Cache of the Month

[kansas64]

I have noticed that a person can nominate and vote for Cache of the Month without having done that cache. I wonder why we allow this? It seems that if I am nominating or voting on cache of the month I should have done the cache prior to my nomination or vote being placed.
Otherwise it seems more a popularity contest than a contest to highlight the best caches that are out there in Wisconsin.
Is this just me that this bothers?

[Grandma & Grandpa]

Agreed.

This is why I rarely vote for COM – it’s unusual for any caches I’ve done to be on the list. It would be difficult for me to vote for one over another when I’ve never seen any of them.

But some of the COM’s I do keep track of, and hope to someday have an opportunity to look for.

Jim

[Team Black-Cat]

No, it doesn’t bother me. And yes, it pretty much makes it a popularity contest. It would be even if you had to find the cache to nominate or vote for a given cache.
I find it hard to put too much value in COTM. Very few if any cachers have been to more than one or two that are nominated on any give month, so how can they say which is best?

[cheezehead]

Ya, it is a popularity contest. I have nominated a few up North knowing full well that there is no way they will win because there are a only few from Up North that have found them. I nominate them so they make the bookmark list so people who vist the area might read the cache page, see the bookmark and the nomination and might think it’s worth going to find.

[JimandLinda]

We usually only vote for a cache that we have visited. We do look at the logs from nominated caches, and if we are near a cache that is on the slate, we will check it out.
We nominated KVR-HILO in December. It has a small number of finders, but it has been nominated for COTM after each visit! That must mean something.
As far as soliciting votes goes, we are not interested! Let the finders vote for them.
I’m glad there are nominations coming in from NW Wisconsin. It has some of the best caches in the state. Too bad the voting bloc is small!

[kansas64]

I have seen people solicate for both nominations and vote for COTM, which I dont understand. But then again I was going to nominate one for this month and it was permentaly archived last month.
BTW one of my absolute favorite caches is on page 104 of the Delorme (Superior Falls I think), which to me proves a great cache can be anywhere

[labrat_wr]

I do only vote for caches that I have visited and only if I think that they are deserving of the recognition. I agree that it may not be the monthly win for the COTM that is important but the listing in the bookmark as a cache that may be well worth the trip.
As far as soliciting votes, if I nominate one, I may notify the cachers that have done the cache to inform them that the cache has been listed for the COTM but never solicit from those who have not taken the challenge.

Disclaimer : Always answering to a higher power.

[thepharmgirl]

@cheezehead wrote:

I have nominated a few up North … so they make the bookmark list so people who vist the area might read the cache page, see the bookmark and the nomination and might think it’s worth going to find.

I definitely appreciate that. When planning a caching trip, I make a special effort to visit certain caches based on nominations/wins. I think the nomination is just as strong as a win. I figure “this must be an extra special cache.”

@kansas64 wrote:

… It seems more a popularity contest than a contest to highlight the best caches that are out there in Wisconsin.
Is this just me that this bothers?

I used to be slightly bothered by what I perceived to be a “popularity contest” regional trend of voting too, but now I figure if it’s popular, there must be a reason. And although I don’t personally vote for a cache unless I’ve found it, I can understand why some cachers might do that between a list of choices they haven’t found… Perhaps it’s a unique or interesting concept that grabs their attention. Perhaps they like to support creative hides… Or puzzles… Or high terrain challenges… Or high difficulty. Perhaps they like the natural scenery of the area. Perhaps it is merely high on their “to do list” based on the raves of other finders. Perhaps it’s just fun and the logs made them laugh. Everyone has their own opinion about what makes a cache great, and I think it’s that variety that I most enjoy about caching. Sometimes the cache itself isn’t especially spectacular, but the journey and cache log conversations between cachers makes it extra-memorable and extra-fun for a regional group of friends (eg: Catwalk… not a nominee, but I needed an example).

I guess what I’m saying in my long-winded way is that whatever makes a cache extra-special to win the COTM honor is completely subjective because everyone enjoys different caches for different reasons, and everyone is entitled to his/her one vote, so I think it’s fair.

[Mister Greenthumb]

I’ll confess that I nominated Doctor Dolittles Looney Tunes for COTM. I was solicited to do so, but would not have nominated it if it wasn’t deserving. Yes, Ron and I are good friends. Alot of geacachers had a great time solving the puzzle and reminiscing over Saturday morning cartoons. I know that at least one of the needed cartoon answers eluded both me and Martin of the Goldidiggers. We both used our knowledge of the area to determine the likely hiding spot and the final number. Sometimes awards are given out for overall achievements although it is attached to one accomplishment. Anyone from this area will attest to the fact that Ron has some of the best caches in the area. So on that I’ll end and say congratulations Ron, or as Fred would say Yabba Dabba Do!

[Sagasu]

cheezehead wrote:
I have nominated a few up North … so they make the bookmark list so people who visit the area might read the cache page, see the bookmark and the nomination and might think it’s worth going to find.

the pharmgirl replied:
I definitely appreciate that. When planning a caching trip, I make a special effort to visit certain caches based on nominations/wins. I think the nomination is just as strong as a win. I figure “this must be an extra special cache.”

kansas64 wrote:
… It seems more a popularity contest than a contest to highlight the best caches that are out there in Wisconsin.
Is this just me that this bothers?

the pharmgirl replied:
I used to be slightly bothered by what I perceived to be a “popularity contest” regional trend of voting too, but now I figure if it’s popular, there must be a reason. And although I don’t personally vote for a cache unless I’ve found it, I can understand why some cachers might do that between a list of choices they haven’t found…

I pretty much agree with the pharmgirl’s comments here, along with those of others. I will only vote for a cache I’ve done, so my vote reflects my own experience. Some caches nominated in certain months may turn out to be better caches than some I’ve seen win in other months, but, for the most part, caches nominated go on my “to do” list and I have rarely been disappointed when I do get to do them myself. Prior logs and bookmarks like COTM nomination are some of the most reliable ways to size up a choice to go a little out of the way to seek a cache.

[ecorangers]

I would NOT judge a cookie contest if I could not taste the cookie…thus I would NOT vote for a cache if I had NOT found the cache. 🙁 Tami

[zuma]

@ecorangers wrote:

I would NOT judge a cookie contest if I could not taste the cookie…thus I would NOT vote for a cache if I had NOT found the cache. 🙁 Tami

Well said. I agree.

z

[bugsmasher69]

A few months ago a cache was nominated and it was two weeks old and had three finds at the time of nomination and I was wondering at that time how this cache could possible be allowed to be on the voting list. What really irked me was when it went on to win the COTM with more votes then logged finds.

I too only vote on caches I have visited.

And if someone solicits me to vote for their nominated cache that is a sure way that I will not vote for it.

[kansas64]

Suggestion then:
To nominate and to vote on COTM the parties have to have done the cache? BOD what do you think?

[gotta run]

@kansas64 wrote:

Suggestion then:
To nominate and to vote on COTM the parties have to have done the cache? BOD what do you think?

I say keep it as is. Everyone knows it’s either luck of the draw (who’s voting in a particular month) or a popularity contest. And we’re saying this even though one of our caches won, which we appreciate.

However, the usual turnout of voting is, I believe, too small to be really representative of anything. They used to post the number of votes received, and the winner rarely got more than a dozen, unless I remember wrong.

Basically, anything that makes the list is in my opinion “something special” because someone has gone out of the way to nominate it, after being moved to do so by his or her experience. So just having the bookmark list serves the purpose. Getting a COTM is just a little perk but not worth writing major procedure over.

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