Where and when is it a good time to place a cache?

[+Mcpat12]

I never know if its the right time of day to place a cache and whether it is a good location for a cache.

[+fizzymagic]

I never know if its the right time of day to place a cache and whether it is a good location for a cache.

 

Then keep on finding caches. When you are ready, you will know. No need to push it!

[+The_Incredibles_]

I never know if its the right time of day to place a cache and whether it is a good location for a cache.

 

Then keep on finding caches. When you are ready, you will know. No need to push it!

 

They've already found 261 and hidden 7.

 

My 2 cents:

 

1) If you're agonizing about the best time of day to place the cache, it's probably not a good location.

2) Is this is a location you'd like to return to? Would bring your friends/family to? If not, find another location...

[+-CJ-]

That depends on circumstances. Sometimes I have to visit the potential hiding place twice before actually placing a cache.

 

For instance, it's better done at night in many situations since there are not so many muggles. However, in daylight I'm able to observe the whole situation, for instance, to notice a CCTV camera on the neighbouring building which looks directly at my hiding place.

[+wmpastor]

That depends on circumstances. Sometimes I have to visit the potential hiding place twice before actually placing a cache.

 

For instance, it's better done at night in many situations since there are not so many muggles. However, in daylight I'm able to observe the whole situation, for instance, to notice a CCTV camera on the neighbouring building which looks directly at my hiding place.

To get things right, sometimes several visits are needed. First, an overall check of the area. For example, a park. You really need to walk through the whole park to see what area is best (nice spot, good hiding options, low muggle factor, no problems like water buildup, etc.). Then one or more visits to place & fine tune the cache (rechecking coords each time).

 

Every month or two there's a new cache with bad coords in my area. The classic symptoms are the same: novice hider, cache goes unfound for 3-4 days despite 1.5 or 2.0 difficulty, DNF posts that say GZ is in a building or middle of the street, & then there's the inevitable post, "changed coords, 87 feet from prior. Sorry."

 

CCTV. cameras? Yes, in some places. I hear that the bigger problem is the cache owner's "game camera."

 

OP, your "Liberty Bell 7" hide is well-liked. That's a good tip about what works.

[+briansnat]

For me a good location is one I would enjoy visiting even if the cache wasn't there.

[+-CJ-]

To get things right, sometimes several visits are needed

 

For one of my multi-steps that involved 42 spots we had to organize four trips. The first one was just to observe the area and the rest three trips were to place the cache. Each time at least three persons were in a team who worked simultaneously in the field using portable radios to communicate with each other.

 

As for time, the longest time it took me to place a cache was a bit more than one year. First, with a team of about 7-8 people we went to see the place, draw maps, get GPS coordinates of different objects. It took us a year to discuss various scenarios, think about different tasks, how to implement them in practice, work on texts and photos and prepare special items that users were expected to discover at different steps. After that it took us two days (we spent night in an abandoned building) to place the cache.

 

So, yes, I agree, sometimes it's not that simple

[+Chief301]

I agree with The Incredibles....if you have to try to figure out the best time of day to place the cache (I assume due to muggle activity), then it's likely not a good place for a cache. Because even if you find a quiet time with no muggle interference, there's no expectation that seekers will take the same precautions.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

For me a good location is one I would enjoy visiting even if the cache wasn't there.

 

Or even better...

 

A good location is a place that I would enjoy visiting even if the cache wasn't there and is a location I probably wouldn't know about if there wasn't a a cache there.

 

 

[+wmpastor]

To get things right, sometimes several visits are needed

 

For one of my multi-steps that involved 42 spots we had to organize four trips. The first one was just to observe the area and the rest three trips were to place the cache. Each time at least three persons were in a team who worked simultaneously in the field using portable radios to communicate with each other.

 

As for time, the longest time it took me to place a cache was a bit more than one year. First, with a team of about 7-8 people we went to see the place, draw maps, get GPS coordinates of different objects. It took us a year to discuss various scenarios, think about different tasks, how to implement them in practice, work on texts and photos and prepare special items that users were expected to discover at different steps. After that it took us two days (we spent night in an abandoned building) to place the cache.

 

So, yes, I agree, sometimes it's not that simple

No wonder you check for cctv cameras nearby!

 

But seriously, these seem extremely well done & I wish I could visit them.

[+wmpastor]

I agree with The Incredibles....if you have to try to figure out the best time of day to place the cache (I assume due to muggle activity), then it's likely not a good place for a cache. Because even if you find a quiet time with no muggle interference, there's no expectation that seekers will take the same precautions.

Just found a cache 10-15 meters from a large restaurant window. My post said go before 8 am - that's when students start passing by on the nearby sidewalk. Other posts say they waved to those eating inside.

[+Dogmeat*]

Most of my caches are scenic in my area, places people don't know exist, or abandoned places like/or playgrounds. I have two that don't fit those qualities, and they're just what I consider great hides with their container/camo. I choose where I want to put it in daylight so I can see what traffic may be like, and what happens around that area during general business time. This is after I look at the map for quite a while to determine whether or not it's too close to another cache. Once that much is completed, I go out at night with the container and give it multiple hiding spots, and then choose the best one based on how well it's hidden.

 

My favorite caches to place are historic ones, though.

[+Mcpat12]

I meant like what time of year is a good time.

[+-CJ-]

No wonder you check for cctv cameras nearby!

 

No However CCTV cameras have become an issue while placing geocaches around here. Not as much as in London I believe but we've our own specific feautures like local policemen

 

But seriously, these seem extremely well done & I wish I could visit them.

 

Thank you. I doubt you can if you even travel so far The first cache I described was published at our national website and was archived recently. I've thought about moving it to geocaching.com but haven't done this yet. The second cache was archived when the abandoned sanatorium that we used for this complex scenario was ruined (mostly by time and greedy locals who stole bricks and metal from the buildings). It took us additional couple of years and numerous trips to other objects of this sort to abandon the idea of replacing it anywhere else

 

Anyway, it was mentioned that time of year was under question and I doubt that my experience is applicable to anyone living in PA We have too different climate/weather conditions.

[+tozainamboku]

For me a good location is one I would enjoy visiting even if the cache wasn't there.

 

Or even better...

 

A good location is a place that I would enjoy visiting even if the cache wasn't there and is a location I probably wouldn't know about if there wasn't a a cache there.

If I had to hide caches only in places that others didn't know about (and would enjoy visiting even without the cache), there wouldn't be many places to hide caches.

 

I actually like caches that bring me back to places I've enjoyed. Even when its just a new cache on a trail where I've found caches before.

 

I meant like what time of year is a good time.

No you asked "what time of day" But maybe it was a typo

 

As far as time of day - different reviewers have different schedules for publishing caches. Some will publish roughly the same time every day, others may publish at different times to keep people guessing on when the "best" time is.

 

Caches are supposed to be semi-permanent. That means they should generally be in place for at least three months. You have to consider whether the location is available year round and how the terrain or difficulty changes in different seasons. You can use the available in winter or not available in winter attribute if appropriate.

[+K13]

I never know if its the right time of day to place a cache and whether it is a good location for a cache.

 

Whatever time I place a cache is the right time of day (or night), because I am the person taking the time and exerting the effort to place said cache.

The quality of the location is subjective, but as others have said, think about why you want someone to visit that particular place. If the only reason is to sign the log of your cache, keep looking.

[+Bear and Ragged]

I meant like what time of year is a good time.

 

Countryside?

Winter. You see what the area is like without leaves and vegetation to hide the cache.

 

Nothing worse than hiding a cache in the summer, and then finding it's in full view in the winter!

[+The_Incredibles_]

I meant like what time of year is a good time.

 

Countryside?

Winter. You see what the area is like without leaves and vegetation to hide the cache.

 

Nothing worse than hiding a cache in the summer, and then finding it's in full view in the winter!

 

I agree, it's important to consider how the hiding spot will change with the seasons. However, I would never delay hiding a cache until winter. I hide caches all year round.

[+cache_test_dummies]

I have only placed 3 caches, and looking back, I see that I placed one of them in August, and two of them in September.

 

Since I like all 3 caches that I have placed (and since other cachers seem to have enjoyed finding them), I'd say that August and September are the best months to place a cache.

 

Also, I think I placed them all in the middle of the day.

 

So a good time to place a cache is noon-ish on any day during August and September.