Who gets the 'find' in a group hunt?

[+Firespinner]

I am somewhat new to this and I am wondering if what cache etiquette would apply when logging finds that are found while hunting with several friends.

 

If a group of friends are all new to geocaching and go out hunting....do we each log a found cache as a find? Does everyone in the group get to claim the find if we all sign the book....or should it only be the person who actually got to squeel "I found it" and cause us all to run over (in non-muggle territory, of course).

 

I didn't really think about this earlier but three of us went caching today. We found three caches as a group and so i came home and logged all three as 'finds'....but actually while we all hunted in the same area and we all signed the logbooks, I was the 'it's over here" shouter only once, and the other two in my group each found one causing me to run over to them.

 

Is there a general etiquette for this?

[+KoosKoos]

The actual action depends on your group...I've cached with folks that go with the pure group hunt attitude - someone finds it, everyone runs to the spot. Other times, I've hunted in groups, but whoever finds it quietly walks away to give everyone a chance to look and find it on their own.

 

As far as a find, if you sign the log, you register a smiley on the site (in my opinion). When my family caches together, any one of us may be the one to spot and pull out the cache, but all of our names go in the log book, why wouldn't we register it online under our individual accounts? Go for it!

[+WRASTRO]

This dilema is one of the reasons why we rarely go caching in a group. The philosophical and ethical questions are much diminished if there aren't 3 or 10 or 30 other cachers along. This isn't a bash on group caching, it just isn't the way we like to play.

[+briansnat]

I think if it is a team effort and you are part of that team and actively involved in the hunt, logging it as a find is fine. My wife and I hunt caches together all the time. Sometimes I find it first, sometimes she finds it first. Sometimes I'll say something like "You check those rocks and I'll take a look at this log pile" or my wife will suggest that I look somewhere. It really doesn't matter which of us actually saw the cache first.

 

When I'm with a larger group, I have a rule that I have to be involved with the hunt before I will log a find. There are times that I was at the tail end of the group and the vanguard already found it and was signing the log when I arrived. I wouldn't log that as a find. But if I was with the people who found it and actively hunting the cache, I have no qualms about logging the find.

 

Similarly if the group is hunting the cache and I'm at ground zero chatting about the weather with someone while the cache is found, I won't log the find because I wasn't involved with the hunt.

 

This is my personal rule because it's what feels right for me. That doesn't mean it has to be right for you. Some people may insist that they actually discover the cache in order to count it as a find. Others will log a find if they are sitting in the car while the rest of the group hunts. Heck, there are people who log finds even when there is no cache to be found, or they are sitting in their living room.

 

One way to do it if you want to remove all doubt is as each person in your group finds the cache, he walks away and announces that he found the cache. That gives each individual a shot at actually finding it. It is also great entertainment if you are one of the first finders, as you get to watch everyone else look and you can heap abuse on them. Not so much fun if you are the last one searching while everyone else laughs at you.

[+Team Cotati]

Every person in the group who has a GC account logs the cache as a find.............if they want to.

[+TrailGators]

One way to do it if you want to remove all doubt is as each person in your group finds the cache, he walks away and announces that he found the cache. That gives each individual a shot at actually finding it. It is also great entertainment if you are one of the first finders, as you get to watch everyone else look and you can heap abuse on them. Not so much fun if you are the last one searching while everyone else laughs at you.

We do this except as each person spots the cache they walk away and then call out "HUCKLE BUCKLE BEANSTOCK!" It does make it more fun.

[+admo1972]

Caching in a large group is quite fun, and THAT is the biggest reason to go caching. When in a group, we all have logged the find, but most people in their log mention which individual actually made the grab. I've foun dit pretty much the same with FTF's. Twice I was searching for a FTF with one other cacher, and the other made teh find first. We both "claim" the FTF, but I noted that it was the other guy who actually made the grab. Once, with a group of about 5, I found it first, but had no problem sharing the FTF with the others. I'd say 90% of my finds have been solo, so I don't see it being much of an issue either way.

[+StarBrand]

Generally speaking, all members of the group active in the hunt will claim a found it log. Think of it like going out with your family, maybe the 4 year old found it first or your wife but you would have no problem logging a find would you?

[+Renegade Knight]

...Is there a general etiquette for this?

 

Two things:

 

First, everbody logs the find.

 

Second:

Groups tend to use one of two styles of hunting.

The Three Muskateers Method. All for one and one for all. If anyone finds it, everbody has found it.

The Huckle Buckle Beanstalk method. One finds it, then walks away and waits while others also find it.

 

Either way the log gets signed and everbody logs the find when they get home.

[+Scare Force One]

If you sign the log you get a find. If you don't you don't. IMO

 

~.~Scare Force One

[+Firespinner]

Thanks to everyone for all the responses to my question. It helped alot to know that it was different and subjective rather than a set rule that all view one way.

 

Thanks! :-)

[+Blaidd-Drwg]

Back in the days of old when I started, I was puzzled by the same delima. I chose to add the word 'Team' to the front of my account name. Often I cache with friends, wife or introduce a muggle to the pastime. I always log (DNF or Found) for caches I was present when they were searched for.

[+Lacomo]

My wife and I cache together. When we find a cache we both log a find on it. If we have a DNF we only log one DNF with both our names mentioned in the log.