Re: Geocaching survey
Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2016 12:19 am
I have to agree with Bon Echo about the PMO option.
It is sheer numbers that do the damage. While there are a lot of regular members that might be eliminated from the number of cachers that seek a cache, the numbers hounds are almost exclusively PMO's. They tend to be the most active in an attempt to raise that find count. Regular members might be more careless in their approach to finding a cache while a PMO is more likely to take the direct route and be more determined to leave no stone unturned in accomplishing the task of adding one more find to their total. Hence the destruction by both groups.
The numbers game has been my biggest obstacle in getting others to use alternative sites like this one. They already have too much invested in the GC world and don't want to confuse their count with another site. That and the idea that they can't garner the same type of find count on OCNA since there are so many fewer within reach.
Another way to reduce finds on one of your caches is to make it a multi. They generally have far fewer finds due to the fact that they have to find more than just a single container that increases the amount of time required along with the increased chances of failure at any one stage.
True too that few will admit to damaging the area while searching. Maybe they will this time but not the next or there may be extended periods where it is not really an option given the caches attempted such as when finding urban caches in parking lots. How does one qualify that with the answers offered as their find count increases? Most are going to downplay their own impact.
Given BE's qualifications for an active cacher, I am not one. I do it now only occassionally. I have had and still do have a desire for numbers on finds but it is not a primary driving force for me and never really was. It is the most basic gauge of your accomplishments in caching. On GC I have only some 1100 finds in 9 years with just over 100 more here on OCNA. But then when I got involved I was more into creating the in your face hide that only a geocacher would pick up on. Now I spend more time working with the local club making it fun for others and here on OCNA.
It is sheer numbers that do the damage. While there are a lot of regular members that might be eliminated from the number of cachers that seek a cache, the numbers hounds are almost exclusively PMO's. They tend to be the most active in an attempt to raise that find count. Regular members might be more careless in their approach to finding a cache while a PMO is more likely to take the direct route and be more determined to leave no stone unturned in accomplishing the task of adding one more find to their total. Hence the destruction by both groups.
The numbers game has been my biggest obstacle in getting others to use alternative sites like this one. They already have too much invested in the GC world and don't want to confuse their count with another site. That and the idea that they can't garner the same type of find count on OCNA since there are so many fewer within reach.
Another way to reduce finds on one of your caches is to make it a multi. They generally have far fewer finds due to the fact that they have to find more than just a single container that increases the amount of time required along with the increased chances of failure at any one stage.
True too that few will admit to damaging the area while searching. Maybe they will this time but not the next or there may be extended periods where it is not really an option given the caches attempted such as when finding urban caches in parking lots. How does one qualify that with the answers offered as their find count increases? Most are going to downplay their own impact.
Given BE's qualifications for an active cacher, I am not one. I do it now only occassionally. I have had and still do have a desire for numbers on finds but it is not a primary driving force for me and never really was. It is the most basic gauge of your accomplishments in caching. On GC I have only some 1100 finds in 9 years with just over 100 more here on OCNA. But then when I got involved I was more into creating the in your face hide that only a geocacher would pick up on. Now I spend more time working with the local club making it fun for others and here on OCNA.