DNF

[+Wizard William and Team Morris]

Are DNF's an issue for all, or is it really just us? I reckon I get about 10% worth of DNF's but the overall logging of these seems a lot less.

I give a lot of time to trying to find them but do find it dis-heartening.

Don't get me wrong, we still love playing and I don't feel it should always be easy, but does everyone log their failures?

I have had a nice evening caching before logging this and found one and failed on another and our team chin is a little down. The cache location was great and I am sure it is down to the need for some more skill, so any cache hunting tips to reduce my DNF's would be greatly appreciated.

(Disclaimer - I am not moaning about the caches I haven't found or the people who placed them. To you people I remain very grateful).

[+John Stead]

I usually log a DNF if I have really tried to find and failed, even if it was because a muggle had sat on the cache.

BUT emphatically not if I had abandoned the walk half mile short of the cache coords and so had no idea if it was there or not.

I do find that reading other peoplesDNF logs can be helpful, even in cases like a local one where two DNFs in succession were followed by a success - it just makes it clear that a good search is needed.

Edited May 15, 2007 by John Stead

[+gazooks]

I've logged all my DNF's with the exception of one. When I got home I found that the owner had logged it as muggled and so did not see the need to log the DNF as it was not there to find in the first place.

[+FollowMeChaps]

When you start putting out your own caches you'll get plenty of evidence to see that DNFs are often not logged by several people and incidently that more sign the cache log than the web log. I've had emails checking coords, ask for a further hint, etc by peole who will not log the initial DNF but go back some time later and log the find.

 

Personally, I try and log DNFs for my own information, after all it's not a competition, though I'll admit to having not done it myself once or twice where I've not had time for a proper search for example on a cache and dash en route to work.

 

It's only a sport hobby GAME and people can play it any way they want.

[+walkergeoff and wife]

If I have genuinely not found it, as opposed to having not got near it for other reasons (muggles, or because I ran out of time) I will always log it, as it is informative for the cache owner.

 

I have had one or two DNFs on caches that I know are there - once I had actually done a maintenance visit just after someone failed to find it! I appreciate getting them, if only because I think we tend to assume that everything is OK until we hear otherwise.

 

When people keep finding them, it cuts down the need for regular maintenance.

[+The Bolas Heathens]

I've just taken a look which one you had a DNF on and it's one we've done which is quite a sneaky hide - nothing like a normal hide. Our best advice would be to look around yourself at ground zero and try and spot something that looks a bit out of place - that's how we spotted this one when we did it. Don't confine your looking to ground level .

 

Back to the question about logging DNF's, we log virtually all of the DNF's we have - especially if we think the cache has gone walkies as it's something the owner of the cache needs to know.

 

We find our DNF list useful as you can see if the next cacher finds it or not and it's a constant reminder to go back and take another look as DNF's bug us enough to want to go out and find them.

[+The Bolas Heathens]

oops - duplicate post removed

Edited May 15, 2007 by The Bolas Heathens

[+jerryo]

I've heard of someone who logs DNFs and then changes them after they find the cache on a successful visit to a note (or perhaps deletes it and writes a note) so they "don't have DNFs on their profile". It's surprising how many people think that others care about how many DNFs they have. So ... it's not just you. Don’t give up looking too soon as it can sometimes, er, take a while.

[+Wizard William and Team Morris]

I noticed you were quick onto this one heathens as I have read all previous logs. Your advice and that of the others has lifted our chin an inch or so. Many thanks all. Good to know that you go back if you log DNF's as well.

[+Andy33]

I do log my DNF’s but if I visit a cache and for some reason do not have a good look for it i.e muggles etc I will post a note.

 

So far 30 DNF’s and 4 notes

[+t.a.folk]

I've heard of someone who logs DNFs and then changes them after they find the cache on a successful visit to a note (or perhaps deletes it and writes a note) so they "don't have DNFs on their profile". It's surprising how many people think that others care about how many DNFs they have.

 

We always log our D.N.F.'s

 

Didn't know they showed on profiles so no idea how many we have logged .

 

We don't like giving up on a search because we work on the principle that it takes longer to make a return visit than it does to take a rest , have a bite to eat and look again while still there .

[+Wadders]

I know someone is proud of their DNF tally, But i wont mention their names in case they get upset, and i wouldnt want to do that to Sarah of The Morgan Mob I know that she always logs hers (there are so many too!!)

I try and log my DNF'S, as i think it also gives the owner valuble information, although i do get cheesed off if they do nothing about several DNF's on their cache page.

I get very frustrated if i am on the verge of a DNf and will try and make a point of going back to try a second time if needed.

keep your chin up, there are better DNF'ers out there than you ( we had loads when we went to the USA, but didnt log them all, far toooooo many )

 

Wadders

[+4 Badgers]

We'll only log DNFs if we're absolutely certain we've exhausted every searching possibility - for us a DNF is a good opportunity to give the cache owner a chance to get out there and check that all is well.

 

DNFs can be a huge pain in the proverbials, but without them many cache owners simply wouldn't realise that there may be an issue with their cache. We've a particularly annoying cache that we've hunted for on three separate occasions - we know exactly where it's meant to be, but simply can't find it. We've only ever logged one DNF on it, since to log each time we try it would seem unnecessary. We simply keep it on out watchlist, and if we know it's active, we know we have to look harder next time

 

Don't be disheartened - DNFs are all part of the hunt!!!!!

 

Edited - typo

Edited May 15, 2007 by 4 Badgers

[+The Golem]

I always log my DNF's - there's no shame in not being able to find a cache...

[+Gushoneybun]

We log DNF's when we know what we are looking for. I travel around a lot and have caches on my Tomtom so sometimes just look for caches purely from the Tomtom with no clues. I only log these as DNF's, if when checking from home I find that I was in the right place.

 

Maybe its work looking at the difficulty rating and for the time being try to focus more on caches which do not have too high a rating, or where there are rarely DNF's logged; its worth scanning back through previous logs reading other's comments. Which may help.

 

It makes us smile when you go to a DNF and you wonder how you missed it the first time.

[+wizard1974uk]

I don't log any DNFs I'll keep going back to a cache until I find it

[+scottpa100]

I log my DNFs. Otherwise how is teh cache owner ever going to know if the cache has gone walkies? I also know of a cache that had the difficulty increased by a star because of the run of DNFs on it by numerous people. Which was all fair enough and wouldn't have happened unless people actually logged the DNF.

[+drsolly]

I log all DNFs when I've had what I consider to be a real go at looking for it. But I suspect that a lot of people don't log DNFs.

 

I also make use of the "Note" facility, when I'm partway through a long cache - it lets the cache setter know that someone is undertaking his long cache.

[+TMM-Sarah]

I know someone is proud of their DNF tally, But i wont mention their names in case they get upset, and i wouldnt want to do that to Sarah of The Morgan Mob I know that she always logs hers (there are so many too!!)

 

It actually was a close call as to whether we would hit 50 DNF's before the 500 finds, but unless we don't find HazelS' camping in Cheshire event on Friday we're pretty much safe! I can assure you I will be using the PAF facility on that if the need arises.

 

Anyhow, like Wadders said I log all my DNF's, it's part of our caching story and I don't delete them after I find them either. Don't be despondent just think about the reasons you started caching in the first place. They will still be there next time...I've had 4 visits now to Ranscombe in the Quantocks and still have 1 DNF left up there to find!

 

Sarah

[+molfrew-mosstoad]

We always Log DNFs they are often our funniest logs!!

I think it also helps if thier is a problem with tha cache, We have found that in a couple of cases after a cache not being logged for a while & we logging a DNF suddenly other people start to log it as DNF too this can then alert the owner to a problem with the cache.

 

Dont get dishaertend though just enjoy it for the walk to the location.

[+The Flying Boots]

Don't worry about your DNF's WW&TM. We recently spent a day geocaching in Bergen, Norway and had 9 finds, 8 DNF's and logged every one of them.

 

They were all nano's and micro's and we hadn't the time for a thorough search in areas that were riddled with muggles. So after 10 minutes we'd move on to the next cache and a pleasant walk was had even with all those DNF's.

[+chizu]

We like DNFs as, even though they're annoying and frustrating at the time they're fun to look back on and laugh about when you've actually gone back and found it!

[+Mr'D]

Always log my DNF's - gives the cache owner some feedback.

 

Jon

[+minstrelcat]

I always log DNFs. No one else can see how many DNFs you've had anyway. They appear on individual cache pages but not on the profile that other people can see.

 

Lisa

[Edgemaster]

I've heard of someone who logs DNFs and then changes them after they find the cache on a successful visit to a note (or perhaps deletes it and writes a note) so they "don't have DNFs on their profile". It's surprising how many people think that others care about how many DNFs they have.

Didn't know they showed on profiles so no idea how many we have logged .

DNFs aren't publicly viewable from a profile, only on cache pages. However, you can view your own DNFs here:

http://www.geocaching.com/my/logs.aspx?s=1&lt=3

[The Red Kite]

Always log my DNF's - gives the cache owner some feedback.

 

Jon

 

I agree Jon. I have a couple of "hard to find" micros and a nano. If anyone ever logs a DNF I go and make sure they are still there, then email the cacher to let them know and offer them a PAF call or a hint for their next visit. So far they have all declined the offer and said they want to try again next time they are in the area.

 

I think it looks odd when someone visits one of my trails and a cache is missing from their log list. It makes me wonder whether they actually looked for it and DNFd but don't want to list it. (this is not a criticism or complaint, just an observation!)

 

Personally I don't log a DNF unless I have made a thorough search of the area and still can't find it. If I have looked briefly I do write a note to say that I was there and didn't find it for whatever reason. Having said that I only have 3 DNFs so far and at one of them the cache owners were watching me I still have to go back and find it