Post by TermiteHunter on Jul 5, 2021 22:10:12 GMT -5
By now you should know how.
I had a message from a new cacher and my response made me think about how I find caches.
I have been doing it awhile now and and eventually you develope a sense for it.
What to look for and how to go about it.
Rule 1: Determine that you are in the right place.
I use the map function to view my location vs the cache location. Look online at the map. get an idea of where you should be and go there.
Look for landmarks for orientation. The GPS will jump around at times. You are 1' away then suddenly 30' so you cannot rely on it in all cases.
Rule 2: Look for something out of place or not quite right. A pile of sticks, a lone log, a piece of the environment that should not be there, a common piece of the environment that should be there but could be a container.
Rule 3: Touch everything. Use some common sense here and don't grab the apparent electrical wire or open the electrical box before more investigation but touch what you can. If it moves, it probably shouldn't and that is likely the cache. A well hidden urban cache might need to be touched to see if it is what it portends to be or is instead the cache.
Rule 4: Where would I hide it? Look at those places that make sense as to where you might hide one given where you are.
Rule 5: Read the discription and title. There are often clues in those words that will make sense when you are on site and eventually find the cache. Use them to get ideas what to look for.
Rule 6: Read the logs. Hints for what to look for may be in anothers log, maybe better coordinates. Sometimes they tell you exactly what it is (I hate that, don't be that guy)
Rule 7: Still can't find it? Read the hint if provided. It might help and usually does. Again sometimes it tells you exactly where to look (don't add those hints to your cache hide)
Rule 8: Come back another day and try again. the time between visits or finding other caches usually give you some ideas of what to try next.
Rule 9: Call for help. My least favorite but you can always ask the Cache Owner for another hint or call a previous finder for help (we have a phone -a- friend section for member that want to participate)
This varies depending on the type and location of your target cache.
Generally I go to the site, verify I am in the right area, use the name and discription to start looking. I look for anything out of place or too in place. Touch stuff that looks like it belongs to verify it is what it may be pretending to be.
It's mostlly visual and you will develop a skill of noting things that are just not quite right. If I don't see it I touch what is safe to touch. I avoid opening things that should not be opened (most hiders will do the same). Don't forget to look up, they are not all under a pile of sticks at the base of a tree. If I haven't found it yet I read and re-read the logs and discription. I will resort to the hint if I have devoted some time to it. Don't read the hint too early it most often spoils it.
I usually give it at least a couple tries before I give up for an extended period of time before attempting again.
I had a message from a new cacher and my response made me think about how I find caches.
I have been doing it awhile now and and eventually you develope a sense for it.
What to look for and how to go about it.
Rule 1: Determine that you are in the right place.
I use the map function to view my location vs the cache location. Look online at the map. get an idea of where you should be and go there.
Look for landmarks for orientation. The GPS will jump around at times. You are 1' away then suddenly 30' so you cannot rely on it in all cases.
Rule 2: Look for something out of place or not quite right. A pile of sticks, a lone log, a piece of the environment that should not be there, a common piece of the environment that should be there but could be a container.
Rule 3: Touch everything. Use some common sense here and don't grab the apparent electrical wire or open the electrical box before more investigation but touch what you can. If it moves, it probably shouldn't and that is likely the cache. A well hidden urban cache might need to be touched to see if it is what it portends to be or is instead the cache.
Rule 4: Where would I hide it? Look at those places that make sense as to where you might hide one given where you are.
Rule 5: Read the discription and title. There are often clues in those words that will make sense when you are on site and eventually find the cache. Use them to get ideas what to look for.
Rule 6: Read the logs. Hints for what to look for may be in anothers log, maybe better coordinates. Sometimes they tell you exactly what it is (I hate that, don't be that guy)
Rule 7: Still can't find it? Read the hint if provided. It might help and usually does. Again sometimes it tells you exactly where to look (don't add those hints to your cache hide)
Rule 8: Come back another day and try again. the time between visits or finding other caches usually give you some ideas of what to try next.
Rule 9: Call for help. My least favorite but you can always ask the Cache Owner for another hint or call a previous finder for help (we have a phone -a- friend section for member that want to participate)
This varies depending on the type and location of your target cache.
Generally I go to the site, verify I am in the right area, use the name and discription to start looking. I look for anything out of place or too in place. Touch stuff that looks like it belongs to verify it is what it may be pretending to be.
It's mostlly visual and you will develop a skill of noting things that are just not quite right. If I don't see it I touch what is safe to touch. I avoid opening things that should not be opened (most hiders will do the same). Don't forget to look up, they are not all under a pile of sticks at the base of a tree. If I haven't found it yet I read and re-read the logs and discription. I will resort to the hint if I have devoted some time to it. Don't read the hint too early it most often spoils it.
I usually give it at least a couple tries before I give up for an extended period of time before attempting again.