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Newbie with a Didn't find it question


ras258

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After years of hearing about geocaching on bookcrossing and more years of hearing about it on postcrossing I finally signed up last weekend. Have 7 finds so far and am really enjoying it. I can understand how this can become addictive. :)

 

My question is about registering "Didn't Find It"s.

When do you register a cache as not found.

 

We went in search of one this weekend but it was obvious that it was going to be nearly impossible because of the snow and location so we left after reaching the general area. I noticed when I rechecked it on the computer it said it was unsuitable for winter searching.

 

We have also searched for other caches for 10-15 minutes but haven't found the them. Would you register these as Didn't Find or was that not enough time? We're trying to start off slowly with the "easier" caches.

 

Thanks for any help.

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I log a DNF any time I start the hunt and come up empty. I consider the hunt started the second I call up the cache coordinates and hit go to. I would have logged a DNF in both of your scenarios. Other people have different standards and I'm sure some will follow this post and disagree with me.

 

Where you choose to draw the line is up to you, but you should try to log something. Cache owners want to know if people are hunting their caches, whether they are found or not. Don't be afraid that your DNF will necessarily alarm the cache owner. He will read your explanation and see that you are a novice and take it into consideration.

 

If I get a single DNF from a new cacher it's usually no cause for alarm. If I get a DNF with someone with 3,000 finds on a cache that should be easy, it sets off the bells. If I get 2-3 in a row then it's time to check on the cache, but the DNF pattern won't develop if searchers don't log their DNFs, regardless of the reason.

Edited by briansnat
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Our usual definition is, we actually made it out of the car/off the bike (if we got close and didn't get out of the car because of weather or muggles I'll log a note), and made it within ,1 miles of the cache it is a DNF.

The reason we don't use Briansnat's defintion is that I navigate and Spruce usually drives. So sometimes I'm just watching the cache area go by as I'm saying "Umm that was the turn".

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If you honestly looked for it, it should be logged accordingly,it may not be evident at first but even DNF's are useful.

I try to give a little information as to why I DNF, it may be that I didn't have enough time, ran out of daylight.

If there were muggles or the area was trashed or became a construction zone, all of this is useful to the CO and others.

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First off, don't be afraid to log a DNF. It's an accurate and truthful account of your experience, and useful to the cache owner for the reasons Brian stated.

 

Now, having said that, I define a DNF as any instance where I actually reached ground zero and searched for the cache but came up empty. Whether it was 5 minutes or 45 minutes is immaterial.

 

If I began navigating to the cache but stopped short of actually doing a search (maybe because of too many muggles around or some other condition that prevented me from actually approaching the cache site), I'll just post a note explaining that and plan on coming back for it later.

 

I had one cache where I saw it but couldn't reach it, so was unable to sign the log. I logged that one as a DNF because I did search for it but was unable to retrieve and sign it. Some people would have logged a find on that one, but I disagree (I did go back later and get that one)

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If I search the area, and am unable to find the cache, or sign the log, then, generally I will post a DNF.

Logged two DNFs Sunday. One was archived by the owner "I wasn't going to replace that one anyway." On the other, the next cacher logged: "Did a little maintenance on the fly and replaced container and log where it seemed it should be. If there are any questions feel free to contact me and i'll tell you where I placed the container. If I was wrong I will delete my log.TFTC" Hmm... He didnt find it either. But he tossed a throwdown, and claimed a find on a cache he didn't find. Hmmm...

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Stated to cache, Searched and Did Not Find the cache for whatever reason - is a statement of fact. I will log a DNF.

 

Don't look at them as some kind of demerit or anything - it provides useful information to cache owners and future seekers. Even if the only reason is that incredible smell from a nearby bakery. The next seeker knows to bring a few bucks along. :omnomnom:

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Good advice, so far -- everyone has their own standards as to just what a DNF is.

 

Probably, however, some of the BEST logs as those posted as a DNF. Why? Well, because there is usually a story behind the DNF. In scanning about on the website, you'll find tons of TFTC; "I found it"; "This is # so-and-so of the day"; "I liked the view" (better than most many logs); "Found with my friend" and so on. But where is the story? There is none, because finds are not that "special", but a reason behind NOT finding usually has some meat to it.

 

Some consider a DNF to be a "sign" that the cache may be missing. Not necessarily so. A DNF log stating that there were too many muggles present, or "we just plain ran out of light" or "...suddenly a downpour started.."; even "Too much snow" explains a lot, then too, there is always a chance that you just didn't see (or recognize) the cache, which is most often the case -- whether a persons admits it or not.

 

Do not fear the DNF, as they always teach you something...

Edited by Gitchee-Gummee
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I log a DNF any time I start the hunt and come up empty. I consider the hunt started the second I call up the cache coordinates and hit go to. I would have logged a DNF in both of your scenarios. Other people have different standards and I'm sure some will follow this post and disagree with me.

 

Where you choose to draw the line is up to you, but you should try to log something. Cache owners want to know if people are hunting their caches, whether they are found or not. Don't be afraid that your DNF will necessarily alarm the cache owner. He will read your explanation and see that you are a novice and take it into consideration.

 

If I get a single DNF from a new cacher it's usually no cause for alarm. If I get a DNF with someone with 3,000 finds on a cache that should be easy, it sets off the bells. If I get 2-3 in a row then it's time to check on the cache.

 

The only part I disagree with is that even a 3k cacher can get skunked on finding a cache. They know it and will still log a DNF instead of a Needs Maintenance. DNF does not equal shame.

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If we reach ground zero and don't find it, I log a DNF, even if we only search for a few minutes. A lot of our DNF's say something like "the kids ran out of patience before we ran out of places to search." :D If we don't actually make it to ground zero, then I don't usually log anything, unless there is a good story. "We thought about hunting this cache, but decided to take a different trail instead" seems a little pointless, and "We got to the general area, but when I realized that it was in the weeds along a busy road I decided not to bother" seems a little rude.

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I'm new but I have just as much fun on my DNF's as I do on my Finds. As such I happily log all my DNFs. Often messages such as "Great view, but didn't find it after 15 minutes of looking".

 

I don't know if the caches are missing or I just didn't find them so they don't get marked as Needs Maintenance. So I keep an eye on them and if I see others are finding one I go back and try again, sometimes it becomes a Find and that is twice as cool then. I would use Needs Maintenance if I see a smashed cache, wet/full logs, etc.

 

I agree with the others who assert that DNF isn't a thing of shame. It is just an honest logging of having not spotted the cache. It helps everyone from the CO to other cachers who'll know it might not be obvious.

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Thanks everyone for your replies - very helpful.

 

I wanted to check before I did log the DNFs. I also like reading that some people DNF a cache as it often does provide useful info and also makes my lack of success THIS time easier to take. ;) And as Gitchee-Gummee said they often make for some entertaining reading.

 

I have been keeping a log of everything I have looked for so far, including the cache names, co-ords, dates, times I've looked, reasons for stopping etc. I like having a record of which caches I have actually looked for - found or not.

 

I will go back and enter all my DNFs with the appropriate dates and information.

 

If/when you return to a DNF cache and do find it and log I'm guessing the :( becomes a :) on your map. I'm guessing the two log entries DNF and Found it remain part of the log history, as they should?

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<snip>

 

If/when you return to a DNF cache and do find it and log I'm guessing the :( becomes a :) on your map. I'm guessing the two log entries DNF and Found it remain part of the log history, as they should?

Actually, you don't want to edit the DNF to a find. You would want to log again, as a find.

The reason being is that the DNF should stand as a part of the cache history and your caching history. Do note, there ARE no DNF stats, only found stats. Whenever you look at Google maps for areas you have been caching in, you won't see a blue frown, you see only un-found caches and found caches.

Edited by Gitchee-Gummee
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The only part I disagree with is that even a 3k cacher can get skunked on finding a cache. They know it and will still log a DNF instead of a Needs Maintenance. DNF does not equal shame.

 

Not all of them do. I bumped into two 3,000+ cachers while hunting a cache a while back. We were moving in opposite directions, so the cache they just came from was the one I was going to next. They told me they came up empty on that one (I did too). Later I saw that they had logged the cache we found together but never did log their DNF up the road.

 

I've also had a CO contact me after I DNF'd his cache and said that it was OK with him if I logged it as a find, because his real intent was just to bring people to the cool site and whether we found the cache or not didn't really matter to him. Generous of him, but I declined and left it a DNF....Personally, I'd rather have an accurate accounting of my activities, win, lose, or draw.

 

Some consider a DNF to be a "sign" that the cache may be missing. Not necessarily so

 

Good point. Another cache I DNF'd recently had a few DNF's before mine and a few more afterwards. The CO posted a note saying that he took that as a sign that the cache was probably missing, so he went out with a new cache container to replace it and whaddaya know, it was still there. Just very well hidden, evidently. :)

Edited by Chief301
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@ Gitchee-Gummee - Thanks for clearing that up about the DNF on the google maps. That was what I was wondering about.

 

I wouldn't delete a DNF or change it to a Found. I think the log history should contain everything and the new finds or notes should be added.

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