Hi threestorms,

I've been an avid geocacher for the last 5-6 years, so the idea of placing a bug-out cache was one that I welcomed wholeheartedly.

As recently as three weeks ago, I set up my third bug-out cache. I've placed three caches in areas that are on my run/bike home from work. My rules for myself (ethical/legal/practical) are - no firearms/ammunition, no blades over 4 inches, a label on front in case it is found by accident (I can explain this further... geocachers will know what I'm talking about), and lastly, no storing anything toxic that can get mixed up with the food/water in case anything leeches, leaks or spills.

Contents are placed in clean food-grade 2 kg tubs that used to contain whey protein powder and sealed with teflon tape in the threads, duct tape all around the lid:

- small folding knife (MEC has $15 Leatherman ones, so I bought a whole bunch)
- two triple-ziplocked bag of white rice (approx. 7000 calories, can eat raw if done slowly or after soaking, 25-30 years shelf life)
- small first-aid kit (gauze, bandages, scissors, duct tape, antiseptic swabs, needle/thread, tylenol)
- 1L stainless steel water bottle (rated for boiling by placing directly on fire, too) with water
- water purification tablets good for 80L
- matches sealed in watertight container
- small hand-cranked LED flashlight
- reflective emergency tarp
- 50 ft paracord

I think I'm missing a thing or two, but you get the idea. 🙂

I buried mine only about 4 inches deep, halfway up the steep slopes along jogging/cycling paths. I emphasized the "up" because I had a cache that ended up underwater last spring when I buried it halfway down a slope that led to the river last year. The contents were dry, but it would have been impossible to find or access, not to mention the fact that sediment buried it another 4-6 inches.

Anyway, this time of year is great for setting out caches, because 1 - the ground is not 100% frozen yet, 2 - it gets dark earlier, which makes it easier to be inconspicuous, and lastly, there are less people out on the pathways. You just have to make sure you don't leave too many tracks in the snow/mud.

Thanks for the intel.

Do you not worry about errosion? And it being that close to the surface?

cheers
3

Caches are a great idea in my books
Conciderations are:
1 container I like 5 gallon buckets sealed with silicone and tuck tape also painted cam just in case
2 location close to where I need them I like a copse of trees ,a bit harder to dig but easier for cam and less people walkin around them
3 I am presently changeing out some canned goods I had for dried and freeze dried
4 weight must be easily moved by 1 person
5 non repetitve items My caches are to last a couple weeks and used in case someone gets my main stash they aren,t getting like two years of preps
only a couple weeks, I figure if I get bumped from home I can afford to loose what is there, same with caches if found only small amounts lost
I think thats all ?

I haven't done it but I'm told the easiest way is to rent a post hole digger. Get a plastic pipe that just fits in the hole. Glue a cap on one end and a threaded cap on the top. Your cache goes in a slightly smaller diameter tube that sits inside the bigger tube. Maybe a 10" post hole, 10" pipe and 8" inner pipe - as long as there's room for the fittings to slide in.
You don't have to dig nearly as much to get it in or out, just down a foot or so till you can unscrew the cap and slide the smaller tube out.
I suppose it would be a good idea to put a few inches of gravel at the bottom of the hole so your glued cap isn't sitting in water.

You would have to do some searching for available sizes but solvent weld schedule 40 PVC water pipe is used for irrigation everywhere and is cheap and easy to work with.

Just a question and maybe advise .In central ,special northern Ont.we can get 3, 4 or 5feet of snow .Mark the area to the point or may use GPS. If we do not get early snow the ground freezes easily 4 to 5 feet.Very hard to dig.
henry

Here's an idea about finding your cache...
Pick a tree...any tree.
Carve something inconspicuous in it like this:

S + E
4EVR
+3

This would mean that your cache is 7 meters (4 + 3) South East of the tree
These markings are found all over the world on trees, rocks, etc. so people can look right at them and not know what it really means and just figure 2 love struck teenagers put it there.

You might also use the good old NW was here 1989 where the year is actually a code for distance from tree, rock etc.

Denob has a good idea about marking trees for location. I run/bike past all of my locations, so I'm fairly familiar with it, and I do keep a map at home for my family.

Thanks for the intel.

Do you not worry about errosion? And it being that close to the surface?

cheers
3

Not particularly. Mind you, I do regular maintenance every 6 months to ensure that there's no tampering, and nothing like the flooding I experienced with the first batch near the riverbanks. If you don't seal it properly, and if you don't clean the jug with isopropyl alcohol before you hide it, it could attract wildlife that smell any food residue you had on your hands when you were filling it.

1 container I like 5 gallon buckets sealed with silicone and tuck tape also painted cam just in case
2 location close to where I need them I like a copse of trees ,a bit harder to dig but easier for cam and less people walkin around them
3 I am presently changeing out some canned goods I had for dried and freeze dried
4 weight must be easily moved by 1 person

Very good points too.

1. Here's some camouflage tape... I have several rolls of a similar kind.
2. Near landmarks and shelter are good ideas.
3. The longer the shelf life, the better.
4. My BOB has a strap and a carabiner specifically so that I can pass for one of my caches on my way out of the city if need be.

Just a reminder to those new to caching. Take a small tarp with you. As you are digging your hole place the removed earth on the tarp. When you have placed your cache and filled in the hole discretely scatter any remaining soil in such a way as to make it difficult to see that digging has taken place. Using a tarp makes site clean up easier and less likely that evidence of digging has taken place.
Arkbuilder

lots of good information

thanks all