As we are both letterboxers (primarily) and geocachers, there was a list of new "letterboxing" hybrids listed on geocaching.com. Since we were in the area looking for letterboxes, we decided we would also find these new hybrid boxes which had a cute series starting with "A is for...". Imagine our disappointment when what we found was a magic marker type stamp with a letter cut into the top. There was not even a hint of having to put any thought into this. Just drop a magic marker in a box, mark the coordinates and that was that. If there are any other letterboxers out there that also geocache and think, Wow, what a great series, this is not it. The only thing we can think about is that this particular geocacher is only in it for the numbers and he didn't have any numbers in the letterboxing hybrid column and this was his way of getting more numbers. I have posted in the logs for these geocaches the message: "Letter + Box ╪ letterbox. (pls. refer to atlasquest.com)." So unless you need to go out for a walk anyway, I personally wouldn't waste my time on this.

Thank you for the heads up. I was going to go look for a few of them, but won't waste my time now.

FRH

As we are both letterboxers (primarily) and geocachers, there was a list of new "letterboxing" hybrids listed on geocaching.com. [...] Letter + Box ╪ letterbox.

The letterbox hybrids around here (except for mine) have all been store-bought stamps. In the past two weeks there has been an exception, two hand-carved stamps. They were carved by the geocacher's mother who is a letterboxers. He posted them on geocaching.com and she posted them here.

I have found only the first one posted, but I'm glad that there are now some more hand-carved stamps in my area. There is hope.

I do both Geocaching and Letterboxing. I think that it's hard keeping stamps in a hybrid. The stamps show up missing so many times in a hybrid box. I've come acrossed a few hybrids with no stamp in them. Not every Geocacher knows about Letterboxing. I'm sure they see a stamp and think it's swag. I would never place a hybrid for that reason. Just my thought.

I'm sure they see a stamp and think it's swag. I would never place a hybrid for that reason.

I've placed seven geocache hybrids. (One I listed as a mystery so that people would be able to earn a souvenir for Pi Day.) One of them was muggled, but the stamp want taken by geocachers. The we're placed on "Future Day" (October 21) so they don't have much time out there. I do write on my stamps "DO NOT TAKE. LEAVE IN BOX." But I've not had a stamp taken by a geocacher.

In fact, I don't know of a hybrid around here where the stamp was taken. I don't know of a letterbox around here where the stamp was taken by a geocacher. Maybe this is just a place where geocachers know about hybrids.

I don't know of a letterbox around here where the stamp was taken by a geocacher. Maybe this is just a place where geocachers know about hybrids.

While I agree that many geocachers in our area know about - and respect - letterboxes, not all do. I lost a stamp to cacher swag in southern Idaho. (This was a letterbox, not a hybrid.) I planted it many years ago before I routinely checked for nearby caches in the planting area. Lesson learned well.

I routinely checked for nearby caches in the planting area. Lesson learned well.

That is good practice for all letterboxers. We shouldn't have to do so, but by doing so the letterboxes become less likely to go missing or have the stamps traded out. I've placed two geocaches to protect letterboxes. I think that letterboxers should make a friend of a nearby geocacher to help protect letterboxes.

I expected that you'd know of some locally that were lost locally to geocachers since you've been in letterboxing longer than I have. The geocachers that found your "Birdsong Trail" box signed it while they were looking for the nearby geocache. It's too bad that one went missing to muggles.

It's too bad that one went missing to muggles.

It's BACK!

"Missing" is not strong enough for what the muggles did to that box! It was pure, unadulterated destruction. Everything was in pieces! (shaking head)
(I'm sure they were generic muggles, not geocachers.)

I don't know of a hybrid around here where the stamp was taken.

Judging by many years of (mostly anecdotal) evidence, I would say you are definitely bucking the odds. Which makes sense, since I've always considered you an odd bucker.

The stamps show up missing so many times in a hybrid box.

Knock on wood, the hand-carved stamps in my three hybrids have managed to survive thus far. Those who have found them have been experienced geocachers, for the most part. Finding them pretty much requires reading the clues, like letterboxing, not just searching gps coordinates so people have to read through my multiple requests to not take the stamp.