by Roan Kishpaugh

Created on: May 19, 2010

Geocaching is the sport of using coordinates posted on the geocaching.com website to search for a hidden container with a GPS, finding it, signing the logbook inside, trading trinkets, then re-hiding it for the next person to search for. Geocaching is now celebrating its ten year anniversary with millions of geocaches placed around the world.

Geocache containers may be placed in both rural and urban environments and may be as large as a 5-gallon bucket or as tiny as one’s fingernail. One of the most common containers is the “ammo can”, a military ammunition box made of metal with a waterproof latching lid. These ammo cans are very popular because they are durable and can go for years as a geocache and not require any maintenance. Unfortunately, because of their rectangular shape and large size, they can really stick out as an unnatural sight in the middle of the woods. Proper camouflage is important so that non-geocachers don’t accidentally find the container and disturb it.

Natural camouflage is common, piling sticks and branches on top of the can, hiding it among a pile of rocks, or sticking it inside a fallen hollow tree. But geocachers can be artistic and are always looking for more creative ways to hide an ammo can in the woods. The following are a few suggestions on creative camouflage.

Place the ammo can where no one would expect to look for it. Most geocachers look on the ground or up to about six or seven feet. Hang it up high in a tree with a rope that the geocacher has to use to lower it down with. Dig a hole and place it below ground level, but, in keeping within geocaching rules, don’t bury it, place over the hole a flat board with leaves and grasses glued to it. Hollow out a large old log and cut a slot in the side to slide the ammo can inside. Roll the log over so the ammo can side is down and not visible. Craft an irregularly-shaped box to cover the can and glue sticks and leaves to the box. Place the can on the ground and set the box over it. Make the ammo can look like a big rock. Coat the outside with insulating foam then spray paint it with different shades of gray and brown with a touch of mossy green added in, depending on the habitat of the ammo can’s future hiding place.

There are many ways to hide an ammo can in the woods. Just look around and see what nature has provided for covering materials or see what objects you can mimic to modify the can itself.

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