When to call it quits...

[Team MJDJ]

Just curious...

What if your cache hasn't been found or visited in a while, would you consider packing it in and planting it somewhere else?

Or would you let it sit until someone finds it.

 

I am not talking about "Wilderness" caches, but rather the urban caches.

 

Fishing for opinions...

[+Mr. 0]

I've got a cache that gets hit in spurts. It's a little out of the way for most major areas. Sometimes it'll go 3 months w/o a hit and then suddenly it'll get 5-6 hits in a couple of weeks. So I say leave it....at least in my case, most "regulars" have grabbed it, but I wanted to keep it out there for new folks, and anyone who might be passing through or whatever.

 

Mr. 0

 

"Remember that nature and the elements are neither your friend or your enemy - they are actually disinterested."

 

Department of the Army Field Manual FM 21-76 "Survival" Oct. 1970

[+zoltig]

The obvious reason for one of mine not getting a hit is location. Under 5' +/- of snow above 10,000 ft. elevation. which, as you say is a wilderness cache and a seasonal cache.

Have you done a service check on your cache? Make sure it is all up to standards and location.

Some cachers will look and not log a "Did not find" if it is by chance in the wrong location. Check and re-check your coordinates. By some chance the numbers were transposed incorrectly when you set the cache.

Set the URL out here on the forum and let your fellow cachers have a gander at it. You got plenty of people to help out with the forums.

 

Buy Fugi

[+Ltljon]

quote:

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Originally posted by zoltig:

Have you done a service check on your cache? Make sure it is all up to standards and location.

Some cachers will look and not log a "Did not find" if it is by chance in the wrong location.

---

That will happen. I'd do a check on it & then "post a note" to let everyone know it's OK. Some people will assume if a cache hasn't been visited for a while that something's wrong.

Maintenance never hurts although I'm as guilty as many for never doing enough of it

[+Daisy&me]

There's no point in removing it, a cache doesn't cost much does it? I would go hide another one close to the first, say within a mile or two. Lots of folk will come to visit a pair of caches where they might not come for just one.

 

The trouble with the world today is that everyone makes sweeping generalisations.

[+JohnnyVegas]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ltljon:

quote:

---

Originally posted by zoltig:

Have you done a service check on your cache? Make sure it is all up to standards and location.

Some cachers will look and not log a "Did not find" if it is by chance in the wrong location.

---

That will happen. I'd do a check on it & then "post a note" to let everyone know it's OK. Some people will assume if a cache hasn't been visited for a while that something's wrong.

Maintenance never hurts although I'm as guilty as many for never doing enough of it

---

 

I am doing Cache maintenance tommorow. Log repairs etc. I even have a cache first aid kit. Glue, Magnets, velcro, camo tape and fabric ect.

[+briansnat]

I usually place caches for a reason. A nice view, historic interest, a great hike, or just a place I found to be pleasant. Since the reason for placing it doesn't go away, I leave the cache there.

 

My experience is similar to Mr. O's. I'll have a cache go 3-4 months without a find, then there is a flurry of hits over a few weeks.

 

I think that one reason may be that people have the cache on their to-do list, but hesitate to look for a cache that hasn't been found for a few months. Once they see a find, they decide to give it a shot.

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln

[Radman Forever]

I say leave it, summer may bring some newer geocachers. My rural caches have seen some newer hits lately from unfamiliar faces.

 

"Michigan Geocaching At It's Best!"

 

"If we don't succeed we run the risk of failure."

- Dan Quayle

[+GEO*Trailblazer 1]

Never call it qiuts........I have some that are way out in the wilderness and am happy that the only very seldom get a hit.I also have some that have never been found as well.Easier up keep on them..I had one that when I first started was almost a year before anyone came by. so its really up to you .

 

THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL IN THE FOREST DOES NOT EVEN LIVE THERE*********WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS*GEOTRYAGAIN **1803-2003 "LOUSIANA PURCHASE" 200TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE "LEWIS AND CLARK EXPADITION" http://www.lapurchase.org http://www.msnusers.com/MissouriTrails

[+Planet]

Well either you already archived it, or you are very impatient! All of your caches except your very new one placed on 5/11/03 have been hit. If that's the one you are worried about, calm down. It's only been a week! If that's not the one, then why would you ask the question and archive it anyway. Patience dude, patience. If you hide it, they will come.

 

Cache you later,

Planet

 

So many caches, so little time.

[+Team GPSaxophone]

I had one go 12 days without a find. Never once did I think of archiving or moving it.

I did plan to do a maintenance check, but then someone else found it. It seems every time I want to maintain one of my caches, someone posts that they found it or I see them find it while driving by it. I've got good cachers in my area!

 

[+briansnat]

quote:

---

I had one go 12 days without a find. Never once did I think of archiving or moving it

---

 

12 days. I had one go over 250 days without a find. I leave it there because it's great spot for a cache, being near a pristine glacial lake with some great views along the way.

 

My current record holder is 110 days. It's also the cache I had the most fun placing and has had great reviews from most of the finders. But it's not an easy walk much of the year. The local hardcores have all found it, so now it's just waiting for new geocachers and visitors to the area.

 

"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues" -Abraham Lincoln

[+strikeforce1]

I've had my three caches go for over 100 days, before being hit. They are all in a State Park and were accessable all year long. Sometimes it just the way things go. Then they can be hit 3-5x's in one day. I suggest to do a maintenance check to make sure they are still there, then sit back and wait. The weather has broke and people are getting back into caching. Maybe try planting a tb to gain some interest, or add some items to the contents. Also, you may want to post a note that you checked on it and it's in good shape. Twelve days is really nothing to worry about. Happy Caching SF

[+Renegade Knight]

Cachers come and go in waves. Urban caches though have limited life spans by definition. Once I get about 100 finds on mine I'm probably going to pull them and put out new ones.

 

=====================

Wherever you go there you are.

[Jomarac5]

Your caches are a bit out of the way. I found one of them and thought it was a very good one (thanks) and am planning on visiting more of yours soon. As has been said here, some caches get logged more than others. I'm planning on placing some caches soon that will be in fairly remote areas -- I don't expect these ones to get more than one or two logs in a year. Be patient -- there are more people caching out in the valley now so you're bound to get some traffic on them soon.

 

*****

 

[This message was edited by Jomarac5 on June 06, 2003 at 12:59 PM.]

[+sbell111]

Two of my caches are rather difficult and I live in a cache-rich area. Therefore, they don't get alot of hits. Usually, noobs will find a bunch of the other caches before they try to figure mine out.

[+pnew]

I also agree with keeping it there, but checking up on it. Many barnd new geocachers don't necessarily know that if they have attempted to find your cache and failed that they can still log a not found. That also goes with experienced cachers who don't want to admit they haven't found it yet. Make sure everything is in good order and that putting another cache in the same area is a great idea IMO

 

The Department of Redundancy Department

[+leatherman]

I haven't seen anyone give the real reason yet.

 

A cache is supposed to be semi-permanent to permanent. When you take on the responsibility of hiding a cache you should expect it to be there forever.

I don't want to hear about the examples of seasonal caches. This is right out of one of Jeremy's posts.

 

You shouldn't be removing the cache just because your not getting enough e-mails from it. If the cache disappears or turns out to be where it's not allowed than you can archive it.

 

Even if all the cachers in your state have found it, you leave it for the out of staters and new cachers.

How do you think someone will feel if they print out your cache page a week before you archive it, then search for an hour. Not knowing that you removed it till they get home. It's happened to me. Even with Pocket Queries, I only receive them once a week.

 

Leave it be and make a new one.

 

Pepper playing nice!

Mokita!

[+Web-ling]

I have one at 274 days - and counting. Fourteen mile round-trip hike with 5,000 feet of climb. Wow, what a view!

 

I have an urban cache - 3.5 miles from downtown Fort Worth, TX - that is currently at 70 days and counting.

 

Some caches, usually easier ones, get lots of activity. Others don't. It's just the nature of the game.

 

[+jollybgood]

I had a cache which went 11 months without being logged. Someone just hit it the other day and apparently it's still in good shape. It was a cache I placed in the winter of 2001 in what I thought was a nice spot on a gentle hillside overlooking a river. (in a very remote area).

 

The following summer I was shocked to find the is much different in warmer weather and is overgrown with raspberry sticker bushes and nettles. I had a devil of a time trying to get to my cache to check it and eventually gave up. Only a madman who relishes pain would attempt such a feat.

 

I had to update my report explaining the conditions and point out that the cache was now considered 'seasonal cache' best left for the winter months. It think that scared people away. I was happy to see some brave soul finally logged it the over day. The logs on that cache are filled with phrases like "a bloody mess' and 'scarred for life".

 

 

Jolly R. Blackburn

http://kenzerco.com

[+jollybgood]

oops double post