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Etiquette with other cachers


Lefty Skywalker

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Twice now I've run into another group of people at a cache. It was the same group each time. Their GPS only reads down to hundredths and they have a hell of a time finding the things.

 

The first time, they had been there for some time already. I saw them hiking in from about 1/2mi away. They were looking for the cache a hundred feet from where it actually was. What I did might not have been right... I started looking, found it, and we signed the log at the same time. But it's too late now... what should I have done?

 

The second time, same group was looking for my poetry cache and I was there to put a pencil sharpener in it. The terrain was such I didn't know they were there until I arrived at the site. I waited for ten minutes, watched them walk over the cache three times and clamber down the hillside the wrong way. I said, "You're getting colder." Waited another five or ten minutes and, when one was right in front of it said "You're getting warmer." Again, what should I have done?

 

(At the second one I saw something cute... the mom is the one who finally saw it first, but she called the kid over and said she had a good place for him to look, because she wasn't sure. She told him she wasn't as close to the ground as he was, she didn't have her glasses...)

 

What Would Yoda Do?

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The first scenario is kind of like caching in a group. What we do is if we find it, we keep "looking," move away from the cache, and then announce, "found it!" This way, you give the others a choice of keep looking or give up.

 

The reason we've adopted this is because we were at a cache event and were doing the local caches when another group came in from the other direction. They found it first and pulled it right out. It ruined our hunt. I felt cheated.

 

We haven't had to do it, but from now on I'm gonna talk to the other other group and let them know we'd appreciate the courtesy of letting us continue to hunt the cache even if they find it.

 

Of course, the cacher who finds it first gets to sign the log first and first dibs on the loot, too.

 

As for the other one, you could have let them borrow your GPS, maybe? It would have gotten them done faster and given them a hands-on review of the make and model you own.

 

CR

 

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I don't have any problem with what you did. I have helped someone before whose GPSr did not tell him how far to the cache with an arrow pointing in the direction to go. His just showed direction using bearing and was harder to use. I was at the first stage before he was and was leaving. I watched him for a few minutes and made a couple comments to help him find it. At the second stage I found it first but walked away from it and let him find it using my GPSr.

I would not just say 'Over under the oak tree' but I would help when someone needed it.

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This has happened to me too.

 

My take is mix and enjoy the company, share the find and a few minutes of cache stories.

 

We are here to release stress and enjoy the outdoors.

Grouping up at a cache is just fun and sociable. It makes that cache more special. But, I like people. If they gave clues that they didn't want to mix, I'd leave and come back.... I think...

 

** The worst suggestion of a life time may be the catalyst to the best idea of the century, don't fail to listen to suggestions.

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Sunbug and I were out, picking up a T/B at my cache that was just sitting there for weeks..when we heard people approaching... I scooted away to meet them when they entered the area... Sunbug quickley threw the cache in its hiding spot...... they approached with gps in hand.. I said hey geocachers, they were like oh are you caching also I said no I placed the cache in these woods... And let them find it.. when they did we came back and B.S'd with them for a while.....

 

See you in the woods!

Natureboy1376

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I run with a small group of adventure seekers. We believe that tight teamwork will get you everywhere. If we were to run into fellow cachers at a cache sight, and they had given away the spot, that would be the last thing we would think of. Shooting the bull would of been in order!! Its not really about the cache, it's about working as a team and discovering your objective. And meeting with other people is part of the fun. Some people are so worried about making rules that they lose sight about what it's about. Cache on!!! Trash Sucks!! Seeker BP Ashland, OH icon_eek.gificon_eek.gif

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I agree with Poksal and a few others that posted here. It's all about enjoying the outdoors and occassionally chit-chatting with fellow geocachers.

 

I'd rather have a nice conversation with another cacher, than be too worried about "the hunt." For every hunt that I meet a cacher, they'll probably be at least 10 that I don't. I say relax and enjoy the company.

 

--CoronaKid

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Renegade Knight and I recently found a cache that was hidden quite well. After we had completed our log we talked to 2 fellow cachers looking for the same cache. Now we were only about 2 feet from the cache, and I wouldn't have had any problem with helping them out, but we asked first. They wanted to find the cache themselve, so the only clue we gave them was that we had already found the cache. I hope they had as good of luck.

 

Lost? Keep going. You're making good time anyway!

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quote:
Originally posted by Sissy-n-CR:

What we do is if we find it, we keep "looking," move away from the cache, and then announce, "found it!"


 

When caching with some friends last summer while I was on vacation, we used a variation of this idea. When someone found the cache, they had to walk a ways from it and yell, "huckle buckle beanstalk!!!" Everyone got a chance to find the cache, as well as say such a silly line (its fun to say though. icon_smile.gif)

 

----

When in doubt, poke it with a stick.

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quote:
Originally posted by Sissy-n-CR:

The first scenario is kind of like caching in a group. What we do is if we find it, we keep "looking," move away from the cache, and then announce, "found it!" This way, you give the others a choice of keep looking or give up.


 

That is a method we use when we are caching as a team, as well, unless we are "power caching" (teaming up and going to a different city), then the first one to find it just yells.

 

I have never run into anyone near the actual cache, but if I did I would approach them and ask them if they wanted to team up, or do it separately. If they wanted to do it separately, then I would back off (or ask them to if I was there first) and we could get together and BS afterwards.

 

Caching is a social event at its best.

 

- Nate

www.geocky.org

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