stipman

You can absolutely do that... you're only cheating yourself though! :-)

I did think about the "return trip" issue of throwing something up in the air that is going to come back. The weight of the end of the cord (magnet) is very small. No where near the weight used for shot bags/"lead sinkers" (although I'm showing my age by calling them lead!). If a cacher brings a pole, good for them. If they bring a drone, good for them. If they bring a trained monkey, good for them (just post a picture!) I want people to have fun, and everyone has their own definition of fun!

The cord is just that, a cord with a magnet attached to the end. Basically the end of the cord looks like a cotton swab and has no edges to catch in a tree. (famous last words). As for cachers who log the cache without even trying. Thats OK with me. Caching is something individual to everyone and if a person feels that seeing a cache is the same as finding a cache, good for you. I, like most, think signing the log constitutes a find. I do not compare log entries to online log entries.

In the container with the para cord is a "Look up for the cache" note. Cache description will say something like "all tools needed to retrieve cache are located at GZ" I can add a laminated "This is NOT the cache" card in the container for extra clarity

Cant count on cacher being able to "catch the cache"? Idea was that it would make it challenging. Lots of misses

Just discovered the phrase "Tree Fishing" Have a cache that's ready to go but now I'm second guessing myself. It involves tossing a piece of para cord up that has a small magnet on the end (a littlt larger than size of thumb nail). The magnet is from a scavenged hard drive and is quite powerful. The cord is in a lock & lock at base of tree. When tossed up properly, the magnet attaches to the cache, you pull it down, sign the log, release it and it retracts back up in the tree. Should I identify the cache as a tree fishing excursion? I'd really like people to attempt to toss the cord up and "catch" the cache rather than bring their own device/pole to grab the cache. Thoughts/comments?

Would it help if, in your cache description, you required a photo of the signed log? In response to your post, though, I sign logs "most" of the time (99%). Recently I couldn't retrieve a cache because it was jammed in its hiding spot. I logged that as a DNF with details about why I logged it that way. Went back with pliers, retrieved cache, signed log, and replaced. Other times (especially with nanos) the logs are pretty full and my handwriting is a mess and I can't write that small. In those instances, I will log the cache as a find if I touch the log. I do always retrieve the cache and then replace it even if I don't sign the log.

Geocaching for me is just a destination for a walk, a hike, a drive. The only numbers I'm concerned about are the ones that make up the coordinates. Oh.. and loved the post by Team GeoBlast!!!

Ummm.. let me count... ummm there was that one time where I found the cache after three other people... that was a FTF where f= fourth.... I guess that's about it

The great thing about Geocaching is everyone has their own rules that they abide by within the framework laid out by Geocaching.com (and other web sites) As for DNF... I actually had to log a DNF on MY OWN CACHE! Someone posted a DNF on the cache (it's in a high traffic area known as Central Park! So since it does disappear quite offten I went to check it out, sure enough it was gone...or so I thought... Posted a note that it was gone and would replace and then someone posted a "Found it" log and sent me a private note telling me where it was. Sure enough there was a crevice in the tree that I had never felt before when replacing the cache numerous times before! I changed my note to a DNF.

I like that idea!

I guess after reading all these posts.. I need to clarify a bit. For me it's not about the whole FTF thing, it's more about putting a cache out there and requesting people not find it until the someone else aka the honoree) does... it just so happens that the honoree will be first, but what's to prevent the next step of someone updating a cache listing to reflect that an honoree should be to 10th person to find the cache because they alway like being the 10th person? FTF is irrelevant in the context of this discussion to me.

For me.. when I asked the initial question.. it wasn't so much about being the FTF. I'm a junkie... while I have nowhere near the number of caches the honoree has... (hell I don't even think I have as many caches as they have hidden!) I wanted to be able to go grab one of the caches as it was close by... didn;t care if I was FTF or not (of course it would be cool if I was) but man, my schedule at the time was such that I could grab one and satisfy the urge. Knowing the people involved and how hungry they are to find caches I thought it a strange request (and it was polite and all involved meant no harm).

speeling was never my strongg poinnt! Thats whay I stick to numbers, preferably ones that can be input in a GPSr! The Corrected Chart

Whining? Hardly. Inquiring minds want to know... I did go back through this thread and I compiled some stats about peoples opinions and this chart displays it plainly and succinctly. The Chart

It showed cobwebs...nothing but cobwebs and a sign that said "This space for rent"

Name Calling? Head examined? To settle that one... people have called me names, most are related to my passion for the game... crazy, insane and the such, most, if not all, are true. Head examined... please see the fist line about name calling...yes I need my head examined. I did have it x-rayed once but they found nothing. Back on topic.... Caching with a polite request not to find.... I wish this board had a polling feature. Would love to see a nice tidy chart with peoples votes tallied.

I'm a puzzle type of guy... I try and find small inexpensive wire entanglement puzzles. Nothing like getting a little puzzle that makes you think and is durable. Made a few of my own (the traditional bent nails puzzle) and left them in a few caches. I have seen CITO kits in caches ...35MM film canister with a plastic supermarket bag in it and a small printed labled on the container. Those are great, grab it and CITO on the way out!

Turns out that the Mets have taken their motivation, drive, and basic baseball skills and hidden them in a cache somewhere .... most likely this one....Can't find it... Someone needs to send Willie Randolph a GPSr so he and the team can find their way!

Still seems odd that he people who get out there the second a cache is posted would put caches out that are "temporarily not available" to others... yes I know it was politely asked, it wasn't demanded or anything even close to that...and I will politely respect the request. If anything the cache should be targeted at NEW cachers, cachers with just a few finds to encourage them that someday they could reach an important milestone of their own. My two cents... Now lets move on to the topics of religion and politics... they're less volatile!!!

I know with my Magellan, after you move a great distance you need to reset default location on the GPS so it finds the correct satellites

Yup we're talking about the same listing.... It was a polite request not to find it. To be totally honest, I've never been FTF and when one popped up close by (I mean REALLY close by) I figured I had a shot at it even though I know it would be a race to get there before the other local cachers. I notice that the caches that were flagged politely have not been logged as found and I know that there are lots of people out there who would have been out with flashlights, bloodhounds, night goggles, and Geiger counters trying to find them... I guess to me, it's like a cache I had seen in Utah... It was something along the lines of Cache-aholics Anonymous. And it encouraged people NOT to find it! Still IMHO... something done privately would have been more appropriate if they wanted to target a cacher for FTF. And to anyone who reads this.. postings can be totally misread... I am VERY happy for the cacher and I love the fact that a new cache is so close. Gotta love this thing called Geocaching

I like that idea... give the cacher a "heads up" before the cache is posted. It's amazing how fast caches get found after they are posted... many time within hours... I have to say, if you post a cache listing it should be avaiable to everyone (or if desired Premium Members only). There is nothing wrong with giving a cacher the heads up before its posted.

In a nutshell: A Local cacher recently hit the 3000 milestone (The cacher did it VERY quickly) Several other cachers got together and placed caches in honor of this great feat and posted "Please let so and so be the FTF" It is truly a great feat and the cacher has hidden oodles and oodles of caches. Not only do they find them, they hide them. The question I have is... Should the caches that were placed been "reserved FTF" for the cacher meeting the milestone? They were just that... (requested in the cache posting). I think that if they wanted to place caches for one particular person to find they should have done it privately. And once again.. the cacher being honored deserves it.. but it still seems incorrect... Thoughts?

FTF - I donated 25 bucks ... let me rephrase ... 25 DOLLARS to the Guide Dog Foundation in the name of the FTF cacher...