Found cache but can't find correct ID or other info?

January 22, 2017

This is my first time posting, but I have a question that I'd like some input on.

I'm relatively new to geocaching and find myself in an odd position.

Last month, I was out geocaching, found all the caches that I was looking for, so it was a great day, and then we found a bonus cache!

After finding and logging a cache in the woods, we were walking back to the trail and found another cache. The one we had been looking for and found was labeled, marked, logged, and hidden by the base of a tree, exactly as expected. The "other" one we found was only about 50 feet away, a big ammo box, not hidden, just sitting on a fallen log, as if someone had set it down and forgotten to pick it up again. We were, of course, curious. The box and contents were in good condition, but the last log in the logbook was over a year ago (we found in December 2016, last log was October 2015). The only ID on the mystery ammo box was an email address (standard "if you find this and need to contact the owner email ....), and on the logbook it said "NCGO Central" but there is no GC code to identify it.

According to my geocaching app, there were not supposed to be any other caches in the area. It seemed to be "lost" and out of place, especially since it was only 50 ft or so from the other cache. So my partner and I decided to collect the box and bring it back and try to figure out where it was supposed to belong.

Then what did I do?

I emailed the contact listed in the box, and it's been a month now with no reply.

I did extensive searching on geocaching.com to try to figure out WHAT this cache was.

I cannot find any cache named NCGO Central

I tried to contact the NCGO (North Carolina Geocacher's Organization) but haven't received any sort of reply from them.

I looked up all the caches hidden by the NCGO and can't find any with "Central" in the name.

I even tried to figure out the usernames of other cachers that had signed the log book to see if I could identify this cache. I have scrolled through thousands of the previous logger's caches and can't find any named NCGO Central.

Ack!

So I now have someone's lost "NCGO Central" ammo box in my living room and I don't know what to do with it!

I wonder if I had a premium membership if I would be able to use the advanced search tools to figure it out, but I only have the basic membership.

Any ideas? I would love to know what I am supposed to do in this situation. Thanks!!!

21.9k · January 22, 2017

Could you please provide the name and/or GC Code of the cache that you were looking for nearby the "surprise bonus" cache?

5.7k · January 22, 2017

So I now have someone's lost "NCGO Central" ammo box in my living room and I don't know what to do with it!

Any ideas? I would love to know what I am supposed to do in this situation. Thanks!!!

I believe that you found one of the NCGO Central's geocaches that is listed on another geocaching site. I'm sure they want it back.

13.7k · January 22, 2017

Maybe someone would know on NCGO's Facebook page?

January 22, 2017

The cache I found it near was: GC51E9B

I don't do facebook, but maybe I should sign up and see if the NCGO has an active facebook group!

7.3k · January 22, 2017

This is my first time posting, but I have a question that I'd like some input on.

I'm relatively new to geocaching and find myself in an odd position.

Last month, I was out geocaching, found all the caches that I was looking for, so it was a great day, and then we found a bonus cache!

After finding and logging a cache in the woods, we were walking back to the trail and found another cache. The one we had been looking for and found was labeled, marked, logged, and hidden by the base of a tree, exactly as expected. The "other" one we found was only about 50 feet away, a big ammo box, not hidden, just sitting on a fallen log, as if someone had set it down and forgotten to pick it up again. We were, of course, curious. The box and contents were in good condition, but the last log in the logbook was over a year ago (we found in December 2016, last log was October 2015). The only ID on the mystery ammo box was an email address (standard "if you find this and need to contact the owner email ....), and on the logbook it said "NCGO Central" but there is no GC code to identify it.

According to my geocaching app, there were not supposed to be any other caches in the area. It seemed to be "lost" and out of place, especially since it was only 50 ft or so from the other cache. So my partner and I decided to collect the box and bring it back and try to figure out where it was supposed to belong.

Then what did I do?

I emailed the contact listed in the box, and it's been a month now with no reply.

I did extensive searching on geocaching.com to try to figure out WHAT this cache was.

I cannot find any cache named NCGO Central

I tried to contact the NCGO (North Carolina Geocacher's Organization) but haven't received any sort of reply from them.

I looked up all the caches hidden by the NCGO and can't find any with "Central" in the name.

I even tried to figure out the usernames of other cachers that had signed the log book to see if I could identify this cache. I have scrolled through thousands of the previous logger's caches and can't find any named NCGO Central.

Ack!

So I now have someone's lost "NCGO Central" ammo box in my living room and I don't know what to do with it!

I wonder if I had a premium membership if I would be able to use the advanced search tools to figure it out, but I only have the basic membership.

Any ideas? I would love to know what I am supposed to do in this situation. Thanks!!!

1.) Put the ammo box back where you found it.

Don't remove cache containers without consent from the cache owner. If you don't know the cache owner, leave the container alone.

2.) See Keystone's post...provide the GC code of the cache where you found this one nearby. Even the coordinates of that cache would help.

3.) Check the finds of the usernames in the log, without worrying about the name of the cache. Providing the last few usernames that signed the log can be a big help.

B.

5.7k · January 22, 2017

The cache I found it near was: GC51E9B

I don't do facebook, but maybe I should sign up and see if the NCGO has an active facebook group!

If I thought I carted off their ammo can geocache I would attempt to contact them, or just put it back where you found it. :anicute:

January 22, 2017

Well I certainly don't want to keep it. I'll happily put it back where we found it and someone else can deal with it.

I was trying to be helpful (it seemed like a good idea at the time?) and get it to where it should be.

Since my first post here today, I did finally get in touch with someone from NCGO (via Facebook page!) and they don't know anything about it either and said it shouldn't be where it was (no known caches in that area other than the one I found that was supposed to be there).

So, the point is, I still don't think it should be where it was, and there doesn't seem to be any record of it, and I have tried every means of contact I can think of and still can't figure it out.

2.4k · January 22, 2017

The cache I found it near was: GC51E9B

I don't do facebook, but maybe I should sign up and see if the NCGO has an active facebook group!

If I thought I carted off their ammo can geocache I would attempt to contact them, or just put it back where you found it.

You'd think they'd monitor the email that was IN THE CACHE CONTAINER. :rolleyes:

EDIT: Just saw the OP's last post. If they don't know, I'd think you've done about all you can do aside from arrange with someone to return the ammo can to a member of the group. Don't beat yourself up about taking the can; live and learn.

Edited January 22, 2017 by TriciaG

21.9k · January 22, 2017

The cache I found it near was: GC51E9B

Never, ever, in the entire history of Geocaching.com, from the year 2000 to the present, has there been an archived cache, unpublished cache, hidden waypoint for a multicache, puzzle cache, letterbox hybrid cache, Wherigo cache or any other type of hidden waypoint, registered on the Geocaching.com website within 450 feet of GC51E9B.

Therefore, the possibility of a listing on an alternative geocaching site seems quite likely. Another theory is that someone found the cache elsewhere and moved it to the spot where you found it. That seems unlikely, as muggles who find ammo boxes tend to move them to a spot called "home." It's doubtful that an animal would have moved an ammo box more than 450 feet. It's North Carolina, not Montana.

2.8k · January 22, 2017

A possibility is the cache owner retrieved their ammo can cache and then went to find GC51E9B. They accidentally left the retrieved ammo can after attempting the nearby cache.

I'd do what a cacher above suggested which is look up some of the names in the logbook and see if there's a common cache they logged.

January 22, 2017

Thanks to those who have responded thus far, I really appreciate your thoughts!

Because it's close to a lakeshore that has been known to flood regularly, sometimes pretty high, my first thought was that it was flooded away from it's original location and washed to shore where it was. But it doesn't look damaged, wet, or dirty as flood debris usually does, and it was SO CLOSE to another cache. Plus the other cache was still in place. So my next theory was that another geocacher was moving it to or from somewhere, stopping to log another cache along the way, and accidentally forgot it. Okay, that does seem unlikely, since most people don't go walking through the woods carrying ammo boxes full of swag, and then forget about it. Stay tuned for the next episode of "The Absentminded Geocacher!"

2.8k · January 22, 2017

These are nearby archived caches that appear to also have been ammo boxes...

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCGMKZ_div-of-forest-resources

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCGQ98_div-of-forest-resources-2

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCK6ZG_jlesf-5-stumped

None of these are newer caches and have been archived for a couple years.

11.6k · January 22, 2017

The box and contents were in good condition, but the last log in the logbook was over a year ago (we found in December 2016, last log was October 2015).

What are the most recent dates and names on the log? Maybe one of those finders remembers finding it.

If you didn't post the story about finding a strange cache near GC51E9B in your Found It log, consider adding the info. If someone just set it down and forgot, they may be checking a couple of likely cache pages sometimes, to see if anyone mentions it. Maybe it washed up somewhere, and was cleaned off and placed there. Accidentally forgotten, or whatever.

Another mystery is that until about 11/2015, cachers said the coords were great. Since then, the coords are off. Strange.

But I've seen many caches that have a completely different inscribed "name" than the listed cache name. In this case, wild guess, "NCGO Central" is the name of the group as a whole.

Edited January 22, 2017 by kunarion

11.6k · January 22, 2017

These are nearby archived caches that appear to also have been ammo boxes...

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCGMKZ_div-of-forest-resources

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCGQ98_div-of-forest-resources-2

https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GCK6ZG_jlesf-5-stumped

None of these are newer caches and have been archived for a couple years.

That's great research! Some of the boxes in that series seem to have been removed by the Forest Service. I can't tell if the boxes were returned to the CO of that series.

Another clue is that GC51E9B was once found surrounded by water, and has some curious logs about the coords being "way off". Is it possible that there was more than one box being logged?

2.8k · January 22, 2017

If the log shows entries in 2015, that would be well after the 3 caches above were archived.

Looking up cacher names in the log should show the cache, assuming it was ever posted here, especially if the log book has dates for some entries.

January 23, 2017

Those are some great ideas. I may go ahead and edit my log for the cache that's in that area, and maybe possibly someone will go back and look at it and say "oh, so that's where I left that ammo box!"

The last entry in the mystery cache is October 2015 (I found it there December 2016). The other nearby cache had several more recent entries, so you'd think if others were in the area, they'd have found and logged both of them since they are so close. The archived caches from Team DEMP (thanks!) were all archived before 2015, so I doubt it could be any of them.

I have tried tracking it down through some of the previous loggers, but when they have thousands of caches logged, and this one over a year ago, that's a lot of entries to wade through! No more time today to work on this mystery, but THANKS again to all those who replied!

2.8k · January 23, 2017

I have tried tracking it down through some of the previous loggers, but when they have thousands of caches logged, and this one over a year ago, that's a lot of entries to wade through! No more time today to work on this mystery, but THANKS again to all those who replied!

You should be able to go to this URL with the cacher's name replacing mine and see all their finds.

https://www.geocaching.com/seek/nearest.aspx?ul=Team%20DEMP

Then you just need to click the links at the bottom of the list to move back a few pages at a time until you see Oct 15, 2015 in the Found By User column. I'd expect the cache you have, if listed on this site, will be crossed out as it is archived. If you want to post the last 2 cachers names/dates in the log, any of us can try and look it up.

11.6k · January 23, 2017

The last entry in the mystery cache is October 2015 (I found it there December 2016). The other nearby cache had several more recent entries, so you'd think if others were in the area, they'd have found and logged both of them since they are so close. The archived caches from Team DEMP (thanks!) were all archived before 2015, so I doubt it could be any of them.

The container may exist in the forest after it's archived. At least a couple of the containers in the area were gathered by forestry workers, so we don't know where those boxes are. Two containers seem to have been pretty close together (one an active cache), and cachers mentioned how far off the coords were on the cache that always had great coords (and which otherwise seems well-maintained by the CO). If the box you found was archived in 2011 and gone from its place, its most recent log should be no later than 2011. Wild guess, people have found and logged both boxes, confusing the two, one archived and likely from somewhere else, yet both boxes physically in the area. Without specifics, I'm just guessing.

Edited January 23, 2017 by kunarion

January 23, 2017

The last entry in the mystery cache is October 2015 (I found it there December 2016). The other nearby cache had several more recent entries, so you'd think if others were in the area, they'd have found and logged both of them since they are so close. The archived caches from Team DEMP (thanks!) were all archived before 2015, so I doubt it could be any of them.

The container may exist in the forest after it's archived. At least a couple of the containers in the area were gathered by forestry workers, so we don't know where those boxes are. Two containers seem to have been pretty close together (one an active cache), and cachers mentioned how far off the coords were on the cache that always had great coords (and which otherwise seems well-maintained by the CO). If the box you found was archived in 2011 and gone from its place, its most recent log should be no later than 2011. Wild guess, people have found and logged both boxes, confusing the two, one archived and likely from somewhere else, yet both boxes physically in the area. Without specifics, I'm just guessing.

I'd have to agree that somebody moved the NCGO cache to the other location and forgot about it and people looking for the cache find that ammo box and assume its the cache you mentioned and signed the logbook. Or its another type of cache (or even a letterbox). Let us know what you find out though.

January 23, 2017

How about the possibility of a throw-down? Could the container that you found and logged have been a throw-down of the ammo can? Did you check with the CO of the cache that you logged - it appears to be a regular size.

Joe

5.7k · January 23, 2017

How about the possibility of a throw-down? Could the container that you found and logged have been a throw-down of the ammo can? Did you check with the CO of the cache that you logged - it appears to be a regular size.

Joe

After actually reading the cache page, I believe you are correct. Seems it has coordinates issues. :anibad:

January 23, 2017

Both would be considered regular size, hiding by different trees, about 50 ft apart.

I did manage to contact the last couple of people to log it, one doesn't remember anything about it (not surprising that one wouldn't remember a cache from over a year ago), and another remembers it but thought it was the other one documented from the area.

Ha ha, I love a good mystery.

There are more caches in that forest I need to find, so I think a return trip is in order. The moldy oldy plastic box that's supposed to be there probably wouldn't mind a nice spiffy ammo box to keep it company.

Someone either left it there on purpose or on accident, and it doesn't seem to have anyplace better to be. So come on out to Jordan Lake (that's in NC!) and find it.

5.7k · January 23, 2017

Both would be considered regular size, hiding by different trees, about 50 ft apart.

I did manage to contact the last couple of people to log it, one doesn't remember anything about it (not surprising that one wouldn't remember a cache from over a year ago), and another remembers it but thought it was the other one documented from the area.

Ha ha, I love a good mystery.

There are more caches in that forest I need to find, so I think a return trip is in order. The moldy oldy plastic box that's supposed to be there probably wouldn't mind a nice spiffy ammo box to keep it company.

Someone either left it there on purpose or on accident, and it doesn't seem to have anyplace better to be. So come on out to Jordan Lake (that's in NC!) and find it.

Sounds like the moldy old plastic box was a throwdown, you found the actual geocache and took it home. :anicute:

January 24, 2017

Both would be considered regular size, hiding by different trees, about 50 ft apart.

I did manage to contact the last couple of people to log it, one doesn't remember anything about it (not surprising that one wouldn't remember a cache from over a year ago), and another remembers it but thought it was the other one documented from the area.

Ha ha, I love a good mystery.

There are more caches in that forest I need to find, so I think a return trip is in order. The moldy oldy plastic box that's supposed to be there probably wouldn't mind a nice spiffy ammo box to keep it company.

Someone either left it there on purpose or on accident, and it doesn't seem to have anyplace better to be. So come on out to Jordan Lake (that's in NC!) and find it.

Sounds like the moldy old plastic box was a throwdown, you found the actual geocache and took it home.

Maybe, but that doesn't explain why none of the names in the ammo box log match the names logged on the other cache's web log.

14k · January 24, 2017

These are nearby archived caches that appear to also have been ammo boxes...

https://www.geocachi...orest-resources

https://www.geocachi...est-resources-2

https://www.geocachi...jlesf-5-stumped

None of these are newer caches and have been archived for a couple years.

That's great research! Some of the boxes in that series seem to have been removed by the Forest Service. I can't tell if the boxes were returned to the CO of that series.

Another clue is that GC51E9B was once found surrounded by water, and has some curious logs about the coords being "way off". Is it possible that there was more than one box being logged?

Here's one in the general area owned by ncbisquit that was a regular cache that went missing in 2015: https://www.geocachi...ging-stumpwater

Checkout some of the latest found it logs to see if they match up with what you saw in the log book.

Edited January 24, 2017 by NYPaddleCacher

5.7k · January 24, 2017

Both would be considered regular size, hiding by different trees, about 50 ft apart.

I did manage to contact the last couple of people to log it, one doesn't remember anything about it (not surprising that one wouldn't remember a cache from over a year ago), and another remembers it but thought it was the other one documented from the area.

Ha ha, I love a good mystery.

There are more caches in that forest I need to find, so I think a return trip is in order. The moldy oldy plastic box that's supposed to be there probably wouldn't mind a nice spiffy ammo box to keep it company.

Someone either left it there on purpose or on accident, and it doesn't seem to have anyplace better to be. So come on out to Jordan Lake (that's in NC!) and find it.

Sounds like the moldy old plastic box was a throwdown, you found the actual geocache and took it home.

Maybe, but that doesn't explain why none of the names in the ammo box log match the names logged on the other cache's web log.

Then it may very well be other players that are active there in the park from another geocache listing service. How many names were on the log in the ammo can?

Have you contacted the CO of the cache you think you found and asked? Seems too simple, but that is where I would have started. And yes, I hate it when my ammo can geocaches go missing for whatever reason, and if it were mine I would want it back.

January 24, 2017

Both would be considered regular size, hiding by different trees, about 50 ft apart.

I did manage to contact the last couple of people to log it, one doesn't remember anything about it (not surprising that one wouldn't remember a cache from over a year ago), and another remembers it but thought it was the other one documented from the area.

Ha ha, I love a good mystery.

There are more caches in that forest I need to find, so I think a return trip is in order. The moldy oldy plastic box that's supposed to be there probably wouldn't mind a nice spiffy ammo box to keep it company.

Someone either left it there on purpose or on accident, and it doesn't seem to have anyplace better to be. So come on out to Jordan Lake (that's in NC!) and find it.

Sounds like the moldy old plastic box was a throwdown, you found the actual geocache and took it home.

Maybe, but that doesn't explain why none of the names in the ammo box log match the names logged on the other cache's web log.

Then it may very well be other players that are active there in the park from another geocache listing service. How many names were on the log in the ammo can?

Have you contacted the CO of the cache you think you found and asked? Seems too simple, but that is where I would have started. And yes, I hate it when my ammo can geocaches go missing for whatever reason, and if it were mine I would want it back.

The very first thing I did was email the cache owner - no response. And yes, I would think that if I stuck my email addy in a geocache, I would check it once in a while, and definitely reply if someone told me they had carried off my cache.

January 24, 2017

These are nearby archived caches that appear to also have been ammo boxes...

https://www.geocachi...orest-resources

https://www.geocachi...est-resources-2

https://www.geocachi...jlesf-5-stumped

None of these are newer caches and have been archived for a couple years.

That's great research! Some of the boxes in that series seem to have been removed by the Forest Service. I can't tell if the boxes were returned to the CO of that series.

Another clue is that GC51E9B was once found surrounded by water, and has some curious logs about the coords being "way off". Is it possible that there was more than one box being logged?

Here's one in the general area owned by ncbisquit that was a regular cache that went missing in 2015: https://www.geocachi...ging-stumpwater

Checkout some of the latest found it logs to see if they match up with what you saw in the log book.

Great idea, wrong lake.

January 24, 2017

Okay, under advice from all the fine folks here at geocaching.com, we went out to Jordan Lake today to return the cache to where we found it and someone else can wonder about its mysterious origins.

The lake level is up, we have had a little bit of rain lately, not much but enough to make the water level rise. And guess what?!? The place where we found the cache is under water! And I know that in the last year since the last log, the lake has risen a LOT higher than it currently is. Actually, seeing it now, it's very easy to imagine that it could have floated there from somewhere else around the lake (it's a HUGE reservoir lake with a TON of geocaches around it), and pumped up against the mass of fallen trees where we had discovered it. And that would also explain why it wasn't really "hidden" by a tree, stump, rock, rootball, etc., in a way that most caches are, just sort of sitting on the ground at the lakeshore.

That's my new theory - cache floated away ...

5.7k · January 24, 2017

That's my new theory - cache floated away ...

If'n the spot where you found it is flooded, I'd say very good chance. Interesting, though. It's a Corps of Engineers lake; there's only so high water levels go before they open the spillway. Presumably this one was hidden at a much lower lake level. Either way, this is why tethering caches is a good idea when hidden near water.

Hopefully you held onto it rather than floating it out there. :anibad:

January 24, 2017

That's my new theory - cache floated away ...

If'n the spot where you found it is flooded, I'd say very good chance. Interesting, though. It's a Corps of Engineers lake; there's only so high water levels go before they open the spillway. Presumably this one was hidden at a much lower lake level. Either way, this is why tethering caches is a good idea when hidden near water.

Hopefully you held onto it rather than floating it out there.

Yep, we thought about throwing it out in the water to see if it really does float.... but we didn't. The lake levels regularly go up and down, and yes, it you're going to have your cache in a flood plain, make sure the container is waterproof and tied to the nearest solid object

Found cache but can't find correct ID or other info?

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