Roswell, GA: we were attempting to get a box in this park, when this sketchy guy comes around, goes into the bushy area where we were headed. He started doing something by a bush .........and it WASN'T urinating! We had to wait a long time for him to leave, but eventually retrieved that box. Oh, what we letterboxers will endure to get a box!!

It is great to see you on AQ again, crosscresent

What what has a story with the Fay Wray stamp in the cemetery in Hollywood, CA. While she was stamping in the groundskeepers cut down the bush that the box had been hanging from.
https://www.atlasquest.com/boxes/clue/?boxId=177653

Then, when she was beginning, she dropped another box into the La Brea Tar pits- To atone for her error, when she could not contact the owner, she carved an image and placed it in the same spot. Later the owner expressed outrage that an impostor letterbox had usurped his original.

We grabbed a box at a popular attraction in New Brunswick - Magnetic Hill...you have to pay, and drive in. We were able to grab the box quite easily - I pretended to take a picture. But then we had no way to put it back and there was a big line up of cars and no way to walk back down the hill safely and without the staff noticing and giving you the boot!

We ended up having to bushwhack our way back from the side of the road outside the attraction. Hopefully no one spotted us. This stamp is probably one that should only be picked up in the off season!

My husband and I were at a local park when I observed three letterboxers nonstealthily retrieving a box and stamping in, while a sketchy-looking guy very obviously watched them the whole time.

Not even noticing that someone is watching you the *whole* time is a common rookie mistake in my never humble opinion. Especially when there were three of them. They had enough people to have a look-out. Jeeze.

Yeah, you *are* sketchy. bahahahahaaaa

I have been to cemeteries in the middle of "nowhere" that of course had either people visiting or maintenance workers in them. I'm like **really**???? Are you kidding me??? Took a lot of pictures that got deleted so I could walk around until I could get the box. The whole genealogy thing has made doing that a lot easier than it used to be. You're looking for dead relatives.

I will skip a box if I see that I can't get it safely and can't wait it out.

Lots of experienced boxers have checked the weather and figured they could beat a storm.

Driving from Vermont to New Hampshire to do some boxing and then finding a stamp in my car after getting home. I’d replaced an empty box.

OH, thank goodness I am not the only one! One stamp of a cemetery series - in Indiana - traveled with us to New York before it was found on the floor under the driver's seat (who, me??). We replanted it on the way home a week later, when the cemetery was awash with visitors and maintenance people. Maintenance guy actually offered to help us find the person we lied we were looking for!

There was a box planted a little too close to a gate area of one of our local ports. I found the box, was able to do a quick stamp, getting ready to put it back, when a bunch of trucks and workers came out the gate. I farted around, waited for them to move along. Finally they did, and I replanted in in the little planter. I moved along the trail that ran on the perimeter of the port facilities. All the sudden over the PA system "Suspicious package outside gate #2, gate is now closed." Yep that was the gate I was just at. I had a port police suv shadow me until I got in my truck and left. I AQ mailed the planter, who was not surprised from the post 9-11 paranoia. She went back later and found it was missing. She said the gate wasn't used before, but now seams to be a main gate.
The other time, was a box hidden in the corner by a busy bus stop. I hung around the rockery waiting to tuck the box behind rockery stone. I looked left, just a guy looking at a map, I look right and the rest of the people are doing there thing, I start tucking the box back looking left and the guy looking at the map had snuck up to me to ask directions. I just finished what I was doing explained to him what I was doing. He thought is was cool, and still needed directions. which I gave him and we parted ways.

........and it WASN'T urinating!

Doesn't count. You weren't trying to return the box!

Not even noticing that someone is watching you the *whole* time is a common rookie mistake...

Just one or two people is worse than a hundred people! If there are a hundred people around, nobody notices what you're up to.

My worst return was when I knew people were watching me put the box back but I did it anyway.

My family and I had been in California for a week visiting National Parks, but I hadn't found any boxes. This was the one and only time in my life I've been to California. We had just enough time for me to try to find a lamppost box in the parking lot of an eating establishment near LAX before we caught our flight home.

The parking lot was crowded, but my daughter and I found the box fairly unobtrusively. But when it was time to replace it there was a couple in their car right by the lamppost. I know they saw me do it, but I had to put it back so we could catch our flight, and I had to get it in the first place because I couldn't bear the thought of going to California without finding a box. But I felt really bad about the whole thing until someone finally recorded a find six weeks later. Whew!

(Just checked--it's been 2 years since then and the box is still going strong.)

[...] a lovely little copperhead decided to make its home in the spot [....]

We need a "Close Call" button!

Not even noticing that someone is watching you the *whole* time is a common rookie mistake

Yes, but rookies are also excited about just getting into the hobby, whatever it is. They don't even think about muggles. This is one reason why mentors are such a good thing in any hobby.

Took a lot of pictures that got deleted so I could walk around until I could get the box.

Cameras help explain a lot of the suspicious behavior that we do. We can say that we are looking under bushes because there are often interesting things (to take pictures of) underneath them. Mushrooms like growing where we put boxes, and mushrooms can make some nice pictures, especially in macro mode.

Not even noticing that someone is watching you the *whole* time is a common rookie mistake in my never humble opinion. Especially when there were three of them. They had enough people to have a look-out. Jeeze.

I didn't mention that these were people who had been boxing for years. And they saw the guy but rehid the box anyway.

Yeah, you *are* sketchy. bahahahahaaaa

I know. 😂

Many years ago when I was fairly new to boxing I had been to an event and, of course, did not get all the boxes. I went back to the park the next week after a few days of rain. The park was in a low area and I came across an even lower area of the trail which was flooded. I knew the box was JUST around the corner per the clues. Off come the boots, socks and roll up pants legs. I get to hidey spot, on the edge of the river with overflowing banks, and I see the box FLOATING. Grab a stick and work it over to me. Box was dry due to L & L box and baggies. Now there are mosquitoes galore. I find a relatively higher spot to crouch, balance log, stamp, etc. on a knee, swat at mosquitoes with other hand. I really could have used another hand but perseverance paid off. I have the T-shirt that says 'Oh what I won't go thru to get the box' and I live by that....LOL

I didn't mention that these were people who had been boxing for years.

That's even worse. They obviously don't care about the future of the box, just that *they* get to log the find.

There *are* those among us who are in such a hurry to get the box and get to the next one that they don't bother to put the contents back together properly or re-hide well. And I'm not talking about a busy event. I've come after people like this. They throw it back together and don't bother to put the rock, bark, whatever back on top of the box. They seem to think that just because it's behind a tree or log that it's ok to leave it uncovered.

If there are a hundred people around, nobody notices what you're up to.

I box in NYC where millions of people are oblivious. Easy place to box.

It's small towns where boxing can be really hard. Someone puts a box ....oh......under the gazebo in the town square?

mushrooms can make some nice pictures, especially in macro mode.

I take those all the time when I'm just walking on trails in my area for exercise.

You got me there, Kirbert!!

I ended up taking the box home for two weeks to try to give the sketchy-looking guy opportunities to look for the box and come up empty-handed.

Yeah, no way to treat a fellow boxer, thanks a lot!

:(

I never did find that box

:(

I never did find that box

A truly sketchy boxer would have followed me home after seeing me leave with the box. Clearly, you're not as sketchy as you look.

A truly sketchy boxer would have followed me home after seeing me leave with the box. Clearly, you're not as sketchy as you look.

Didn't I? I'm a pretty stealthy-sketchy-looking guy in my camouflage tank top

Okay, now somebody has to plant a box called Sketchy Looking Guy.

Okay, now somebody has to plant a box called Sketchy Looking Guy.

Preferably at a playground.

Next to a school!!

I finally found a box after the 3rd attempt at the end of a long day boxing with a friend, but it was frozen in place. Some reason I had a crowbar on me so I was prying at the box when I heard it crack. I thought no problem I have a replacement box with us so I stab the crowbar through the box and pull it out of its hiding place. (should have seen my friends face when I stabbed the box!) Stamp in and pack the new box up only to discover my lock&lock was slightly taller than the original! We had to drive 40 minutes to where my car was parked to find the correct size box and then 40 minutes back to the hiding location after dark. (I still have that box with a crowbar hole to giggle about that day)

Nice little box in the bushes/tree line at the back of a small area in a cemetery. Grabbed it, parked near to stamp in. In the ensuing 5 minutes, along comes a backhoe and crew. They started digging a grave at the exact hiding spot.

Also attempted to replace a box in a tree hole just above my reach. Braced myself on a 5" diameter branch which broke off and smashed my car hood.

Gotta love this hobby, er..., obsession!

“Some reason I had a crowbar on me...”

I about fell out of my chair after doing my Bellagio imitation. Do. Not. Drink. Water. While. Reading. This. Thread.

You all are wonderful. Thank you.