To log or Not to Log

[+BCSasquatch]

When I go searching and do not find the cache, should I log is as a DNF if I still plan on going back and attempting it again?

 

My instinct is to not log anything and just go back and look again. It seems silly to log a DNF and then 2 days later log it as found.

 

Your advice is appreciated.

[+Chrysalides]

When I go searching and do not find the cache, should I log is as a DNF if I still plan on going back and attempting it again?

 

My instinct is to not log anything and just go back and look again. It seems silly to log a DNF and then 2 days later log it as found.

If I'm sitting down logging my other caches, I'd log that DNF as well.

 

If they're in the same day, most likely I would not log the DNF. But I've logged DNF followed by Found on the same day before...

 

To me, a DNF serves 3 purposes : my own caching record, an alert to a potential problem for others, and to let the cache owner that someone is interested in that cache.

 

My advice is : don't agonize too much about it. Just do what you feel is right. The way you feel about it may change later.

Edited January 8, 2010 by Chrysalides

[+Harry Dolphin]

While I seldom log a second DNF on a cache (especially after the eldery lady on crutches explains how easy it was), I will generally (almost always) log the initial DNF.

Chrysalides missed the fourth point: It also shows that I can trip over a 1/1 and still not find it! I call it the dumbness factor.

[+cycler48]

I always log DNFs ... even when I know I'll be out looking for it the next day. I just had one of those a few days ago. I couldn't find it one day, but found it the next. As was mentioned, DNFs serve a purpose.

[+Chrysalides]

Chrysalides missed the fourth point: It also shows that I can trip over a 1/1 and still not find it! I call it the dumbness factor.

Fodder for another thread, but if someone with a single digit find count logs "easy find" within the last 5 logs on a 1/1, I know I'm going to DNF that cache.

[GOF and Bacall]

When in doubt, log it. And there is no need to go back and edit your log if you go back and find the cache later. Each visit was a separate event worthy of its own log.

[+BCSasquatch]

Ah, okay, good advice. Thanks for the feedback guys. The reason I asked is I was searching at night for a simple 1/1 cache (albeit a very small, black container) and I know I can locate it during light hours if I go back to the spot, but as you pointed out the DNF log serves other purposes.

 

Cheers.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Ah, okay, good advice. Thanks for the feedback guys. The reason I asked is I was searching at night for a simple 1/1 cache (albeit a very small, black container) and I know I can locate it during light hours if I go back to the spot, but as you pointed out the DNF log serves other purposes.

 

Cheers.

 

In a addition to telling the cache owner or other cachers that there might be an issue with the cache a DNF log also provide a metric which might indicate to other cacher that true difficulty of finding the cache. A DNF log tells others that somebody looked for the cache and did not find it. The fact that you didn't find the cache at night but can find it during the day (assuming that you find it) might tell someone that it will be harder to find at night. That could be useful information for someone else considering looking for it at night. Similarly if you look for a cache and cut off the search due to too many muggles around, posting a DNF and indicated when you tried to search for it could tell other cachers that looking for it around noon (when people might be out for lunch) might not be the best time for a search.

 

All of it is part of the history of the cache and the logs, whether their found it, DNF, or other types are part of the history.

[+GeoRVers]

Ah, okay, good advice. Thanks for the feedback guys. The reason I asked is I was searching at night for a simple 1/1 cache (albeit a very small, black container) and I know I can locate it during light hours if I go back to the spot, but as you pointed out the DNF log serves other purposes.

 

Cheers.

 

Thanks for the question... I learned a lot from the answers you received.

 

I had only been logging DNFs if I felt that there was a chance that the cache was missing. There were some caches that I did not search for very well - muggles around or areas flooded from all the rain we'd had - so I did not log a DNF.

 

On your example above, putting in the DNF log that you were searching at night would sure help me if I went behind you and tried finding it at night also.

 

Thanks again for the question.

[+BCSasquatch]

No worries .... thus are the tadpoles schooled

 

I think if nothing else it will help me track my success ratio and hone where needed.

[GermanSailor]

When I go searching and do not find the cache, should I log is as a DNF if I still plan on going back and attempting it again?

 

My instinct is to not log anything and just go back and look again. It seems silly to log a DNF and then 2 days later log it as found.

 

Your advice is appreciated.

My advice? If I searched for a cache without success, I log a DNF. If I find the cache two days later, I probably refer to my earlier DNF, joking about my inability that day.

 

DNFs are not a shame, those are the real important logs. They help the owner to figure out that something might be wrong with the geocache.

 

GermanSailor

[+The Blorenges]

Another reason to log all those DNFs on 'easy' caches...

 

When you look back at your early geocaching experiences in a year's time you'll be able to chuckle at yourself and say, "Sheeesh, I couldn't even find XXXXXX cache back then!"

 

MrsB

[+briansnat]

I log all of my DNFs. If I start the hunt and come up empty it gets a DNF. If I hunt that cache 10 times and can't find it 10 times it will have 10 DNFs from me (I think my record is 6).

[+Team Cotati]

When I go searching and do not find the cache, should I log is as a DNF if I still plan on going back and attempting it again?

 

My instinct is to not log anything and just go back and look again. It seems silly to log a DNF and then 2 days later log it as found.

 

Your advice is appreciated.

 

There is some likelihood that you might not find it on the next attempt. Log the DNF presuming that you actually did search for it on try #1.

[+TrailGators]

A swing and a miss is a DNF...

[+BCSasquatch]

There is some likelihood that you might not find it on the next attempt. Log the DNF presuming that you actually did search for it on try #1.

 

I have considered that I may not spot it, but the original cache to which I am referring has enough clues in other people's logs that it should not be a problem (famous last words). Reading the FULL log reports prior to attempting to find it would have saved me some time on this one. I have a much better idea of what I'm after now.

 

Definitely searched on try #1 if 40 minutes of groping around in a stand of conifers in the dark of night can be called searching

 

DNF has been logged.

[+PirateKatz]

Another reason to log all those DNFs on 'easy' caches...

 

When you look back at your early geocaching experiences in a year's time you'll be able to chuckle at yourself and say, "Sheeesh, I couldn't even find XXXXXX cache back then!"

 

MrsB

 

I can definitely relate. My first DNF was under a lamppost skirt in the middle of a parking lot. We searched and searched all the bushes in the area and it never occurred to us where it was. We actually had to email the CO for some hints...