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When Found By Geomuggle


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So I've hit three caches so far, two of which were 1/1's, but heavily surrounded by geomuggles. I waited an extra day before re-finding one (and brought my camera as a nifty disguise!)

 

So when you've been "caught" with a cache, say a 30 caliber ammo can, and youre rifling through trading items: what do you say when a non-cacher approaches you and start asking questions? I mean, I want to be nice, but I don't want to give it all away!

 

juju

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Some people are very straight forward and explain Geocaching, others provide a different explanation. It depends on the situation and how you feel the person will respond. I find that in tricky locations a camera and tripod work very nicely. The GPS is a light meter and the ammo can is my equipment container. For people in authority, like a police officer, always, always, always tell the truth.

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I waited an extra day before re-finding one (and brought my camera as a nifty disguise!)

That was a great thing to do. Too often people are not willing to give up the find and expose the cache location instead of just leaving and coming back later.

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It depends. I'd quickly try to gauge the person. Is it a dad with his kids, or a teen. Does the person seem friendly, or is he suspicious? Is she interested, or too interested? Does the person just not "feel right". Of course impressions can be wrong, but I'd go with my instincts and if I felt the cache was in danger, I'd take it home and immediately post a note and e-mail the owner. Then I'd either wait a day and put it back where it belongs, or make arrangements to return it to the owner.

 

This being said, its just not smart to put large contaiers, esp ammo boxes and PVC pipe caches where searchers are likely to be noticed. That makes the cache a prime candindate for theft and worst case, the bomb squad may be paying it a visit.

Edited by briansnat
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I have been caught a couple times. I explain to them the sport, and show them what's in the container. I explain the importance of the travel log. I figure they are going to be less likely to come back to pilfer if they see that there isn't anything really valuable in it, and hope to their conscience that at least they will leave the logbook. In all my cases at least, they think it is really cool that they were so near something hidden, as well as the sport. I always give them my cache sheet so they can look at it and learn more.

 

There is one case where Mendy and I got caught getting the cache out of a tree in a park across the sidewalk of a grandmother's house. If there was ever a time I was wary about telling the truth, this was it. But I showed her what we had, and what we were doing. I gave her the cache sheet. She thought it was so cool that she was going to sit on her porch and "help" anybody else that came along looking for the cache.

 

JMHO

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Thanks gang! Some really good ideas here that will help me when the time comes along...because I know it will :lol:

 

Outside of that, I really did get some cool pictures of the surrounding foliage. Really beautiful and green on a sunny Wa stat day! A portion of my interest in Geocaching is the ability to find some really gorgeous places. And it's nice to see I'm not alone

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=71117

 

Great fun!

Edited by jujueye
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Mostly I try to look as though I know precisely what I'm doing and not trying to hide anything... it's amazing how often people will NOT notice you.

That's our approach. Look like you're there with a purpose, and people will usually just outright ignore you. Look like you're sneaking around, and all eyes will be on you.

 

I've been brazen enough to approach people who were right by the cache and just say "Excuse me, mind if I reach behind you" or something like that. It's rare that I will do that, but sometimes the conditions are just right. If I haven't found the cache yet, sometimes it's easier to make up a story (frequently, I'm a biologist looking for a telemetry device that seems to have come off the bird I attached it to months ago).

 

Whenever I've explained geocaching to passersby, they've always been interested and have seemed to enjoy the quick lesson on how GPS navigation works.

 

However, some particular caches require special attention--for example, I won't go find a cache in a playground or near a school unless my female team mate is with me. You just gotta know when your presence will cause unease...and that's the important bit.

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Mostly I try to look as though I know precisely what I'm doing and not trying to hide anything... it's amazing how often people will NOT notice you.

Yeah, that was what I meant... :lol:

 

I totally agree, don't act sneaky. don't notice them. people tend to not look at strangers

 

:P

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Look on your GPSr and ask the geomuggle what HE is doing in this contaminated area. :lol:

 

I allways look around and if no one is there, I quickly take the cache and go some 100 meters away from the location there I open it. If someone comes around and sees my logging the cache he will not know the original cache location.

If I am searching the cache and see a GM I take out my Camera and take photos until he passes by.

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My Mother (God rest her soul) always said "Tell what is true!!"

 

Even if it takes a lot of explaining it is worth the effort in the long run!

 

Dave

 

Eidited for syntax abd spelling and,...

I did pay my "syntax".

Edited by davwil
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Don't say anything to them. Just keep talking to your GPS. You do all talk to your GPS right? :lol:

Not only do I talk to my GPS...I've named my GPS :P I'm serious :P

BTW, Winston, my GPS, says hello...

 

I'm not opposed to naming inanimate objects.

 

Tstar

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My friend and I also metal detect. One day (really cold and windy) we were detecting along a beach (wearing waders and jackets) and this mother waves me over and asks if it's OK for her little daughter to swim. (why she would want to on a freezing day ?) I reply that I can't think of any reason why not, and wonder to myself why she would ask.

 

Later it strikes me that I am wearing my windbreaker from the swimming pool with the word "Lifeguard" across the back in large letters.

 

She must have thought that us "Lifeguards" were up to some official searching business for unsafe items on the beach. :lol:

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Today I found one in a pedestrian underpass (those corregated pipe tunnels) . There were a lot of people passing through. When one asked what I was looking for with my flashlight, I said black widow spiders. I actually did see one , but not near the cache.

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For a long time, even before we started caching, when we went to a park or anywhere my son always had his large ammo can full of Hotwheels and such. People never paid much attention then so I figure why would a cache contain be different. Same goes for Tupperware. We pack our luches in them when we go to the park.

 

It comes down to haow you are acting and if that is suspicious then people tend to pay attention.

 

Then again you could always take one of these with you to chase them off.

peeksparky.gif

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From a different perspective, have you ever watched geocachers trying to find your cache? It would be amusing to watch them scratch their heads in utter confusion (well hidden cache), and try to act "inconspicuous" to avoid "muggles."

 

When a friend of mine took me geocaching for the first time, we tried a 3.5 star multi-stage http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...d2-e6f1eecc9f2f To any observers, we looked like clueless fools walking in circles, and crawling around underneath trees. Fortunately the nearest person was 100 yards away and out of view.

 

I think staking out a new cache in a park for example, would be great entertainment, and a chance to meet fellow geocachers to boot.

 

Bill,

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Lots of 'talk to the GPSr' theories. How about talking to the ammo can.

 

Lovingly cradle the container in your arms.

 

"Well uncle Joe, I can't believe you've been gone 5 years now. Seems like just yesterday you where rustling tomatoes bare a##ed. Ahhh, those where the days. Wish there had been more than just your foot left. It's for the best really, this way I can take you with me everywhere I go. Say, uncle Joe, would you like to walk down to the pond and feed the ducks? Uncle Joe? Uncle Joe, are you listening to me? JOE? JOE, COME BACK, JOE PLEEEAAAASSSSEE COME BACK!"

 

If there is anyone at this point, curl up in a fetal position with the container and sob violently.

 

If there are still people around scream at 'JOE' and hurl him near the hide spot and then RUN from the park sobbing.

Edited by Johnnie Stalkers
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As others have already stated, it depends on the person that “finds you”. I also use the “Briansnat” method of “first impressions”. If they appear to be a “threat” to the integrity of the cache, I tell them we are training/participating in an area exercise for a local volunteer search and rescue team. Which is kind of true, when they need volunteers we will go. We also try to have at least one copy of the geocaching University brochure with us to show people that we “think” might have an interest. It has also come in handy when the police are the ones that “found us”. Now that there has been an article in the Air Force magazine, we will carry that along as well. These sorts of print collateral seem to add validity when speaking with law enforcement types.

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Mumble loudly about black helicopters, poodle guacamole, tofu encyclopedias, and "where did I leave those damned intestines and ears?"...they usually walk in the other direction. <_<

 

Seriously though, I have been cache-hunting a number of times when I found myself in close proximity to a single muggle or a muggle herd (pod, pack, flock, gaggle, etc.). I just act as though I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary, and they do the same. Once a person asked me what my GPS unit was, and I told them about geocaching, and they followed along with me to the cache.

 

nfa

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I just explain what I'm doing; it's part of a "high-tech game of Hide and Seek" No need to make it any more mysterious than it is.

 

If that's not enough, I can now flash my official "Geocacher" badge - complete with official looking seal. (I can't believe I bought that thing. . . I am such a geek)

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It comes down to how you are acting and if that is suspicious then people tend to pay attention.

Hee-hee-hee! Reminds me of when I was in high school. I and my friends had learned the fine art of looking like we were probably hiding something and looking all guilty and avoiding eye contact, etc..

 

We'd then wait for some bigwig to show up within view, then duck, look guilty and then try to look entirely tooooo innocent as well... next thing ya know, we are being grilled to find out what evil thing we just did. We'd be cracking up inside because we fooled 'em... watching 'em TRY to pin something on us with no proof except for a good acting job! :P

 

This idea then spread to some of the other kids, and drove some of the teachers absolutely nuts. THAT was fun. :lol:

 

After awhile, they figured out that we were messing with their heads, so the acting job trip quit working... and THAT turned out to have an advantage too... we started getting away with all kinds of crap that we were REALLY guilty of! :D

 

Sheesh... how did I end up in tech support instead of some sort of sophisticated CIA psy-ops outfit? There's a thought... :D

 

By the way, I remember some incident where some geocacher in a dark trench coat hunted a cache near a bridge located near a military base, and a police and media swarm ensued. Had he been wearing an orange vest and carrying a clipboard, what are the chances anyone would have cared nearly as much? I guess it is all in the presentation, really...

 

Yikes... I hope that Truly Evil Types do not discover the advantage of such orange vests... :D

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Something that's sort of a pet peeve of mine. People explaining it as hide and seek. Well I don't know about you guys, but the hide and seek of my childhood didn't involve in hiding boxes in woods. The hide and seek I know is just a form of tag where you hide instead of just randomly running.

 

What we do is more of a high tech scavenger hunt. :lol:

 

Okay, that's just my mini-rant, I'll go back to making pointless posts now... :D

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If I know I'm going to be in an urban setting, I wear my grungest geocache clothes - you wouldn't believe some of the places people put thier caches. As I'm looking for the cache I usually am cursing and muttering unintelligble words, so I usually people avoid me. If they do make inquiries, a nasty look stops them on thier tracks. One time there was some robed religious nut approached me and I started yelling for help making wild gestures. It's hilarious to watch them back off... The only problems I have to lay low and not show my face in the area for the next few months.

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"Well uncle Joe, I can't believe you've been gone 5 years now. Seems like just yesterday you where rustling tomatoes bare a##ed. Ahhh, those where the days. Wish there had been more than just your foot left. It's for the best really, this way I can take you with me everywhere I go. Say, uncle Joe, would you like to walk down to the pond and feed the ducks? Uncle Joe? Uncle Joe, are you listening to me? JOE? JOE, COME BACK, JOE PLEEEAAAASSSSEE COME BACK!"

Now relax Johnny. Walk into the bathroom, remove 3 of those little blue pills that doctor gave you and swallow them. Gooooood Johnny, now go take a nap.

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On way to cache: Do nothing, unless they ask about GPS, then size them up and explain geocaching, or tell them you never get lost with this handy gadget.

 

Actually searching cache: Stop looking and sit on a rock or walk down the trail.

 

Caught in the act with the container on my lap: Say "So do you want the ham and cheese, or the peanut butter and jelly?" And don't let them see inside.

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Don't say anything to them. Just keep talking to your GPS.  You do all talk to your GPS right?  :lol:

Not only do I talk to my GPS...I've named my GPS :D I'm serious :P

BTW, Winston, my GPS, says hello...

 

I'm not opposed to naming inanimate objects.

 

Tstar

You mean it didn't TELL you it's name? :D

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