newbie question

[team.moo]

I have just started this as an activity to do with my six year old. On our first outing we didn't find anything and he was really disappointed. When I got home I checked and it was my fault I had entered the coordinates wrong so we went back and found it

 

Today I went out on my own to look, plan was to pre find it so as not to disappoint him again (I don't want him to get fed up before we have started). I couldn't find it, I searched for ages (I'd triple checked the coords before setting out).

 

My question is, is it considered bad manners to post a note on the page to ask if anyone who has found it can message me to tell me where it is hidden? I don't want to log a didn't find as I am sure it is me not knowing what/where to look for.

 

I am confident once I have found a few I will get better, unfortunately there aren't any beginner (highlighted green)ones near my home but I was only looking for a 2 star and still couldn't find it

 

Thanks

[+Bear and Ragged]

Also check the size.

Micro/unknown/Not Listed sizes -or listed in the description as Nano- can be VERY small and difficult to find...

 

Cache owner is usually the best person to contact.

They may offer clues, or tell you exactly where the cache is.

[+MartyBartfast]

Also don't forget to check the hint if there is one (on the cache page click the "decrypt" link beside Additional Hints

 

And check the logs to see whether it's been recently found.

[team tisri]

I have just started this as an activity to do with my six year old. On our first outing we didn't find anything and he was really disappointed. When I got home I checked and it was my fault I had entered the coordinates wrong so we went back and found it

 

Today I went out on my own to look, plan was to pre find it so as not to disappoint him again (I don't want him to get fed up before we have started). I couldn't find it, I searched for ages (I'd triple checked the coords before setting out).

 

My question is, is it considered bad manners to post a note on the page to ask if anyone who has found it can message me to tell me where it is hidden? I don't want to log a didn't find as I am sure it is me not knowing what/where to look for.

 

I am confident once I have found a few I will get better, unfortunately there aren't any beginner (highlighted green)ones near my home but I was only looking for a 2 star and still couldn't find it

 

Thanks

 

Whether you post asking for help is entirely up to you. It's often a good idea to ask the cache owner first as most people place caches with the intention that people will find them. If you've chosen a cache with a high difficulty rating don't be surprised if it's difficult to find (and equally don't be surprised if the owner doesn't give you any more detail as to where to find it), but if you've chosen what should be an easy cache you might be lucky. If not move on to a different one.

 

If it hasn't been found recently, and if it's got a lot of recent DNFs against it, it may have gone missing.

[team.moo]

Thanks all

 

Before I message the owner I will go and have one more look. The clue relates to a type of tree, the GPS took me directly to a tree but there were also a lot of trees of the same type around the area. Should I just concentrate on the one the GPS took me too, or look at all of them? I did look at all of them but wonder if I was looking too far out or not far enough. I think I read I should look 6 meters from the GPS point is that about right?

[+Pharisee]

My question is, is it considered bad manners to post a note on the page to ask if anyone who has found it can message me to tell me where it is hidden? I don't want to log a didn't find as I am sure it is me not knowing what/where to look for.

 

That's exactly what a DNF log is for. You checked the co-ordinates... You searched for ages... You didn't find it.

Log it as a DNF!!

 

I very often get DNF logs on my caches and I go and check them at the first opportunity. Quite often the caches are where they should be but the visit gives me the opportunity to clean them up and add a few bits and pieces.

I'm never upset or offended if someone posts a DNF; although I do sometimes wonder just where the hell they were searching... .

[+redsox_mark]

Thanks all

 

Before I message the owner I will go and have one more look. The clue relates to a type of tree, the GPS took me directly to a tree but there were also a lot of trees of the same type around the area. Should I just concentrate on the one the GPS took me too, or look at all of them? I did look at all of them but wonder if I was looking too far out or not far enough. I think I read I should look 6 meters from the GPS point is that about right?

 

GPS accuracy varies - depending on factors such as the devices, tree cover, buildings etc. There is some error both on the side of the person hiding the cache and your device finding it. Most of the time the cache will be within 6 meters or so; but sometimes you need to look further. I would focus on the trees closest to where your GPS sends you, but then expand the search at least to 10 meters.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Don't wait until the GPS says you are at 0 feet from the cache...

As you approach, just watch where the arrow points, it may point to a different tree, and then point at another (wrong tree) when close.

 

GPS works better when moving...

[+Oxford Stone]

team.quest, a few ideas to make caching rewarding for a youngster (Oxford Stone Junior is 4, has 270 caches to his name, of which he's found about 10 before me / his mum!)

 

- Urban / roadside ones: use Google Streetview beforehand to get a really good idea (along with the hint) of where it's likely to be. You'll find a lot of roadsigns and telephone junction boxes being used as cover.

 

- Rural: zoom out a bit on the website map to see a trail, a lot of caches close together on a reasonably easy walk - probbably woodland in this heat. when we started out I spotted a walk of about a mile and a half in the Chilterns with 6 caches. We found 4 and were chuffed!

 

OSJ soon got the hang of the fact that we'd not find every cache (too hard / been muggled).

[+Mallah]

Also, have a look at some of the spoiler pictures if there are any as they can sometimes give you a few extra clues as to what and where etc.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Bribery works with kids...

"We'll have an ice cream when..."

Or take sweets with you, little and often, as an energy boost.

 

And.

When the kids have had enough - That's it. No "Just one more..." Sure way to put them off.

[+Jacaru & Wemnog]

Where are you based. It may be worth seeing if there is a local group of cachers in your area, if so they are a good source of information for people new to caching. Facebook has a lot of local caching groups on it now. You could also find a list of them over on the GAGB (Geocaching Association of Great Britain) site www.gagb.org.uk