Post by emt160090 on Nov 29, 2021 17:34:12 GMT
Over the years, I have heard the good and bad of cache hides. Some are well thought out and others seem to have been placed with little or no thought at all. Based on my personal experience and personal hides, I would like to highlight some of the best practices for making a great cache hide as well as some of the common pitfalls that lead to caches getting archived prematurely.
Best Practices:
The big DON'Ts:
A few final thoughts. Don't be afraid to reach out to cachers in your area for specific tips or tricks. If you want to place in a park for example, they may know who to contact or what the local rules are. Many areas have their own local caching community and you will likely be able to find others in your area with local experiences. Your regional reviewers will also be able to answer some questions, but again, don't assume they are familiar with all the specific rules or regulations in your area.
Do you have any more tips, tricks or guides for new cache owners? Is there anything you learned from your own hides (good or bad experiences)? Feel free to share so we can make it easier for new cachers to start and place their own hides.
Best Practices:
- Place a cache in an accessible location - Accessible does not always mean you can just walk up and grab the cache, but mostly means that another cacher can get to it one way or another. Having a cache in a location that is restricted or requires special access may prevent "muggles" from causing issues, but it can also make it very uncomfortable for cachers to access. This can also make a location look suspicious and bring unwanted attention to the hide location. If you need to explain why you are in a location or near a cache, it probably isn't a good place to put a cache.
- Find a good container for the location - Keep in mind if the container will be exposed to water or sun regularly. The weather and elements in your area will have a big impact on the long term condition of the container and log. If it rains a lot, make sure the container can withstand a lot of water. If the cache will be hidden under rocks and potentially crushed, find a stronger container. Taking the time to get a good container is more than just a good camouflage for that location.
- Muggle Friendly? - As strange as it may sound, being friendly for non-cachers can go a long way to keeping a cache safe. If a non-cacher finds the cache, will they know it is a cache? Some containers or locations are mistaken for hazards (bombs, drugs, ect) and result in being removed by police. Ensuring that the container or location won't be mistaken for something hazardous may not always be easy, but taking a minute to think what it looks like to someone less knowledgeable can help keep it safe.
- Permission to hide - This is a big one and can be sometimes a gray area depending on where you live. Is your cache in a location with permission or knowledge of the landowner? If you own the property, this is an easy answer, but if you don't or the land is considered public, it can be hard to know if you have permission unless you ask. Take time to understand the area where you are placing the cache and make sure that the landowner has knowledge of the location if it is private property. Last thing you need is to be accused of trespassing.
The big DON'Ts:
- Trespassing - Never place a cache anywhere you legally can not access. This also includes getting to the location. There is no point putting a cache in an area that requires you or the other cachers to pass through a private property or restricted area without permission. Just because the cache is on approved land doesn't make this the best location. If there are restrictions or concerns about access, make this very clear in the cache description.
- Drop and forget - If you place a cache, assume that you will need to come back regularly to maintain it. "Drop" caches that are not maintained are just branded litter. Caching promotes "CITO" and if your container can be considered trash, it probably should not be placed to begin with. This doesn't mean you can't make "park and grab" or "power trail" cache that is intended to be a low maintenance cache, but if you plan on dropping it and then never touching it again, please don't.
- Assume others will maintain your hide - Similar to the last point, don't assume that other cachers will take on your duties. As the cache owner, you are responsible for the cache, not the the caching community as a whole. Yes, cachers may help you maintain it, but they should not be assumed to be the long term care. Plan on returning if anyone reports issues to care for your own cache.
A few final thoughts. Don't be afraid to reach out to cachers in your area for specific tips or tricks. If you want to place in a park for example, they may know who to contact or what the local rules are. Many areas have their own local caching community and you will likely be able to find others in your area with local experiences. Your regional reviewers will also be able to answer some questions, but again, don't assume they are familiar with all the specific rules or regulations in your area.
Do you have any more tips, tricks or guides for new cache owners? Is there anything you learned from your own hides (good or bad experiences)? Feel free to share so we can make it easier for new cachers to start and place their own hides.