Manitoba Geocaching Association

[Tannasaurus]

Does anyone else feel that there is some kind of inborn skill required for this?

Now, I think that I'm getting pretty good at it, but really, how do you do it?  Sometimes, it's like there's a magical perfect solution to the puzzle that you have to get JUST right, or forget it, you're there for ten minutes!   Or, it's like opening one of those joke peanut brittle containers with a exploding snakes in it.  Now I've got a lap full of stuff, and a muggle's on the way! 

I realize that I'm pretty new at this, but out of curiousity, what's the intended end result of the calling cards?  Is the cache owner supposed to take them out after a while, or are they supposed to be a permanent record of who's been there?  And if so, what's the log book for?

[1Queenand4Jokers]

First of all welcome to our game!

Second it is a great idea to remove the container slightly to behind a bush when opening it or into your vehicle (if its a park n' grab) so that you can be discreet if possible. Some cachers do fill up a container a bit much with certain items, usually it isn't the original hider that has done so. The polite thing to do is to remove something large and place it in a more appropriate cache if possible and swap something smaller into it. Or just leave it if you're not a swapper. It is most important that the logbook remain in a ziplock. The rest of the stuff just gets shaken back into place if we decide not to remove anything.

Third calling cards are something some of us leave when we take nothing/leave nothing or we carry them along to place in caches where the logbooks are full. They are free for the taking as far as we are concerned. We collect calling cards from other cachers just for our own interest sake! We like to see the creativity others come up with.

If there are many muggles in the area it is better to try to wait for a better time to try for the cache...Or pretend you've dropped your own package..or pretend to be answering a phone call on your GPS. There are many ways to distract muggles. Most important is that they don't see you remove or replace a cache even if they see you playing with the stuff. Think of how it looks to others. Few people actually see you unless you seem covert.



Good luck - I'm sure other cachers will have more tips for you. Just enjoy!

[Peter and Gloria]

When caches are full, it is best to take large and leave small, if possible. It is very important that the cache container closes properly. Because sometimes you are unable figure out how to get everything back in, you have to take something and leave nothing in order to close the container.

We generally only leave calling cards when we are outside our normal caching area. Some people do like to collect them.

[Tannasaurus]

Geez.  I was trying to make you all laugh!  Nobody else has a funny story to add!??

[TurdleEggs]

I get the joke now! I just did "Minty Cache" and spent a few entertaining minutes in the dark trying to stuff everything back in the cache with little dinosaurs popping out and pins falling in the snow! I think I got it all . . .