Can I ask for my stamp back?

[the ypsi boxers]

I'm a letterboxer who occasionally finds caches. Yesterday I was checking up on one of my letterboxes and discovered that while it was neatly and properly located, the stamp and logbook, which are very dear to me were gone. Then I noticed a cache 2-3 feet away, which I now know was placed in May of this year (my letterbox was planted almost 5 years ago). Having now read the cache comments I see that people were finding my letterbox before they came upon the cache. I'm assuming my stamp was taken by a geocacher who thought that's just what you do.

I'd love to have my stamp back, although I know it's very unlikely. Would there be an appropriate way to make a post saying, "Hey, if you found a hand-carved stamp while you were looking for this cache, and you still have the stamp, I'd love to get it back. Will send you a mailer, no hard feelings and no questions asked"?

[+Max and 99]

1 hour ago, the ypsi boxers said:

I'm a letterboxer who occasionally finds caches. Yesterday I was checking up on one of my letterboxes and discovered that while it was neatly and properly located, the stamp and logbook, which are very dear to me were gone. Then I noticed a cache 2-3 feet away, which I now know was placed in May of this year (my letterbox was planted almost 5 years ago). Having now read the cache comments I see that people were finding my letterbox before they came upon the cache. I'm assuming my stamp was taken by a geocacher who thought that's just what you do.

I'd love to have my stamp back, although I know it's very unlikely. Would there be an appropriate way to make a post saying, "Hey, if you found a hand-carved stamp while you were looking for this cache, and you still have the stamp, I'd love to get it back. Will send you a mailer, no hard feelings and no questions asked"?

I think that would be just fine!

I hate that twice someone has put their letterbox way too close to my geocaches (I do both, and I know the geocaches were there first).

 

 

[+cerberus1]

1 hour ago, the ypsi boxers said:

 I'm assuming my stamp was taken by a geocacher who thought that's just what you do.

 

I find letterboxes next to geocaches a lot.   Lots of people do.  If it's a nice area, that's bound to happen.  Other geocache sites there too. 

I've found dozens while hunting, thinking it's a good spot for a geocache.

 - My neighbor started geocaching because they found letterboxes too, and asked us about the hobbies.

 Sometimes I'll make a note, and if another cache goes into that area, I'll stamp it.    

When we first started we'd leave our geocaching handles and the date JIC we didn't make it back.

 

Sure you could leave a write note on the cache, but the odds of someone who found the cache "looking back" to see your note are slim. 

If a cacher took it in the first place...

 

 

[the ypsi boxers]

I guess I wasn't clear. I agree that writing a note on the cache listing isn't likely to do much good. I was wondering if there's a way to do it in a forum. I'm used to the boards on the letterboxing website I use. They're targeted to different audiences. Like is there a geocaching forum for southeastern Michigan?

[+Max and 99]

27 minutes ago, the ypsi boxers said:

I guess I wasn't clear. I agree that writing a note on the cache listing isn't likely to do much good. I was wondering if there's a way to do it in a forum. I'm used to the boards on the letterboxing website I use. They're targeted to different audiences. Like is there a geocaching forum for southeastern Michigan?

I wouldn't expect much help that way. Just my opinion. SO FEW geocachers use the forums!

 

Here's the Midwest link:

https://forums.geocaching.com/GC/index.php?/forum/18-midwest/

[+cerberus1]

33 minutes ago, the ypsi boxers said:

I guess I wasn't clear. I agree that writing a note on the cache listing isn't likely to do much good. I was wondering if there's a way to do it in a forum. I'm used to the boards on the letterboxing website I use. They're targeted to different audiences.

Like is there a geocaching forum for southeastern Michigan?

 

Sure, it's in the Midwest forums.     I think there's 4 threads in the last two months.  

Realize that (IIRC) less than 10% of cachers ever enter the forums .   Most folks today are on faceboook. 

I thought you were clear,  it's just that members (with phones) don't even have to enter this site to play.  I wouldn't hold my breath... 

Edited July 27, 2019 by cerberus1

[+TriciaG]

You could try messaging the recent finders, with a carefully-worded note. "I'm messaging everyone who has been at the cache site in the last while and may have mistaken my letterbox for the geocache. I'm not accusing anyone; I'm looking for the stamp that belongs in my letterbox and that may have been taken by mistake, not realizing what it was."

 

That's about the best you could do, I think, to reach people who were there.

 

https://www.geocaching.com/account/messagecenter

Edited July 27, 2019 by TriciaG
added link