Why do you like being FTF?

2.1k · August 29, 2006

I'm sorry if this is a repeat thread, but this summer, I've found myself attracted to new caches, in hopes of being FTF...

I don't head out the instant I'm alerted, normally sometime the nest day, or in the first week it's posted...

I think that I like being FTF because a new cache is a mystery...it could be there, it could be 200 feet away...and there's no social trail leading to it yet...

I don't want to hog the experience from other cachers in my area, so I generally don't head out until after lunch on the day after it's posted (if I can go caching then), but I really do enjoy being the first finder...

I would be interested to hear other peoples' thoughts on FTFs, being FTF, FTF-hogs, and anything else that they think/know/feel about FTFs...

Thanks,

Jamie - NFA

2.7k · August 29, 2006

I don't, personally. I'm really not into teh competition. Feel like I would be pushing other people out of teh way so I can get a check-mark. I go out for a cache because I wanna see what is there and to be in the fresh air, not really for the cache itself (though that is nice too). I'm happy to let someone else bag the FTF. I'd rather not be rushed ad just enjoy myself.

August 29, 2006

I've only got two FTFs so far... the first was on my honeymoon to Ireland and I did not set out to be FTF it just so happened that I was.

The second was a week or so ago and I did set out to be FTF on this one. I don't really care if I am FTF, its fun if I am, fun if I'm not. But I've recently been thinking about giong after more and more FTFs. More for the possiblity of running into other cachers on the trail then anything. However, I don't think we have any real FTF hounds in the area, so it could still be rare that I run into anyone. For example, after my most recent FTF, it was 7 days before the STF.

August 29, 2006

There are a few people that try to be FTF in this area, so it is nice when I can beat them! I don't hunt for all of them, though... I'm not into micros. I'll leave those for someone else to be FTF. Now that I am working again, I won't be getting as many.

1.7k · August 29, 2006

I like being FTF because I like beating the competition who have notifications sent to their phone and then use their phone to browse the webpage. I'm relatively low-tech and find out about new caches by happenstance. I know about a new cache only if I happen to be looking at geocaching.com or checking my e-mail at the moment.

I'll go for an FTF if I'm in the area or will be later in the day. No midnight cache runs or ditching work for 30 mins even though I had already gone out for lunch and come back. This method has netted something like 19 FTFs for me. An FTF every 36 finds? Not too shabby IMHO.

August 29, 2006

There are a few people that try to be FTF in this area, so it is nice when I can beat them! I don't hunt for all of them, though... I'm not into micros. I'll leave those for someone else to be FTF. Now that I am working again, I won't be getting as many.

Not into micros??? That's interesting??? I believe this is one of your posts on a prolific Georgetown, Texas micro series.

"First to log? Well, I'm second to find (an easy walk) but only because my notifications haven't been working. (I haven't gotten notifications for about 2 weeks, I think... dunno why.) I should have been FTF, but didn't realize it was there until I saw Geomire pull up!"

:anicute:

6.7k · August 29, 2006

Casual competition is fun, that's why!

Of my 20 or so FTFs each one was fun to do and remember... from rushing out at 2 a.m. to grab one placed within blocks of a known FTF-chaser's home to this one with a group of friends.

Ed

August 29, 2006

As FTF you get to see the hiding place as the originator intended, before the wildebeast trail forms and others have "improved" the cammo, put the cache back where it's "supposed" to be, or added 15 stones to the singe rock actually required.

August 29, 2006

I'll be honest, I like to score them when I can. It's a challenge thing. Considering that most hides in my area are not physically challenging, fall into the real short hike or park and grab category, and lead you to fairly boring locations, being FTF is about the most excitement you can get derive out of a cache. It's amazing how much Corps of Engineer land is available, in our local area, to hide more challenging caches but most folks defer to hiding park and grabs on ROWs.

August 29, 2006

As FTF you get to see the hiding place as the originator intended, before the wildebeast trail forms and others have "improved" the cammo, put the cache back where it's "supposed" to be, or added 15 stones to the singe rock actually required.

Spot On!!! I concur fully!!! BTW, my caziest FTF involved an 80+ mile roundtrip in the middle of the night to score a cache in Meridian State Park in Texas.

38.2k · August 29, 2006

I don't care about FTFs. I'll let others worry about bad coordinates, caches that haven't been placed yet, forgotten pencils and logbooksm etc...

August 29, 2006

I would love to have a chance at FTF. However, in Rochester, there are some cachers that get up at MIDNIGHT to grab that FTF. I personally adore my sleep. I have to agree - it would be neat to be first to see how the placement was originally supposed to be without being helped along...

6.7k · August 29, 2006

I would love to have a chance at FTF. However, in Rochester, there are some cachers that get up at MIDNIGHT to grab that FTF. I personally adore my sleep. I have to agree - it would be neat to be first to see how the placement was originally supposed to be without being helped along...

Come on, you know you want to! Climb out of that box, live on the edge!

Sleep in Saturday, or take a nap in the afternoon. Look online around 9 p.m. for the newest listings, grab your head-lamp and head out!

Imagine the look on those midnight-FTF chasers when they open the log - and find YOUR name!

Ed

1.6k · August 29, 2006

My first FTF was a slog through some heavy ozark forest and extreme terrain. Well worth the trip and the memories. A few others were located just a few miles from home, so I could dash out at lunch and get a quick FTF. I have left the others alone around here and let new guys find them first.

Strangely enough, while on a caching trip in Northern MO a few weeks ago, I had 5 or 6 FTF's in a row, on one day! Seems a few new cachers had popped up in a relatively sparse area and I just happened to be the first guy passing through. Felt kinda bad for hitting them all in one swath, but hey, thems the breaks, and they had been there for days without being found.

August 29, 2006

I've had one FTF so far. It's only because of the timing of the post. I happened to be leaving work just as the cache was listed. I made a small detour and nabbed it.

Since then, there were 2 caches listed very close to my home, but to be honest, the listings were so uninteresting, that I couldn't bring myself to try. One was a parking lot micro and the other in a local park.

So...I guess FTF isn't so important as a nicely designed and well thought out cache is to me.

6.7k · August 29, 2006

Strangely enough, while on a caching trip in Northern MO a few weeks ago, I had 5 or 6 FTF's in a row, on one day! Seems a few new cachers had popped up in a relatively sparse area and I just happened to be the first guy passing through. Felt kinda bad for hitting them all in one swath, but hey, thems the breaks, and they had been there for days without being found.

Funny stuff! We had a sort-of related trip like this, a friend called and said there were 8 new caches along a 10-mile forest road. We knew another group was going after them, so we rushed to get there ahead of them. We got the first four FTFs - and met the other group, doing them from the other end!

Ed

1.6k · August 29, 2006

Strangely enough, while on a caching trip in Northern MO a few weeks ago, I had 5 or 6 FTF's in a row, on one day! Seems a few new cachers had popped up in a relatively sparse area and I just happened to be the first guy passing through. Felt kinda bad for hitting them all in one swath, but hey, thems the breaks, and they had been there for days without being found.

Funny stuff! We had a sort-of related trip like this, a friend called and said there were 8 new caches along a 10-mile forest road. We knew another group was going after them, so we rushed to get there ahead of them. We got the first four FTFs - and met the other group, doing them from the other end!

Ed

You mean a dreaded GeOtRaIl??? :anicute:

August 30, 2006

Half the fun for our family is trying to be the FTF. It is even funner when we get an e-mail at 10pm telling us that 4 new caches have come out - all within 7 miles of our house. NIGHT CACHING IS AWESOME!! Excuse our zeal.

Arctic Warriors

August 30, 2006

Ahhhhh, it's over rated. I have had my share. Now it's more fun to see who is FTF at the new caches I plant.

August 30, 2006

I only have one FTF so far, and have a question relating to being first. Do you log your find ASAP or do you wait a little to throw others off?

August 30, 2006

I would at one point or another like to get a FTF, purely for the sake of just having one of them under my belt, but it's probably excruciatingly unlikely in my area. There's at least 3 other very experienced people around here that will get any new cache in like... a half-hour... if not less... after it's posted.

So yeah... it's quite unlikely that any time during my geocaching will I get a ftf :{

Edited August 30, 2006 by Kabuthunk

August 30, 2006

I just got my 55th FTF tonight, and I admit, I was stoked after doing that one, and the one just before it. They were placed by a cacher whose caches I notoriously DNF, especially when I try for the FTF on them. The ones tonight were extrememly well done, slightly tougher than I believe the page rates them, but I have come to accept that about this cacher. These caches had me saying "the heck with it" regarding the fact that I was still in work clothes, and I sprawled out in the grass and almost had to crawl under bushes for one of them.

For me, it is the possibility of a spotless log, and like some one else said...seeing the cache the way the hider intended it....no social trails, no "improvements".

August 30, 2006

There are a few people that try to be FTF in this area, so it is nice when I can beat them! I don't hunt for all of them, though... I'm not into micros. I'll leave those for someone else to be FTF. Now that I am working again, I won't be getting as many.

Not into micros??? That's interesting??? I believe this is one of your posts on a prolific Georgetown, Texas micro series.

"First to log? Well, I'm second to find (an easy walk) but only because my notifications haven't been working. (I haven't gotten notifications for about 2 weeks, I think... dunno why.) I should have been FTF, but didn't realize it was there until I saw Geomire pull up!"

Yep, you're right... and if you check into the entire series (40+ at this point) I have logged a grand 3 of them, I think? (I might be wrong, and I'm sure you will correct me if I am) This one was put on our mailbox (without our knowledge), and the other one is just down the road, and I found that without using the GPSr... I don't mind micros, and do hunt them occasionally, but I don't intend to log the others that are on postal boxes, utility posts, things like that. A couple of the others also appeared to be in people's yards when we first started looking for them, and I personally don't feel comfortable hunting in someone's front yard. That turned me off the entire series. I had the opportunity to be FTF on many of them if I wanted to search for them.... but I am choosing not to. I prefer going after other types of caches. And like you said... a prolific micro series... why blanket a town with micros? Yes, they have their place..... but 40+ along the same theme?

Correction.. I just counted, and there are 51 of them now (one is disabled, though). All placed within about 5 weeks, from July 9 - August 15..

Edited August 30, 2006 by Moore9KSUcats

2.3k · August 30, 2006

Most of mine I get just by happenstance. There are a few I've really tried for tho. Gotta be something interesting to motivate me to do that.

1.4k · August 30, 2006

FTF hounds are very quick in my area, so I was happy to get a few when I first started. I don't go for them often anymore, but if a cache is unfound for a "long time" (more than a day), I'll become curious and try to see what's going on.

No e-mail notifications for me. I stumbled upon an FTF recently, so that was cool.

August 30, 2006

Most of my FTFs are a result of my work schedule. I work 3rd shift and new caches generally get approved in the early AM just before I leave work. As long as I don't have to rush over and pick up my 9 month old daughter from her grandparents in the morning, I'll go look for them. I've also found all the "local" caches, so between the price of gas and being a parent, I look forward to new caches in the area since I don't get as many caching trips anymore. FTFs are cool, but I enjoy the sport just as much being the first finder or the 50th finder, it's about the hunt and the experience.

August 30, 2006

I only have one FTF so far, and have a question relating to being first. Do you log your find ASAP or do you wait a little to throw others off?

Depends If I just know that the "usual suspects" are wanting to dash for FTF, then I might hold off on the log and see their reactions.

Here is a great example. There were a lot of people trying to solve this puzzle and getting DNF's. Finally someone had the answer and went out triumphantly hoping to get the FTF, only to find that the local puzzle-hound had beaten them all a day or two earlier and was sitting back watching all the fun! I can just imagine the look on the poor second-finder's face when he opened that log book.

Incidentally, if anyone would like to help me solve this puzzle...

August 30, 2006

I've tried getting a FTF a few times and would really like to get at least 1 but the FTF hounds around here are just too crazy for me. There's about 4 in my area that really stand out that seem to go out at all hours or even leave work early just to get the FTF. So seeing how it is around here I gave up on the hope of getting a FTF. If I get one, I get one, if not...whatever.

Krazymtbr

August 30, 2006

I only have one FTF so far, and have a question relating to being first. Do you log your find ASAP or do you wait a little to throw others off?

I personally log mine as soon as I can. I think it is mean to not do so. (Yeah, extenuating circumstances are different...)

Paul

August 30, 2006

So why do I hunt them?

I do it for the competition. Since I know others are also trying, I'm trying to beat them, to race them. Its a race, I like winning. If there were no others in teh area, I probably wouldn't try for them, what's the point? (Curiously, this thread has shown me that there are other reasons to hunt FTFPs*.)

I've actually not sought a cache after I drove to the parking coords and talked with some of the finders. (I also had a lot to do that day a big rain storm was moving in...)

Paul

* FTFP = First to Find Published, I don't do pre-finds and I coined this term to distinguish my hunt from the hunts of those that do do pre-finds.

September 1, 2006

I'd like to make one FTF, but I don't get the notifications early. When I do get notified, the cache has already been found. I am a premium member, and I thought that would be one of perks of being a PM.

September 1, 2006

I've only done one FTF. I REALLY wanted the GJTB in it though. But, I wanted to say at least I got ONE FTF. Thats good enough for me.

4.5k · September 1, 2006

I only have one FTF so far, and have a question relating to being first. Do you log your find ASAP or do you wait a little to throw others off?

Can make things more interesting but, how might you feel when you waste gas and time on a several mile trip out for a FTF, only to discover it was found earlier by someone else who didn't log it in a timely manner? I know there are times when logging quickly is not possible but when you can, you should!

Edited September 1, 2006 by Mudfrog

8k · September 1, 2006

I only have one FTF so far, and have a question relating to being first. Do you log your find ASAP or do you wait a little to throw others off?

Can make things more interesting but, how might you feel when you waste gas and time on a several mile trip out for a FTF, only to discover it was found earlier by someone else who didn't log it in a timely manner? I know there are times when logging quickly is not possible but when you can, you should!

I can understand that briansnat has a friend that wastes gas and time looking for caches that aren't there because someone logged a find on cache they really didn't find, but I just don't get why a FTF'er would consider it wasting gas and time looking for cache that some had already found but hasn't logged online yet. When you go looking for a FTF there is always the possiblity that someone else has found it first and hasn't logged it yet. I would guess that for some people, the possibility of finding a name already in the log makes getting a FTF all that much sweeter. I suppose you could get mad if the person was intentionally delaying the online log but you may have a hard time proving that. Look, you found a cache that you probably would have looked for anyhow. And if looking for this one delayed you in getting another FTF it's your fault for doing them in that order

September 1, 2006

I've only done one FTF. I REALLY wanted the GJTB in it though. But, I wanted to say at least I got ONE FTF. Thats good enough for me.

I feel the same way. I didn't have any and for a long time that was fine, but then my brother got one and the race was on. I tried, but the locals were always there before me. Finally I have one, and don't care if I never get another. Nothing against them, but having one or 100 means the same to me.

4.5k · September 1, 2006

I suppose you could get mad if the person was intentionally delaying the online log but you may have a hard time proving that. Look, you found a cache that you probably would have looked for anyhow. And if looking for this one delayed you in getting another FTF it's your fault for doing them in that order

I just got back from trying for a FTF this morning. Someone had beat me to it but that didn't bother me a bit as they had found it maybe an hour or so before me. There are lots of reasons for not being able to log online in a timely manner and these can't be helped. This is just part of the fun FTF competiton.

Intentionally delaying the online log is what i'm saying isn't kosher!

2.9k · September 1, 2006

We have a few FTFs under our belts...it's fun knowing you were the first to get to a new cache. Do we feel bad about getting STF? Not in the slightest. It's all fun.

September 3, 2006

Its a race around my area to get FTF.I go after FTF to help out the hiders.If I can find the cache then that means every thing is right.If not I email them so the can fix the problem.The same goes when I place a cache.I wait to see if I get a email saying it was found or one saying I did something wrong and need to check it.

September 3, 2006

Do you log your find ASAP or do you wait a little to throw others off?

I log it as quickly as I can. I understand it's seldom possible to immediately log a find, but it seems mean-spirited to me to delay logging a FTF to deliberately disappoint later finders.

I love trying for FTFs (as do a few others in my area), especially on puzzle caches, and have been known to go out at 10:30 or later at night to try for one. If I'm second or third to find, I enjoy it when the previous finders include their time of find, so I can see by how much I missed it. If I know it's already found, I'll still try for the cache, but will wait until a more reasonable time. (...like during the light of day.) I enjoy the thrill of trying to beat other FTF-hopefulls, the challenge of finding it before geotrails have been blazed, and the pleasure of seeing the nifty treasures before the inevitable decline in quality.

I also like seeing what FTF prizes some hiders come up with. Some are quite nice and I enjoy the extra reward (thinking kind thoughts of the hider while doing so). Some are quite nice but nothing I need, and so I leave those to surprise the 2nd finder.

A little off subject but slightly related, please be considerate and avoid unneccessary logging delays when removing a coin (or TB) from a cache. Some of us chase coin icons too.

Why do you like being FTF?

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