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@Mister Greenthumb wrote:

We noticed 2 weeks ago when we were at the GNG Event up north the lack of attributes on cache pages. You’ll have to go south to find our caches (over 100 active) and we have had hundreds of logged finds on them since the first snow fell. Our criteria for the snowflake icon is:
snowflake present – if you can’t find it your not a winter cacher
no snowflake – there’s still a good chance you’ll find it.
snowflake crossed out – if you find it you’re a better winter cacher than me

I really like that system!!

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@jerrys dad wrote:

That is a norm when I go to Gander, spending over $50 that is.

I here ya!

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@gotta run wrote:

Interesting way of circumventing the commercial cache prohibition…no, you don’t HAVE to go inside…but ya know you will…

It’s not new and I’ve seen several incarnations of this. Heck I even own one.

For instance, you have the dairy queen cache at last year’s cache bash with the coupons in the cache. The reward for the family on that cache was a bit more than a used golf-ball. We used the coupon alright plus more.

As long as it’s not blatant and you have a choice, it’s really no big deal. If the guidelines do not stop caches in parking lots you will probably always have this whether it’s on the cache page or not.

It would nice to see it as a little reward INSIDE the cache though and not on the cache page. That way the cache is not targeted specifically for getting the “reward” (i.e. a “commercial) and is more a perk of actually caching. Just my 2 cents.

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@Trekkin’ and Birdin’ wrote:

Let’s all go at once, LOL.

Sorta like the big caching group outings only this time it’s a mass shopping trip!! I like it.

(not that I necessarily like shopping being a guy and all, but that’s a store I don’t mind visiting on occasion)

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@jerrys dad wrote:

I was wondering if there is something you would like to see changed or modified about the WGA to make the WGA a better orginization?

For me this is the toughest of the questions posted thus far.

I could be quick to re-post my ideas for improvement that are scattered amongst my posts. I urge all of you to review those other posts for the many ideas I have for improvement of the WGA, many of which I can and will act on as a board member.

But more importantly, What would I like to see changed?

I would like to see the WGA be more proactive in ‘recruiting’ Wisconsin residents to Geocaching and to the WGA. For our members to reach out through education opportunities, regional events, and community outreach volunteer opportunities to help others find out about geocaching. I think our group could get more involved in this and ensure our own success for years to come. Without new geocachers, we cannot even think about new member growth.

I’ve seen how the general public responds to our events and to our geocaching educational classes and the potential is there to grow these things and be extremely successful.

One of our founding goals is to “educates the public at large about geocaching”. I’d like to see this expanded to include introducing the public at large to geocaching and to our group.

Thanks for the question jerrysdad.

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@smashing ground wrote:

i was talking to a fellow cacher and this conversation came up.
he proceeded to tell me when he was visiting his relatives in Detroit,MI he stated that he wanted to go caching and his relatives friend “thats a cop” said he doubts that there will be caches north of where hes staying(do to crime)and sure enough he was right. GC1T5M4 not a really good area north of this cache,nothing within a large circumference north of this cache.

I actually saw this particular fact discussed on the geocaching.com forums along with crime in general similar to how this thread is shaping up.

It’s amazing how there aren’t ANY caches in that area in Detroit. Says a lot.

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There was a drive by shooting in Appleton this morning near my house. The house behind one of my coworker’s was the “target”.

It’s real safe here.

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I’ve just moved this cache up on my priority list!

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I would not be in agreement with an annual WGA event held there but that feeling is not specific to that area. I would not be in agreement with a WGA event held annually in Appleton, WI (where I live) either. I think keeping the events moving around the state is best.

Would I attend? That all depends but I look at all events in Wisconsin and neighboring states and decide if I am going to attend. If it was a WGA event that would weigh in more heavily than if it was not.

I think some local ads (newspaper and other media) would help ALL WGA events. This coming from speaking to people at the campout last year who were new to geocaching and heard about the event through word of mouth. We could get new members specifically from advertising our events locally to the general public.

Thanks for the hypothetical question cheezehead!

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Jim – Great input and post.

As I have mentioned already (and perhaps sparked interest in) I would like our group to take this responsibility seriously.

Whether I am on the board or not, I will be stepping up to organize this year’s “Appleton” CITO event to cleanup our adopted stretch of highway 10. It’s a great fit and a really good next step for our annual spring event.

While the city parks in Appleton ALWAYS need help so does our adopted highway. With it being in close proximity to Appleton, I think we could get the same number of attendees if not more than last year.

We will review the requirements for WGA regional event status and determine if the event should go this route or not. Either way, WGA members will organize a spring cleanup so other WGA members can get out there and do some good for the environment and our community.

Jim has volunteered to assist with this years effort. Thanks Jim! 🙂

It sounds like we just lost focus as a group on this and need to hold up to our end of the bargain.

If anyone else has any input into the event or wants to help out, just send me a PM or email.

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When I read the thread name I thought it was a discussion on an event that thought it was better than the other events.

Now back on topic.. to speak to zuma’s defense (something I don’t do all that often) he was just trying to show that this past year’s WGA events have not all been close to our calculated membership geographic “center” (like they were in the past) which I think has benefited many members out there. Now we just need to spread our wings a bit more…

A regional WGA sponsored event would be a great start.

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@JimandLinda wrote:

(GC182D3) Sagasus Sinister Semantic Search has 30 watchers.

Hey I just solved that one. Any of you 30 watchers planning on doing it soon?

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@jerrys dad wrote:

@thepharmgirl wrote:

@hogrod wrote:

…This is just a social website nothing more, when people make and account and down return its because they have no reason to(nothing of value here) or don’t see the need for the social side of things.

…. for other “anti-social” cachers out there what does the WGA really offer?

The WGA hosts the Lonely Cache Game, which through the helpful spirit of other cachers, helps maintain caches in working order for you to find. It hosts Cache Rescue for to help minimize “geo-junk” out there in the world and lessen our impact on the environment.

The WGA hosts the picnic and campout. They are often present at other events to help educate new cachers about geocaching.

The WGA works with the WI DNR and other park officials to keep geocaching an accepted and allowed practice so that you can cache in our parks.

The WGA website has useful links such as cache hiding guidelines for certain areas. It also contains bookmark lists created by the “social network” to help find caches in a certain area or by a certain type that you may be looking for.

etc etc etc

The above came out of the canidates corners forum.

My question to that would be: If the WGA wasn’t doing these things, how much would it affect most geocachers?

Would there still be events to socialize at? (Thats rhetorical, YES there would be!)

Also how much work has been done by the WGA as a orginization, not members on their own inititive, with the DNR specifically? With what park systems? Was it done recently?

Are we anything but a social network?

Being a member, you are as much a part of this organization as anyone else is.

“The WGA is dedicated to promoting and protecting geocaching within the state of Wisconsin. The WGA organizes geocaching events, works with land owners/managers on geocaching policies, educates the public at large about geocaching, and facilitates communication between WGA members.”

I think the WGA does do all of these things well, either driven by individual members, small groups of members, the board, etc.

WGA members supporting a WGA event, worked with DNR in a state park to get permanent caches placed for ALL geocachers to find. None of these were WGA board members.

WGA members educated the public at the Cache Bash in West Bend introducing new people to the fun.

WGA members work on this website to allow you (and others) to post in the Thread Steelers forum daily to socialize and communicate with others who enjoy geocaching like you.

WGA members hold CITO events to cleanup our parks and trails helping our environment and our relationship with park and city officials.

WGA members volunteered to adopt a highway.

WGA members voluntarily review and approve your new cache listings on geocaching.com.

I would like to pose the question, Does the individual geocacher in the woods hunting a cache all by themselves HAVE to know what members of the WGA do?

Perhaps they just benefit from our organization existing because that cache they just hunted is at a State park, with permission. Perhaps that cacher is looking for a website to network and socialize and does stumble on the WGA banner when the go to log that cache. Perhaps when they log onto our website they find that there are geocaching events around the state and it is something that interests them. They may also learn that the forums provide them a place to find new friends and engage in conversations about geocaching.

I do think the WGA is much more than a social network.

Thanks for your post jerry’s dad.

(Minor edits made)

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First, I am sorry to hear of your… loss 😥 (assuming it was your cache but maybe not..)

While I agree with Brian (Team Black Cat) on “It doesn’t matter what markings are an the container” (based on reading many posts on both our forums and the groundspeak forums), I still think it’s a good idea to put a label on geocaches (if possible) and to write your caching name on the log sheet so you can be contacted if there are issues.

Some people just feel the need to report “suspicious behavior” or a “suspicious container”. In today’s society this is a sure bet. We just have to keep playing and educating land managers, park officials, and officers of the law when encountered. As Brian stated, if it gets reported it will get blown up. That’s what the bomb squad is paid tax payer dollars to do.

If the WGA and/or a specific board member was contacted directly for a response from the media, one should be readily available to give. This “could” happen if the exploded cache page has our banner on it.

The presence of our forums and the ability for cachers to openly communicate and “compare notes” on events like this and what may have been the cause and effect for the situation is our group’s best offering for addressing this.

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