A watched pot never boils. 2 to 4 times a year should be
sufficient. Now that the "contact the placer" function works on the
database, I find people will email me if there are problems with my
boxes. Other than that, only an occasional routine check is needed.
The Bird Stamper


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "TecBrat" wrote:
> How often should I check my letterbox to see if it has been found?
I
> just put it out a few days ago in a suburban/rural area of Florida.

> How often should I check my letterbox to see if it has been found?

Check it as often as you'd like. I've placed boxes that I have no
intention of EVER checking up on (particularly those in Africa). The
only time I really go out of my way to check my boxes is if I've
gotten reports that it might be missing. Otherwise, I leave sleeping
boxes alone.

-- Ryan

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "TecBrat" wrote:
> How often should I check my letterbox to see if it has been found?

Here are some considerations:
CLUE TYPE
For those whose style of clue writing involves natural (temporal) landmarks that
change over time it would be wise to check it seasonally if not more often. I
recently found that one of my most cherished places is in jeopardy of severe
erosion and the trail will most likely be gone in the not too distant future. That
for one is a consideration (initially) when placing a box.

Here are some examples:
-fire
-flooding
-blowdowns (when a tree is uprooted and falls)
-ice storms

For those of you not living in areas that are greatly influenced by 4 distinct
seasons well, then you're lucky. But for most of us we experience some mild
hurricanes, flooding, blowdowns and changes in the natural landscape.

It would be wise to write a clue sheet that can be modified upon periodic
surveys of these changes. If it is a nearby area that you frequent it's easier. In
the case of an out of state box, I recommend that the placer recruit a "monitor"
or someone that can "caretake" this particular location and notify you (the
placer) when things change.

For a mystery box/location - your best bet is to sit on it for awhile to see if
anyone can 1) solve the mystery and 2) to see what the feedback is.

So - the natural landscape changes sometimes very slowly and other times
very suddenly - it depends on whether or not you want to leave your box in the
hands of mother nature and rely upon clues that do not change - or if you are in
a position to check on your box more frequently then be prepared to update
those clues more often.

Hope that helps.

birder579@yahoo.com writes:

> A watched pot never boils. 2 to 4 times a year should be
> sufficient
>
Yes, but there's an undeniable thrill in finding you've had visitors to your
very first box. I didn't expect anybody to find my first one for months, but
I checked it after 3 or 4 weeks, just to be sure it was staying covered and
was so tickled to find people had been there already! So if you have the
urge, go ahead and check it.

DebBee


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks for all the feedback.
I think I'll take the advice of 2 different responders. I'll check in
a couple of weeks for maintainance/giggles, then every 3 to 4 months.
Tec.