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Anyone have any tips for placing my first cache?


Jenny L

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Jenny,

 

I have just 3 important rules for you to follow:

 

1.) Location.

2.) Location!

3.) Location!!

 

Most "good" / "bad" comments I have seen regarding various caches were comments on... (you guessed it!) location.

 

A couple of examples:

 

---Excerpts from local cache log's I've seen---

 

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

"Wow, I didn't know this beautiful little park was here! Thanks for pointing it out. icon_smile.gif"

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

 

-or-

 

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

"Geez, what stupid kind of cache is this! Just what I wanted to see after a nice long hike was a trash dump! (Why do people hide caches like this??!!) icon_eek.gificon_confused.gificon_frown.gif"

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

 

Note: both of these caches are local to me, and both are about as easy to find, and both contain about the same stuff. In fact, they are VERY close to each other!

 

The difference? - LOCATION! icon_smile.gif

 

'Nuff said!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

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Jenny,

 

I have just 3 important rules for you to follow:

 

1.) Location.

2.) Location!

3.) Location!!

 

Most "good" / "bad" comments I have seen regarding various caches were comments on... (you guessed it!) location.

 

A couple of examples:

 

---Excerpts from local cache log's I've seen---

 

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

"Wow, I didn't know this beautiful little park was here! Thanks for pointing it out. icon_smile.gif"

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

 

-or-

 

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

"Geez, what stupid kind of cache is this! Just what I wanted to see after a nice long hike was a trash dump! (Why do people hide caches like this??!!) icon_eek.gificon_confused.gificon_frown.gif"

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

 

Note: both of these caches are local to me, and both are about as easy to find, and both contain about the same stuff. In fact, they are VERY close to each other!

 

The difference? - LOCATION! icon_smile.gif

 

'Nuff said!

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

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Also, take your time and really scope out the potential location. On more than one occassion, I found the perfect hiding spot, placed the cache, took the readings and then wandered around the area, only to find a DIFFERENT approach path that was only about 20-30 feet from my cache.

 

I'd suggest going out and finding a trail map and really examining the topo and trail maps and find that perfect pristine and remote location that we all love.

 

Markwell

Chicago Geocachers

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JL,

 

I haven't yet hidden one, but my thought has always been that I'm going to hide one that I'd enjoy looking for.

 

There are many in my area that are simply park-n-bags. Some people like those, but I don't really care for them, so I know when I get my first out there, it will be a little more involved than the typical caches in my area.

 

Jamie

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At last someone understood my real question. Everyone else misunderstood. I could figure out the placement of the cache, I kinda just tossed it on the ground. But when it came to covering it up, I was stumped. I tried kicking ground cover over the cache and when that didn't work I tried using a long stick to sweep junk over the cache. Well, duh!! I just never thought of bending over.

Thanks, for the great advise.;)

Jenny

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At last someone understood my real question. Everyone else misunderstood. I could figure out the placement of the cache, I kinda just tossed it on the ground. But when it came to covering it up, I was stumped. I tried kicking ground cover over the cache and when that didn't work I tried using a long stick to sweep junk over the cache. Well, duh!! I just never thought of bending over.

Thanks, for the great advise.icon_smile.gif

Jenny

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Jenny L,

 

Don't tell me that we got another satirical humorist in these forums!

 

Geez, soon you won't be able to read hardly any of these stinkin' threads without being somewhat entertained! (Along with educated!)

 

Oh well, Criminal! See what a snowball you have started!

icon_wink.gif

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

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Jenny L,

 

Don't tell me that we got another satirical humorist in these forums!

 

Geez, soon you won't be able to read hardly any of these stinkin' threads without being somewhat entertained! (Along with educated!)

 

Oh well, Criminal! See what a snowball you have started!

icon_wink.gif

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

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quote:
Originally posted by Criminal:

"Anyone have any tips for placing my first cache?"

 

I often bend at the waist. icon_rolleyes.gif

 


 

Bend at the knees. Use your legs for lifting, not your back. At least that is what I was told. icon_wink.gif

 

But, to add to this thread in a more constructive way. One thing I learned was find the spot before placing the cache. Then try to find your way back using your coordinates and your GPSr. See how close it gets you on two different days. This will give you a little better idea of how good your coordinates are.

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Everywhere that cache is found,

Bound to Cover Just a Little More Ground.

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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quote:
Originally posted by Criminal:

"Anyone have any tips for placing my first cache?"

 

I often bend at the waist. icon_rolleyes.gif

 


 

Bend at the knees. Use your legs for lifting, not your back. At least that is what I was told. icon_wink.gif

 

But, to add to this thread in a more constructive way. One thing I learned was find the spot before placing the cache. Then try to find your way back using your coordinates and your GPSr. See how close it gets you on two different days. This will give you a little better idea of how good your coordinates are.

 

stealyourcache.jpg

Everywhere that cache is found,

Bound to Cover Just a Little More Ground.

-Dru Morgan www.theheavenlyhost.com/dru

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Find an interesting location and place the cache far enough off the beaten path so that it won't be found by non cachers.

 

Select a good waterproof container (avoid Gladware, Chinese/deli food containers and cheap dollar store plastic containers). Ammo box is best, but the blue rimmed Rubbermaid containers are pretty good.

 

Make sure the container is size appropriate. The more heavily visited the area is, the smaller the container should be, so you can hide it better. If its in a fairly remote area, you can get away with a bigger container. The rule of thumb I use...in urban or suburban parks I do a micro cache. In heavily visited wooded areas, I used the pint to two pint Rubbermaid containers and in more remote areas I use ammo boxes, or two quart, to gallon sized Rubbermaid containers.

 

Fill it with interesting items that may be of use to someone and put everything inside a thick freezer ziploc just in case the thing leaks (include an extra ziploc so finders can replace the original one if it develops holes).

 

I like to put the logbook and pencils in a seperate, smaller ziploc.

 

Include a copy of the Geocache letter, laminated if possible, and mark the outside of the cache with the website and your e-mail address.

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The best caches are those that are 'reverse engineered'.

 

Start with a great hide location (and method of hide). Then determine how you want to bring people to the location. Do you want to post the cache coordinates? make it an offset cache? What about a multi?

 

Once you have it planned out, then bring your box of trinkets and hide. Too many cachers start with the box and then just stick it in the first place it will fit.

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"Bend at the knees. Use your legs for lifting, not your back. At least that is what I was told."

 

I thought it was about "placing" the cache. I always retrieve a cache by bending at the knees and lifting with my legs. If another tread is started on this subject I'll be sure to respond.

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

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I'll bet the reason that I haven't been able to find some caches was because I wasn't being sneaky enough. I just walked right up to the spot. I will try your method of crawling up to the missed spots and I'll bet I'll find them this time. Thanks for the great tip. Don't want to give those caches any advance warning of impending openings.

Jenny

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quote:
Originally posted by Jenny L:

I'll bet the reason that I haven't been able to find some caches was because I wasn't being sneaky enough. I just walked right up to the spot. I will try your method of crawling up to the missed spots and I'll bet I'll find them this time. Thanks for the great tip. Don't want to give those caches any advance warning of impending openings.

Jenny


 

Jenny,

 

Have you ever seen the Farside with the cows standing around drinking martinis, then one hollers, "Car" and they all start eating grass, til the car passes...

 

Try this next time you go to a cache that you know has various trinkets (or even a highly-desirable travel bug!)

 

Very quietly sneak up on the cache (they usually frolic around out in the open until they see a cacher approach, then they go and hide back in their original location!)

 

If you can catch the cache out in the open, take some pictures (I did.) Then cough, and the cache will run and hide (watch him close and you'll know where the little bugger is hiding!)

 

Now, sneak up and wait a while (usually about an hour.) The little toys inside will think that you are gone and they will start talking again. (Man, you outta here some of them complain!)

 

Here's just a clip from a recent bug retrieval that I did just this tactic on:

 

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

Tuesday, May 21, 2002

Note from majicman:

I found Snake Travel Bug in E-Quest Tree Cache 05/17/02 (Friday.) I took him out and he immediately begn smarting off at the mouth. I figured he just wanted to get into trouble on his way to see his bud Koolsey in Sacramento (as Snake told me.)

 

I felt so sorry for all the other toys in this cache taking his abuse in that dark closed ammo can, I took him out and took him back with me.

 

Naturally, he wanted to drive my turbo-charged Intrepid, so I let him take it for a short spin. Little monster - hot rodded it like it was his own car. I tried to explain to the officer that I was NOT driving, that Snake was. (Naturally at this time, Snake pulled the old- Hey, I'm just an inanimate piece of plastic and I can't move or talk routine (I hate that!))

 

Well, he got us both in trouble, so I took him home and took pictures of my 6-week old kittens playing with and chewing on him (that oughta teach him.) I will post these pictures here.

 

I can't live with him any longer (he eats everything in the fridge and then my wife blames me!)

 

I am taking him to stick in a much nicer neighborhood this weekend, in Edmond in the Thorny Cache.

 

He can torment the toys in there until the next poor slob opens it up!!!

 

--majicman

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

 

--majicman

 

(Always trade UP in both quantity and quality and Geocaches will be both self-sustaining and self-improving!)

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I suggest about a 15 part multi to start with, something that will really make a name for yourself. Don't worry about getting too accurate with the coords, cachers love a good hunt. I try to put the coords a mile or two away from the parking spot but place the cache right next to the parking where they are bound to see it on the way back. It is a great little pick you up after thinking you got skunked. Fill the cache with used mactoys, and go back frequently to replace anything of value that some careless cacher might have left there with more mactoys. If you use tupperware spray paint it black so the bomb squad can't see inside. In the logbook put the name of a different cache or better yet take another cache and place it in your spot, this will save you money plus increase the difficulty of the other cache. If you have a weed problem in your backyard place the cache there, the tens of thousands of cachers stomping around will insure that all the plants are killed and will never ever grow back. Try to post your cache before the weekend with the wrong coords and then on Saturday temporarlily disable it. Go watch the incorrect coords for some cheap entertainment on the weekend. Hope this helps. icon_biggrin.gif

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I suggest about a 15 part multi to start with, something that will really make a name for yourself. Don't worry about getting too accurate with the coords, cachers love a good hunt. I try to put the coords a mile or two away from the parking spot but place the cache right next to the parking where they are bound to see it on the way back. It is a great little pick you up after thinking you got skunked. Fill the cache with used mactoys, and go back frequently to replace anything of value that some careless cacher might have left there with more mactoys. If you use tupperware spray paint it black so the bomb squad can't see inside. In the logbook put the name of a different cache or better yet take another cache and place it in your spot, this will save you money plus increase the difficulty of the other cache. If you have a weed problem in your backyard place the cache there, the tens of thousands of cachers stomping around will insure that all the plants are killed and will never ever grow back. Try to post your cache before the weekend with the wrong coords and then on Saturday temporarlily disable it. Go watch the incorrect coords for some cheap entertainment on the weekend. Hope this helps. icon_biggrin.gif

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You can make it complicated or make it simple, either way I know I'd enjoy it and look for it. I've had great hikes on some caches and on others I've walked 50 feet but I enjoyed both.

 

OH and the black plastic bag is a must. I don't understand the problems people have with black plastic bags?? I think I'm going to name my latest cache Black Plastic Bag. Yep, look for it monday or so, Black Plastic Bag, somewhere in the Klamath Basin. The birthplace of black plastic bag caches.

 

Never Squat With Yer Spurs On

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I'd like to second the ideas from sbell111 and Markwell - check maps and place a cache where there is more than one way to get to it, or where the "obvious" way might be the wrong way or harder way. It's lots more fun to find a cache like that than taking the only trail to an obvious cache location.

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