Unregistered Cache - What Would You Do?

[+PaRacers]

Planned to place a cache all winter by researching the area about local legends and history. Made several trips to the location to get coords and pictures. Then when I went to actually place the container, I found a container already there. It has not been registered on geocaching.com but it looks like its one of a series of micros planned for some event this summer. I just put the container back where it was (laying on open ground) and decided to rethink the whole thing. I suppose I could go ahead and register it first but I know someone will be as disapointed as I am if I do. What would you do, is there some etiquette involved here?

[+dkwolf]

Did the logbook (if there was one) indicate who placed said cache? Could it possibly be listed on one of the (ahem) other sites?

 

One possible scenario is another local cacher is working on a series of micro caches, wants to publish all of them at the same time, and is in the process of working with the local approver to clear up any issues with any of the caches in the series. Maybe an email to your local approver saying something along the lines of "I have been planning on placing a cache at NXX°XX.XXX WXXX°XX.XXX and would like to know if this location would violate the 0.1 mi rule to any existing or proposed caches" Or maybe I'm making a reviewer's life miserable by even suggesting it...

[+Bill & Tammy]

Planned to place a cache all winter by researching the area about local legends and history. Made several trips to the location to get coords and pictures. Then when I went to actually place the container, I found a container already there. It has not been registered on geocaching.com but it looks like its one of a series of micros planned for some event this summer. I just put the container back where it was (laying on open ground) and decided to rethink the whole thing. I suppose I could go ahead and register it first but I know someone will be as disapointed as I am if I do. What would you do, is there some etiquette involved here?

 

I would say: "You snooze you lose". If there is no way to contact the placer of the caches I would go ahead and submit yours. I too actually have some caches placed that I have been to lazy to work out fully so if someone else were to grab that territory, more power to them, and my loss for not being on the ball.

Edited April 25, 2006 by Bill & Tammy

[AZcachemeister]

Yup! S***, or get off the pot!

[+Renegade Knight]

I'd try to figure out of the cache was listed on one of the other sites and failing that maybe look for letterboxing. Failing that and with no way to contact the owner I'd probably hide my cache per normal but far enough away to where finders won't find the other cache on accident and get on with life.

[+mudsneaker]

I'm working on a somewhat complicated night cache and would hate for someone to blow all that work by dropping a regular can and walking away.

Makes me paranoid now that I shouldnt waste time on a well thought out tricky cache.

[+Kit Fox]

I'm working on a somewhat complicated night cache and would hate for someone to blow all that work by dropping a regular can and walking away.

Makes me paranoid now that I shouldnt waste time on a well thought out tricky cache.

 

That should be incentive enough to hurry up and finish your cache.

[+mudsneaker]

Waiting for the fire tacks mainly now. Haven't heard back from my local reviewers yet to confirm there isnt a puzzle final nearby though. That would stop all plans right there. I'm doing the "hurry up and wait" thing at this point.

[Not So Lost Puppies]

You can submit caches before they are ready... thats what the check box about it being in place is for. If you know the locations you want things in, and it would only be minor changes when you are ready, why not submit it now? Then when you get all the details worked out, change the placed date (so it shows up in the new caches listings) and activate it.