Did Not Find / Found It!

[+Referee]

On a recent business trip to Colorado, I took the opportunity to look for a cache in downtown Denver. After searching for two hours I finally gave up and logged it as a DNF. The next day, after reading the logs and getting a hint from another cacher, I found the cache. I proceeded to log it on geocaching.com as a found cache.

 

My question now is whether or not I'm supposed to go back and delete the DNF log?

 

Thanks,

 

Referee

[+Isonzo Karst]

No, leave it, it's part of the history of the cache. It provides some insight to the difficulty of the hide. And someday you may enjoy reading the log, which will be gone if you delete it. Not to mention the wonderful excitement of the 100 DNF milestone! How will you get there if you delete your DNFs? I'm working on 200 now. A long slow journey, but barring death, I'll make it.

 

Edited July 28, 2006 by Isonzo Karst

[+wimseyguy]

Delete a DNF log-inconceiveable! (besides they are often waaay more interesting that the actual found it logs).

[+briansnat]

Leave it. No point tampering with the history of the cache, or your own history for that matter.

 

Besides its important informaiton for others. They'll see the DNF and realize that it probably isn't a slam dunk find and look a little harder. If everyone deleted their DNFs many people would see nothing but "found its", assume the cache was an easy one and give up after a short search.

[+HockeyPuck]

I find that I get much more information about a hide from reading a DNF post.. I also find there is usually a wacky adventure associated with a DNF and find them more enjoyable to read.

[+Referee]

I find that I get much more information about a hide from reading a DNF post.. I also find there is usually a wacky adventure associated with a DNF and find them more enjoyable to read.

 

Thanks for all the input! I'll definitely leave it as suggested.

[+tozainamboku]

I never delete my DNFs (or change them to a find - well I did one time ) But I had a cache owner delete two of my DNF logs. One was a case where the cache was missing. After the owner replaced the cache he deleted the DNFs of everyone who looked while it was missing. The other was a cache that I later found. When he archived the cache, he deleted all the DNF logs. What was that all about? Now, when I caculate my geocaching average, I have to remember to add two DNFs.

Edited July 28, 2006 by tozainamboku

[+edscott]

That's a stat I never kept track of.. DNF logs. I guess there's no way to retrieve them all at this point...

[+edscott]

That's a stat I never kept track of.. DNF logs. I guess there's no way to retrieve them all at this point...

 

Never mind I see them... just never noticed them before. Maybe somday when I run out of stuff to do I'll add them up. Or maybe when I get off this dial up system...

[+Team GPSaxophone]

It's not easy to check your DNF stats. I don't keep track of them, but I do log them.

[+mrring]

Being new to this "game" we put in a DNF log when we and another geocacher we didn't know couldn't find a cache. We got a reply from another cacher who did find it later that day and he tried to tell us how to work the GPS. So... if I knew how, or wanted to take the time, I would delete the log. In the future we won't be putting in any other DNF. (I've used a GPS in Oregon, I know what REAL timbers look like.)

[+JDandDD]

Being new to this "game" we put in a DNF log when we and another geocacher we didn't know couldn't find a cache. We got a reply from another cacher who did find it later that day and he tried to tell us how to work the GPS. So... if I knew how, or wanted to take the time, I would delete the log. In the future we won't be putting in any other DNF. (I've used a GPS in Oregon, I know what REAL timbers look like.)

 

Don't follow your reasoning. Always post you DNFs. Nothing to be ashamed of, we've all got them. DNF's are very helpful to cache owners to know if there's a problem or the cache is more difficult than it looks to them. You are helping us all out and just ignore the mis-placed advice you apparently got (that's if I interpret your post correctly).

 

JD

[+bumblingbs]

Oh, yes, please do log DNF's!

 

I had a cache go missing - I checked it after two DNF's, one on the cache page and the other a personal e-mail. After I wrote that the cache was indeed gone, a bunch of pre-dated DNF's came in. Made me look like an idiot for waiting through so many DNF's before checking the cache. Could have saved some people some fruitless searches if I had known earlier.

[+bumblingbs]

And, no, I agree, do not delete your DNF after you've found it. DNF's are badges of honor, just a different kind. And part of your history and the cache history.

Besides, it shows fortitude, that you got skunked, but were game enough to come back for another try.

 

Edited because Mrs B should look up big words before she uses them.

Edited July 30, 2006 by bumblingbs

[+edscott]

Ok so I wasted a bunch of time looking up all my recorded DNFs and assessing each and every one.

:wacko:

 

I know that I did not record some of the early ones and some logs got edited/combined when multiple trips were needed to get a particular cache, but there are officially 104 on my record. 32 were later assumed to be gone and archived or replaced and the jury is still out three others. So, about 2/3 of the time when I walk away without a find the cache is there somewhere. Causes? #1 cause I call Evil Micros, #2 cause is coordinates do not agree with the map I have downloaded, and #3 cause is my misinterpretation of the aerial photo. Some other minor excuses are under snow, iced in, under flood water, got dark etc.... one must be creative. Stupidity, total exhaustion, acrophobia, etc are not allowable excuses on my spreadsheet.

 

35 [34, 33, 32? (2 are disabled and one has a string of DNFs)] of the 104 still appear to exist and for a variety of reasons, remain unfound. 5 are hundreds of miles away, maybe next vacation or the next...... 16 are on my "Evil Micro " list which I only go for when I am in the mood, which is not very often. 3 have been branded by others as having bad coordinates, 3 are in heavy thorny buggy hot sticky and nasty vegetation and I wear shorts in the summer. 1 is on a dangerous cliff and my wife won't let me go , ...So after all this there are only about 7 caches on this whole list that I want to think about right now. Maybe after it gets back into the 80s....