Geocaching survey

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TermiteHunter
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Re: Geocaching survey

Post by TermiteHunter » 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.

Mr.Yuck
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Re: Geocaching survey

Post by Mr.Yuck » Sat Dec 03, 2016 10:35 am

I finally took the survey. I see fesphd17 did eventually get permission to post it at the Groundspeak forums. And boy, did she get raked over the coals!! I will say though, I brought up the fact she got raked over the coals at a private Geocaching forum I frequent, and a couple people there proceeded to criticize the survey! :D I guess I can't throw stones, I was one of the guys on Reddit who offered up an opinion on Charter members (that requires paying $30 every single year with out fail since 2002/2003, and there are said to be only a couple hundred left in the whole world).

P.S. Manny, your comment "Glad to see your survey posted here on the official geocaching site." on the big Green forums did not go unnoticed. Why can't you just spread our love, man? :mrgreen:
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KnowsOpie
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Re: Geocaching survey

Post by KnowsOpie » Sat Dec 03, 2016 1:28 pm

Mr.Yuck wrote: P.S. Manny, your comment "Glad to see your survey posted here on the official geocaching site." on the big Green forums did not go unnoticed. Why can't you just spread our love, man? :mrgreen:

Dude, I already have been warned about saying nice things about OCNA in Groundspeak's forums. :D You know they ban people for silly assed reasons. ;)

Seriously, their forums have really gotten bad in the last few years. They used to be fun. The Waymarking site forums is nothing but whine and moan anymore.

I never took more a glance at Reddit, other than the Jeep forums.


As for the survey.... nothing is better than the experience of cache ownership to prove geocachers will tear stuff up to find a cache. It's on the cache hiders end to make sure GZ will not be impacted because there is a geocache there.

All being said, I agree with land managers and a written geocaching policy, which most State Parks and National Forest properties already have in place.
Nutty as a Squirrel Turd

fesphd17
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Re: Geocaching survey

Post by fesphd17 » Mon Dec 12, 2016 7:44 pm

Hi All,

Thanks for the feedback.I figured the comments on the GC forums would be very close to what they were and they would make a great psychology study. I'll save them :)

Everyone has an opinion I guess. I am fine with them being stated. Some I even find amusing. Everyone plays the game a bit differently. I have a friends who tears her hair out on occasion because I don't log my finds much anymore and she knows I find them when I am with her. She IS one of those "all about the numbers" people and I find it amusing that she gets so stressed about me NOT logging.

Anyway, thanks for all the answers and for sharing.

dianna

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