Hints Not On The Cache Page

[+sbukosky]

Did you ever fail to find a cache or waypoint and wonder why other people are finding it only to find out that they are calling or emailing the cache owner for hints? Wouldn't you think the cache owner would have the decency to add a hint to the cache page or clarify the hint? I find that as the price of gasoline rises and my free time dwindles, DNF's are becoming a bit more frustrating and upseting.

[nobby.nobbs]

double edged sword. i prefer a little clue in the hint just to give a little help if i need it.

i'll ask for a better clue sometimes but only after a dnf and if i'm totally baffled. if the hint was too specific then you'd have no challenge.

but at end of day it's down to how you want to play the game and how the cache owner wants to run their cache.

no easy solution, some one will find a cache easy and another person could be totally baffled, do you aim the clue for the baffled or what?

[+briansnat]

Wouldn't you think the cache owner would have the decency to add a hint to the cache page or clarify the hint?

 

No, I would think its up to the owner for the cache to be as difficult, or as easy as he wants it to be and if he thinks hints will make it too easy its his right to leave them out.

 

Nowhere is it written that a cache has to be found on the first try.

[CoyoteRed]

Nowhere is it written that a cache has to be found on the first try.

Nowhere is it written that a cache has to be found at all.

[+TotemLake]

... DNF's are becoming a bit more frustrating and upseting.

Perhaps you're getting too serious when you begin to stop having fun.

[+Renegade Knight]

Funny thing you bring this up. The other day I was talking to a local cacher who seems to be very good at skunking me.

 

She mentioned that I'm about the only one who never calls her for hints. Go figure. Until then I didn't know people where doing it.

Edited February 20, 2005 by Renegade Knight

[+sbukosky]

Think it through. Those associated with geocaching.com want acceptance and approval by land managers. How approving are they when they see an area trampled down, bark pulled from trees, logs and stumps and other things upset and contrary to the leave no trace concept?

 

Lakes are managed so fishermen can catch fish. Game is managed so hunters can get their bag. How will land managers like it if they find out that the cache on their land is there only to be as difficult as possible for visitors to find? I don’t think it would be welcomed.

[+sbukosky]

Wouldn't you think the cache owner would have the decency to add a hint to the cache page or clarify the hint?

 

No, I would think its up to the owner for the cache to be as difficult, or as easy as he wants it to be and if he thinks hints will make it too easy its his right to leave them out.

 

Nowhere is it written that a cache has to be found on the first try.

You miss the point. I'm not talking about * and * type of caches. I'm talking about hints when it becomes apparent that they are needed. People phoning and messaging the owner for help. Not giving the help on the cache page for all to get the benefit of is akin to enabling a friend to always be the first to find.

[+Team Tecmage]

There were a couple of caches that stumped us, and we found that some people that were finding it were getting hints. I guess that doesn't bother me much.

 

There's a local cache we have tried to find three times with no success. I did email the cache owner after our second attempt and the the attempts of at least one other cacher. The owner did not respond with any additional help, which was fine by me. We will find it.

[+Ambrosia]

Think it through. Those associated with geocaching.com want acceptance and approval by land managers. How approving are they when they see an area trampled down, bark pulled from trees, logs and stumps and other things upset and contrary to the leave no trace concept?

 

Lakes are managed so fishermen can catch fish. Game is managed so hunters can get their bag. How will land managers like it if they find out that the cache on their land is there only to be as difficult as possible for visitors to find? I don’t think it would be welcomed.

Well in that case, it's not necessarily the fault of the cache hider not giving good hints. Maybe the fault lies with a finder thinking that finding the cache at all costs is more important than preserving the environement around the cache. If I think that I have to go into a landscaped area, for instance, to find a cache, I opt out. That is the choice of the finder.

[+Kit Fox]

I'm talking about hints when it becomes apparent that they are needed. People phoning and messaging the owner for help. Not giving the help on the cache page for all to get the benefit of is akin to enabling a friend to always be the first to find.

 

How do you know people are calling and or emailing the owners for hints? Are they mentioning this in their online logs? Maybe you should be looking for caches that are less difficult.

 

I have had a few DNFs on 1 to 1.5 star caches, and I pride myself in logging DNFs. I tried four times for a 4 star cache that ended up being buried, hence the reason I couldn't find it.

 

If your taking the DNFs and the cost of gas this seriously, it's time to take a break. Remember it's a game!

[+briansnat]

hink it through. Those associated with geocaching.com want acceptance and approval by land managers. How approving are they when they see an area trampled down, bark pulled from trees, logs and stumps and other things upset and contrary to the leave no trace concept?

 

Thats a horse in a different garage. I agree that caches in semi sensitive areas should be fairly easy to findm or should have dead giveaway clues. I do that for my own. But there are many thousands of caches that are out there that are in urban or suburban areas and not every one needs a dead giveaway hint.

[Stony2008]

what is it with people and hints? thread

[Trinity's Crew]

I've emailed a couple of owners when I was stumped. Anyone can attempt to contact an owner if they can't figure something out. It's up to them whether they give additional information. I'm not sure what's wrong with it. Does EVERY cacher who logs a find on these caches get the extra help? Or only a few who couldn't find them after a couple of tries?

 

Edit: Oh this thread is a couple of weeks old. Well, if you're still around a little clarification wouldn't hurt!

Edited March 4, 2005 by Trinity's Crew

[+fishingfools]

Think it through. Those associated with geocaching.com want acceptance and approval by land managers. How approving are they when they see an area trampled down, bark pulled from trees, logs and stumps and other things upset and contrary to the leave no trace concept? QUOTE]

 

it is up to us to tread lghtly. There is no reason to destroy the search zone.

Edited March 4, 2005 by fishingfools

[+TeamK-9]

A while back, I did a cache that involved an interesting puzzle. The puzzle in itself was entirely easy, once you knew what to do with it.

 

The cache offered no hints as to what to do with it.

 

And this was not a cache where I could sit at home for hours puzzling over, the only copy of the puzzle was in an ammo can 45 minutes away.

 

After spending probably an hour and a half staring at the puzzle, I just couldn't think of it.

 

And so I went home and logged a DNF. Later, I emailed the owner and asked if he'd be willing to divulge a small hint. He later emailed me back. "Don't worry K9, take another look at the puzzle, it's as easy as 1,2,3"

 

Once I read that, it immediately hit me what I needed to do. I thought the hint was very helpful, and I liked it.

 

If it had been right on the cache page, I wouldn't have liked it. In fact, I wouldn't hvave liked it at all if I hadn't gotten the hint in exactly that way. It would have just been way too easy...

[+Mr. Snazz]

A question: who are we supposed to be hiding the caches from? Other geocachers, or muggles?

[+Renegade Knight]

A question: who are we supposed to be hiding the caches from? Other geocachers, or muggles?

All the latter, some both.