New to geocaching, Looking for help, Illinois

[jpsam6568]

I’ve been hoping to try geocaching with my grandkids. Thought it would be fun to get them out and about and off devices…..sort of. So we downloaded the app, signed up, selected some nearby caches and headed out. Three fails. We really don’t know what we’re doing wrong. They can’t all be gone. One was last found less than week ago. I’m not going to post in their logs, since it’s likely us, not them. Please help!!!

[+lee737]

When starting out, go for low difficulty/terrain caches that have been found recently, and probably not micro sized - go for small/regular sized or higher. Watch for helpful hints, maybe read some past logs before you go out, and check for images in the cache gallery.... 

[+niraD]

2 hours ago, jpsam6568 said:

I’ve been hoping to try geocaching with my grandkids. Thought it would be fun to get them out and about and off devices…..sort of. So we downloaded the app, signed up, selected some nearby caches and headed out. Three fails. We really don’t know what we’re doing wrong. They can’t all be gone. One was last found less than week ago. I’m not going to post in their logs, since it’s likely us, not them. Please help!!!

Here is some general advice for beginners that I've posted before:
 

A common recommendation for beginners is to stick with small  size, regular  size, and large  size caches. Until you're more experienced, avoid micro  size caches, some of which are smaller than most beginners can imagine (sometimes called "nanos"). Save those for later, after you have some experience.
 
Also, stick with caches that have a difficulty rating of no more than 2 stars . Save the more difficult ones for later. You may also want to choose caches with easy terrain ratings. (The difficulty rating tells you how hard it is to find the cache once you get there. The terrain rating tells you how hard it is to get there.) And it is often best to start with traditional  caches, which will be at the published coordinates. Multi-caches  or mystery/puzzle caches  or other cache types can require more work just to figure out where the container is located.

 

At the same time, keep in mind that caches with low difficulty ratings are often considered "easy" because they're in "the usual spot". That doesn't mean that they will be easy for beginners who haven't learned where "the usual spots" are yet.
 
Under ideal conditions, a consumer GPS device will be accurate to about 3m (10ft). That applies both to your device, and to the cache owner’s device, so you may find the container 5-6m (16-20ft) from ground zero under ideal conditions. Under less than ideal conditions, both GPSr readings can be much less accurate. Once you get within that distance of ground zero, put your device away and look around for places where a container could be hidden.
 
Where would you hide something? Do you notice anything unusual? Is anything too new, too old, too organized (e.g., UPS: an Unnatural Pile of Sticks/Stones), too symmetrical, not quite the right color or shape, etc.? Don’t look only on the ground; the cache may be knee-level, waist-level, eye-level, or overhead. How might the container be secured in place? With magnets? With a hook? With string? With fishing line? With something else? Does anything move when you touch it? (Be careful when touching things though.)
 
Go ahead and read the cache's additional hints (if provided), and read the past logs and look at any photos in the cache's image gallery. They may help you understand what you're looking for, and how/where it may be hidden. It may also help to look at some of the cache containers available online. For example, check out the cache containers sold by Groundspeak. Also, take a look at the Pictures - Cool Cache Containers (CCC's) thread in the forums, and check out some geocaching videos on YouTube.
 
See also:

• How to hone your Geo-Senses (blog post)

[+barefootjeff]

1 hour ago, niraD said:

Does anything move when you touch it? (Be careful when touching things though.)

 

[+Dan2099]

Gaurdrail and Lightpole caches are the best for beginners. People look down on them later, but for those just starting they are exciting.

[+GeoTrekker26]

9 hours ago, Dan2099 said:

Gaurdrail and Lightpole caches are the best for beginners. People look down on them later, but for those just starting they are exciting.

 That is so sad.  I think the worst introduction to caching would be wandering a potentially busy parking lot lifting lamp post skirts.  Oh, that might be topped by standing feet away from cars zooming by while you pay no attention to the traffic.  Is this really your idea of what geocaching is and should be?  After these do you move up to micros on stop signs? 

 

When I introduce people to caching, I take them to areas of greenery, perhaps a regional, neighborhood or even a micro park.  Maybe even bushes near an office building if it is a weekend. If youngsters are involved, I visit GZ in advance to be sure the cache is present, in good shape and kid friendly.  If the parents come along we go to a park where varied types of caches are likely to be. 

 

I think the best caches for beginners are the ones that take them to new, neat, fun locations where they can find more that a rolled up piece of paper in a pill container. Saying guardrail and lightpole caches are the best for anything is just plain wrong.

 

[+Dan2099]

16 hours ago, GeoTrekker26 said:

 That is so sad.  I think the worst introduction to caching would be wandering a potentially busy parking lot lifting lamp post skirts.  Oh, that might be topped by standing feet away from cars zooming by while you pay no attention to the traffic.  Is this really your idea of what geocaching is and should be?  After these do you move up to micros on stop signs? 

 

When I introduce people to caching, I take them to areas of greenery, perhaps a regional, neighborhood or even a micro park.  Maybe even bushes near an office building if it is a weekend. If youngsters are involved, I visit GZ in advance to be sure the cache is present, in good shape and kid friendly.  If the parents come along we go to a park where varied types of caches are likely to be. 

 

I think the best caches for beginners are the ones that take them to new, neat, fun locations where they can find more that a rolled up piece of paper in a pill container. Saying guardrail and lightpole caches are the best for anything is just plain wrong.

 

I agree unique caches are the best but trying to get young kids, especially young kids interested in something they need to get a few wins under their belt. Especially after they have already suffered a few dnf's. I figure a few easy finds will get their interest and esteem up and they will have more interest in finding better caches. 

[+barefootjeff]

2 hours ago, Dan2099 said:

I agree unique caches are the best but trying to get young kids, especially young kids interested in something they need to get a few wins under their belt. Especially after they have already suffered a few dnf's. I figure a few easy finds will get their interest and esteem up and they will have more interest in finding better caches. 

 

Easy finds sure, but that doesn't mean they have to be guard rails or lamp posts. I've been almost stumped by guard rail hides a few times, as they can have lots of hidden little nooks and crannies in the ends that aren't at all obvious from the outside. Luckily lamp posts in this country don't have skirts over their nuts so we're spared those, but I'd imagine they could be baffling for any newbie who isn't aware that the skirts can be lifted. I agree with GeoTrekker26, a non-urban cache in a nice spot with a good-sized container would likely be more appealing and spark an interest in the game. Maybe something like this, which was a fairly easy find close to a walking trail in a sandstone cave overlooking a valley:

 

 

It was caches like these that really got me hooked on the game, not poking around in parking lots and shopping plazas looking like a would-be criminal.

 

[+lee737]

Shoot for newer caches (or clearly well maintained ones) too.... finding moist wads of paper mache won't be inspiring for any newbie.....

[+niraD]

15 hours ago, barefootjeff said:

Easy finds sure, but that doesn't mean they have to be guard rails or lamp posts. I've been almost stumped by guard rail hides a few times, as they can have lots of hidden little nooks and crannies in the ends that aren't at all obvious from the outside. Luckily lamp posts in this country don't have skirts over their nuts so we're spared those, but I'd imagine they could be baffling for any newbie who isn't aware that the skirts can be lifted.

Exactly. GRCs and LPCs fall into the category that I mentioned earlier: hides considered "easy" because they're in "the usual spot".

 

 

Many of the "usual spots" that experienced geocachers refer to by name (or acronym) won't be easy for beginners who haven't learned where "the usual spots" are yet.

[+Wadcutter]

Where in IL are you located?  If near Springfield I and wife can help.  There are several larger type caches that are easy to find.