Ever feel like this is cheating...?

February 4, 2015

When you find a cache container that has either fallen or been muggled - either way, it's out in the open where it clearly was not meant to be. I generally place them where the cords take me and try to give them some natural camo and make a note of the situation in my log, but I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when I log the find later, knowing that I didn't really HUNT for it but am still taking credit for the find! They should make a SHEEPISH SMILEY for these sorts of finds! :rolleyes:

February 4, 2015

I'd say it's all a part of the game

3.3k · February 4, 2015

I'd say it's all a part of the game

Exactly. The reverse could happen also. Wind could blow debris that could make the find tougher, or a branch could fall that could do the same. Good luck or bad luck is part of the game.

7.4k · February 4, 2015

It happens, nothing to be sheepish about. The cache owner would likely appreciate a brief note about what you found.

9.2k · February 4, 2015

When you find a cache container that has either fallen or been muggled - either way, it's out in the open where it clearly was not meant to be.

How about if it was an Unknown/Puzzle and you've done the work to find the correct coordinates?

And then got yourself to the area.

It's only the last few feet that are 'Easy' with the container in view.

I found a few 'out in the open' and visible.

I got there, I've done the work. It's a Found it!

Tuck it away, note in the log to let the owner know. (It could be wildlife pushing it out, or muggles messing about.)

February 4, 2015

If you find a cache left out in the open, you should feel great that you were able to rehide it for the next finder. You enhanced someone else's enjoyment of the cache plus you prevented the container from being mistakenly thrown away by a muggle. That is a big win in my book.

Besides, there are some caches you really don't have to hunt for. "The bird house" "Wendy's LPC" "Another GRC" Geee I wonder where those are hidden.

February 4, 2015

If you find a cache left out in the open, you should feel great that you were able to rehide it for the next finder. You enhanced someone else's enjoyment of the cache plus you prevented the container from being mistakenly thrown away by a muggle. That is a big win in my book.

Besides, there are some caches you really don't have to hunt for. "The bird house" "Wendy's LPC" "Another GRC" Geee I wonder where those are hidden.

<scraps birdhouse container she was making> I wouldn't know where a GRC is, what's that??

9.2k · February 4, 2015

If you find a cache left out in the open, you should feel great that you were able to rehide it for the next finder. You enhanced someone else's enjoyment of the cache plus you prevented the container from being mistakenly thrown away by a muggle. That is a big win in my book.

Besides, there are some caches you really don't have to hunt for. "The bird house" "Wendy's LPC" "Another GRC" Geee I wonder where those are hidden.

<scraps birdhouse container she was making> I wouldn't know where a GRC is, what's that??

GRC = Guard Rail Cache.

Hint: 'Magnetic'

Edited February 4, 2015 by Bear and Ragged

14k · February 4, 2015

If you find a cache left out in the open, you should feel great that you were able to rehide it for the next finder. You enhanced someone else's enjoyment of the cache plus you prevented the container from being mistakenly thrown away by a muggle. That is a big win in my book.

Besides, there are some caches you really don't have to hunt for. "The bird house" "Wendy's LPC" "Another GRC" Geee I wonder where those are hidden.

<scraps birdhouse container she was making> I wouldn't know where a GRC is, what's that??

.

I wouldn't scrap the birdhouse idea just yet. The example given was because the cache title was "The bird house". I did a high difficulty multi once that used a fake bird house for one of the stages. It was in a woodsy area where there were several other "real" bird houses but the stage for the multi cache was just different enough to be recognized as a cache. Your bigger challenge will be how to place the fake bird house in a manner that isn't defacing a tree.

February 4, 2015

Bird houses can be fun caches. Google WVTim's Gadget Caches for inspiration. I was just saying that finding them is rather easy when someone gives it away in the description "Tweety's hideout" hint "Look up".

I wouldn't scrap the birdhouse idea just yet. The example given was because the cache title was "The bird house". I did a high difficulty multi once that used a fake bird house for one of the stages. It was in a woodsy area where there were several other "real" bird houses but the stage for the multi cache was just different enough to be recognized as a cache. Your bigger challenge will be how to place the fake bird house in a manner that isn't defacing a tree.

Most people hang it from a chain that is tied around the tree. Not that anyone would, but it would be a bad idea to use anything made from copper. The other possibility is to attach it to a post.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Zepp914

1k · February 4, 2015

<scraps birdhouse container she was making> ....

Why would you do that? That type of cache is usually about being taken to a nice location, not so much as being a challenging search. Unless you make it a field puzzle to figure out how to get the house open to reach the cache inside. I have found several like that, and they are a lot of fun and get lots of favorite points. They weren't hard to FIND, but a challenge to SIGN.

8k · February 4, 2015

When you find a cache container that has either fallen or been muggled - either way, it's out in the open where it clearly was not meant to be. I generally place them where the cords take me and try to give them some natural camo and make a note of the situation in my log, but I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when I log the find later, knowing that I didn't really HUNT for it but am still taking credit for the find! They should make a SHEEPISH SMILEY for these sorts of finds!

There is no requirement you log the find online and get a WIGAS (Woohoo! I Got Another Smiley). If you feel bad the cache wasn't the experience the owner intended, or that the cache was just too easy, you can always just post a note. On the other hand, if someone else wants to say that since they found the container and signed the log they can log the find online, that seems legitimate as well.

Perhaps this is the real danger of defining silly rules for logging finds online. If you say signing the physical log = find for the purpose of logging on line, then some people are going to feel guilty about making an online log. At the same time, people who legitimately found the cache (and had fun doing so) get called cheaters because their pen didn't work or the log sheet was too wet to write on.

7.7k · February 4, 2015

When you find a cache container that has either fallen or been muggled - either way, it's out in the open where it clearly was not meant to be. I generally place them where the cords take me and try to give them some natural camo and make a note of the situation in my log, but I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when I log the find later, knowing that I didn't really HUNT for it but am still taking credit for the find! They should make a SHEEPISH SMILEY for these sorts of finds!

I'd think you should get extra credit for spotting a problem with a hide, and either reporting it (by mentioning it in your log, or a NM if it warrants one) or fixing it. Get a instead of a :laughing:

February 4, 2015

If you find a cache left out in the open, you should feel great that you were able to rehide it for the next finder. You enhanced someone else's enjoyment of the cache plus you prevented the container from being mistakenly thrown away by a muggle. That is a big win in my book.

Besides, there are some caches you really don't have to hunt for. "The bird house" "Wendy's LPC" "Another GRC" Geee I wonder where those are hidden.

<scraps birdhouse container she was making> I wouldn't know where a GRC is, what's that??

GRC = Guard Rail Cache.

Hint: 'Magnetic'

Oh, okay, thanks! Yup, done a jillion of those, give or take.

February 4, 2015

If you find a cache left out in the open, you should feel great that you were able to rehide it for the next finder. You enhanced someone else's enjoyment of the cache plus you prevented the container from being mistakenly thrown away by a muggle. That is a big win in my book.

Besides, there are some caches you really don't have to hunt for. "The bird house" "Wendy's LPC" "Another GRC" Geee I wonder where those are hidden.

<scraps birdhouse container she was making> I wouldn't know where a GRC is, what's that??

.

I wouldn't scrap the birdhouse idea just yet. The example given was because the cache title was "The bird house". I did a high difficulty multi once that used a fake bird house for one of the stages. It was in a woodsy area where there were several other "real" bird houses but the stage for the multi cache was just different enough to be recognized as a cache. Your bigger challenge will be how to place the fake bird house in a manner that isn't defacing a tree.

Actually it's mostly just in the back of my mind, but yes, I'll have to be more clever-er-er now.

February 4, 2015

Bird houses can be fun caches. Google WVTim's Gadget Caches for inspiration. I was just saying that finding them is rather easy when someone gives it away in the description "Tweety's hideout" hint "Look up".

I wouldn't scrap the birdhouse idea just yet. The example given was because the cache title was "The bird house". I did a high difficulty multi once that used a fake bird house for one of the stages. It was in a woodsy area where there were several other "real" bird houses but the stage for the multi cache was just different enough to be recognized as a cache. Your bigger challenge will be how to place the fake bird house in a manner that isn't defacing a tree.

Most people hang it from a chain that is tied around the tree. Not that anyone would, but it would be a bad idea to use anything made from copper. The other possibility is to attach it to a post.

Oh I've seen some of those gadget caches and they are AWESOME! Way beyond my level of expertise, though. See? I can't even figure out how to multi quote. :blink:

February 4, 2015

<scraps birdhouse container she was making> ....

Why would you do that? That type of cache is usually about being taken to a nice location, not so much as being a challenging search. Unless you make it a field puzzle to figure out how to get the house open to reach the cache inside. I have found several like that, and they are a lot of fun and get lots of favorite points. They weren't hard to FIND, but a challenge to SIGN.

It will definitely make me think of how I could try to make it somewhat unique! Sometimes I sort of feel like all the "good places" are taken, though. That's why I like if caching doesn't necessarily take you to a cool place that it at least has an interesting container. I have a couple ideas noodling around. :D

2.1k · February 5, 2015

When you find a cache container that has either fallen or been muggled - either way, it's out in the open where it clearly was not meant to be.

...but I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when I log the find later, knowing that I didn't really HUNT

There is no need to feel any quilt whatsoever because it is just how that one happened for you. The more caching you do the more these occasional incidents will happen. Having the container in hand and signing the log is always a find.

February 5, 2015

Yea, I meant my post to be more tongue-in-cheek than actually guilty! I do log those finds regardless - I got myself to the location, and would have hunted, and still participated in the game by trying to put the container back together. I generally note in my log or shoot an email to the CO about it, too. When that happens, it just feels like a Sudoku puzzle where someone's filled in all but one square for you already! :laughing:

3.3k · February 5, 2015

... but I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when I log the find later, knowing that I didn't really HUNT for it but am still taking credit for the find! ...

Do I feel guilty? No, I get a warm fuzzy feeling, knowing I did my part to help the cache owner, and the game in general.

As you suggested, I definatly let the CO know what I did, and try to help him/her find the cache. There is nothing worse than DNFing your own cache (I have done that a few times).

1.5k · February 6, 2015

I found one that was out in the open. Or, I should say my non-geocaching wife did. I was looking all over when she said "is that it there?". Yep, just tucked under the side of a very large boulder, in plain site :laughing:

And that was in a quadrangle of a bunch of museums and a library.......

3.2k · February 6, 2015

If you find it, you've found it. My "best" example was a puzzle cache that I couldn't solve. I knew it was somewhere in about 400 acres of densely wooded hills where I often walk about, but didn't really make any effort to find it. One day when rambling well off the trails I saw something that looked suspicious. Didn't hesitate to sign the log.

1.4k · February 6, 2015

Sometimes it can be harder to find one that fell or is out of place. Say the hint says up in the tree. I often will be looking up in the tree before I check the ground. Then the find is extra special!

2.1k · February 6, 2015

...One day when rambling well off the trails I saw something that looked suspicious. Didn't hesitate to sign the log.

That is a good example and it reminds me of a similar situation back before the smartphone era. We were walking in a park that had a great four part multi and the first stage had some Morse code to decipher necessitating a trip back home. Later during that walk we came upon one of several benches and sat down for a bit. I vaguely remembered there was something about a bench and that got me to thinking... a short walk around a few trees produced the final container completely covered with moss but in an intuitive location. Actually, I found a letterbox first that was 12" from the cache and the cache owner didn't even know about it. Since it was in our town I eventually visited all the stages.

Another example is when group caching for the day occasionally one member has worked out a puzzle but we are all there for the final.

The point of all this being that sometimes mulits and puzzles are found without doing the intermediate steps.

Where I would not feel comfortable is if someone emailed me final coordinates of a puzzle or multi for me to go after on my own. I'm sure, though, that there can be circumstances where even this would be acceptable but, for me, not as a regular practice.

3.7k · February 7, 2015

I call those 'level zeroes'.

Not an opportunity to feel guilty, but rather an opportunity for bragging.

Ever feel like this is cheating...?

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