Geocaching Cover Ups

[+Snoogans]

Stick the GPSr up to your ear and say, "Can you hear me now? Good." Then walk 15 yards in any direction and repeat.

 

Not originally my idea but.........

[+CaptainQuack]

"I'm looking for the spot where they put the new secret transmitter for the Secret UN Army's Black Helicopters"

 

this IS north idaho after all

 

I am thinking of changing it to something involving Homeland Security.

 

but with 2 Univercities in the area, one of which offers a BS/Cart degree. thats all I have to tell them.

 

Captain Quack.

[+Naturesprite]

I was caught at a drive-up cache just off a highway when another vehicle pulled up. I just bent over and started heaving like I was throwing up. Nobody wants to watch that so they looked away and left. Of course, after finding the the soaked tupperware full of McToys - I actually did barf

[+sbell111]

...The local policeman for the town, and I'm sure he was THE police officer for the town, pulled up munching on a donut and drinking coffee.  "Hey, watch y'all doin?"  with a big smile on his face.

 

I showed him the GPS and said we were on a scavenger hunt called Geocaching.  He took another bite of the donut, nodded his head like he completely understood, and said "well, y'all have fun now and hope y'all win" and he drove off.  A bit later as we were doing another cache in another part of the town, he drove by, hit his horn and waved at us.

I love that story. I want to live in a town like that again. The police are actively patroling, but not being a pain. I also like donuts.

 

Generally, I do my best to not be confronted. If you act naturally, you can generally check out the area without anyone taking notice. I've even used the old 'tie my shoe' trick to log caches within a few feet of muggles.

 

When someone asks me what I'm doing, I generally give them a very vague answer about the game; 'Online scavenger hunt' is most often used.

 

Of course, if I was questioned by law enforcement, I would explain as in depth as necessary to make their eyes glaze over. (That wasn't really a donut joke.)

Edited February 9, 2005 by sbell111

[+The Leprechauns]

I am a firm believer in telling the truth. The rest is all in the details.

 

To a curious passerby who says "What are you doing?" I say in a friendly voice "I'm enjoying the park! Isn't it a great day? Hope you have a good one!" That is a true statement.

 

If that doesn't work, I'll say GPS scavenger hunt, unless the person looks like a candidate for conversion to geocaching, which isn't very often.

 

After more than a dozen law enforcement encounters, I am so used to them that when a car pulls up, I stop what I'm doing, give a friendly wave and walk up to meet the officer/park ranger. It's nearly always a pleasant conversation. Once, a local cop helped our group find an elusive microcache at 1:00 a.m. He had the brightest flashlight.

 

I like Brian's suggestion about the National Map Corps. I was thinking of doing that anyway, and his idea is spurring me along.

[+ChicagoCanineCrew]

So far I've mostly gone caching with my dog, and no one has bothered me.

 

I think having a dog with you is a GREAT cover up. First there is the reason in the next paragraph here. Second, you can always say you are looking for a tennis ball/dog toys or a tag that fell off your dog's collar. There's also a great way to get rid of people fast-- hold a baggie and if someone asks, tell them you're trying to find out where your dog 'went' so you can clean up after them!

 

As I've said in a few other posts, most people completely ignore you if you're walking a dog, unless they want to pet the dog. I think you could walk around with a body-sized garbage bag and as long as you were walking your dog no one would bother you! I often act 'suspicious' when I'm out with my dog because I am the type of person who will stop to examine something that looks interesting, or will stop to admire some architecture, etc... I sometimes walk the dogs late at night (with other people) and I've had many cops pass by and they never take a second look, except maybe to wave hello! When I was young enough to be under curfew law, I was never bothered by cops who passed by while walking a dog at night.

[+jake4729]

I find that if I act confidently and as if I have a purpose (which, of course, I do...), I tend not to get asked after too much. If someone asks, I'll usually say I'm looking for something and remain very intent on my task. If pressed, I'll tell the person about geocaching. I've only had one person remain pissy with me after that, but some people are just always gonna be that way.

 

jake

[+Mr. Fantastic]

When I was in Grand Rapids last spring, there had been significant rainfall prior to our trip. One of the caches we sought appeared to be lost in a newly created(by the rainfall) wetland. Bedfinders waded in to look while Fallenfaery and I stood on dry ground. A very nice couple walked by on the path and asked us what we were doing. I did not hesitate. I concocted a story about working for the Parks Department and we were checking the parks as a result of all the flooding. There was even a broken boardwalk nearby that I used as a prop to enhance the realism. It took less time to construct than explaining geocaching would have, so that's why I did it. If it had been a police officer, I certainly would not have chosen the same option.

[CacheMonkeez]

If you're Jetskier, you say, "Souvenir Rocks".

[+ChicagoCanineCrew]

I find that if I act confidently and as if I have a purpose (which, of course, I do...), I tend not to get asked after too much.

So, kind of like the opposite of what happens when you do the same in stores, then?

I usually walk purposefully through stores because I know what I'm looking for, and I end up with people assuming I work there and asking me where to find things! This especially happens in grocery stores... I thought before it might be my clothes or something but finally noticed it didn't happen when I wandered more slowly, only when I am striding along purposefully. (Well, that and when I wear my old t-shirt from the boarding kennel that says "STAFF" on the back! That one really confuses people!)

 

I'll have to remember to act this way when looking for a cache as well. although I think the dogs will be good enough.

[+treasure_hunter]

Wow!!! I have got lots of feed back on this topic.

I recently had to use the ole Tie My Shoe trick to retreive a cache in front of an Aqarium under a post. If you have no other cover that always works.

[+brodiebunch]

I have had several folks come up to me, ask me if I am "one of those catchers" and before I get a chance to answer, they then tell me where the cache is hidden (its under that rock there or in the tree stump that resembles...............)

 

We have a cache hidden in a small arboretum. One of the gardeners there apparently knows about it and willingly discloses its location to any cachers they encounter. (Perhap to cut down on rummaging through the foliage?)

[+GeoTeam Maggi]

I take my 8 year old Melanie. Kids can do anything and it is ignored. They one time we were confronted was by park rangers. They new what we were doing and just wanted to watch us search for it.

 

I've also used the cell phone tactic several times.

[+Screed92]

Was confronted by a corrections officer one time while logging a find outside a minimum security prison. Told him the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God. Then I showed him the corrections officer trading card (looks just like a baseball card) that was in the cache. No more problems after that.

 

When my partner in crime and I do a Cache Machine we always dress in our desert cammies and tactical vests. One of the last caches we did on the Spokane Cache Machine was on a boardwalk at the Cour d'Alene Resort. Did I mention it was apparently prom night? We got some weird looks and even had a picture taken by resort staff. The best part was that when we got to the cache location (which was crowded), a couple that was enjoying the scenery of the lake asked us, very quietly, if we were looking for a bomb. Again, we used the truth. Only took about 20 minutes to convince them that we were not a bomb squad unit looking for a bomb.

 

Hmmmm, I guess honesty is the best policy.

[+Lake_People]

I am a law enforcement officer, and I've placed a couple of caches in my area. I was out working one day, came across a couple obviously searching for one of my caches and stopped to say "hi."

 

They got real nervous, tried to hide the GPSr, and said they were just out for a walk. I told them they were about 10 feet from the cache and they gave me a puzzled look like "how did you know?" I explained that I placed the cache and we talked for a little bit before they finished the find.

 

I've always wondered why they had that nervous streak however...

[CacheMonkeez]

"Souviner rocks" seems to work around Orlando. There's even a cache named after the technique! Edited June 13, 2005 by CacheMonkeez

[+AtoZ]

Have you ever been confronted while geocaching? If so what did you say? I have been watched a couple times and confronted a few. I dont know about everyone else but I have told them what I was actually doing a couple of times and there has been times I have said I was doing a scavenger hunt or treasure hunt. I actually had some help one time from a harbor patrol officer and a man who was walking his dog. I found the cache with their help.

yawn, TELL THE TRUTH.

cheers

[+treasure_hunter]

Oops I accidentally posted that in the wrong topic, sorry. Edited June 13, 2005 by treasure_hunter

[+Ficky]

I'm in high school, so i just say that i am using the GPS to locate interesting Flora and Fauna to have my teacher look at. It usually has people just scratch their heads and walk away. If they just keep bugging me i tell them about it, or I'll just bust out into one of my Kempo forms.

 

Ficky

[+HazelS]

Below is what happened to me and My partner whilst out Caching in the UK....

 

Last night Phill and I decided to get out and try to get FTF on Phoenix's new cache - My Dear Watson...

 

Arrived at desolate car park in the middle of nowhere near a Llyn at about 12.30 am and set off walking... and walking... and walking. Eventually got to where the cache was supposed to be and it was pitch black, even wth out LED torches.... we were faced with a huge bank of very slippery moss....

 

Anyway - cut a long story short, we got a DNF, and dedcided to cut our losses and head the 50 odd miles home I was really disappointed, but knew it'd be dangerous to carry on trying.... we were inches away from falling into what we thought was the Llyn, and the incline was too steep and slippery

 

Anyway.... we started traipsing back, and all of a sudden, saw this torchlight... I was convinced it was another FTF mad hunter, but then I realised that the torchlight was also inside a 4x4 pickup. He was getting closer and closer....

 

The thoughts running through my head were - what kind of person drives along a track along a Llyn, miles from civilisation at 1.30am??

 

Then......HE CAUGHT UP WITH US

 

He started chatting, asking us what we were doing up here at night etc, and we told him about Caching, as I could clearly be seen holding a GPS

 

OH MY GOD, scared doesn't begin to describe it.... UNTIL I SAW THE HUGE RIFLE HE HAD!!!!! (IN THE UK NOBODY HAS A GUN!!!)

 

He then offered us a lift back to the car park.... Phill urged me to get in, but I think I'd have happily eaten my own poo to get out of it... All I could see was the Rifle!!!!

 

Anyway - turns out he was employed by the local farmer to shoot foxes... he's lost 16 lambs this spring, and he was actually a really nice guy, and had I not been with my lovely 6ft 3", burley lookng Phill, I would NEVER have even spoken to him, let alone get in the Pick up!!

 

Anyway - alls well that ends well, and he dropped us right by the car, I RAN so fast to it!!

 

We eventually got home at 2.30am.... BUT We did get up 3 hours later and bag that FTF - without the aid of a rifle!!

[+Team RAGAR]

Nobody will ever question you when you wear a reflective orange vest!

 

A Funny Example

This is my plan for retrieving two BM on a railroad bridge that goes over a road. The bridge is at the mouth of a railroad yard and it is full of railroad workers.

 

White hard hat

orange vest

clip board

 

In and out with out doubt.

 

If you look like you know what your doing, no one will think twice about you.

 

At least thats the plan.

[+Sonoran Privateers]

Just today I had to pretend to talk on a pay phone while I searched all over the inside of three pay phone boxes for a micro outside of a wal-mart. I talked to myself and the beeping noise for 20 minutes before giving up.

[Dinoprophet]

I tell people I'm "playing" a "family-friendly" "game" that uses "GPS" to find "caches" in the "outdoors".

 

(No, I'll never get tired of mocking these people)

Edited July 8, 2005 by Dinoprophet

[hide & seekers]

No one has approached me so far except other cachers. Maybe the large German Shepherd at my side has something to do about that . . . .

[+deimos444]

I generally walk around with a 100 pound Golden Retriever who thinks it is his job to lick everyone on the face.

My GPSr is in hand cleverly wrapped inside a brown doggie poop bag.

Peolple have been known to vacate the areas we are headed towards for some strange reason.

[+One of the Texas Vikings]

When I geocache nude, no one ever asks me what I'm doing

Yes, but they notice all the round bruises on you,

from women pushing you away with 10 ft poles !!!

[+ADKcachers]

A while back I happened to snag a couple of official issue FBI jackets (don't ask how, I "don't remember", but is was legit). They are the classic blue jackets with gold FBI embroidery on the front breast and "FBI Evedence Recovery Unit" on the back. I'm considering keeping one in my car so I can wear it while caching

It'd be interesting to see what type of questions i'd get then

 

Shannon

VegasCacheHounds

Man, I hope you're joking. You're going to get into real trouble.

[+The K-C4]

We are very new to geocaching and while browsing the Forum for the first time I thought I'd share our thoughts on this the other day. We were doing an easy find at an Interstate Service Plaza. There weren't too many people around at the time so our approach to the cache was easy. But we wondered want we may have looked like to someone as we approached an out of the way area with some sort of equipment in our hands as we bent down to retrieve the cache. This was the day after the bombings in London. We expected to hear police sirens as we walked away.

[+One of the Texas Vikings]

A while back I happened to snag a couple of official issue FBI jackets (don't ask how, I "don't remember", but is was legit).  They are the classic blue jackets with gold FBI embroidery on the front breast and "FBI Evedence Recovery Unit" on the back.  I'm considering keeping one in my car so I can wear it while caching  Shannon

VegasCacheHounds

Now, there's an idea !

However, it is not a GOOD idea !

 

I have worked with the FBI before, they have no sense of humor .

 

So, I guess we are going to have to start taking up a collection

for his bond .....

[+deimos444]

 

So, I guess we are going to have to start taking up a collection

for his bond .....

No, the movie and book rights will take care of that.

As well as a lot of publicity for geocaching.

[+treasure_hunter]

"BUMP" ... Or shall I say dug up? haha

 

I haven't been on here in quite some time. I kind of took a little dead period from the forums, just visiting every now and then.

 

I remembered this old thread, and I used to enjoy reading the posts about "Cover Ups".

 

I figured I would bump this one back to the 1st page and see any new techniques anyone has fashioned.

 

So... What are your techniques to blend yourself in as the muggle's eyes are locked on?

[+jtbrady01]

"BUMP" ... Or shall I say dug up? haha

 

Not joking. This is an old thread. Lately when I've ran into people they have been fellow GeoCachers so it really hasn't been an issue. I have ran into a couple others in the past and I've always felt more about explaining what I was doing than hiding from it (unless I was right on the hide spot). If I'm along a river always looking for worms works.

[+treasure_hunter]

haha...

rangerroad and I usually play off that we are looking at Fauna and Flora life. This always helps when you "photograph" these specimens with your "GPSr-cam". We discuss the rocks, flowers etc. aloud.

 

It usually works pretty good.

[TeamCypherX]

I've been watched a few times, usually walking in or out of the woods when "normal" people would just walk along the path. Living in Upper Peninsula of MI, I'd assume they just thought I was looking for a tree to water.

 

There was one time when I was trying to be a FTF in the middle of the night on Campus. Two public saftey officers pulled up, but instead of looking for me, they sat around the cachemobile looking at all the pretty lights and color screens inside. I guess they were jealous that their university-issused Crown Vic wasn't decked out with fancy electronics.

 

I also had one experience when a person was hanging out along a trail nearly on top of a cache that I had pulled to refill and repair. I think they must have seen me put it back because I got a message a couple days later that it was severly damaged.

 

My best story is when I ran into another cacher at a cache. He had a dog and was just pretending to take a hike with the dog. I was "talking" on my phone while taking pictures of trees with a conservation officer-type vest and pants on. I think we both just sat around the cache site for 15 minutes before I wandered close enough to get the garmin "arriving at location" beep and then he asked if I was geocaching. We got a good laugh out of that one.

[+greyhoundlawyer]

I like the orange vest and hardhat idea. I usually say that I lost something.

[+treasure_hunter]

There was one time when I was trying to be a FTF in the middle of the night on Campus. Two public saftey officers pulled up, but instead of looking for me, they sat around the cachemobile looking at all the pretty lights and color screens inside. I guess they were jealous that their university-issused Crown Vic wasn't decked out with fancy electronics.

 

My best story is when I ran into another cacher at a cache. He had a dog and was just pretending to take a hike with the dog. I was "talking" on my phone while taking pictures of trees with a conservation officer-type vest and pants on. I think we both just sat around the cache site for 15 minutes before I wandered close enough to get the garmin "arriving at location" beep and then he asked if I was geocaching. We got a good laugh out of that one.

 

Haha... You are very true about the Crown Vic. Geocachers have more technology in their vehicles than the safety officers will ever have.

 

I have had a similar experience as far as being on the location of the cache along with someone else who was thought to be a "muggle", but later turned out to be some fellow cachers. lol

[+Team Cotati]

I was looking for part II of an urban micro, coords written on the back of a very covered up bulletin board. Another couple asked me, "What are you looking for?" (They were about 5 yards away.)

 

I told them "Numbers!"

 

They were also geocachers!

 

I don't see any reason to lie. If someone asks, I tell them what I am doing.

 

Paul

 

We do the exacgt same thing. Whenever we encounter other geocachers in the field we tell them exactly what we are doing.

[+bumblingbs]

I've never been stopped, which I attribute to being a middle-aged female. People never suspect anyone who looks like their mother.

 

So, dress in drag and wear a gray wig and you're safe <g>

 

Oh, I can better that. I bring my 81 year old mother, who looks like an angel and volunteers for the police department in her spare time. When I'm with her, we can do parking lot caches easily, nobody is going to mess with her.

 

Well, there was one time, though, where were at a cache hidden under a platform by the road, and she was on her knees, looking, and somebody in a car ALMOST stopped, probably because they thought I'd mugged her.

[+bumblingbs]

Oh, no I have to confess. I usually just tell the truth, or, treasure hunt / scavenger hunt works, because people "get" that, and you're not stuck with a long explanation. But one time, just for the fun of it, I made up some wildly named plant that I was looking for, to determine the biodiversity ratio and toxicity, and they sure left quickly. I was awfully proud of myself.

[+treasure_hunter]

But one time, just for the fun of it, I made up some wildly named plant that I was looking for, to determine the biodiversity ratio and toxicity, and they sure left quickly. I was awfully proud of myself.

 

Good one!

 

I have found that when you tell someone you are doing a scavenger hunt, they seem to pay less attention. Now if I say "treasure_hunt", they begin to watch carefully so they might be able to locate the treasure after I'm gone.

[+Team LaLonde]

The last time we ran into someone on a trail we had a cache in hand that we were going to hide. It was clearly marked with a MIGO sticker. The hiker observed it and asked if we were 'the ones that hid the geocache at Rocking Chair Lakes'. As it turns out, this particular hiker uses gc.com to scout hiking trips and has found that cachers know all the best trails!

[+imajeep]

Lemme see--"I lost a contact lens", "I lost my car keys here yesterday", "I'm checking for a North Korean Tree Beetle infestation".

 

Someone once asked me what the GPSr was. I told them it was a car key locater. If you have a door-locking key fob, it can locate your car keys within twenty feet by homing in on the signal that the key fob uses to lock your doors. "They sell 'em on eBay. I bought one because I am constantly losing my car keys." Did it with a perfectly straight face. Person gave me a very funny look and walked away, scratching their head.

Edited August 20, 2007 by imajeep

[+AlistairMacilherron]

I am on the fire department in my area. When I go out caching I usually wear one of my fire shirts and carry a clip board. When people ask me what I am doing I just tell them, "I'm looking at the area for defensible space, checking fuel lodes in certain areas and checking fuel moistures. Also I am scouting out areas, if there is a fire, to park our engine." If I am in a neighbor hood I tell the people that we are mapping the exact location of the hydrants so when we get our new map books they will be in the correct positions.

 

Now I don't have problems with cops because I work with all of them and know all of them. They also see the fire sticker on the back of my car and wave.

 

If I am down on my knees looking for something in a park or somewhere where I cant have a fire related issue I tell them that I lost a bet and had to look for something that someone hid and I have a x amount of time to do it.

[+hndlbr]

I took a picture of a Policeman confronting me on "Jewelrs row" in Philadelphia and won the "Tut" photo contest.

[+Rattlebars]

I have a set of what this fellow is wearing in the truck at all times. Vest ($5), Hard Had ($5) and Clipboard or notebook all from Harbor Freight.

 

[+Scare Force One]

I cache at night so to minimize being spoted. When I have been spoted I simply explain what im doing and what the game is about. I have gotten at least 2 people into the game by doing this.

 

~.~Scare Force One

[+VirginiaGator]

People seem to have no problem approaching a mom and son to ask what we're doing. It happens way too often.

 

Searching boulders and rocks along a beach, a lady came out of her house, approached me, and asked what we were doing. Sheesh. LOL! I had a print out in my hand so showed it to her and explained Geocaching. She seemed okay with it. I also mentioned to her that she must see quite a few people looking in the area. She said yes. Before searching for this one, several people had mentioned in the logs that there was a lady that sits on her porch and watches. Lucky us! We get asked!

 

Searching a telephone outside a convenience store for stage one of a multi, a guy in a car asks what we're doing. I told him we're on a scavenger hunt. He wanted to know if he could help! No thanks!

 

Those were two of my favorites.

[+VirginiaGator]

Another great one that we actually slipped out of...At a park with a few kids there and moms. We were searching a fence right along a house looking for a nano. Glad to find it! I can't remember if I went across the path and looked at another portion of a fence or not just to hopefully throw off any lookers. Sat on a bench, signed the log, and replaced it. Good, it appeared no one saw us. As we were leaving a lady was walking up the sidewalk and asked me if I was a fence inspector! I didn't really have a chance to say anything before she said she saw a man the day before who was searching the fence, but only one side (where the cache is.) LOL! I somehow left without giving an explanation. Even darling son had a chuckle out of that one.

[+barbershop2010]

I was once looking for a cache and thought no one was around until I heard... "It's not there!", I looked around, didn't see anyone and continued what I was doing, then I again heard, "It's not there!". Someone came out on their balcony, I was on the pier, not far away. We had a discussion about the cache being missing, and I had to break the news to them that it was still there and I just finished signing the log!! Apparently, they (non-cacher) get a kick out of watching people look for the cache. Usually I just tell the truth in what I'm doing, since I'm not very good at making things up.

Edited December 5, 2014 by barbershop2010

[4wheelin_fool]

I start drooling and pee my pants and pour a little beef vegetable soup on my shirt and they leave me alone.

 

Okay, now I remember reading this thread 9 years ago. Still have to try that.