+olvegrn Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Hello all! Here is a question that has taken control of my mind for the last few weeks. what do you think the minimum number of finds should be before people start hiding caches? I have seen and done a lot of caches that are super easy to find and in mediocre locations hidden by people with only a few finds. I feel that a person should have a certain amount of finds before hiding a cache just so that a person has more ideas and knows what is out there to be done. My number?....75 to 100 finds. What do you think? Link to comment
+Criminal Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I think there are already too many damnn rules. Nonetheless, common sense should be a requirement, then we wouldn't need any more rules or even the ones we have now. Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 (edited) Though I feel most people would benefit from acquiring some finds before hiding their own cache, I do not believe there should be any minimum, maximum, or other requirements to burden the concept. One of the best things about geocaching is the absence of rules. Edit: Stupid spelling. Edited July 19, 2005 by sept1c_tank Link to comment
+sept1c_tank Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Oh...what he said. Hi Crim! Link to comment
+budd-rdc Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 (edited) How about paying attention to detail, and having an open mind as guidelines for hiding caches? There are enough caches out there to get a general idea on how caches are hidden. Due to differences in cache densities around the country, setting a rule for number of hides doesn't really work. Besides, it's another rule that's unlikely to solve anything. If people are unimaginative, lazy, or careless, they were that way before Geocaching, so this isn't the place to make rules to "fix" the unfixable. Edited July 19, 2005 by budd-rdc Link to comment
+GEO.JOE Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Unfortunately there is no magic number that will make someone good at hiding a cache. I purposely waited to hide my first cache after I had found several caches and then hid it just like I would have hidden it the first day I had my GPS. I have seen some really nice caches placed by new cachers and I have seen some really poor hides by cachers with quite a few finds. Many cachers are going to put out caches due to their enthusiasm for the game. If it is a poor hide the best the community can do is offer suggestions and support to help them know how to make it a better experience for everyone else. However, as I have learned today, not everyone wants advice on their cache. I offered suggestions to make the cache more accessible to more cachers and to be less confusing in hopes to reduce future frustrated searchers. I was informed that the cache was designed to be challenging-to me it seemed intensionally misleading which was the source of my frustration. My found log was deleted for offering suggestions to future searchers and another cacher's not was deleted because she thanked me for notifying her that one of her TBs was in the cache but it was never log out of a cache and into the new cache. We live and learn. eventually the poorly hidden caches will receive enough "blah blah" cache logs that the owner will learn and correct the mistakes or they will loose interest and just disappear. Every hider gets a reputation for the quality of caches, there are caches that I am not excited to hunt because I know it will be another "almost good cache" My nephew does not like going after another cacher's hides because they are all log only caches. These are the ones we do when we are close with nothing else to do. I want to require owners to wear shock collars, therefore, when maintenance is needed we can really get their attention GEO.JOE Link to comment
+briansnat Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Some of the lamest caches I've found were placed by people with hundreds of finds and some of great ones were placed by people with just a few. If a newbie comes along and has grand ideas for caches, why spoil it by exposing him to bunch of guardrail micros? I placed my first cache after only 1 find and the only thing I learned since was that I didn't have to put so much thought into the location, container and contents. Link to comment
+tabulator32 Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 common sense should be a requirement Common sense is not always so common. I agree. I wouldn't want a rule imposed on this. Link to comment
+treasure_hunter Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I think there are already too many damnn rules. Nonetheless, common sense should be a requirement, then we wouldn't need any more rules or even the ones we have now. Amen to that. Link to comment
+wimseyguy Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I once hid a cache at 5:30 AM and it was listed by 7 AM the same day. What's the problem with that? But seriously-Criminal is right-we don't need no more stinkin' rules. Some of the worst hides in this state are put out by one of the most prolific finders. I guess he just doesn't want to get too far from the parking, and minimize the trash he adds to the landfill. Each individual will realize at the proper time for them that they are ready to start hiding some caches. Sometimes they will get better with the next one, sometimes not. Link to comment
+Robespierre Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Some people start caching with lots of help, and are also the type of person who tries to excel. Some people have to stumble along for awhile, and some people won't put much effort into it. It's much more a question of the personality and the "help factor" than it is numbers. We all appreciate the guy who conceals a great cache with cables from tall trees in such a way that only persistance finds it. But not many of us want to do the work that guy did. Link to comment
+beopots Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I say wait till at least 10:30, that's not too early is it? Link to comment
Yankees Win! Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Only in geocaching are the words "prolific" and "indiscriminate" synonymous. Link to comment
+Sonoran Privateers Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 A couple of very good caches I've found were placed people who were brand new to the sport, and yup, you guessed, I've seen crappy cache hides by "experienced" cachers. I'm sure I'm not alone in this observation. Let's face it, there are people who are creative, thoughful, and have the capacity to translate the guidelines into something fun for all. There are people who lack that capacity; no matter how many caches they've found, the one they hide is gonna suck. Link to comment
Kybra Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I don't like this idea, there is only 10 caches within 300km of my location two of which are mine, with this idea it would take some serious travelly for me to get a chance to start putting any in and then there would be no caches in the area for visitors to find. Link to comment
+welch Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 what do you think the minimum number of finds should be before people start hiding caches? I have seen and done a lot of caches that are super easy to find and in mediocre locations hidden by people with only a few finds. I feel that a person should have a certain amount of finds before hiding a cache just so that a person has more ideas and knows what is out there to be done. What do you think? Zero as a requirement. You could try and make people find/read/do a polka dance/etc before hiding caches, but they'll only learn something if they want to. Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 Some of the lamest caches I've found were placed by people with hundreds of finds and some of great ones were placed by people with just a few. If a newbie comes along and has grand ideas for caches, why spoil it by exposing him to bunch of guardrail micros? I placed my first cache after only 1 find and the only thing I learned since was that I didn't have to put so much thought into the location, container and contents. Me too - I agree with everything brian said.... Link to comment
+AtoZ Posted July 19, 2005 Share Posted July 19, 2005 I think there are already too many damnn rules. Nonetheless, common sense should be a requirement, then we wouldn't need any more rules or even the ones we have now. I agree. Also you have to understand GC.com is NOT a regulatory agancy for geocaching. They have some guidelinees that they adhere to but I do not think they should or want to say what you can and can't do as far as when you can hide a cache. You also don't know if a cache is being hidden by a person(s) using an alternate account or by an experianced cacher helping his spouse/children etc.... hid a cache. I have seen experanced cachers make LAME caches so NO you should not rugulate when you can hide a cache. cheers Link to comment
+olvegrn Posted July 19, 2005 Author Share Posted July 19, 2005 wow! This one got popular fast! I have read all the replies and I have to hang my head in shame.... You all have very good points....especially the RULES point. That shut me up real quick! One thing I really hope is that geocaching doesn't get so popular that pirates come back into play....or muggle cachers. Thanks for the help everyone!....you have changed my life.... Link to comment
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