creative hides involving a tree

[+mommamanatee]

Im stumped on a cache and so are several others. In fact, its been placed for almost 4 years without a single find. GC2BXAE

I think its either the bark of an oak tree this sign is attached to or the sign itself which is supposedly on county property but has a sign that doesnt look county official. Its ghetto rigged around a low(er) branch of the tree with all thread rod. With seasoned cachers looking for it, I figure they've checked obvious things like bolts, nooks, and holes. Also description says its ADA accessible. I was wondering if people could share their creative finds involving trees? 

[+T.D.M.22]

No need to post multiple times. That's the equivalent to "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?...."

 

Remember a cache can be the size of an eraser on a pencil. Combine that with great camo, and it can be next to impossible to find.

 

I'm sure whatever we have seen would have been thought of and checked. It has more DNF's on it, than you have finds. I would just keep looking, as others way more experienced than you have not found it.

[+Panther&Pine]

I'd add it to the ignore list and move on with my life.

I've spent my share of time communing with specific trees hunting for caches, but they've all been found before.

[+mommamanatee]

No need to post multiple times. That's the equivalent to "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?...."

 

Remember a cache can be the size of an eraser on a pencil. Combine that with great camo, and it can be next to impossible to find.

 

I'm sure whatever we have seen would have been thought of and checked. It has more DNF's on it, than you have finds. I would just keep looking, as others way more experienced than you have not found it.

 

Be that as it may, I recently was FTF on a cache that sat unfound for almost a year. I was just curious of creative tree finds. These are the caches I like, while the skirt lifters sure do hike up your cache count, I like the challenge.

[+niraD]

It's a D4.5 cache. Since a lot of D5 caches are rated that way because they require specialized equipment to find, a D4.5 cache may be the most challenging hide you'll encounter, since you'll have to find it without the aid of specialized equipment. For a D4 cache, you should expect a "real challenge for the experienced geocache hunter" that may require "in-depth preparation" and/or "multiple days / trips". And this D4.5 cache is even harder than that.

[+mar1sa]

ooohhh I love caches like this I wish I was in this area

[+Ma & Pa]

Here is one we found a few years ago

 

[+mommamanatee]

Here is one we found a few years ago

 

 

Im assuming this is in the bark somewhere too but that ADA accessible attribute is throwing me off as to places it could be.

[+J Grouchy]

Hmmm...I'm going to be going down to the Sarasota area in about two weeks. Perhaps a little side trip...

[+Touchstone]

The first thing that pops into my mind when I see hides of this sort is, "well...there's an hour of my life I won't get back"

[Odyssey Pod]

I am in the creative process of a difficult tree hide. The cache will be about 50 feet up in the air. It will be suspended by a fishing line. The way to get it down is to solve the field puzzle in order to find a fishing reel button that will lower the cache. Try looking up. The cache might just be high up.

[+Ma & Pa]

 

Im assuming this is in the bark somewhere too but that ADA accessible attribute is throwing me off as to places it could be.

 

I recall that a piece of bark was glued to the container. This was in California

 

[pugsley&wednesday]

I have also found the occasional hollow pine cone on an oak tree. Make sure you know whether the tree is the right type for the seeds, cones, etc on and around it.

[+Ma & Pa]

I recall looking for a cache in an industrial park in California. The hint said "magnetic", so I was looking at metal sign posts. MA was nearby near a tree on a mound. An SUV drove by and the driver yelled that MA was closer. Turns out that the cache was a camo'd nano attached to a tiny nail in a crevice in the tree.

[+mommamanatee]

I recall looking for a cache in an industrial park in California. The hint said "magnetic", so I was looking at metal sign posts. MA was nearby near a tree on a mound. An SUV drove by and the driver yelled that MA was closer. Turns out that the cache was a camo'd nano attached to a tiny nail in a crevice in the tree.

 

Hmmm. That's a good idea. Do you have a picture or a description of the container? This has no container size listed. It is also RIGHT next to a bank but on county property.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I would have to ask why you think it's in the tree? I realize that Google Maps is not noted for its accuracy. The thing that attracts my attention is the sign pointing to 'drive-up' windows, next to the 'Do Not Enter' sign. Would a bank actually put such a sign there?

[+J Grouchy]

I recall looking for a cache in an industrial park in California. The hint said "magnetic", so I was looking at metal sign posts. MA was nearby near a tree on a mound. An SUV drove by and the driver yelled that MA was closer. Turns out that the cache was a camo'd nano attached to a tiny nail in a crevice in the tree.

 

Hmmm...kind of annoying when the hint itself is designed to throw you off. Perhaps it's clever in that yes, it IS magnetic and it is magnetically attached...but the hint clearly is intended to send folks to locations where the cache is NOT hidden. Not much of a hint in that case. If I hid something in that manner, I'd choose no hint over leaving a misleading one.

[+mommamanatee]

I would have to ask why you think it's in the tree? I realize that Google Maps is not noted for its accuracy. The thing that attracts my attention is the sign pointing to 'drive-up' windows, next to the 'Do Not Enter' sign. Would a bank actually put such a sign there?

 

I checked that area near and on those signs. What deterred me was whether thst was actually bank property. I just assumed it wouldnt be put on bank property.

[+J Grouchy]

I would have to ask why you think it's in the tree? I realize that Google Maps is not noted for its accuracy. The thing that attracts my attention is the sign pointing to 'drive-up' windows, next to the 'Do Not Enter' sign. Would a bank actually put such a sign there?

 

The sign you are talking about actually has arrows pointing to the right towards the intersection...so I assume it is directing drivers to another entrance around the corner for drive-up services.

 

If it's a bison tube in those shrubs, I will be incredibly disappointed. I have to assume it's not, though, since the CO makes a point of saying ADA accessible. Not that someone in a wheelchair COULDN'T get there to look, but stating that implies that it's within reach of a wheelchair on the sidewalk.

[+dprovan]

I have also found the occasional hollow pine cone on an oak tree. Make sure you know whether the tree is the right type for the seeds, cones, etc on and around it.

I like it better when the cone is anomalous, actually. I love that moment when I notice something that seems to fit in but really, really shouldn't be there.

 

I recall looking for a cache in an industrial park in California. The hint said "magnetic", so I was looking at metal sign posts. MA was nearby near a tree on a mound. An SUV drove by and the driver yelled that MA was closer. Turns out that the cache was a camo'd nano attached to a tiny nail in a crevice in the tree.

Hey, that's a good candidate for the "bad hints" thread. I hate COs that give hints that are intentionally misleading, and I don't forgive them just because it turns out the hint is accurate. I consider that as bad as intentionally posting bad coordinates.

[+mommamanatee]

The sign you are talking about actually has arrows pointing to the right towards the intersection...so I assume it is directing drivers to another entrance around the corner for drive-up services.

 

If it's a bison tube in those shrubs, I will be incredibly disappointed. I have to assume it's not, though, since the CO makes a point of saying ADA accessible. Not that someone in a wheelchair COULDN'T get there to look, but stating that implies that it's within reach of a wheelchair on the sidewalk.

 

Ok, I see what you're referring to about the sign near the DO NOT ENTER sign and the next time I go, I will inspect it more thoroughly, but I think its an old sign that was never removed. You can tell the ground has a turning arrow that was removed, I'm assuming when the do not enter signs were installed. Its a tight squeeze for two way traffic to make though there.

Edited May 27, 2014 by mommamanatee

[+niraD]

I recall looking for a cache in an industrial park in California. The hint said "magnetic", so I was looking at metal sign posts. MA was nearby near a tree on a mound. An SUV drove by and the driver yelled that MA was closer. Turns out that the cache was a camo'd nano attached to a tiny nail in a crevice in the tree.

I've seen "magnetic" hints go both ways when there has been nothing magnetic near my GZ. Sometimes, it means that the coordinates are really bad, and I should expand my search radius and focus on the metal structures 30+ feet away. Sometimes, it means that the cache container itself is metal or has a magnet attached to it, and a magnetic compass can be used to find the container more easily.

 

And of course, sometimes the hint is just misleading. But that's a subject for another thread.

[+Rainbow Spirit]

Has anyone tried lifting the signs? It could be hidden inside the post. I had a hide like that, where you had to lift the entire sign, post and all.....

[+J Grouchy]

Well...I stopped by on the way home today and gave it ten solid minutes with no luck. I tried all the signs, poked around the very rough and deeply-grooved bark (being careful not to pull any off unnecessarily), in and around the signs. I didn't touch the little pump shelter since it looks like plenty of folks have done enough damage to that thing. I could have spent another twenty or thirty minutes, but I had two kids with me who weren't really interested. We DID see some sort of fowl making a nest up in the tree...but that's it.

 

Alas, no luck with the cache...

[+jellis]

Most evil hides have some kind of reference point that the experienced CO can use so they can refind their own cache.

But if it is really bugging you, you could post a note asking the CO to check it because it hasn't been found yet and then stake it out to see if the CO can find it.

[+Mn-treker]

Yes put up a trail cam : )