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How long for the FTF?


Chief301

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I've been following the forums here for quite awhile now and there's obviously a sub-group of the general caching community that loves to be First To Find on a new cache. I hear stories of people running out in the middle of the night, leaving a business meeting, jumping in the car and driving 50 miles because a new cache just got published and they want that FTF. Seems like within minutes of a new cache hitting the map several people are racing each other to find it.

 

Not necessarily my cup of tea...If one happens to drop in my area I might go after it if I'm free that day, but I won't make a special trip for it if it's over 10 miles away.

 

So just to give you an example of how caching is in my area, I just hid a new cache, GC32D1Z....It will be a week tomorrow since it's been published and I'm still waiting for someone to find it :rolleyes:

 

So if anybody in the SE Louisiana area is desperate for an FTF, I don't think you'll have much competition for this one :laughing:

 

So how long does a new cache usually last in your territory before someone finds it for the first time?

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It depends where the cache is hid. Caches in city limits are almost always found the same day around here. If its a weekend it'll get 3-6 logs on the first day, during the week usually 1 to 3 on the first day. Caches hid out in the woods and or country can take a few days to get a FTF specially if it during the week. Plus it'll depend on how far you have to drive. If I'm hiding out in the middle of no-where I always try to hide 3 or more caches to make it worth it to drive out there. I've seen a rural caches sit for over a week if its way out there and by itself.

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I looked at where your cache at and it seems to be in a cache poor area, not that the cache is poor just that there are not many other caches around. Give it time, once its found once It'll get more start getting more hits. I'd rather have 5 cachers a year find a cache I hid in a really cool spot then 50 a year find the one I hit in the light post at the local mall. Your seems to be in a history rich location and one I'd love to log. I love FTF's but not enough to drive 3000 miles, lol. Goodluck!

Edited by grendel541
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I'm trying to make a hard cache right now and I will be happy if it takes a good wile for someone to find it

 

It will take more then 3 days to find it if you can find all of the stages right away I'm thinking g people will group up and try to find it making it a lil eazy but it's still going to take a wile to find it's taking me for ever to plan it all out

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Most go pretty quick, although we hid three over a month ago and two are still not found (at least per computer logs). They are all three on a river and will be found easiest via boat, jet ski, kayak or canoe as they were placed via kayak. A bit hot for any kind of hike to them right now.

Edited by Pipeline Putters
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How do you know there hasn't been a FTF on your new cache? Maybe they just haven't logged yet.

I have two caches in which no one can be FTF until a year after publication. I've heard on these forums of one cache that didn't have a FTF until 6 years after publication (LOVED that story!).

I've gotten a FTF on a cache a month after it was published. You never know!

 

If I had to take a guess, I'd say the average time for FTF on the urban hides here is an hour, and FTF on rural hides is from 1-7 days.

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Wow I was disappointed when one of mine took about 10 hours to be found. It was hidden inside of a fake plastic fish and there were a bunch of raccoons around when I hid it and I was thinking one of them got it when I didn't get someone finding it a few hours after it getting published. It can be hard to get a FTF around here. I once got the alert at about 6am of a new one published and I seen it was on my way to work and there was about 5 published in the same area at the same time. I hit it up on the way to work about 7 am. When I pulled up I seen someone else I could tell was a geocacher. We tried to play it cool but ended up at the same spot. I made the grab but there was already 2 sigs on it.

-WarNinjas

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I looked at your cache at it seems to be in a cache poor area

 

Boy, you're telling me...it didn't take me long to clear out all the caches within about a 20 mile radius...there just aren't that many. Nowadays if we want to do some caching it's going to be a road trip at least 30 miles from home most of the time. Not a very active caching community here locally...I think there's about 5 of us in the whole parish. I really would have expected one of those guys to have gone after it by now, though, they jumped on my first two hides within a day or two.

 

How do you know there hasn't been a FTF on your new cache? Maybe they just haven't logged yet.

 

That's a possibility I suppose. I haven't gone out and checked the logbook yet.

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Around my area it's normally about 10-15mintues before at least the FTF and 2TF are taken. Within half an hour it's normally 4-5 people logging on it, and that's at any given time of the day. I go for them but not because it's a FTF (even though that is nice), but because if a new cache pops up in my area I want to have it signed off asap. I love being amongst the first few people to find it.

 

Outside my are (15 or so km radius) the finds can go longer, including some a couple of days. I guess there is just a concentration of cachers near me :)

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I've been following the forums here for quite awhile now and there's obviously a sub-group of the general caching community that loves to be First To Find on a new cache. I hear stories of people running out in the middle of the night, leaving a business meeting, jumping in the car and driving 50 miles because a new cache just got published and they want that FTF. Seems like within minutes of a new cache hitting the map several people are racing each other to find it.

 

Not necessarily my cup of tea...If one happens to drop in my area I might go after it if I'm free that day, but I won't make a special trip for it if it's over 10 miles away.

 

So just to give you an example of how caching is in my area, I just hid a new cache, GC32D1Z....It will be a week tomorrow since it's been published and I'm still waiting for someone to find it :rolleyes:

 

So if anybody in the SE Louisiana area is desperate for an FTF, I don't think you'll have much competition for this one :laughing:

 

So how long does a new cache usually last in your territory before someone finds it for the first time?

 

I wish I was near LA. I'm an historical nut and I would LOVE to just hunt this cache...even if I'm not the FTF. I'm sure you'll have a FTF soon, if they haven't found it already and haven't logged it. A couple of mine took over a week and I live in a cache saturated area.

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Around my neck of the woods there is 1 major FTF hound and 3 or 4 others (myself included) that are usually out within an hour or two of a new listing.

 

Oh, and my personal best is 14 minutes from the time a cache was posted to the time I had my name on the log. That was just a case of preparedness and oppurtunity meeting blind luck.

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So, Saturday, I got my shopping done early to prepare for the hurricane. Bing! Two new caches about 4 miles away. Off I run. Met another cacher at theone I went for first. (After passing another cacher headed for the other one.) The cacher I met had already found the other one. After a half hour looking (and getting very wet), he found the one we were looking for. So, I got two 2nd to finds. Then back home to experience the hurricane...

On the other hand, I hid one with a fairly tough puzzle, and a good mile hike, with a couple of hundred feet of climb, and then a bushwhack through mountain laurel. Took seven months for the FTF.

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Depends on what type of cache it is. A (sub)urban traditional is usually logged within the hour if it is published during the day. If it is published after 21pm it may last until early the next morning. Multi's can take one to two days (depending on the length, difficulty, etc...) and mystery's are variable (depends on the difficulty) from one hour or so up to a week.

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They're generally gone within 20 minutes around here.

I often show up just for the party. There are often 5-8 people who show up for a first to find party around here.

Once I was too late for the FTF, so I went anyway to see if I could catch the party, and found the searchers still looking for it when I got there. There was quite a group. They had been there looking for quite some time. They had contacted the owner because they were sure one of them should have found it.

 

The owner showed up the same time I did. She came from the other direction and asked if people wanted hints. I said, give me a few minutes first, I just got here. I was under pressure and had to find it fast or not at all. I got it within a couple of minutes. I think those that had been searching an hour were mad, but it was fun. ;)

 

 

There are a few notable exceptions to the 20 minute rule.

The most notable, was the Ape Cache replacement.

 

It got published on a Friday. A lot of the people who would have gone for the FTF on it helped place it, so that narrowed the field.

It was a rare beautiful warm Saturday here in WA, but NO ONE logged it as of Saturday night.

Now this thing was off a lot of people's radar because it is far up in the mountains, so really only those reading the forums or who were in the loop would have noticed. Later those I talked to thought as I did, that everyone would run up to grab this one, so there was no point.

 

So late Saturday night still no one had logged it, I set my alarm for 4 am Sunday. I got up and still no one had logged it. I headed out the door. Did the hour + drive and then hiked in while it was still dark in the woods.

I was very surprised to find a blank log. Quite amazing.

And yes the cache was stuffed with awesome swag. And no, I didn't fill the back of my pick up with it.

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In my area, they go pretty quickly, usually to the same 2 or 3 cachers. I figure they must keep checking for new caches every few minutes. I was lucky enough to get 2 FTFs a few weeks ago that were unfound after 2 whole hours! Don't know how that happened.

No need to keep checking. You can have notice of newly-published caches sent to your email. If you get your email on your phone, then your phone notifies you more or less immediately of new caches in your area.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/notify/

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In my area, it is usually only a couple of hours. My first (and so far, only,) FTF was a little way outside of town, and had been published for 7 days. I knew it was there, but not being an FTF-hound, didn't rush out for it. Before I went, I checked for online logs and didn't see any, so decided to make a special trip to see if anyone had found it yet. No one had, and I got the FTF. The STF was more than a month after that. This wasn't a puzzle or a multi, didn't involve bushwhacking, was only about 1/2 mile walk, and was in no way complicated, just far enough out of town that nobody went after it. It's still pretty rare for that one to be found.

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I just grabbed a hide that's been out there for almost 4 months. There's another one down the road that's been out for almost 2 years and no attempts have been made to get it. I'm just now thinking about heading out that way. You know, I really don't have an excuse for not getting that hide. Both of those caches are in the hills and mountains but it's really not that hard to reach. I can spend 40 hrs looking for a hide but there are those cachers who want only those Park and Grab type hides. Borrrrrrinng!

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Just because it hasn't been logged doesn't mean it aint been found!

 

That's an interesting concept which I have been thinking about for some time. Have you not logged any finds and why?

 

I log all my finds ... but some folks don't log them instantly. Some folks who have smartphones and appropriate apps log the finds immediately. For me, since I'm technology-poor, I have to wait until I get back to the office or home or someplace with free WiFi to log my finds. Which means, of course, that I might get distracted when I walk in the door with "real life", and may not get around to logging the finds for awhile. For me, the delay might be several hours. For others, the delay might be much longer.

 

In short ... it's not malice or anything, it's just ... well, stuff happens. :)

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In my area, they go pretty quickly, usually to the same 2 or 3 cachers. I figure they must keep checking for new caches every few minutes. I was lucky enough to get 2 FTFs a few weeks ago that were unfound after 2 whole hours! Don't know how that happened.

No need to keep checking. You can have notice of newly-published caches sent to your email. If you get your email on your phone, then your phone notifies you more or less immediately of new caches in your area.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/notify/

immediately? not so much lately. the last time i got a notify there already was an ftf log 26 minutes before i even got it. i guess notifies go to cellphones first.

Edited by power69
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Just because it hasn't been logged doesn't mean it aint been found!

 

That's an interesting concept which I have been thinking about for some time. Have you not logged any finds and why?

Logged or not, if there's a signature ahead of yours then you're not the first to find it. I'm slower to log because I also wait until I'm in front of my PC at home. I, too, don't log my find from a cell phone at GZ but I've seen plenty of others who do. Why the rush?

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Just because it hasn't been logged doesn't mean it aint been found!
That's an interesting concept which I have been thinking about for some time. Have you not logged any finds and why?
I log all my finds as soon as it's convenient (usually within a week, and always within a month so far). But I know people who are months behind in their online logs, and I know others who don't log online at all. Some are concerned about privacy. Some started geocaching before online logs existed, and just never started logging online. Some started with a Geomate.jr, and just never started logging online.
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Just because it hasn't been logged doesn't mean it aint been found!
That's an interesting concept which I have been thinking about for some time. Have you not logged any finds and why?
I log all my finds as soon as it's convenient (usually within a week, and always within a month so far). But I know people who are months behind in their online logs, and I know others who don't log online at all. Some are concerned about privacy. Some started geocaching before online logs existed, and just never started logging online. Some started with a Geomate.jr, and just never started logging online.

#

Yes, I have recently become a bit disillusioned with logging some caches. Some caches I feel are not worthy of a log and those I put into my ignore listing section. If you can't say anything nice about something then say nothing at all.

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I have one that will be two months old at the end of the month that is still waiting to be found. Most people aren't willing to invest a few hours on a single cache.

Take Me Home Please

I don't think that cache was designed for "most people". I looked it over and, although it looks very interesting and in a wonderful area, I can't do it. My age, my physical condition, my stamina would not make the find a pleasurable experience for me. I obviously don't represent most people but I'm guessing that, if were younger and abler, I would need some careful planning and a possibly a full day to accomplish it. I think most people tend to like a cache with a shorter time frame and possibly more rewarding for youngsters. Someone will do it, though. And I hope they post a lot of pictures.

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Most go pretty quick, although we hid three over a month ago and two are still not found (at least per computer logs). They are all three on a river and will be found easiest via boat, jet ski, kayak or canoe as they were placed via kayak. A bit hot for any kind of hike to them right now.

 

Update: all three found now. All three had separate first to finders. One via kayak and two via land. The last two sat about three months or more. Temps a bit cooler now.

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Im a fan of park and grabs, or ones with a short walk (0.5km).. all my caches so far have been found within a couple of hours, until I put my 14th out

 

Dont know if its the weather, or something to do with the cache itself http://coord.info/GC32FWC, but it wasnt found for 3 days - and that was only because I poked my Dad to go get it. Noone else has yet to find it

 

The 15th placed today was found within the hour, so not sure now

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This one went just over four years before its FTF: GC13AZA

 

I couldn't read the signature on the log before mine, and they never logged it online, so I don't know who was FTF for this one: GC1Z59Y

 

Feeling compelled to chase for the FTF is one of the reasons I didn't renew my PM. Which isn't to say I don't monitor cache publication at my leisure -- getting FTF without the advantage of a notification email is that much more satisfying.

 

fradar.gif

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I don't get it.

Yeah, me either. Good or not so good, everyone should log the find. I don't have huge numbers but I can't recall a single cache that wasn't "worthy of logging". Huh?

 

Logging of caches is a new idea which is an unnecessary addition to the caching experience. It is used to create statistics which leads to eletism amoung cachers.

There are many caches here that I find not worthy of logging like "It's good to talk" (see GC332EE). I am not even sure whether these caches are within the rules of geocaching as you don't require a gps to find them.

FTF causes problems for someone who does not with to log caches as it gives false hope to cachers following who are trying to be FTF.

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I don't get it.

Yeah, me either. Good or not so good, everyone should log the find. I don't have huge numbers but I can't recall a single cache that wasn't "worthy of logging". Huh?

 

Logging of caches is a new idea which is an unnecessary addition to the caching experience. It is used to create statistics which leads to eletism amoung cachers.

There are many caches here that I find not worthy of logging like "It's good to talk" (see GC332EE). I am not even sure whether these caches are within the rules of geocaching as you don't require a gps to find them.

FTF causes problems for someone who does not with to log caches as it gives false hope to cachers following who are trying to be FTF.

The logging of caches does have an important function...maintenance. How would others know that the cache was even there without logs to indicate it's present condition? Information from others who find, don't find, or add notes is very important and helps us to decide about looking for it.

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In the areas I cache most, it kinda depends. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, if a cache comes out in the evening, you better already be in your car with the engine running or you have no shot. In Cedar Rapids, I would say that FTFs range between 6 and 20 minutes, averaging about 14 or 15. In the northern suburns of the twin cities in Minnesota, the same is often true. But it is odd here. Over the course of a month, let's say there are 30 new caches, and let's also say they're all fairly easy... nothing above 2.5/2.5... of those 30, 25 will be found in the first 20 minutes. And strangely, the other 5 will go a full day. There seems to be no rhyme or reason.

Edited by Sky King 36
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I don't get it.

Yeah, me either. Good or not so good, everyone should log the find. I don't have huge numbers but I can't recall a single cache that wasn't "worthy of logging". Huh?

 

I guess it's a result of some people seeing geocaching, or rather the find count, as something of a score. Find a cache, log the find, and you get a point for that. Something like that. At least that's the only explanation I can come up with :huh:

 

Anyway, on topic: this one has been haunting me for a while now. Unfortunately it's getting too cold now...

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The logging of caches does have an important function...maintenance. How would others know that the cache was even there without logs to indicate it's present condition? Information from others who find, don't find, or add notes is very important and helps us to decide about looking for it.

 

Well, we are talking about FTFs where there are no logs. In the case of a cache which has not yet been found it may or may not actually be there. This, to me, is the joy of doing a FTF. There is no extra clues from the logs, no cacher's paths and the given coords might not be accurate. To read the logs for an established cache is really cheating (as is decyphering the clue...this is why it is encoded). Perhaps all logs should be encoded? If the cache requires maintenance there is a feature for notifying the owner.

So, I disagree that logging caches is an important function. In fact logging a FTF may discourage other cachers from attempting the cache as does logging a string of DNFs. Where DFNs are concerned it may be better to e-mail the owner rather then post in a log. Some excellent caches have been archived because of a string of DFNs.

It amuses me when owners claim that their caches have not been found. How do they know that? I expect very few of them even check the log books or the contents of the cache.

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The logging of caches does have an important function...maintenance. How would others know that the cache was even there without logs to indicate it's present condition? Information from others who find, don't find, or add notes is very important and helps us to decide about looking for it.

 

Well, we are talking about FTFs where there are no logs. In the case of a cache which has not yet been found it may or may not actually be there. This, to me, is the joy of doing a FTF. There is no extra clues from the logs, no cacher's paths and the given coords might not be accurate. To read the logs for an established cache is really cheating (as is decyphering the clue...this is why it is encoded). Perhaps all logs should be encoded? If the cache requires maintenance there is a feature for notifying the owner.

So, I disagree that logging caches is an important function. In fact logging a FTF may discourage other cachers from attempting the cache as does logging a string of DNFs. Where DFNs are concerned it may be better to e-mail the owner rather then post in a log. Some excellent caches have been archived because of a string of DFNs.

It amuses me when owners claim that their caches have not been found. How do they know that? I expect very few of them even check the log books or the contents of the cache.

Okay. My error. I thought you were talking about not logging found caches in general. Whereas you're talking about not logging FTF's. You are correct about that...to a point. I looked at a newly published cache just recently and got excited about giving it a try (as a FTF) only to see two cachers had already logged their finds. A minor disappointment, but I definitely will go after it at some point, FTF or not.

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MMMmmm! I have mixed feeling on this FTF hunt thing . . .

 

On the one hand, if some people enjoy the challenge of collecting FTFs, that should be their right.

 

On the other hand, I'm sick of seeing the same gizmo-laden nerds hogging all of them,

and not giving at least a CHANCE for newbies to get their first prized FTF.

I've looked at the new ones in my area, and the same 3 or 4 people claim about 95%

of them. They have cell-phone apps that alert them in real time.

 

I just wonder if they realize that it's a fun, family activity, and at least some of it

should be shared with with kids, newbies, and grumpy old men like myself.

It took be 5 months to get my first FTF.

 

<_<

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