Questions before activating my first hide

[+booksncomics]

It will be in ROW of county road with a fair amount of traffic right now due to construction. 
 

1. My idea is to have a piece of hardware attached to a tree holding one object needed to get the cache out of its hiding place. Another object needed will be hanging in the tree in plain sight until the tree puts on more leaves. And finally, a false limb needs to be pulled off to get to the cache. It’s pretty obvious right now too. 
 

Is this too complicated for just a bison hide? The description will have clues as well as the title. Of course if most people bring a box of tools, they can bypass the two objects and go straight to the false limb if they see the cut mark. 
 

2.  Before your first hide that was more than a simple drop, did you have anyone try it out to see if it worked as planned? I don’t know any local geocachers, so would have to talk a friend into it and give them a crash course. 
 

3.  Do you put your log in a zip lock inside a bison? It’s supposed to be waterproof but I haven’t tested it. I can put in a bigger log if I leave out the ziplock. 
 

Thanks!

Edited April 17 by booksncomics
Grammar

[Keystone]

How are the "hardware" and the "false limb" attached to the tree?  The test is, if you removed all the objects you placed, is there any remaining trace that there was a cache there?  If yes, then your Reviewer will likely ask you to confirm permission from the land owner/ land manager to alter the tree in that manner.

[+booksncomics]

No trace would remain and tree unharmed. 

[+kunarion]

5 hours ago, booksncomics said:

No trace would remain and tree unharmed. 

 

The mystery deepens!

 

You're asking for specific answers to a vague premise. I don't understand how that false limb is attached to a tree, or how it's to be “pulled off”. But that's just my own curiosity. You'll need to explain it to the Reviewer.

 

1. A cache can be as complicated as you like. Consider setting the “Difficulty” rating higher for a tougher puzzle. The hardest part will not be the find, but as the Cache Owner, getting cachers to put it back together. That is, you will need to make it trivial to set everything up for the next cacher.  Even so, expect it at times to not be put back correctly... and plan accordingly.

 

2. I've sometimes asked Geocaching friends to do a test run on prototypes of my caches. They almost always say they've seen my idea before (I thought it was unique), and that it's easy (I thought it would be tricky). I've also spoken to friends who aren't Geocachers, and of course they've never seen such a hide and they think it will be both unique and tricky. And, one of my muggle friends suggested that the toughest Geocache would be a box of cereal, “because you have to dig through cereal to find the cache!” I don't do any trial runs with non-Geocachers, for some reason.  

 

If someone helped me set up a cache, they become part of "Team Free Running Nuts" and are credited by me on the cache page.  I invite them to hunt it once active and log a find, although of course it may not be a challenge to them.

 

3. I have never used a ziplock bag in a Bison tube cache. But I find Bison hides with ziplock bags all the time, and it's often a crumpled mess.

 

Edited April 17 by kunarion

[+Hynz]

6 hours ago, booksncomics said:

Is this too complicated

Yes, especially considering that it seems to be your first hidden cache.

[+arisoft]

6 hours ago, booksncomics said:

Do you put your log in a zip lock inside a bison? It’s supposed to be waterproof

 

It will not be waterproof very long and the zip lock will not help either. The seal of the bison will break pretty soon and the zip lock will be punctured. Your best option is to use waterproof paper if the cache is not easy to maintain frequently.

[+booksncomics]

4 hours ago, Hynz said:

Yes, especially considering that it seems to be your first hidden cache.

That’s one reason I asked. I just want mine to be fun and not a park and grab. 

[+kunarion]

53 minutes ago, booksncomics said:

That’s one reason I asked. I just want mine to be fun and not a park and grab. 

 

Cachers may expect a Bison tube next to a road to be a park and grab.  You can do that, but also scout for cool places farther out in the wilds where you can place a bigger container.

[+x7Kevin]

It sounds good to me. I don’t fully understand how it works just by the description, but it sounds well thought out. I think a lot of cachers appreciate challenging field puzzles, or something that is more than just a park and grab.

 

Some of my favourite caches ever have been gadget caches on the side of a country road. One of my favourites of all time was someone’s first and only hide. The fact you are here on the forum and asking these questions tells me it’s going to be a good hide. Try and provide as much information as you can to the reviewer (you can include pictures) and be prepared to answer questions or change things if they ask. They are there to help you and want to get your cache published. 

[+booksncomics]

1 hour ago, x7Kevin said:

It sounds good to me. I don’t fully understand how it works just by the description, but it sounds well thought out.

I know there are a couple of local cachers who visit this group and didn’t want to reveal too much. 

[+kunarion]

1 hour ago, booksncomics said:

I know there are a couple of local cachers who visit this group and didn’t want to reveal too much. 

 

Wait.  In the OP, you said you don't know anybody.

[+Bear and Ragged]

16 hours ago, booksncomics said:

And finally, a false limb needs to be pulled off to get to the cache. It’s pretty obvious right now too. 

 

Are you sure that the wrong limb wont be pulled off, damaging the tree?

[+brekkcaching123]

50 minutes ago, Bear and Ragged said:

 

Are you sure that the wrong limb wont be pulled off, damaging the tree?

I'm adding to Bear and Ragged's question. Are there limbs next to the fake limb that could be easily pulled off? 

[+booksncomics]

2 hours ago, kunarion said:

 

Wait.  In the OP, you said you don't know anybody.

Suspicious nature or nurture? I don’t know them. I posted one time asking about caches daisy-chained down a dirt road and included a screen shot of it. someone replied that she lived nearby. There was someone else that posted their cache number near me. So I know they are here but that’s it. 

[+booksncomics]

2 hours ago, Bear and Ragged said:

 

Are you sure that the wrong limb wont be pulled off, damaging the tree?

Positive

[+booksncomics]

1 hour ago, brekkcaching123 said:

I'm adding to Bear and Ragged's question. Are there limbs next to the fake limb that could be easily pulled off? 

There are limbs right next to it, but mine is obviously dead. 

[+barefootjeff]

19 hours ago, booksncomics said:

My idea is to have a piece of hardware attached to a tree holding one object needed to get the cache out of its hiding place. Another object needed will be hanging in the tree in plain sight until the tree puts on more leaves. And finally, a false limb needs to be pulled off to get to the cache. It’s pretty obvious right now too. 

 

I saw one a bit like this back in 2014 (it's since been archived so this photo isn't spoiling it). The fake limb wasn't attached to the tree, it was sitting inside a natural hollow:

 

 

The limb slid apart part way along, revealing the inner container. No special tools were required.

[+booksncomics]

18 minutes ago, barefootjeff said:

 

The limb slid apart part way along, revealing the inner container. No special tools were required.

Mine isn’t that good. I can’t see the separation cut in that one at all. 

[+barefootjeff]

1 hour ago, booksncomics said:

Mine isn’t that good. I can’t see the separation cut in that one at all. 

 

The CO's dad was a woodwork teacher and had access to all the good tools and machines.

[+CAVinoGal]

We found one a couple of years ago (since archived, so no spoilers here!)  We found it on the ground, as did many others. It's called "Cavity Cache", when you pull on the odd looking branch, there's a large, plastic, fake tooth attached that contains swag and a logbook.  Too bad it was rarely put back as intended and is now archived as it went missing and the CO decided not to replace it.

[+TeamRabbitRun]

There are four things there that you expect cachers to interact with:

1. A tool in the tree, 
2. Another item hanging in the tree that you didn't describe,
3. A fake limb which would hide the container, and
4. A bison tube: the actually cache container.

Adding to Keystone's 'test' (see above), the other question you need to consider is whether the average cacher should be expected to put everything back in the proper place and order, or, as I suspect, would your tool go into a pocket because they're standing ten feet from its hanger, to be found later, your unknown item would be left on the ground and the fake limb would NOT be adequately placed to fit securely into the tree and hide the hide.

 

Many people will just hang the bison tube back on the branch and be on their way, ESPECIALLY if it's close to parking.

 

For your first cache, there's nothing wrong with a P&G. Don't get complicated at this point. you MAY find yourself with daily or at the least, 'weekendly' maintenance issues.

 

Have fun with it first, then develop your 'hiding style' over time as you find a more diverse collection of caches.

 

 

[+booksncomics]

You may be right. I contacted a cacher who has placed caches in nearby towns and figured lived in one of the towns. He or she agreed to check it out, so we’ll see.