Maybe the issue isn't just that it's against the rules. One also needs to use common sense. I'm not passing judgement as I have not visited that particular cemetery. But speaking broadly, that seems like an unusually high concentration of boxes in a spot that one would expect a little reverence be paid.

I have no problem with cemetery boxes in general but, again, use common sense. Here's part of the clues to one of the last cemetery boxes we visited:

Guess how much of that old stone wall was left? This was at an historic spot too.
A hide placement can be 'not against the rules' and still be not wise.

Again, my remarks are about graveyard hides in general and not New Bern specifically.

This doesn't just happen in cemeteries - there is a park near me that is not that big - town owned and someone planted 180 boxes in there... I had just moved across the street and was looking forward to putting a small series in there - now it's not possible.

No location - historic or otherwise can support/sustain hundreds of boxes. IMO

I’m a huge fan of graveyard boxes but in my experience there haven’t been that huge of a concentration in the ones I’ve been to. Maybe it’s because there are so many in TX or they weren’t deemed important enough (most are small and from pioneer days), but it’s unusual for there to be more than 3-4 active ones and that’s in a huge cemetery in Dallas. I’ve also not experienced ones that required interaction with monuments or stones in more than a directional or milestone capacity.

As an end of life doula I enjoy and respect being in the places of rest, so while I enjoy boxing in cemeteries and am careful and humble, I know not everyone is and cannot imagine that many boxes being searched for en masse. It really does seem excessive.

My question is, are all of these active boxes? Or were some already retired or missing and a search just turned up all those as well? I’m still new to the site so sometimes I have to fiddle with the search.

There probably wasn't any rules against it... until a couple hundred were placed and started causing problems!

Up here a large park allowed caching for 20+ years. Then someone hid hundreds of caches all at once. The increase in traffic (among other things related to that) got caching banned in that area completely and permanently.

A few months ago, a letterboxer posted a thread offering materials they’d created on how to get started with letterboxing. (Can’t remember which board!)

I’d like to connect with them to get ideas or handouts, whatever’s available.

Is this you, or does anyone remember who??

Wow! I thought planting a 40 box series in a 1500 acre park was overdoing it! It brought the park up to about 60 boxes. Now I don't feel so bad.

I'm not sure who your audience is. When I do "presentations" with scouts (or kids under age 12) I no longer use handouts. I find it better to do a brief overview (3-5 minutes) and then hit the trail and start letterboxing (or carving stamps if there is time allocated). While we follow clues and find boxes I explain various aspects of letterboxing.

Below is one of the outlines I've used with a specific set of letterboxes which I designed / clued to show different types of pouches, different styles of clues, etc.

Large (7-15 scouts plus adults) Group Discussion (includes Q&A):
What is letterboxing? Treasure Hunt Activity
Combines art, creativity, hiking, and more
Find a hidden container by following clues
Container is called a letterbox
What is in a letterbox?
Logbook to record you found it
Rubber stamp to add a record to your personal logbook
What do you need to letterbox?
Personal logbook
Signature stamp
Ink pad or markers (note: today these boxes contain ink pads; not typical!)
Pencil or pen
Sometimes a magnetic compass
A personal trailname / alias / nickname

As we walked around the campground in smaller groups (following clues):
Identify Poison Ivy
Why is it important to be stealthy / secretive?
Others might remove container and ruin the fun
What are muggles?

As we got near the end of the clues I started talking about what to do when you find a letterbox:
Make sure no muggles (move to another area if needed)
Retrieve container and open it
Make a note of how contents are ordered in container; Remove contents.
Place an image of your signature stamp in the letterbox’s logbook
Write your TrailName and date in the letterbox’s logbook
Use rubber stamp from letterbox to make imprint in your personal logbook
How to ink a stamp
Replace contents in container as you found them.
Make sure no baggie is in the seal of the container.
Make sure no muggles
Rehide container (make sure it is hidden from all angles)
Go find another letterbox!

It's Alliecat! She's still in the process of creation but feel free to reach out, I know she's almost finished with a slide deck!

Ok I am not a patient person and the vernal equinox was over 10 minutes ago. I want everything to be revealed LOL

I love that it now says "midnight of the vernal equinox".

I'm going to Alaska in July and intend to take a few boxes to plant. I'm thinking I should take some suet boxes to plant them in. Does anyone have any other suggestions for good ways to plant in Alaska?

Inside libraries.

I guess I should have specified outside and not in light poles or guardrails.

I only found 1/5 in Alaska- it was in a camo duct tape covered pouch.

Shelly

I used the Dollar General "lock-n-lock" type boxes about 3 years ago and I continue to get good reports without issues of water in the boxes. The letterboxes also seem to remain in place with 3 of them being on the ground and the other inside.

Enjoy Alaska!

I still have several boxes throughout Alaska that were placed in 2018 and have been found within the last few years. I used plastic pill bottles painted brown so I could hide them under rocks easier than full boxes.

When I am planting with the goal of long life without maintaining often (vs limited time plants) I will use a good name brand LnL and occasionally double box. A nice LnL with pill bottles inside, or two freezer bags. Logbook bagged and placed inside the second bag with the stamp. Remember most carving rubbers can survive being wet so any logbook is priority!

Many parts of Rhode Island are snowy & frozen half the year and then muddy swamps!

Hanging boxes in evergreens might keep them dry, but would the wildlife knock them down? I don't deal with moose, but deer will strip evergreens in the winter to eat around here.

I would imagine the same applies in Alaska that it does anywhere else. It depends on where you're going......locations, terrains, trees, parks, how busy or not busy the location is, good spots to place them. Or not.

I was there many years ago and we didn't look for or find many. None were in suet cages. One was concealed behind a stump on a path behind an ice cream place, the very few others were hidden like any other box in a wooded locale.

I'd suggest doing a search of the general area you're traveling to and see how boxes have been planted, if any. Or just do a search of different kinds of places in Alaska and see what other planters have done.

My only advice is to not over think it.

it seems like it's been a while since the last Hat Day
(or maybe I just missed it)

In the past, I've always had an automatic sign in which makes it easy when out on the trails and you want to refer back to comments or clues.
Recently now each time I go on AQ I must sign in and add my password! Even if I dont log out. Any suggestions on how to have it automatic again?

Hello!

I’m sorry no one has responded to this post. There are lots of dedicated Letterboxers in Virginia (including me) though I have to admit I don’t frequent the southeastern part of the state very often. Based on the hostels I’ve found before, however, the best spots to have the most people visit are rest areas, or as close to the major highways as you can get them. The tunnel definitely has a lot of foot traffic (and regular traffic) though I don’t know of any good stoping areas before you go through/get out of the tunnel.

Best of luck on your planting mission! I hope you find some place successfully!

When you sign in, check the box that says "keep me signed in".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vag0XJw0IP4
You Tube: Flashback to 2008 with Mama Cache. Learn about how LTCs began.

There's more than one cemetery in Ohio with hundreds of boxes and most of the groundskeepers know about them and actually replace them when they find them. They are welcomed there. If you don’t want to enjoy these amazing cemeteries or their hidden charms, then don't. I personally love boxing in Ohio's Cemeteries, as I do in every State. I've been to New Bern area 3 times since McGinnisAGAIN moved there and began planting. She has made it an extra enjoyable area with the deep research she does and the wonderful history she reveals with each of her plants. To be making negative comments about places you've never seen or experienced is ridiculous!! And I'm surprised that a simple request from Ryan to remove all boxes from New Bern Cemetery would bring any other response other than "how can I help?"
If I were not still recovering from recent surgery, I'd fly out & get some friends to help me retrieve all these boxes that seem to be doing more harm than the neighborhood school children that I've personally witnessed climbing all over the rock walls and flat roofed tombs at that specific Cemetery. Please don’t make other letterboxers feel bad - just be nice & help them instead. Thank you to anyone who can help remove boxes from these Cemeteries.

Thank you for your comments, very well said & appreciated!!

Thanks but I am checking that box and still keeps signing me out!

Do you regularly delete cookies, by any chance? Or perhaps you have refused to allow cookies to be created. That is where your selection of staying logged in is kept.

What is Hat Day?? I’ve never heard of it 😊

On Hat Day, non-premium members have a chance to record unlisted finds (like boxes that might only be listed on LBNA).

It’s not predicable and not always on the same day, so you have to watch for the theme with all the hats.