What Irks you most?

[+L0ne.R]

What irks me - When one person places way too many caches and monopolizes a whole town or parkland. Surprised there isn't a rule to limit how many you can place near each other. What if someone else wants to do some hides in her town or along her favorite trail? Worse, for finders, there may be little to no variety in cache/hide style in a given area.

 

This has been discussed ad nausiam in the past. My personal story is a great example of this. I've been caching for 11 years now. There are three particular areas that I own and have complete dominance over. But this did not happen with some overnight spew. It starts out with an empty area, I hide a few caches. Time elapses no other caches so I hide more caches. Rinse and repeat over 10 years, no caches published by other cachers, lo and behold, it ends up being my UNINTENTIONAL de facto territory. On year 11, some cacher comes out of the woodwork complaining about how one person owns the place and that there's absolutely no room to hide anything (which is hogwash BTW). And rather than come talk to me about a. ideas for hiding spots, or b. where would I be willing to archive, said cacher raises a big stink in public forums.

 

So, I get your irritation. But be very careful about how you present it and how you go about finding your own space. Because if you're new to the game, remember, some of us have been around a long time, waiting and waiting and waiting for others to hide caches.. which never happened.. until that fateful day someone decides THEY want to hide a cache.

 

I can only point to one cache owner like you in our area. He's been hiding caches for over a decade. He's not a carpet bomber. Doesn't carry a sackful of pill bottles, and bison tubes. Hides quality containers. Maintains every one of his caches. Has about the same number of cache hides as you over 10 years (300+), and about the same number of active hides (around 100). No complaints about him. He's not of the same ilk as the power hiders that hide for the numbers crowd and carpet bomb, leaving no space in parks and trails.

[+gerardwilkie]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

[+TheAuthorityFigures]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

Out of curiosity, how did you find your re-located cache? I haven't had this happen to me (yet), but if it did it would anger me to no ends!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

Out of curiosity, how did you find your re-located cache? I haven't had this happen to me (yet), but if it did it would anger me to no ends!

 

I have a cache that has been "re-hidden in a better spot". Recently a group of about 10 cachers found it and almost all of the logs mentioned that the coordinates were off but not a single one of them provided a set of coordinates for where they actually found the cache.

[+gerardwilkie]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

Out of curiosity, how did you find your re-located cache? I haven't had this happen to me (yet), but if it did it would anger me to no ends!

 

I found out because after I had disabled the cache the last person to find it said that it had taken him quite a hunt, and he described to me where he had found it, and that wasn't where I'd put it. I hid the cache next to a tree , placed under some stones, but it had been subsequently placed in a gap in a nearby wall.

[+TeamRabbitRun]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

Out of curiosity, how did you find your re-located cache? I haven't had this happen to me (yet), but if it did it would anger me to no ends!

 

I found out because after I had disabled the cache the last person to find it said that it had taken him quite a hunt, and he described to me where he had found it, and that wasn't where I'd put it. I hid the cache next to a tree , placed under some stones, but it had been subsequently placed in a gap in a nearby wall.

 

Hubris!

The arrogance of some people...

 

I wonder if that re-hider was a cache-owner. If so, shame on him or her.

Edited March 4, 2016 by TeamRabbitRun

[+TheAuthorityFigures]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

Out of curiosity, how did you find your re-located cache? I haven't had this happen to me (yet), but if it did it would anger me to no ends!

 

I found out because after I had disabled the cache the last person to find it said that it had taken him quite a hunt, and he described to me where he had found it, and that wasn't where I'd put it. I hid the cache next to a tree , placed under some stones, but it had been subsequently placed in a gap in a nearby wall.

If it were me, this person would be getting an e-mail from me telling him exactly what I thought of his actions.

[+cerberus1]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

When the sorta smartphone craze first started, we'd often have our simpler caches moved 30-50' away from where we placed them.

Many phones (then) were so far off, and I guess folks who couldn't believe their brand-new gizmo could possibly be that off, decided to move 'em to where their GZ was.

- Add in the free muggle app, and not good times...

Today we still get the occasional "Found it 20' off" (some don't understand civilian GPS's accuracy), but lately have had none moved.

[+J Grouchy]

I've had a recent problem, where I went to perform a routine maintenance check on a cache I placed, only to find it missing. I hunted high and low , to no avail, and temporarily disabled the listing as I believed it had been muggled. It then turned out that one of the geocachers who had recently found it had moved the cache and hidden somewhere else nearby , in a location that didn't match the hint, and never had the courtesy to inform me. I don't mind people moving it if they feel there is a need to do so , but if they do it would be nice of they notify the CO for this and provide the new coordinates.

 

I had this sort of thing happen several times on one of my caches. It was hidden in such a way that made it easily accessible, needing only a push from either behind or in front to be able to grab it. People kept hiding it in a different place, though...one that limited access to it and I needed a tool to be able to get it out from where they kept putting it. It happened at least twice and I ended up just jamming a stick into the hidey-hole they kept putting it into so they wouldn't be able to do it anymore. Just goes to show how careless and inattentive people can be at times.

[+KatnissRue]

Just, this: My link

 

I know this was mentioned above somewhere, but when someone has several caches that are in dire need of attention but they continue to hide caches out the wazoo. I know someone who has hidden 200 some caches, but has at least 50 that are either missing or in disrepair.

[+WarNinjas]

What irks me - When one person places way too many caches and monopolizes a whole town or parkland. Surprised there isn't a rule to limit how many you can place near each other. What if someone else wants to do some hides in her town or along her favorite trail? Worse, for finders, there may be little to no variety in cache/hide style in a given area.

What about the flip side to this. There is a lake near me that didn't have any caches on it. Caching had been around for about 10 years before I started. No one I know of had ever placed a cache there. I went out fishing and placed 3 caches. A few months later I went and placed a few more. Many months later I took some others and we added more. Making a cool spot for some to pick up a bunch of 5* terrain caches in one day if they wanted. We pretty much filled up the lake with caches. Later cachers came to find all the cool caches there and some complained they wanted to place a cache there? I am almost certain if I didn't place those caches there that no one would have ever thought to do it. The only reason they want to now is because they are there finding the ones we put out.

I have heard the same thing from another CO about a popular island you can drive to. Not many caches there over the years so he added a bunch and others complained.

I am working on a crazy long streak and have more then enough caches to maintain so I am not placing them to take up space. If someone would have placed one before me that is great!

Anyways I am just saying it might not just be a person being a jerk taking up space. Like with the lake I thought it would be cool to set up a course that others could come get some 5* terrain caches. I am betting that if I hadn't placed the first one that they wouldn't have even thought to place one there. If I thought they would add a bunch and maintain them I would let them have the lake for themselves and go get the finds!

[+gerardwilkie]

I can think of a DNF I recently had...I arrived at GZ and quickly spotted the hint item, but couldn't find the cache anywhere. Checking the logs I noticed there had been a spate of recent DNFs and it had been several months since the cache had been found. I placed the cache on my watch list and a few days later another DNF was logged. However, a few days later a find was logged, but all they logged was "TFTC"...This really irritated me because if they had indeed found it after a spate of several consecutive DNFs , it would be appreciated to include some more info in the log as to how they succeeded. Since then there has been another DNF.

[+boothie103]

This post irks me the most because it is so negative about the game.

[+J Grouchy]

This post irks me the most because it is so negative about the game.

 

Which post? Yours? The one before yours? Be more specific.

 

Or did you mean the entire thread? If you're against any negativity, perhaps you ought not come into a thread that's titled "What Irks you most?".

[+L0ne.R]

New irk. When a power hider implodes and archives all of their caches on the same day (without any mention of picking them up). Then to have another power hider come along a month later to "redux" the power hides honoring the CO who geocided.

[PhillyRiver]

What irks me - When one person places way too many caches and monopolizes a whole town or parkland. Surprised there isn't a rule to limit how many you can place near each other. What if someone else wants to do some hides in her town or along her favorite trail? Worse, for finders, there may be little to no variety in cache/hide style in a given area.

What about the flip side to this. There is a lake near me that didn't have any caches on it. Caching had been around for about 10 years before I started. No one I know of had ever placed a cache there. I went out fishing and placed 3 caches. A few months later I went and placed a few more. Many months later I took some others and we added more. Making a cool spot for some to pick up a bunch of 5* terrain caches in one day if they wanted. We pretty much filled up the lake with caches. Later cachers came to find all the cool caches there and some complained they wanted to place a cache there? I am almost certain if I didn't place those caches there that no one would have ever thought to do it. The only reason they want to now is because they are there finding the ones we put out.

I have heard the same thing from another CO about a popular island you can drive to. Not many caches there over the years so he added a bunch and others complained.

I am working on a crazy long streak and have more then enough caches to maintain so I am not placing them to take up space. If someone would have placed one before me that is great!

Anyways I am just saying it might not just be a person being a jerk taking up space. Like with the lake I thought it would be cool to set up a course that others could come get some 5* terrain caches. I am betting that if I hadn't placed the first one that they wouldn't have even thought to place one there. If I thought they would add a bunch and maintain them I would let them have the lake for themselves and go get the finds!

 

Hi, thanks for your perspective. The lake series sounds very cool. After reading the thread and thinking about the issues more, I'm learning there are a few main strains in geocaching and one of them is about numbers. Not just numbers, but numbers are important to that cohort: how many caches total, how many in a day, how many owned, etc. I've just spent an astounding amount of time helping my employer get a five-cache series ready to launch. The caches are big and beautiful and filled with cool stuff, and they're planted about 7 miles apart in cool spots in a thematic series about our region's history. Lots of repeat trips to the sites, research, etc. So, I'm not at all about numbers, don't love nanos, don't love park-n-grab, but I recognize that many people enjoy playing that way, and maybe my goals will change over time. For now, I'm happy to spend half a day hiking to one or two cool places, solving clues and finding a cool cache or two, and logging one or two finds. And a big thank you to those who placed them in interesting ways. I do envy those who can travel to get caches in a zillion states or countries - just can't wander too far from home anymore. So, maybe I'm more disappointed than some when it comes to trying to place caches in my native town or nearby parks. Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago. Oh well. I'll try to be less irked about saturation.

Edited March 7, 2016 by PhillyRiver

[+J Grouchy]

Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago.

 

Ditto this. I lived in Portland, Oregon for two years (2001 to 2003). If only I'd known about it back then, I'd've been out on the trails a lot more than I already was! I remember whole weekends when I didn't know what to do and caching would have been an awesome way to wile away the hours.

 

Then there were the months after I moved back to Atlanta and had tons of time to myself. It's fun to go back and read logs from before I knew about it and see if I can recall what I might have been doing at the time (and if I might have been right by a cache, completely unaware of the "secret game" going on around me).

[+ZeppelinDT]

The level of arguing/complaining/infighting that goes on within certain GC communities. I can't speak for other groups, but my own local group seems to just be filled with constant complaining about so many things. It feels like its getting worse all the time too (although that just may be my own biased perspective). Every day it's something new... somebody doesn't like the way a cache is hidden, somebody gets mad because they find a cache with bad coords, somebody complains that their hide didn't get approved, etc. Any time a new cacher makes the tiniest mistake the "veterans" unleash the battering rams and are more interested in being angry that the new person doesn't know the rules rather than being willing to reach out and help them. Then inevitably somebody else has a counter-argument and it just devolves from there. It's gotten to the point where, aside from a core group of friends I've made, I've detached myself almost completely from my local group. Of course, this primarily occurs in the online discussion groups and FB forums (everybody somehow seems much friendlier at real live events when they actually have to come face to face with the people they're complaining about). Sad that more people can't just relax a bit and enjoy the game instead of letting everything get them so riled up.

 

p.s. ~ I fully realize the irony and hypocrisy of posting a complaint about people who complain too much. But I stand by it anyway

[+lee737]

Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago.

 

+2

When I think about the number of hours I spent watching DVDs on weekends back in those days (before kids consumed my spare time) it makes me sad.....

Edited March 7, 2016 by lee737

[+Alkhalikoi]

I'm just bummed that geocoins seem to go missing so fast, at least here in the US. When I started in '09, you could still count on finding them in the wild on a fairly regular basis. I barely see any TBs anymore, let alone geocoins.

[+WarNinjas]

What irks me - When one person places way too many caches and monopolizes a whole town or parkland. Surprised there isn't a rule to limit how many you can place near each other. What if someone else wants to do some hides in her town or along her favorite trail? Worse, for finders, there may be little to no variety in cache/hide style in a given area.

What about the flip side to this. There is a lake near me that didn't have any caches on it. Caching had been around for about 10 years before I started. No one I know of had ever placed a cache there. I went out fishing and placed 3 caches. A few months later I went and placed a few more. Many months later I took some others and we added more. Making a cool spot for some to pick up a bunch of 5* terrain caches in one day if they wanted. We pretty much filled up the lake with caches. Later cachers came to find all the cool caches there and some complained they wanted to place a cache there? I am almost certain if I didn't place those caches there that no one would have ever thought to do it. The only reason they want to now is because they are there finding the ones we put out.

I have heard the same thing from another CO about a popular island you can drive to. Not many caches there over the years so he added a bunch and others complained.

I am working on a crazy long streak and have more then enough caches to maintain so I am not placing them to take up space. If someone would have placed one before me that is great!

Anyways I am just saying it might not just be a person being a jerk taking up space. Like with the lake I thought it would be cool to set up a course that others could come get some 5* terrain caches. I am betting that if I hadn't placed the first one that they wouldn't have even thought to place one there. If I thought they would add a bunch and maintain them I would let them have the lake for themselves and go get the finds!

 

Hi, thanks for your perspective. The lake series sounds very cool. After reading the thread and thinking about the issues more, I'm learning there are a few main strains in geocaching and one of them is about numbers. Not just numbers, but numbers are important to that cohort: how many caches total, how many in a day, how many owned, etc. I've just spent an astounding amount of time helping my employer get a five-cache series ready to launch. The caches are big and beautiful and filled with cool stuff, and they're planted about 7 miles apart in cool spots in a thematic series about our region's history. Lots of repeat trips to the sites, research, etc. So, I'm not at all about numbers, don't love nanos, don't love park-n-grab, but I recognize that many people enjoy playing that way, and maybe my goals will change over time. For now, I'm happy to spend half a day hiking to one or two cool places, solving clues and finding a cool cache or two, and logging one or two finds. And a big thank you to those who placed them in interesting ways. I do envy those who can travel to get caches in a zillion states or countries - just can't wander too far from home anymore. So, maybe I'm more disappointed than some when it comes to trying to place caches in my native town or nearby parks. Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago. Oh well. I'll try to be less irked about saturation.

Sounds to me like you are a great cacher and will add a lot to the game! You will find places to hide cool caches in time. Just enjoy the game. If the caches around you are not all that great if you keep playing those ones will go away and new ones will pop up. You will be driving by one of those places you wanted to hide a cache and notice the spot is now open. There is some work involved in keeping a cache alive for years and if that CO is doing that then they care about it, if not it will go away. After you own some caches you will see this. Just keep having fun with it.

[+noncentric]

Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago.

 

+2

When I think about the number of hours I spent watching DVDs on weekends back in those days (before kids consumed my spare time) it makes me sad.....

+3

If only I was reading the correct newsgroups at that time. I spent most of my time in "alt" newsgroups, not "sci" newsgroups. Would've loved to have known about this hobby in 2002.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago.

 

+2

When I think about the number of hours I spent watching DVDs on weekends back in those days (before kids consumed my spare time) it makes me sad.....

+3

If only I was reading the correct newsgroups at that time. I spent most of my time in "alt" newsgroups, not "sci" newsgroups. Would've loved to have known about this hobby in 2002.

 

+4

I *was* reading a newsgroup (rec.backcountry) that had lots of discussions about using a GPS when selective availability was turned off in 2000 (I was a usenet site administrator as far back as 1984) but I guess it just didn't take that I should get one.

 

[+speakers-corner]

I'm just bummed that geocoins seem to go missing so fast, at least here in the US. When I started in '09, you could still count on finding them in the wild on a fairly regular basis. I barely see any TBs anymore, let alone geocoins.

Dieölfe and I will be visiting Los Angeles in Aug / Sept and will bring as many TB's and Coin's as we can.

[+Oxford Stone]

Snobbery on this forum towards smartphone users or anyone who started caching after 2006.

 

Not an irk - more a bit of slightly hypocritical snobbery of my own: my heart sinks when I click on a trad (usually) on a map and it's "Joshua and Amelia's First Cache" with a blurb saying that Joshua aged 2 and Amelia aged 4 days chose the hiding place for the cache, and the CO has about 8 hides, and it's a micro behind a lamp-post in a residential area. Invariably mediocre. [Hypocritical because I own a couple a bit like this - our very first hide is nothing special, but we've recently moved it to make for a better caching experience]

[+lee737]

my heart sinks when I click on a trad (usually) on a map and it's "Joshua and Amelia's First Cache" with a blurb saying that Joshua aged 2 and Amelia aged 4 days chose the hiding place for the cache, and the CO has about 8 hides, and it's a micro behind a lamp-post in a residential area. Invariably mediocre.

 

What irks me about these is you can just about guarantee that the CO geocached for a week, hid two caches and then promptly threw it in, so the geotrash caches are never maintained, usually damp and propped up on life support by 'helpful' cachers before having the plug pulled 5 years down the track.....

[+Team Abarth]

Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago.

 

+2

When I think about the number of hours I spent watching DVDs on weekends back in those days (before kids consumed my spare time) it makes me sad.....

+3

If only I was reading the correct newsgroups at that time. I spent most of my time in "alt" newsgroups, not "sci" newsgroups. Would've loved to have known about this hobby in 2002.

 

+4

I *was* reading a newsgroup (rec.backcountry) that had lots of discussions about using a GPS when selective availability was turned off in 2000 (I was a usenet site administrator as far back as 1984) but I guess it just didn't take that I should get one.

 

+5

 

I've heard about this for a while, but don't know why we didn't try it out years ago. We could've done this with our kid when he was smaller..not now when he's an adult and working full time (we're only off on Sundays together), and my dad said he and my step mom use to do this years ago....wish I could of done it with him. His age has caught up to him now...and his going out for hikes days are behind him now it sounds like.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago.

 

+2

When I think about the number of hours I spent watching DVDs on weekends back in those days (before kids consumed my spare time) it makes me sad.....

+3

If only I was reading the correct newsgroups at that time. I spent most of my time in "alt" newsgroups, not "sci" newsgroups. Would've loved to have known about this hobby in 2002.

 

+4

I *was* reading a newsgroup (rec.backcountry) that had lots of discussions about using a GPS when selective availability was turned off in 2000 (I was a usenet site administrator as far back as 1984) but I guess it just didn't take that I should get one.

 

+5

I've heard about this for a while, but don't know why we didn't try it out years ago. We could've done this with our kid when he was smaller..not now when he's an adult and working full time (we're only off on Sundays together), and my dad said he and my step mom use to do this years ago....wish I could of done it with him. His age has caught up to him now...and his going out for hikes days are behind him now it sounds like.

 

I've done a fair amount of hiking. (I've done half the AT.) It gets me out of the house. I got a yellow Garmin eTrex from Marlboro (2003?) The techie columnist in my paper (The Star-Ledger) did an article on Geocaching in 2004. "Hmm..." said I. "There's a BrianSnat cache not far off the trail (that I was maintaining at that time.)" So I went for it! (So, it's all BrianSnat's fault!) Eleven years later, it still gets me out of the house for exercise.

I have a brother who started caching in 2002, but he never told the rest of us about it!

[+KatnissRue]

Snobbery on this forum towards smartphone users or anyone who started caching after 2006.

 

Not an irk - more a bit of slightly hypocritical snobbery of my own: my heart sinks when I click on a trad (usually) on a map and it's "Joshua and Amelia's First Cache" with a blurb saying that Joshua aged 2 and Amelia aged 4 days chose the hiding place for the cache, and the CO has about 8 hides, and it's a micro behind a lamp-post in a residential area. Invariably mediocre. [Hypocritical because I own a couple a bit like this - our very first hide is nothing special, but we've recently moved it to make for a better caching experience]

Thank you for this! I mainly use a smartphone, but I try to give back to the community that I love so much. I joined in 2012, by the way.

[+Luckyone80]

Mainly, I"m bummed I didn't discover geocaching ten years ago.

 

+2

When I think about the number of hours I spent watching DVDs on weekends back in those days (before kids consumed my spare time) it makes me sad.....

+3

If only I was reading the correct newsgroups at that time. I spent most of my time in "alt" newsgroups, not "sci" newsgroups. Would've loved to have known about this hobby in 2002.

 

+4

I *was* reading a newsgroup (rec.backcountry) that had lots of discussions about using a GPS when selective availability was turned off in 2000 (I was a usenet site administrator as far back as 1984) but I guess it just didn't take that I should get one.

 

+5

I've heard about this for a while, but don't know why we didn't try it out years ago. We could've done this with our kid when he was smaller..not now when he's an adult and working full time (we're only off on Sundays together), and my dad said he and my step mom use to do this years ago....wish I could of done it with him. His age has caught up to him now...and his going out for hikes days are behind him now it sounds like.

 

I've done a fair amount of hiking. (I've done half the AT.) It gets me out of the house. I got a yellow Garmin eTrex from Marlboro (2003?) The techie columnist in my paper (The Star-Ledger) did an article on Geocaching in 2004. "Hmm..." said I. "There's a BrianSnat cache not far off the trail (that I was maintaining at that time.)" So I went for it! (So, it's all BrianSnat's fault!) Eleven years later, it still gets me out of the house for exercise.

I have a brother who started caching in 2002, but he never told the rest of us about it!

+7 I actually signed up on the GC site back in 2011 but didn't have a GPS or smartphone at the time. I didn't actually start caching until 2015, I wish I would have started in 2011 when I signed up.

[+vw_k]

This has probably been mentioned in this thread lots of times, but people not logging DNFs.

 

Imagine a path with a series of numbered caches along it (#1, #2, #3 etc). All of which have been found several times in the last few months except for one cache in the middle of the trail that cachers would have to walk past but has had no logs recently. Obviously people have been looking for it but not logging their DNFs.

 

So the CO isn't alerted to the fact that the cache is missing, and despite wasting their time looking for a missing cache, other cachers are deciding not to log a DNF either for some reason, and a trail of several caches has one missing for months until someone actually mentions that they couldn't find it.

[+K13]

This has probably been mentioned in this thread lots of times, but people not logging DNFs.

 

Imagine a path with a series of numbered caches along it (#1, #2, #3 etc). All of which have been found several times in the last few months except for one cache in the middle of the trail that cachers would have to walk past but has had no logs recently. Obviously people have been looking for it but not logging their DNFs.

 

So the CO isn't alerted to the fact that the cache is missing, and despite wasting their time looking for a missing cache, other cachers are deciding not to log a DNF either for some reason, and a trail of several caches has one missing for months until someone actually mentions that they couldn't find it.

 

Do you really expect cachers to admit failure?

 

(I agree with you, but many cachers simply refuse to admit their failures.)

[+Viajero Perdido]

Just, this: My link

 

I know this was mentioned above somewhere, but when someone has several caches that are in dire need of attention but they continue to hide caches out the wazoo. I know someone who has hidden 200 some caches, but has at least 50 that are either missing or in disrepair.

Oddly enough, I took that picture. Funny how it gets around.

 

I don't feel irky about it though. I think I posted it on the forums once as an example of caches gone bad. And nobody's found it since, so I wonder if it's rusted right through in the six more years that have passed.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Viajero Perdido

[+Team Abarth]

This has probably been mentioned in this thread lots of times, but people not logging DNFs.

 

Imagine a path with a series of numbered caches along it (#1, #2, #3 etc). All of which have been found several times in the last few months except for one cache in the middle of the trail that cachers would have to walk past but has had no logs recently. Obviously people have been looking for it but not logging their DNFs.

 

So the CO isn't alerted to the fact that the cache is missing, and despite wasting their time looking for a missing cache, other cachers are deciding not to log a DNF either for some reason, and a trail of several caches has one missing for months until someone actually mentions that they couldn't find it.

 

We always log our DNF's just in case for this reason. We're not embarrassed about not finding them, and we may go back and try again later. When I was caching on leap year day, I picked ones that were on the way home from work...and looked like easy park and grabs, just so I could have one on Feb. 29th. I couldn't find the 1st 2, and I was torn on if I should log a DNF because my plans were if I couldn't find it within a couple of minutes...I would move on (lack of time...had to get home to let the dogs out, make dinner..etc), and they may actually be there. I ended up leaving "...may still be there...didn't have a lot of time to search" with my DNF post...just in case...to help establish a pattern that it was actually gone.

[+just Ami]

i'm pretty new to geoacaching, so i haven't had a whole lot of problems just yet... but...

 

the other day, i was browsing what geocaches i wanted to do, and i saw this one that has had a lot of activity, lots of recently found logs. so when i went to do this cache, the container was in a slightly hard to reach area, inside a tree, in a semi wilderness area and to get it, you had to brainstorm ways of reaching it on the fly. well when i finally got to the log and signed it, i noticed the last person who actually signed it was in 2014! i was kind of irked off. it was a little difficult to reach, but nothing picking up a branch wouldn't solve. you didn't have to climb a tree or anything. just use a stick to drag the container towards you, pick it up, sign, toss it back in the hole. a very basic amount of effort to reach it was all that was required.

 

Also, at the same geocache, on the site it said there was a TB, but there was no TB in the container. So someone picked it up and did not log it. -.-

Edited March 14, 2016 by just Ami

[+TeamRabbitRun]

i'm pretty new to geoacaching, so i haven't had a whole lot of problems just yet... but...

 

the other day, i was browsing what geocaches i wanted to do, and i saw this one that has had a lot of activity, lots of recently found logs. so when i went to do this cache, the container was in a slightly hard to reach area, inside a tree, in a semi wilderness area and to get it, you had to brainstorm ways of reaching it on the fly. well when i finally got to the log and signed it, i noticed the last person who actually signed it was in 2014! i was kind of irked off. it was a little difficult to reach, but nothing picking up a branch wouldn't solve. you didn't have to climb a tree or anything. just use a stick to drag the container towards you, pick it up, sign, toss it back in the hole. a very basic amount of effort to reach it was all that was required.

 

Also, at the same geocache, on the site it said there was a TB, but there was no TB in the container. So someone picked it up and did not log it. -.-

 

I feel your pain. You'll find scores of forum threads about the frustration of people mishandling TBs.

Regarding the 2014 'last' signature, I frequently find that people don't sign where you THINK they should. For example, if it's a booklet or memo pad, you'll find signatures on random pages near the back, or turn it upside down and see if there isn't something on the first page from THAT side!

 

And of course, Israeli cache logs START from the other end.... <g>

[+TheAuthorityFigures]

i'm pretty new to geoacaching, so i haven't had a whole lot of problems just yet... but...

 

the other day, i was browsing what geocaches i wanted to do, and i saw this one that has had a lot of activity, lots of recently found logs. so when i went to do this cache, the container was in a slightly hard to reach area, inside a tree, in a semi wilderness area and to get it, you had to brainstorm ways of reaching it on the fly. well when i finally got to the log and signed it, i noticed the last person who actually signed it was in 2014! i was kind of irked off. it was a little difficult to reach, but nothing picking up a branch wouldn't solve. you didn't have to climb a tree or anything. just use a stick to drag the container towards you, pick it up, sign, toss it back in the hole. a very basic amount of effort to reach it was all that was required.

 

Also, at the same geocache, on the site it said there was a TB, but there was no TB in the container. So someone picked it up and did not log it. -.-

My online log would have looked something like this: "Hmmm. Last signature in the cache log before mine today, _ _ 2014. That's curious! Thanks for the cache!"

[+cerberus1]

i'm pretty new to geoacaching, so i haven't had a whole lot of problems just yet... but...

the other day, i was browsing what geocaches i wanted to do, and i saw this one that has had a lot of activity, lots of recently found logs. so when i went to do this cache, the container was in a slightly hard to reach area, inside a tree, in a semi wilderness area and to get it, you had to brainstorm ways of reaching it on the fly. well when i finally got to the log and signed it, i noticed the last person who actually signed it was in 2014! i was kind of irked off. it was a little difficult to reach, but nothing picking up a branch wouldn't solve. you didn't have to climb a tree or anything. just use a stick to drag the container towards you, pick it up, sign, toss it back in the hole. a very basic amount of effort to reach it was all that was required.

My online log would have looked something like this: "Hmmm. Last signature in the cache log before mine today, _ _ 2014. That's curious! Thanks for the cache!"

My other 2/3rds would be less than amused by the event talk and mails we received when pics of the log would be posted in situations like that.

[+L0ne.R]

i'm pretty new to geoacaching, so i haven't had a whole lot of problems just yet... but...

 

the other day, i was browsing what geocaches i wanted to do, and i saw this one that has had a lot of activity, lots of recently found logs. so when i went to do this cache, the container was in a slightly hard to reach area, inside a tree, in a semi wilderness area and to get it, you had to brainstorm ways of reaching it on the fly. well when i finally got to the log and signed it, i noticed the last person who actually signed it was in 2014! i was kind of irked off. it was a little difficult to reach, but nothing picking up a branch wouldn't solve. you didn't have to climb a tree or anything. just use a stick to drag the container towards you, pick it up, sign, toss it back in the hole. a very basic amount of effort to reach it was all that was required.

 

Also, at the same geocache, on the site it said there was a TB, but there was no TB in the container. So someone picked it up and did not log it. -.-

My online log would have looked something like this: "Hmmm. Last signature in the cache log before mine today, _ _ 2014. That's curious! Thanks for the cache!"

 

Maybe there are 2 caches. Perhaps a throwdown and the original. It's possible that some people are finding the jar, some are finding the throwdown. Looking at the cache GCQ27N, it's supposed to be a peanut butter type of jar. Is that what you found? In 2015 there were issues with the jar, perhaps when someone only found a lid they threw down a cache to replace the container.

[+Two Pipers]

One of my irks: cheesy swag like rubber bands, business cards or plastic spider rings.

[+lee737]

One of mine is the little calling cards some people drop into caches instead of signing the log, presumably to save time?? Just imagine if we all did that, how quickly the caches would fill up with rubbish....

[+niraD]

One of mine is the little calling cards some people drop into caches instead of signing the log, presumably to save time?? Just imagine if we all did that, how quickly the caches would fill up with rubbish....

FWIW, those are personal signature items. Some of us trade for and collect them. (Yes, even the geo-cards of various types.)

[+Clarkbowman]

I'm sitting here laughing at how many of you are complaining on how others play the game, thinking that your the one that knows best. Yes some of the issues like placing on private land and so on are legit. But to think that for your enjoyment that some one should place only caches you like to find is a joke. If you dont like a type of cache, Don't hunt the darn thing. For some strange reason I have a feeling that there are many more caches out there for you to go find after you hit the ignore button.

Edited March 15, 2016 by Clarkbowman

[+cerberus1]

If you dont like a type of cache, Don't hunt the darn thing. For some strange reason I have a feeling that there are many more caches out there for you to go find after you hit the ignore button.

True, though our early exuberance for the hobby has waned (now that our fun walks in the woods has degraded to stepping outta your car every 600'), the caches we enjoy are still around by simply looking on the map.

But they're not as available as you imply.

Driving 80-200 miles to finally be able to walk a bit (really) isn't the same.

Heck, I'm beat from the driving by the time I get there.

[+Two Pipers]

I'm sitting here laughing at how many of you are complaining on how others play the game, thinking that your the one that knows best. Yes some of the issues like placing on private land and so on are legit. But to think that for your enjoyment that some one should place only caches you like to find is a joke. If you dont like a type of cache, Don't hunt the darn thing. For some strange reason I have a feeling that there are many more caches out there for you to go find after you hit the ignore button.

 

Well, the thread is about irks. What did you expect?

[+cerberus1]

I'm sitting here laughing at how many of you are complaining on how others play the game, thinking that your the one that knows best. Yes some of the issues like placing on private land and so on are legit. But to think that for your enjoyment that some one should place only caches you like to find is a joke. If you dont like a type of cache, Don't hunt the darn thing. For some strange reason I have a feeling that there are many more caches out there for you to go find after you hit the ignore button.

 

Well, the thread is about irks. What did you expect?

+1

[+L0ne.R]

I'm sitting here laughing at how many of you are complaining on how others play the game, thinking that your the one that knows best. Yes some of the issues like placing on private land and so on are legit. But to think that for your enjoyment that some one should place only caches you like to find is a joke. If you dont like a type of cache, Don't hunt the darn thing. For some strange reason I have a feeling that there are many more caches out there for you to go find after you hit the ignore button.

 

I disagree with your sentiments. This topic is very informative. Ignorance is not bliss.

If we read that business cards, elastic bands, broken toys, etc. irk some (even most) people maybe we'll up the quality of the swag we leave. Maybe some of us will CITO those out of caches when we find them.

If we read that it irks many of us that cache owners don't maintain their cache listings and cache containers (let DNFs and NMs pile up, then archive their cache once the reviewer steps in with a disable), maybe we'll be moved to be better cache owners. Or maybe some of us will be quicker to post NMs and NAs to get the message out that cache maintenance matters.

If we began geocaching by writing TFTC-only logs or cut n paste logs, and didn't realize it bothers a lot of people, we may change our logging habits.

There is great value in this forum topic.

[PhillyRiver]

I'm sitting here laughing at how many of you are complaining on how others play the game, thinking that your the one that knows best. Yes some of the issues like placing on private land and so on are legit. But to think that for your enjoyment that some one should place only caches you like to find is a joke. If you dont like a type of cache, Don't hunt the darn thing. For some strange reason I have a feeling that there are many more caches out there for you to go find after you hit the ignore button.

 

I disagree with your sentiments. This topic is very informative. Ignorance is not bliss.

If we read that business cards, elastic bands, broken toys, etc. irk some (even most) people maybe we'll up the quality of the swag we leave. Maybe some of us will CITO those out of caches when we find them.

If we read that it irks many of us that cache owners don't maintain their cache listings and cache containers (let DNFs and NMs pile up, then archive their cache once the reviewer steps in with a disable), maybe we'll be moved to be better cache owners. Or maybe some of us will be quicker to post NMs and NAs to get the message out that cache maintenance matters.

If we began geocaching by writing TFTC-only logs or cut n paste logs, and didn't realize it bothers a lot of people, we may change our logging habits.

There is great value in this forum topic.

 

+1 - very informative to this newbie

Edited March 15, 2016 by PhillyRiver

[+ZeppelinDT]

Hints that aren't hints.

 

For example, somebody hides a cache that is themed around a particular movie or a song, and their "hint" is just a quote from the movie or a line from the song but has absolutely nothing to do with the cache.

 

And don't get me wrong, I love "creative" hints or hints that need some interpretation, but sometime the "hint" is nothing more than just a random quote. Why even bother putting it in there? It only confuses people.

[+on4bam]

Hints that aren't hints.

 

Don't you love these hints when out in the woods and the hint says: "behind a tree". All you have to then is find a tree

Sometimes the hint makes sense after the cache/WP is found and some hints never make sense. Doesn't bother me at all.