fellow cachers I've encountered pursuing the same cache.

[+StarBrand]

Well stealth is supposedly needed to protect the cache from muggles grabbing the cache.

 

I think a couple of kids running and shouting and generally acting like kids followed by an exasperated looking adult is perfect stealth for most urban caches. Virtually no one is going to be surprised at what they do or where they go and might even move away from the area of the cache.

 

See my FAQ for my thoughts on stealth.

[+A & J Tooling]

No one notices kids when they're playing imaginary games. Best cover you can have. Also, have you ever been to a geocaching event where geocachers are not the most discrete people around? Just enjoy the game and let your friends' kids be kids.

[+eightwednesday]

I was once caching with my mom, who's in her 60s (and I'm in my mid 20s). We were in the parking lot for a fitness center across from a construction site. When my mom found it before I even had a chance to get out of the car she screamed at the top of her lungs, "I FOUND IT!"

 

Not even a glance from the construction site or gym patrons. The cache didn't immediately go missing after this find.

 

That said, stealth is important to protect urban caches from getting muggled. On the other hand, attempts to be stealthy can draw far more attention than just looking and acting normally (or as normal as possible while lifting lamppost skirts). I don't think most folks would think anything of anything if they saw kids being kids.