What constitutes a find?

[N4AOF]

I've seen lots of discussions about what is and isn't a "find" centering around people who locate a cache but do not actually open the cache and sign the log book, usually because it was out of reach or there were people around. The concensus is clearly that just seeing or even touching the cache is not enough, you have to actually sign the log (assuming that there is a log, not just wet paper mush).

 

But I ran across another forum topic that got me thinking:

I stumbled across a geocache purely by accident. We signed the log...

 

It seems to me that stumbling across a cache by accident isn't what geocaching is all about. What do people think about claiming a "find" on a cache that you just randomly stumble upon?

[+dfx]

But I ran across another forum topic that got me thinking:

I stumbled across a geocache purely by accident. We signed the log...

 

It seems to me that stumbling across a cache by accident isn't what geocaching is all about. What do people think about claiming a "find" on a cache that you just randomly stumble upon?

 

A find is a find. You weren't geocaching when you found it, but you still found it.

[+BlueDeuce]

But I ran across another forum topic that got me thinking:

I stumbled across a geocache purely by accident. We signed the log...

 

It seems to me that stumbling across a cache by accident isn't what geocaching is all about. What do people think about claiming a "find" on a cache that you just randomly stumble upon?

 

A find is a find. You weren't geocaching when you found it, but you still found it.

 

yep.

[+gps_junky]

I say it's up to the finder. If they want to cheat, let them. I myself is one that will log a find if I was able to touch the cache. I live in the North and have found caches that incased in a big Ice Ball (not the owners intention) I had no way of getting inside of it. But I did log that I made the find.

 

I WOULD NOT LOG A FIND: if the cache, say, Has a lock of some kind on it and I am unable to figure it out. OR its a MULTI and I have not found the last stage.

 

But all in all I say its up to the Finder. The only person that they are trully cheating is themselves.

To some people, its all about the #'s. To me its about the adventure.

Edited April 8, 2011 by gps_junky

[+Max and 99]

Finding a cache by accident is still finding a cache, and is a legitimate find.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Finding a cache by accident is still finding a cache, and is a legitimate find.

 

... So long as you sign the log!

 

(Exceptions include the cache being in a big ice cube. )

[NordicMan]

A few years ago I found a cache that was frozen to the stump it was hidden in. It was obviously the cache I was looking for,, but because I couldn't sign the log I didn't mark it as a find..

 

I went back in spring and *found it* then.

 

Another winter cache was located in a hut on a park. I found the hut but the park was closed for the season I could even see the Geocaching logo over the door of the hut! Still, I couldn't sign the log so I didn't mark it as a found.. That one I haven't gotten around to returning to when the season is open.

 

Do what *you* want in those same situations

[+Student Camper]

It does'nt really matter how you found it, if you sign the log, it is a find.

If there are reasons for not signing and the CO agrees, then it is a find.

 

If you could not sign because you left the pencil in the car or you didn't want to climb the mountain, wall, ladder, etc. or didn't want to wait until the stump thaws out, or is not there, it is not a find.

 

If you cheat, no one really cares as you're only cheating yourself, makes no difference to me.

[+BlueDeuce]

I believe the topic is that if you aren't engaged in the actual act of intentional geocaching and find a cache, you shouldn't say that you 'found' it and claim a find.

 

I say if you aren't engaged in the actual act of geocaching at all times you are nothing more than a muggle.

 

Just kidding.

 

Actually if you find a container, even by accident, and the first thought is to check for a logbook - you are definitely caching. It's the burden of the addiction that we all carry.

[+entogeek]

Find the cache, sign the log = a find. Even if you find a cache by accident.

[N4AOF]

I believe the topic is that if you aren't engaged in the actual act of intentional geocaching and find a cache, you shouldn't say that you 'found' it and claim a find.

 

I say if you aren't engaged in the actual act of geocaching at all times you are nothing more than a muggle.

 

Just kidding.

 

Actually if you find a container, even by accident, and the first thought is to check for a logbook - you are definitely caching. It's the burden of the addiction that we all carry.

 

OK, so I understand that the essence of geocaching no longer has anything to do with the skill of locating the coordinates but is really just a worldwide easter egg hunt. I suppose with the advances in handheld GPS that actually makes a perverse sort of good sense.

[+Bear and Ragged]

I believe the topic is that if you aren't engaged in the actual act of intentional geocaching and find a cache, you shouldn't say that you 'found' it and claim a find.

 

I say if you aren't engaged in the actual act of geocaching at all times you are nothing more than a muggle.

 

Just kidding.

 

Actually if you find a container, even by accident, and the first thought is to check for a logbook - you are definitely caching. It's the burden of the addiction that we all carry.

 

OK, so I understand that the essence of geocaching no longer has anything to do with the skill of locating the coordinates but is really just a worldwide easter egg hunt. I suppose with the advances in handheld GPS that actually makes a perverse sort of good sense.

 

Given how Geocaching has increased over recent years cachers often think "I wonder if there is a cache there..." look, and find there is a cache there..

 

Whereas in 'The good Old Days' there wouldn't be, so they'd hide one in the spot!

[+StarBrand]

I've located about 10-15 over the years by just spotting a likely hiding spot while I was doing something else. But at that moment my Geosenses and Geo knowledge have kicked in so I am really Geocaching - just don't know for certain a cache is there or which cache it is.

[+jmw61]

I'm always looking and saying to myself, "Myself, that would be a neat spot for a cache, or that's a lame spot, I bet there's a cache there", and then I must verify that. I have not yet found one, but when I do, _if_ I'm able to sign the log, I'll claim the find.

[+Sol seaker]

I believe the topic is that if you aren't engaged in the actual act of intentional geocaching and find a cache, you shouldn't say that you 'found' it and claim a find.

 

I say if you aren't engaged in the actual act of geocaching at all times you are nothing more than a muggle.

 

Just kidding.

 

Actually if you find a container, even by accident, and the first thought is to check for a logbook - you are definitely caching. It's the burden of the addiction that we all carry.

 

OK, so I understand that the essence of geocaching no longer has anything to do with the skill of locating the coordinates but is really just a worldwide easter egg hunt. I suppose with the advances in handheld GPS that actually makes a perverse sort of good sense.

 

The essence of geocaching was never about just finding the coordinates.

Anyone can do that.

 

It's the skill of finding the cache.

We generally use GPS's to find the cache. Some people cache without GPS's at all. Sometimes they use Google maps. It's a lot harder that way, but some do it.

 

The GPS isn't the point of the game. The finding the cache is.

So, if you find a cache, with or without your GPS, then it's still a find.

 

Find it, sign it. Then you can log it online.

[+dfx]

The essence of geocaching was never about just finding the coordinates.

Anyone can do that.

 

It's the skill of finding the cache.

We generally use GPS's to find the cache. Some people cache without GPS's at all. Sometimes they use Google maps. It's a lot harder that way, but some do it.

 

The GPS isn't the point of the game. The finding the cache is.

So, if you find a cache, with or without your GPS, then it's still a find.

 

Dead on!

The coordinates and the GPS are just tools to achieve the ultimate goal: finding the cache.

Edited April 10, 2011 by dfx

[+popokiiti]

I find, I sign, I conquer! Even if I have only gone out with a vague idea of where it is and no GPS, or just stumbled on a cache doing something else - the smiley's mine.....mmwwaaahaahaaa. That has maybe happened once or twice - the rest is GPS + "detective" work.

[+BlueDeuce]

I believe the topic is that if you aren't engaged in the actual act of intentional geocaching and find a cache, you shouldn't say that you 'found' it and claim a find.

 

I say if you aren't engaged in the actual act of geocaching at all times you are nothing more than a muggle.

 

Just kidding.

 

Actually if you find a container, even by accident, and the first thought is to check for a logbook - you are definitely caching. It's the burden of the addiction that we all carry.

 

OK, so I understand that the essence of geocaching no longer has anything to do with the skill of locating the coordinates but is really just a worldwide easter egg hunt. I suppose with the advances in handheld GPS that actually makes a perverse sort of good sense.

 

The essence of geocaching was never about just finding the coordinates.

Anyone can do that.

 

It's the skill of finding the cache.

We generally use GPS's to find the cache. Some people cache without GPS's at all. Sometimes they use Google maps. It's a lot harder that way, but some do it.

 

The GPS isn't the point of the game. The finding the cache is.

So, if you find a cache, with or without your GPS, then it's still a find.

 

Find it, sign it. Then you can log it online.

 

Very well said.

[+DazeDnFamily]

To quote Master Shifu (Kung Fu Panda)....

 

"There are no accidents."

 

Just saying. As has been said, a signed log = a found cache.

 

Later!

[+tozainamboku]

I assume the real question is whether you can/should log a find online if you stumble upon a cache and whether as the owner of the cache you can/should delete such a find log.

 

If you stumbled on the cache - it is up to you whether to log it as find or write a note (or even not write about online at all).

 

If you are the cache owner - you should not delete the find log in this case.

 

-edit to remove paragraph on guidelines that support this.

Edited April 10, 2011 by tozainamboku

[+popokiiti]

We had the idea that there was a cache "around here somewhere" in a local park. No printout, cache name, coords, hints, logs, .....we found it and signed the log. We were looking for other caches, and got this one as a bonus. Had it been the only one we found on a stroll, we'd have claimed the find also - because we signed the log.

[+sledgehampster]

If you do not sign the log INSIDE the cache it is NOT a find. The only aside to that is if the log is mush and you cannot physically do it. Logging it online is completely optional.

Edited April 12, 2011 by sledgehampster

[+ZSandmann]

I can think of three times something like this has happened to me.

 

1) I was looking for a cache in a park in New Orleans, it was listed as a micro and I found a tupperware about 100 feet from the posted coordinates. The GC code written on the cache didn't match but it was certainly a cache and not a letterbox. I signed the og, went back to GZ and soon found the cache. When I got home I searched the GC code and found that it was a puzzle cache hidden back in the days before you had to enter the real coordinates online. So it had slipped past the current proximity censors. I logged both as Finds even though I didn't solve the puzzle. (It was a fun puzzle I did solve it later on for kicks)

 

2) I was caching in a small park in Colorado with a walking track, there was a four stage multi in the park, the fourth and final stage an amoo can. Stage three was damaged so that I could not read the coordinates, but based on where the first three stages were I found the ammo can with a little looking (not many open spots, plus a big obvious piece of tree bark sitting on top of it.) Logged it as a find and the owner was tickled that I found it by brute force.

 

3) My wife and I were on a cruise and were walking along a beach when we saw this really neat hollowed tree. This was before I was hardcore enough to search for caches when we went on vacation. I had a Hmmmm moment, walked over to the tree and quickly extracted a black plastic cardfile box. I signed the log while my wife rolled her eyes. I logged it as a find.

[+edscott]

Can't remember ever finding a cache totally by accident, but I'm up to 10 un-logged Letterboxes.

[+A & J Tooling]

I spend a lot of time outdoors and for a long time, before getting involved here, I've always noticed people in odd places acting out of place. You know, urbanites in the woods acting like they belong but they don't? Well, since joining here, I've looked those locations up and realize now those are caches sites. Well, I didn't find them but rather people with no muggle sense did. But I feel that since they didn't do their part very well, those chaches are fair game for me to pick. They did the hard part and I reap the reward. Should of been paying better attention to what was happening around them. As long as I sign the log, it's a find.

[+The Blorenges]

and

 

there have been several examples over the years of muggles who accidentally find a cache, read the logbook... the stash note... and think, "Cool game!"... and join up.

 

I always think that's a great way to discover geocaching.

 

MrsB