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Reflectors


bennet

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I did my first night time cache last night. It was serious fun.

 

Now, of course, I want to make my own. Anyone know where the push-pin reflectors can be bought? Local sporting goods store that has hunting supplies maybe? The owner of the cache I did last night did his first night time hunt just about 5 days ago, and he already has his own prepared and approved. So he got his reflectors pretty quickly. I emailed him, but haven't heard from him yet.

 

Oh yeah, I did a search, and did not find any topics that really discussed specifically finding and buying reflectors.

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Those of you who haven't night cached, find them and go do them. I've been having a great time geocaching since I started a couple of months ago, and that night cache I did last night (my first) was one of the best caches I've done. It was a blast.

 

I'm going to every night time cache I can get to.

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I have a couple night caches I designed entirely from reading about them in these forums. I made one significant difference. Rather than simply using your GPS to find the start of a reflector trail that you follow with your headlamp, the first brought you to an offset (info micro) where you then had to plug coords into your GPS in the dark and search out the nearby traditional cache via GPS in dark.

 

Better was my second--eliminating the trail. Instead I put numbers and letters on 3M reflective tape attached to small tree branches (to not gird the trees) which combined provided the final coordinates to the container (also with reflective marker). The half-dozen reflectors waypoints are listed on the cache page. So you go to the spot, "lighthouse" around with your light, spot the reflector, pull the number, find the next. This one's been an even greater hit and puts the GPS to far more use.

 

Hang on, I'll grab the links...

 

Glow-cache (night)

Lady of the Night

 

The first one (reflector trail), I setup before foliage was out on the trees, so had to plan ahead to be sure it would be doable then. Success! I had installed an extra couple reflectors that I had left masked to begin with, which I enabled when the foliage came out.

 

In both cases I made sure to include "night" in the name of the cache--so it can be searched out as a night cache! This would be a great standard to adapt universally.

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

 

PS: Given my use of the really reflective 3M material, with a powerful light and overcast day, these caches can be done during daytime. This is less true with firetacks or the like.

 

PPS: 3M reflective material can be found in the marine section--I cut them in half (to make 2x2" squares of the 2x4" rectangles), wrapped camo tape around a branch leaving a tab hanging that the reflector was attached to. The one with numbers written on I protected from the elements with clear packing tape.

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I did my first night time cache last night. It was serious fun.

 

Now, of course, I want to make my own. Anyone know where the push-pin reflectors can be bought? Local sporting goods store that has hunting supplies maybe? The owner of the cache I did last night did his first night time hunt just about 5 days ago, and he already has his own prepared and approved. So he got his reflectors pretty quickly. I emailed him, but haven't heard from him yet.

 

Oh yeah, I did a search, and did not find any topics that really discussed specifically finding and buying reflectors.

I would skip on using the push pin reflectors if you are hiding your cache where people hunt. There are a lot of hunters who use those to mark their trails. I would highly recommend using "Limb Lights" for marking the trail. The only time I Have ever seen these is on a night cache. They are basically a highly reflective twist tie. The cheapest price I have seen on them has been on eBay.

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I have 3 bags of fire tacks and am planning a night cache. The hard part, at least in NJ, is finding a spot that doesn't close at sunset and is far enough from homes that people wandering around with flashlights won't draw attention. I can easily find one, or the other, but haven't found both yet.

Edited by briansnat
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anyone fancy getting me a price (or a packet) for reflectors from walmart? I've looked all over the place for them in the uk and there is noway I'm paying 15bucks for shipping them over here when they'd probably just fit in a standard envelope.

I'll take a look for you when I head there tonight.

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anyone ever tried using these things with a laser pointer? Will they reflect the light of a pointer? If they will, that would make a great night time cache using a pointer too....

The only problem with the laser pointer idea is the beam is too tight, and you would be out there pointing fir a LONG time, unless you are more lucky than I am!

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I was thinking more of placing some sort of marker where you could point your laser in the direction its supposed to be...like on top of a post or something like that...just a thought...

I'm already working on one similar to what you mentioned, with a little twist...

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anyone ever tried using these things with a laser pointer? Will they reflect the light of a pointer? If they will, that would make a great night time cache using a pointer too....

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...&log=y&decrypt=

 

Found it on this grey, cold morning. I used a combination of binoculars and a laser pointer with 1500 foot range.

Clever cache and I apologize for going after it the way I did, but it worked. Signed log and neither took or left anything. Just enjoyed the challenge very much. Thanks!!

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Forgive me but.........isn't the point of a night cache to be hard to find becuase of the DARK? As a hunter, I know that w/ a flashlight in the woods at night, those fire tacks light up like a beacon. Admittedly, I haven't done a night specific cache but am I missing something? I have looked for regular caches at night w/ no reflectors and found those. Do you put the reflectors where the cache is? Forgive me for my naivitee' (sp?) but that seems too easy. <_<:ph34r:

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we're working on a night cache for which the working title is "bring a change of underwear". we're using firetacks and some other assorted, uh, surprises. we've got the technical bugs worked out, but we haven't laid out the course yet. stay tuned.

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Forgive me but.........isn't the point of a night cache to be hard to find becuase of the DARK? As a hunter, I know that w/ a flashlight in the woods at night, those fire tacks light up like a beacon. Admittedly, I haven't done a night specific cache but am I missing something? I have looked for regular caches at night w/ no reflectors and found those. Do you put the reflectors where the cache is? Forgive me for my naivitee' (sp?) but that seems too easy. <_<:ph34r:

1) Think multi, not traditional.

2) Many cachers don't normally night cache. This type of cache encourges that.

3) It's a good way to show people good places to see the stars or watch meteors or just places that are really cool at night.

4) It's a good way of placing an new cache in a park that's open late (or early) and making the experience entirely different.

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anyone fancy getting me a price (or a packet) for reflectors from walmart? I've looked all over the place for them in the uk and there is noway I'm paying 15bucks for shipping them over here when they'd probably just fit in a standard envelope.

Well, my local WalMart is not stocking them at this time, but will be later on in the year, when hunting picks back up. I'll check the Sportsman's Warehouse next time I'm out there, which is pretty often.

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The only night cache around here is, ...................... well there aren't any.

All the reason to make one yourself, huh? :P

 

You can also find the reflector tacks under the name Bright-Eyes or Brite Eyes......sorry, can't remember which way they exactly spell it. We use them for marking our way to our tree stands during hunting season. Good advice above about making a night cache in hunting areas.....please don't remove reflector tacks that you might find while planning your cache. That's all we need is a huge hunter uprising about geocaching. Those people carry guns, remember? LOL

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anyone fancy getting me a price (or a packet) for reflectors from walmart? I've looked all over the place for them in the uk and there is noway I'm paying 15bucks for shipping them over here when they'd probably just fit in a standard envelope.

I bought a package of them at one store, but I'm less than impressed with them. I'm still looking for some for you.

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anyone fancy getting me a price (or a packet) for reflectors from walmart? I've looked all over the place for them in the uk and there is noway I'm paying 15bucks for shipping them over here when they'd probably just fit in a standard envelope.

I just bought some direct from Firetacks last week. Under $4 for postage from USA to NZ, and took less than a week. Try ordering direct. :(

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