Howdy,
I have read all other answers to your post. As all those answering gave good responses, I still feel I should post this, even though I am newer than you at this.
Today is my first day as well. I did not locate the cache either. I did not follow advice and wear long pants. Therefore the thorns ate me alive. I was 29 feet from the cache but could not break through. I will go back tommorrow and find it (with....LONG PANTS)! Was this non-gratifiable? Did I feel cheated? Yes, at the time, but I did have this happen: I saw foot prints of another individual (Is this someone looking for the cache like me?)and I saw two HUGE FRESH PILES of bear feces (The bear could be right next to me!). Blood was pumping!!
This is exactly why I will not quit. You should not quit either. You may not be where bears could jump out and get you but I can almost guarantee you this: If You are not out there looking, You won't see anything!!!! Feel free to contact me if you wish.
geo-warren
(Someone had Warren, warren and every other way you could say Warren)