Struggling with DNFs

[+LaTuFu]

Been out looking for the last couple of weeks. On a couple of days I have had the opportunity to seek multiple caches. I've run into some bad luck with some caches, and had a few DNFs.

 

I was on my way back from a conference today, gave me a chance to "cache along a route". I had 4 or 5 DNFs, almost as many finds. A couple of the DNFs I am confident I was in the right place but just didn't see it, because the logs indicated that its there, so I'm sure it was me. But there were a couple that I'm not so sure. One park n grab that I was caching had recently (within the last 2 days) been undergoing construction, so I'm not so sure it wasn't discovered.

 

I guess I'm wondering, is it all that unusual to have a lot of DNFs, is it just part of the learning curve?

[+Night Stalker]

Anyone who tells you that they don't have any DNF's is either a liar or is not caching. I have more DNF's lately than I ever had when I first started out. Cachers are becoming more devious all the time. don't fret about it. It's part of the game.

[+LaTuFu]

don't fret about it. It's part of the game.

 

Yeah, I'm definitely not fretting about it. I figured it was as much a part of the game as rain and PI.

 

Glad to hear it from others, too.

[+briansnat]

Last time I checked I had over 135 DNFs. It's quite normal, though my ratio of roughly 1 DNF for every 5 finds 5 finds might be a bit higher than average.

[+Isonzo Karst]

We had a bad day in North Carolina recently. Just couldn't find squat. It happens. 50/50 finds to DNFs that day.

Seems like they come in runs. And it's alway worse when you cache somewhere unfamiliar. Different hide styles, and not knowing the local idiosyncrasies.

[+Miragee]

The other day, I was three for three . . . DNFs that is.

 

The previous week when I went to town, I had three DNFs.

 

I'm up to 239 DNFs now . . .

[+Knight2000]

I have learned it takes a while to figure out the typical finds.

 

Like in my area a typical micro is cable tied to a evergreen. Totally missed my first one. Now i know and they are easy to spot.

 

Also if i know it is the right spot it is hard to tear us away. If i am not sure than for me it is easier to go but i hate defeat.

[+Miragee]

I don't mind defeat so much if this is the cache location.

 

 

That was the scene of one of the three DNFs I had Tuesday. One of the other DNFs has coordinates that are off by 50'.

[+webscouter.]

Four out of nine attempts last week resulted in DNF's. No big deal. Still got to cache.

[+LaTuFu]

Four out of nine attempts last week resulted in DNF's. No big deal. Still got to cache.

 

Yep, thats what I've been thinking as I've been reading the posts.

 

To borrow another cliche, a bad day caching beats a good day working.

[+Boot Group]

Yes, it's normal.

 

It really bugs me when I get a DNF on vacation, though, because I know I can't come back and try again.

 

Most of my local DNF's usually turn into a found log sooner or later.

[+LaTuFu]

Yes, it's normal.

 

It really bugs me when I get a DNF on vacation, though, because I know I can't come back and try again.

 

Most of my local DNF's usually turn into a found log sooner or later.

 

Thats what was griping me the most yesterday. A couple of the DNFs I had it may be a long, long time before I get another chance to go back.

[daijobu]

I'm just gettin started and am glad to see this topic! My first couple hunts were a success - a few days ago I went out 0-3 I agree with what a few of you have said though... it's the hunt itself that is the real pleasure.

[+Chuy!]

I have 270 DNF's; who can beat that!?

[+wavector]

I have 270 DNF's; who can beat that!?

 

Pshaw.

 

You have 4488 Finds and your 270 DNF's create a ratio of 16.6 Finds per DNF.

I have found 506 caches and I have 71 DNF's, a ratio of 7.1 Finds per DNF.

 

I am much better at Not Finding caches than you are.

[+LaTuFu]

I have 270 DNF's; who can beat that!?

 

Pshaw.

 

You have 4488 Finds and your 270 DNF's create a ratio of 16.6 Finds per DNF.

I have found 506 caches and I have 71 DNF's, a ratio of 7.1 Finds per DNF.

 

I am much better at Not Finding caches than you are.

 

Okay, Okay. Break it up. You two go rattle your slide rules somewhere else.

[+Renegade Knight]

...I guess I'm wondering, is it all that unusual to have a lot of DNFs, is it just part of the learning curve?

 

There is a learning curve. I can find things that newbies can't. However I also have at least 10% DNF's. More than one newbie has found something that's given me fits.

[+StarBrand]

I once had 5 finds and 9 DNFs in one day. It happens. That what I get for trying night caching.

[+TrailGators]

...I guess I'm wondering, is it all that unusual to have a lot of DNFs, is it just part of the learning curve?

There is a learning curve. I can find things that newbies can't. However I also have at least 10% DNF's. More than one newbie has found something that's given me fits.

It's called mojo. Some days you have it and some days you don't. However, most DNFs (at least for me) have been caused by missing caches or bad coords. Whenever I couldn't find a low difficulty cache, it's typically been because one of those two reasons.

[+imajeep]

We were in So Cal last week. We did some urban caches in Santa Monica, and went 0 for 5. We didn't log DNFs on these, because we are convinced that all five were under our noses, and we don't want to create any impression they were missing. We spent almost an hour looking for one of these caches. Urban micros are definitely a different game from the ammo-box-in-the-woods caches we normally do.

 

The most frustrating DNF of the week was a cache out on a mesa. Prior logs said that the posted coordinates were as much as 100' off, but no finders posted any alternates. Come on, folks, lend a hand to a lowly newbie and post coordinates in your log report if they differ significantly from the description! We spent an hour looking for the cache and went through more water than we should have. It led to some nervous moments on the hike back.

[+Miragee]

We were in So Cal last week. We did some urban caches in Santa Monica, and went 0 for 5. We didn't log DNFs on these, because we are convinced that all five were under our noses, and we don't want to create any impression they were missing. We spent almost an hour looking for one of these caches. Urban micros are definitely a different game from the ammo-box-in-the-woods caches we normally do.

You should still post your DNFs. What you say in your log will let the cache owner, and others, know the cache is probably there but the cammo was something you were unfamiliar with. Posting DNFs makes your caching history accurate and is a good thing to do.

The most frustrating DNF of the week was a cache out on a mesa. Prior logs said that the posted coordinates were as much as 100' off, but no finders posted any alternates. Come on, folks, lend a hand to a lowly newbie and post coordinates in your log report if they differ significantly from the description! We spent an hour looking for the cache and went through more water than we should have. It led to some nervous moments on the hike back.

I always post alternate coordinates if I find a container even just 30 feet off from GZ. That is too bad that neither previous finders, nor the cache owner, has corrected the error . . .

[TheTodds]

I've only had one DNF out of my four total finds (whooaaa!). I attribute not finding it to being new to geocaching, heavy tree canopy to screw with my GPSr signal, looking toooooo hard and a really well-hidden cache. My husband and I stomped around in the woods for an hour and a half combing a 50' radius of where the GPS said GZ was but we gave up to go find some other caches in the area. We went back later this week having scoured the logs and emailed back and forth with the owner and they assured me it was there (it hadn't been found in about 2 months) and all the while it was right under our noses.

 

It's a challenge.

 

Happy Caching,

Steph

[+GroverZ]

We had a somewhat frustrating day the weekend before last (I think the heat and humidity frustrates us more )...drove up to an area about an hour north of home and was 2 for 4 in finds that day.

 

I logged both DNFs, though...someone easily found one of them in the next day or so, and the other cache's owner went out to check after seeing a couple of DNFs in the log and said that cache was missing. So I guess I'd agree that posting your DNFs are important.

 

This past weekend, we managed 3 for 3 in finds...so it's all good.

Edited June 18, 2007 by GroverZ

[+Shakedown.dave]

I am about 1 DNF for every 3 caches average. 1 out of 2 yesterday. I had three micros that kicked my butt. it happens.

[+WRASTRO]

I am not quite 10% DNF to finds. When we were new cachers we thought it was embarrasing to log a DNF. Now we know it is a very helpful tool and take a weird pride in logging them. As a cache owner I really appreciate those DNF logs. What I don't like is when the DNF is claiming the cache is missing when there is no evidence to support the claim...and the cache is there.

[+TrailGators]

I always post alternate coordinates if I find a container even just 30 feet off from GZ. That is too bad that neither previous finders, nor the cache owner, has corrected the error . . .

I always do too!

[Braff-n-MandaRue]

I've been having bad DNF luck myself lately. It's like I completely forgot how to geocache or something. Probably 1 out of 4 is a DNF these days.

 

The way I see it, a DNF just give you another chance to go geocaching again.

[FlyingTiger17]

I've been using GPS since it first came online to aviation years ago and I felt I knew what I was doing when hunting caches. I'm new to geocaching but after a couple of weeks my ratio of finds to DNF's are getting better and better. I'm now certain that when I come upon a cache that I just can't find I should widen my search...reason...I believe it's how the owner of the cache first mapped the cache.

 

I have an Garmin Etrex Vista CX and I see most of the Garmin line are similar in external features. When you hit the pointer button on the Etrex if your not VERY careful it will move the map point just a hair, i.e., 50 to 100 feet very easily.

 

What I do to prevent this from happening is I now check to see if I hit the "Go To" on that cache it will take me to where it is hidden. Then I know for sure I've got it mapped properly.

 

Another thought is that the owner of the cache is trying to be sneaky and not giving you the right co-ord's in the first place. They want you to figure out through their words/phrases and possible "hints".

[+LaTuFu]

I traded emails with the Cache owner of one of my DNFs last week. There was a lot of construction work going on in the area where the hide was located. I was worried that it wasn't me, but rather that the workers had found it, so I let the cache owner know. I told him up front that I was confident that I missed it, more than likely it was there, but I just wanted to let him know. They emailed me a couple of days later and let me know that yep, I missed it, the cache was there in good shape.

 

I'll be traveling through that area again in a couple of weeks, I'll be stopping off one more time...

[+Themegsygranny]

It is comforting to hear that everyone has DNFs. I think if more people posted their DNFs on the logs then the rest of us wouldn't think there was something wrong with us (or our GPSr) when we can't find them.

 

Speaking of GPSr: I have an eTrex Legend C and have recently found it to be off by 50+ feet when I do find a cache. The GPSr gets me within 50' then I have to look in all the typical hiding spots. This didn't used to be the case. We used to almost always be within 8-10 feet of a hide when the unit said we were there. Is there a way to "calibrate" the unit? I have it set to WGS84 and ddd'mm.mmm'

[+BlackRok]

Not to worry, DNF's are part of the game, but I find that the more I cache, the better I am at picking out probable hiding spots!

Use the GPS to get to the general area, then start thinking "where would I hide something here" , works pretty good most of the time!

 

BlAcKrOk

Emerald Creek Photography

[+Chuy!]

It is comforting to hear that everyone has DNFs. I think if more people posted their DNFs on the logs then the rest of us wouldn't think there was something wrong with us (or our GPSr) when we can't find them.

 

Speaking of GPSr: I have an eTrex Legend C and have recently found it to be off by 50+ feet when I do find a cache. The GPSr gets me within 50' then I have to look in all the typical hiding spots. This didn't used to be the case. We used to almost always be within 8-10 feet of a hide when the unit said we were there. Is there a way to "calibrate" the unit? I have it set to WGS84 and ddd'mm.mmm'

I have found that yesteryear caches tend to be off 30-40 feet with todays GPS'.

[+JegMag]

How about multiple DNF on the same cache! We have been back to the same spot three times, each time thinking we have it figured out and skunked every time. There were two other cachers also logging DNF, so we think -- it is gone.

Then.....of course.... suddenly people are finding it and saying how easy it was. AGGGGGRRRRRHHHHHHH

I can only hope it is archived before we get there again! I don't think I can log one more DNF on it! LOL

[+poppoppig]

My Dad was a good fisherman and a very patient person;when I would get frustrated from not catching fish all the time,he would say if we caught fish ALL THE TIME it would be called CATCHING ,and not FISHING!! There has to be DNFs!! AMEN?? Poppoppig

[+TrailGators]

My Dad was a good fisherman and a very patient person;when I would get frustrated from not catching fish all the time,he would say if we caught fish ALL THE TIME it would be called CATCHING ,and not FISHING!! There has to be DNFs!! AMEN?? Poppoppig

That's a great way to look at it!

[+LaTuFu]

My Dad was a good fisherman and a very patient person;when I would get frustrated from not catching fish all the time,he would say if we caught fish ALL THE TIME it would be called CATCHING ,and not FISHING!! There has to be DNFs!! AMEN?? Poppoppig

That's a great way to look at it!

 

My thoughts exactly.

[+maggieszoo]

It seems to me that DNF's come in runs. One DNF makes you start to doubt yourself, then maybe you don't look as hard for the next one, and next thing you know there are a string of them for the day. Other days we find 20 of 20. One DNF can give us a day like earlier this month where we had 7DNF's and only 6 finds, one of those being an event!

[+...The Girl]

> Struggling with DNFs, Tell me its normal...

 

It's normal.

 

... is that what you had in mind or would you prefer something a little more wordy?

 

Yeah, it's normal. There's nothing wrong with your technique. Everybody has trouble now and then. Don't worry, it happens to everyone. You're no less of a man because of it. Keep trying, you'll eventually find the right spot.

 

[+JohnnyVegas]

IT is the learning curve. After a bit of caching you may notice that some of the regulars hidders may be doing the same style of cache. When I started a while back I had more DNFs than I do now, and back then there were very few drive up caches , you had to work hard to get a DNF then.

These days you can get a DNF just a few feet from your car.

[+LaTuFu]

You're no less of a man because of it. Keep trying, you'll eventually find the right spot.

 

 

I think we're wandering waaaaay OT here....

[+Team GeoBlast]

Been out looking for the last couple of weeks. On a couple of days I have had the opportunity to seek multiple caches. I've run into some bad luck with some caches, and had a few DNFs.

 

I was on my way back from a conference today, gave me a chance to "cache along a route". I had 4 or 5 DNFs, almost as many finds. A couple of the DNFs I am confident I was in the right place but just didn't see it, because the logs indicated that its there, so I'm sure it was me. But there were a couple that I'm not so sure. One park n grab that I was caching had recently (within the last 2 days) been undergoing construction, so I'm not so sure it wasn't discovered.

 

I guess I'm wondering, is it all that unusual to have a lot of DNFs, is it just part of the learning curve?

 

I think you go through waves of suckiness in this game. I am happy if I don't DNF my house when I get into one of those funks.

Edited June 23, 2007 by Team GeoBlast

[+...The Girl]

I have 270 DNF's; who can beat that!?

 

Pshaw.

 

You have 4488 Finds and your 270 DNF's create a ratio of 16.6 Finds per DNF.

I have found 506 caches and I have 71 DNF's, a ratio of 7.1 Finds per DNF.

 

I am much better at Not Finding caches than you are.

 

Okay, Okay. Break it up. You two go rattle your slide rules somewhere else.

[keme03]

I like to take the kids with me. They seem to have a better knack of finding all the micros here in the city than I do.