Cache hunting with compass only!!

[Hunter]

Got a guy in my neck of the woods who locates caches with just a compass. How does he do it. I am hoping he takes me on a hunt. I for one am really impressed!!!!!!

[+Hawk-eye]

quote:

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Originally posted by hunter:

Got a guy in my neck of the woods who locates caches with just a compass. How does he do it. I am hoping he takes me on a hunt. I for one am really impressed!!!!!!

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Compare it to hunting with a high powered rifle vs. a flintlock ... it's all in the preparation ... a little technique, skill and a drop of luck.

 

One way (simple explaination)... locate the postion on a good set of Topo maps and then using the compass in the field triangulate on that position from several points until you narrow it down. From there ... use your experience (or clues) to estimate where the likely hiding spot might be.

 

I've done it twice ... but I like the GPS and compass used together.

 

[jfitzpat]

FWIW, almost all my daughters' finds (4-5 a month) are map and compass only. They are 11 and 8. It is fairly easy in clear weather in SoCal, because there are almost always good geological and man made features to triangulate fixes from.

 

The one 'cheat' is that I let them use aerial photos to augment the topo(s). They pre-plot the cache on both the aerial, and a 'sub' topo on my site: www.lostoutdoors.com

 

Sometimes, it is a dead give away ('Catalina if it is clear', 'Mine Overlook'), other times, it is just a hint.

 

-jjf

[Tahosa and Sons]

Several years ago I wrote a paper about the "Low Skill Future of High Tech" And 15 years later it's quite evident.

Actually its quite easy to find a cache without a GPS. I'll plot the coords on a Topo Map. Then head to the field. Do a little deciphering in the boonies, read the clues and past logs and lo and behold there is the end of the quest.

Combine all those old fashioned techniques of bushwhacking with a little hi tech and the search is much more fun.

I had one Cache in CO I looked at the picture that was shown. Placed a ruler on the Screen between two landmarks. Then placed the ruler on a map. And went into the hills, it was my first find and a most enjoyable one at that.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6075

 

The "Bushwhacker"

[Tahosa and Sons]

Several years ago I wrote a paper about the "Low Skill Future of High Tech" And 15 years later it's quite evident.

Actually its quite easy to find a cache without a GPS. I'll plot the coords on a Topo Map. Then head to the field. Do a little deciphering in the boonies, read the clues and past logs and lo and behold there is the end of the quest.

Combine all those old fashioned techniques of bushwhacking with a little hi tech and the search is much more fun.

I had one Cache in CO I looked at the picture that was shown. Placed a ruler on the Screen between two landmarks. Then placed the ruler on a map. And went into the hills, it was my first find and a most enjoyable one at that.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=6075

 

The "Bushwhacker"

[jfitzpat]

FWIW, I bet that reversing, using just a GPS (no map or compass) would also be pretty challenging, at least for some caches.

 

I admit that there are times, especially in the mountains, when I've been very happy to have a working GPS. But, good map, compass, and especially route finding skills, are hard to beat in a pinch.

 

-jjf