Placing a cache in my front yard - good or bad?

[+tweetiepy]

Is it considered bad form or a bad idea to place a cache in your own front yard? I wanted to place a puzzle cache in my front yard as my first cache (this would give me a chance to see how the maintenance thing works as well as checking the progress of the cachers) but I was wondering if it would be a bad thing to do?

 

I'd rather hide a smaller cache as my first cache as it would be easier to camouflage but our area doesn't seem to have many puzzle caches (not the ones you solve to find the coords - there's about a 50% saturation of those, but one where the cache is at the listed coords but you must solve something to reach the container). This one would be quite large - like a 4 cup container size - and I don't want to hide it in the forest as I'd never be able to find this thing again even with a GPS. I'm thinking of placing it in a bird house.

 

There's an area in front where they could sit & ponder the puzzle too which might be useful.

 

Would it be a bad idea to do this? I'm thinking the neighbors might say something at some point... There is an area in a wooded area nearby that could work but I'm afraid that something of this size might get muggled

[+jmbillings]

It's probably within the rules, as it's your own property- I guess it's how comfortable you feel with people hovering around the front of your house potentially at any time of the day.

 

I'd say if you're in a quiet street in a fairly large town it could be not the /best/ idea- your neighbours may mistake people poking around as potential burglars for example. If you're pretty remote and get on well with the locals to explain it, perhaps not so bad.

[+Walts Hunting]

I have come across a few of these. For me when I see that I drive by and put it on my ignore list. Others will be in your yard at three in the morning with or without a flashlight stumbling around. Your choice.

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Front yard is too easy. Raise the difficulty level and put it in your back yard, at the bottom of the swimming pool.

 

I ignore yard caches, and at least half of us do. Still, people do hide and find them.

[+cheech gang]

 

I ignore yard caches, and at least half of us do.

 

Untrue. Studies show that only 45% ignore yard caches. Get your facts straight.

[nonaeroterraqueous]

I always round up to the nearest whole fraction of whatever I feel like. Don't tell my boss.

[+cheech gang]

I always round up to the nearest whole fraction of whatever I feel like. Don't tell my boss.

 

Actually, it is 45.4% and I rounded down. No harm no foul.

[+ngrrfan]

Is it considered bad form or a bad idea to place a cache in your own front yard?

As others have said, it isn't considered bad form but also as others have stated those locations immediately go on my ignore list.

[+tweetiepy]

Good to know, I can say that if I came upon one of those, I might be tempted to ignore it too in case permission was not granted.

 

Hmmm where to put this now so it won't get muggled...?

[+L0ne.R]

If you do place a cache on your front lawn, be sure to use the Front-Yard/Private Residence attribute:

[+dphickey]

I would suggest finding a good park for you first hide. Look online or call your local parks department and ask what their geocaching policies are. Do they have one? Do you need a permit? Start out simple.

Placing one in the yard invites people to come to your yard and search, which means someone may decide to tear up the landscaping to make the find.

[+TriciaG]

Isn't there something about not putting caches in places like birdhouses, which would encourage cachers to disturb the homes of birds in other areas in case there's a cache in there? I don't know if that's in the guidelines, or if I read it in the forums somewhere. So it might not be official.

[+supertbone]

I have had caches in my front yard for some time. I usually make them premium member only and a puzzle cache or a letterbox hybrid to limit the novice cachers. Plus I include a blatant hint to where on the property it is, this way people don't look in neighbors yards.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Hmmm where to put this now so it won't get muggled...?

Good luck with that. If you have people around (especially kids), not much chance within populated confines.

Although they try to be "stealthy", geocachers are notoriously poor at keeping secrets.

[+L0ne.R]

I have had caches in my front yard for some time. I usually make them premium member only and a puzzle cache or a letterbox hybrid to limit the novice cachers. Plus I include a blatant hint to where on the property it is, this way people don't look in neighbors yards.

 

Yes, make it obvious where the cache is. The few that I've found were:

• in a car - a large treasure chest on the back seat
• in a mailbox with a GC logo
• in a front yard sculpture with an obvious spot for the cache
• clue said hanging in a tree, no other trees around and the CO had a large GC sign taped to the window of his house

[4wheelin_fool]

Some people consider them creepy, although it's because geocachers generally do not knock on the front door and say hello before they look for them, but they really should.

 

This one was published a few days ago, and FTF is still available. It has a 24/7 attribute with the coords likely being off in someone else's yard. I don't think there are too many people eager to look, although asking at the front door is probably the best idea.

[Mr.Yuck]

I always round up to the nearest whole fraction of whatever I feel like. Don't tell my boss.

 

Actually, it is 45.4% and I rounded down. No harm no foul.

 

That is indeed correct use of rounding down.

 

Surprisingly, being a "hate stealth" kinda guy who ignores most urban caches, I've found well over a dozen front yard caches. It is true many of them were with my son from about age 8-12 because they're easy, and generally contain lots of swag (which he was interested in at the time).

 

I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but if you're urban, suburban, or even semi-rural (as opposed to rural), feel free to give your house number on the cache page, even if it's in the hint. I know I would certainly appreciate that.

[+bflentje]

 

I ignore yard caches, and at least half of us do.

 

Untrue. Studies show that only 45% ignore yard caches. Get your facts straight.

 

I ignore yard caches about 60% of the time, especially if it's an urban or suburban setting. If it's rural, and the cache listing VERY explicitly defines private property, then I'd go for it. But in town, alarming the neighbors in this day and age can cause problems.

[+ShaunEM]

Good to know, I can say that if I came upon one of those, I might be tempted to ignore it too in case permission was not granted.

 

Hmmm where to put this now so it won't get muggled...?

 

You would be surprised how many of these DON'T have permission... I ignore them 100%.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I have a large cache mounted to a tree in front of my house...the cache door is padlocked and the combo is on the cache page.

All the neighbors know about it and its been fairly active ( its actually a TB hotel)

I recommend making it premium only.

[+niraD]

I've found a few front-yard caches. A couple of them have been physical puzzles, where the challenge was opening or retrieving the container so you could log the find. One was a simple traditional that sometimes varied with the season (e.g., a plastic skull for Halloween).

 

As others have said, make sure your neighbors are aware of it. And if you value your landscaping, then don't make it a challenging 4-star camouflage cache. It would also help if there were a way to verify that they're looking at the right address, so no one tears up searches your neighbors' yards.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I've found some on people's properties and I always feel a bit like a creep.

 

However, if you've got a special container, I could see why you would want to hide it close to home.

 

If you do decide to hide it, be sure to put your house # on the cache page with a good hint and tell your neighbors what to expect.

[+farrtom]

I don't mind front yard caches as long as it is very clearly stated in the cache description.

One of our favorite front yard caches mentioned in the description that they had spoke to and had permission from his neighbors just so they wouldn't be too suspicious. In fact as we were walking up to the cache the closest neighbor came out of his house and told us good luck and to enjoy the cache.

[+ras_oscar]

Feel free to do as you please. I have encountered a few front yard caches, and usualy pass them by unless the house is a looooooong way away from GZ. Thats my personal preference.

[+SwineFlew]

Front yard caches with bad coordinates are asking for very serious trouble!! I see too many of this when rookie COs are a jerk about it. Especially when cachers are logging the house number in the logs.

Writing the house number is NOT a spoiler in my opinion, its just to save you and everybody else trouble(s) with the neighbor(s). I know one case here in Oregon that a neighbor took the matter to GS and the listing was arcachived. If the CO just place a better coordinates and a house number in the hint, it would solve the problem.

 

Just PLEASE write in the house number in the hint. It goes a long way getting along with your neighbors.

 

I feel front yard caches should be simple and easy. The faster the cachers find the cache and leave, the better for the neighbors.

[+Me&Geppetto]

There is one here in Los Angeles that I've found recently, it's quite clever and nice and big, in LA it's hard to place/hide larger caches for travel bugs, etc. SO this one is getting a lot of use. White picket fence with a 6' 4x4 post about a foot behind the fence. Hanging from the arm of the post (think sign holder) is a chain. You have to pull the chain up and voila, there is a nice, big, fat, 4" PVC pipe with a screw top with all kinds of goodies in it. Easy to find, straightforward. There is a small pin or marble or something like that with the geocaching logo stuck on the post. Can't miss it

[team tisri]

Good to know, I can say that if I came upon one of those, I might be tempted to ignore it too in case permission was not granted.

 

Hmmm where to put this now so it won't get muggled...?

 

Me too, if it's in high density housing I don't want to be wandering around the wrong house by mistake and if it's in low density housing I don't want to find myself dealing with an angry homeowner because I got something wrong. So as a rule if I realise it's on someone's property I'll ignore it.

 

I did have an amusing situation a few years back when I found a cache - following the arrow it took me down a footpath beside someone's house and then pointed straight at their back porch. I wasn't about to walk onto someone's porch unannounced so rather than abandon the search I knocked on the door to check it was a legitimate hide. It turned out it was, so I ended up going onto the guy's back porch through his house. He was fascinated to know why an Englishman was in his very remote part of the US.

[+suchanana]

reading the cache page for hints is always a good idea for private property home caches...

however, since a lot of newbie cachers are just running around looking with phone apps and not reading - well, making it premium member only and then adding another level of difficulty such as multi and/or puzzle attributes will, as was suggested earlier, enable a more pleasing cache experience for the cache owner...

start it in those woods and have the final in your birdhouse...

[+Ma & Pa]

Went to one yesterday that was classified as a puzzle. GZ seemed to be in someone's front yard. We don't like those so we checked the cache page which said it was in the apple tree in the front yard. I decided to take a chance because the tree was close to the road. It took a while but I finally found the micro. There was a sheet in it telling me that the next stage involved new cords and making a projection. As an alternative, I could go look next to the BBQ on their fronT porch. I LEFT

[+Bushwalker53]

Some people do hide caches in their front yard, but I think you'll have to inform your neighbours about geocachers before you hide it there so as not to make them yell at cachers! The wooded area would be good for the birdhouse, just put it off any trails and make sure it's not visible from any of the trails (If there are any)

[AZcachemeister]

I have (and have had) a cache on my front porch for the last seven years.

It isn't a puzzle, and it isn't a micro.

 

Nothing but good has ever come from it being there.

 

If spineless loosers want to ignore it, that is their problem.

[+Mudfrog]

We placed a cache in the front yard a year or two ago. I know that some people are uncomfortable with this idea so i give them some peace of mind by stating on the cache page, that they know they're in the right spot if they see the 4 inch piece of pvc pipe protruding about a foot out of the ground. Although i didn't do it here, i think it would be even better to make up and post a small sign with the geocaching icon in the yard.

 

Went to one yesterday that was classified as a puzzle. GZ seemed to be in someone's front yard. We don't like those so we checked the cache page which said it was in the apple tree in the front yard. I decided to take a chance because the tree was close to the road. It took a while but I finally found the micro. There was a sheet in it telling me that the next stage involved new cords and making a projection. As an alternative, I could go look next to the BBQ on their fronT porch. I LEFT

 

You knew you were in the right yard so why did you leave?

[+humboldt flier]

Worked a "Front Yard Cache" in a small town in the Sierra Nevada near lake Tahoe.

 

Had to sit on the front steps to do the deed.

 

The cache was so placed to provide a house-bound young boy a vicarious caching experience.

 

After cachers left he would be wheeled out to check the swag exchanges and log entries.

 

The cache page was very specific as to the how's and why's and the neighbors were "in the loop". >>(I never would have done it under normal circumstances)<<

[+niraD]

Although i didn't do it here, i think it would be even better to make up and post a small sign with the geocaching icon in the yard.

One of the front-yard caches I've done was under a garden stepping stone with the geocaching logo on it. That worked well to allow geocachers to find it quickly, while hiding the location from non-geocachers.

[4wheelin_fool]

I have (and have had) a cache on my front porch for the last seven years.

It isn't a puzzle, and it isn't a micro.

 

Nothing but good has ever come from it being there.

 

If spineless loosers want to ignore it, that is their problem.

 

If someone feels creepy looking for it, their gut instinct is usually correct. It's not the cache or location that's creepy, but the procedure of going to look for it without knocking at the door. I have no idea why people do this. Just because it is a geocache, doesn't mean that they have an obligation to repeat the same antisocial procedure as all of the others, as the homeowner is not a muggle. Say hello, geez!

[+SwineFlew]

I have (and have had) a cache on my front porch for the last seven years.

It isn't a puzzle, and it isn't a micro.

 

Nothing but good has ever come from it being there.

 

If spineless loosers want to ignore it, that is their problem.

When I was in your area not so long ago, I just about did that cache, but I was busy visiting with family.

[+kunarion]

If you do decide to hide it, be sure to put your house # on the cache page with a good hint and tell your neighbors what to expect.

That would be great!

 

Here's my story of a house cache:

 

I was visiting relatives in Oregon, and tried a neighborhood house cache. I decided it was a fake sprinkler, according to the cache page. So when I saw some piping against a tree right by the road where the GPSr was pointing, I zeroed in on that. Sprinkler on one end, nothing connected to the other. Cool, I guess the log's in there somehow. As I inspected that, the house owner showed up and knew nothing at all about Geocaching and he was a great actor.

 

He: What's going on?

 

Me: I'm Geocaching. Checking out this fine 'sprinkler'! I showed him the cache page on my GPSr.

 

He: Gee-Oh-WHATSIT?!! I've been watering the border plants.

 

(Yeah, right. You're watering the plants with a 'sprinkler' that's not connected to anything?)

 

Me: Geocaching.

 

He: Gee-Oh-WHATSIT?

 

[Man, this guy's good, playing it straight, won't let me off the hook. I continue the search, with him as an audience.]

 

He: Gee-Oh-WHATSIT?

 

It was at about that moment that I realized my GPSr was still set to Automotive. The actual cache house was next door.

Edited July 20, 2013 by kunarion

[+Don_J]

I have (and have had) a cache on my front porch for the last seven years.

It isn't a puzzle, and it isn't a micro.

 

Nothing but good has ever come from it being there.

 

If spineless loosers want to ignore it, that is their problem.

 

Wow! Because I ignore caches that I don't like, I'm a spineless loser? And why would ignoring a cache cause me a problem?

[+cheech gang]

If spineless loosers want to ignore it, that is their problem.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Jellyfish everywhere are killing themselves in their attempt to find the geocache on your front porch.

 

 

What a bunch of spineless losers.

[+FunnyNose]

Is it considered bad form or a bad idea to place a cache in your own front yard? I wanted to place a puzzle cache in my front yard as my first cache (this would give me a chance to see how the maintenance thing works as well as checking the progress of the cachers) but I was wondering if it would be a bad thing to do?

 

If you want to place a cache in your front yard, that's fine. In consideration of your fellow cachers you should make sure you put in the full address of the location and color and other identifying information, maybe include a picture of your house. Also include your home phone number, your full name, your cell phone number your work phone number. It would also be good to include your signification others cell phone number and work phone number as well.

 

That way in case you forgot to tell the retired Law Enforcement Officer that lives across the street from you that strange people may be poking around your yard that they shouldn't pull a gun on you and you have all the information needed to walk away alive.

[+Manville Possum]

If you do place a cache on your front lawn, be sure to use the Front-Yard/Private Residence attribute:

Is there an attribute for a large dog on a chain? I may hide one in Cudjo's dog house.

No, really I ignore front yard caches. The only one I ever looked for was at a friends house and their neighbors dog attempted to bite me.

[+redsox_mark]

I've only done a couple of them. I think it is fine as long as it is very clear on the cache page, and the description makes it clear which is the correct property.

[+callum112233]

I have only two geocaches. My first ever one, I put in my front garden. It has been there a week now and 6 people have logged it. In the log discription, I made sure to explain that the owners permission has been sought and not to worry about looking for the cache. I also made it so that the finders don't have to come in the front garden to retreive the cache.

 

I have had no troubles yet.

[+DonB]

There were two or three of them in my area at one time. Two of them were 52 quart buckets. One was by the front porch and one was along side of the house. Both had notes to please not come after dark.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I've only done a couple of them. I think it is fine as long as it is very clear on the cache page, and the description makes it clear which is the correct property.

 

And that is the problem. I've done two. One said: Last house on the left. That was clear. The other just had coords. Good for 20'. Searched the neighbor's front yard first. That's where the coords led! The page needed to make sure we were in the right yard. And that's why I generally ignore them. Gotta be specific.

Hunted a multi once (trying for FTF.) Coords for the final were wrong. (Typo.) Nope. I really doubt it is in that back yard. But that CO was known for typos. And non-maintenance..

[+jellis]

If you decide to do it:

1) How will your neighbors react to strangers in the neighborhood and snooping around your yard. Better let the neighbors know what you are going to do.

2) Be sure to mention it on your cache page you have permission, even if it is your own yard. Cachers won't know if it is yours or someone elses or if like one I know of the coords were so far off cachers were going into the wrong yard.

3) In the cache page or hint give a clue that the cachers will know they are going into the correct yard.

4) Let them know where NOT to go.

5) Make it easy enough to find.

[+The_Incredibles_]

If you do decide to hide it, be sure to put your house # on the cache page with a good hint and tell your neighbors what to expect.

That would be great!

 

Here's my story of a house cache:

 

You're lucky he didn't bonk you on the head.

 

I went looking for a cache in the wrong yard once. Lots of people had mentioned in the logs about being uncomfortable and mentions of private property. I parked out front of the house, boldly walked right up to the front porch and started disassembling what looked like a birdhouse. No success there, so I went and poked around the garbage cans around the side of the house. I went back to my car to check my calculation (it was a puzzle cache, no geochecker, of course). Just as I realized I'd screwed up my math, a heavily-tattoed guy with a muscle car pulls into the driveway. I got out of there fast!

[+rosebud55112]

There was one near here just a couple of months ago that gave the address, told where on the front property the cache was etc., followed all of the good avice mentioned here. The only problem was that the guy moved and forgot to archive his cache.

[+TerraViators]

My first geocache was in my front yard, under a tree in a small flower bed. I never had a problem with it. I alerted the neighbors who even helped some geocachers. I gave the address in the hint and even encouraged folks to come to the door and say hi. I met some really nice people. My wife, who would rather have a tick on her eyeball than go geocaching, even enjoyed it. I don't see the reason to ignore them.