Being a better hider begins long before a lucky adventurer claims a FTF (First to Find) on your brand new geocache. It even begins before you submit your freshly hidden geocache for review. Some geocachers are already experts at hiding great caches. For the rest of us, here are four quick pointers to be a better hider.
Make sure to get permission from the land owner or manager before placing a geocache, even many public locations require permission. This step will help to offer a great experience to geocachers without them being concerned about looking for the cache at that location, and means you won’t need to worry about the cache being removed.
Geocaching guides treasure-seekers to a precise set of coordinates. The adventure begins there. You should double (even triple) check your coordinates using a dedicated GPS receiver. It’s okay to use smartphones to establish coordinates for new geocaches, but a GPS device will be more accurate. Best practice is to check the coordinates on multiple devices.
Do your best to ensure the cache and the log book are weatherproof. A soggy log sheet can dampen the joy of geocaching. See examples of great geocache containers that help keep the log and contents of the cache dry.
Place the geocache in a spot you would like people to visit. Ask yourself, “Would I show my favorite person in the world this geocache?” Is the geocache placed at a scenic overlook? Does it reveal a hidden history? Or is the geocache experience creative? If you answered “yes” to at least one of these questions, you’re on the right rack to placing a great cache. Check out some creative cache ideas and start brainstorming!
You can learn even more by reading 10 Tips for a Tip-Top Geocache Container, getting familiar with the geocaching guidelines, and by getting out there and finding geocaches to spark some inspiration for your own hide!
Share your most memorable geocache find in the comments!