Newbie needing Help

[+K-9 Cachers]

Just bought a Garmin Venture and I'm confused. Question 1) When I find a cache I want to try to find, how do I know where it starts. I know they all have coordinates, but how do I translate that into a location. 2nd question: I tried entering way points in my yard but want to delete them and don't know how. Any advice is appreciated.

[+OzzieSan]

Well it actually starts wherever you are when you decide to seek it. Drop the coordinates to a map program and see the approx location of the cache. Go to that area and hike, bike, climb, run, swim... where your Venture tells you to go.

 

As for deleting waypoints, there is a couple ways to do it. The manual details it pretty good. If you dont have the manual you can get it from the Garmin website.

[+apersson850]

That's right. Follow the arrow, and you'll come to the cache. It also tells you the distance all the time.

 

To delete a single waypoint, do a find for that waypoint, then open the options menu. There you can get rid of it.

 

Anders

[+Criminal]

Many caches give you a starting point. For example: “This cache is in the Dogtoilet Park.” That’s where you start. Go to the park and park in the parking area. Then turn on your GPSr (the lat-long previously loaded) and like the preceding posts, you follow the arrow, SORT OF. If it’s a park with trails, then stay on the trails and try to keep moving in the general direction of the arrow while observing the distance. The “distance to next (or final)” should be decreasing, like a countdown. Eventually you’ll get to a point where the distance suddenly starts counting up, that means you passed it. That’s where experience and technique takes over. Now you’ll be relying less on the GPSr and more on simple search methods. now you can feel comfotable leaving the trail. Go over the hints, think about what you are looking for. If you get stumped, read the notes from previous finders. Some geocachers think this is cheating, I prefer to use it as a last resort because I don’t want to have to log a “not found”. (If one of my caches gets a “not found” I worry like a new mom and go out and check on it)

 

Here’s a technique I have used on caches with multiple intersecting trails. After going around in circles for six or seven hours (exaggeration) I’ll switch over to the map page and see where the cache is located in relation to the “breadcrumb” trails I’ve left. That can help you narrow it down.

 

Some simple, but important things to remember:

1. The GPSr that was used to get the coordinates and the one you’re using to find it are chock full of error. It will only get you in the approximate area.

2. NEVER give up thinking that you need more experience, you don’t. it certainly helps but it is not necessary to find a cache. Just pick out a couple easy ones first. Experience only helps you find it faster.

3. When was the last time it was found? If it’s been only a few days or weeks, don’t waste your time looking around impassably thick growth. Remember the Gilligan’s Island episode where they were trying to find the gorilla; “broken branches – we’re on the right track”.

4. If the target cache is in the forest, it was most likely camouflaged with branches, bark, or leaves. Look for odd concentrations of this sort of material. Same goes for other caches; look for native camo.

5. NEVER NEVER NEVER use Vietnam style “slash and burn” methods to find the cache. If you lift a stump, put it back the way you found it. Same for rocks, branches, and leaves. The next hunter may want the challenge of actually looking for it.

 

I think that was what you were asking anyway. If anyone else has some tips I forgot, please chime in.

 

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

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

[Lyra]

Once you get into the general vicinity of the cache, ignore the arrow and keep an eye on the distance to the target. Your GPSr needs to be in motion to give you the proper arrow point, but doesn't necessarily need to be in motion to tell where you are to give the distance. Keep walking in the direction that decreases your distance.

 

Also, keep an eye on your coordinates in relation to the cache location. Once you've narrowed it down to a general area, walk due north or south until the first set of coordinates is identical to the cache's north location, then walk east or west until they match up. You should be as close as your GPSr is going to get you.

 

If you're under heavy tree cover, pause for a few minutes periodically to let your GPSr get a stronger signal. I've also found that turning mine off and turning it back on and waiting until it gets a lock tends to get me a better read on where I actually am.

 

"Man's ability to weasel out of trouble is what separates us from the animals...except weasels, of course." - Homer Simpson

[LT Gull]

To start with, your Gps is a good one.I have had a Garmin III for years and it is very good. yours is even better. I have found that its best to start looking right on the cache page its self. the map that comes up with the page should get you very close to begine with.( a mile or so,if not closer) If the map shows a park area, and you end up at the edge of a lake, something is wrong.

Look for clues-i.e. footprints,beaten down leaves,brocken branches ect.

Iv been a big game hunter for years and have spent many hours looking for animals that have gone miles before iv found them. You crawl on your hands and knees looking for one leaf out of place or one drop of blood every 50yds or so, usualy in the dark with a flash light w/ bad batteries. Im many cases i would have given an arm and a leg for coordinates that would have gottem even within 100 yds. once you think your close to a cache.Start looking in ever widening circles,always looking for evedance that someone has been thier before. Keep looking,never give up.

Remember, alot of the time. the best part of the hunt is just getting you to a new and interesting area. Thats half the fun.