Can a CO log their own cache as a find?

[+AneMae]

A local cacher has recently created a few caches. I noticed on one of them they logged their own cache as a find. What do you guys think. Would you do it? Should a CO be able to do it?

 

Thoughts? Opinions?

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

Never. lots of other threads on this subject.

[+Cardinal Red]

A local cacher has recently created a few caches. I noticed on one of them they logged their own cache as a find. What do you guys think. Would you do it? Should a CO be able to do it?

 

Thoughts? Opinions?

This is a very old question that keeps recirculating. Yes, the web site does allow an owner to log their own cache. No, I don't think that will ever change. The general consensus is you should not post a find to a cache you have hidden. It's OK with most to have a find logged to a cache you adopted. Some cachers actually give reasons here why they log their own caches. The discussion never changes, only the day the question was asked again.

[+roundnround we go]

We have a local cacher that logs all his caches as found just before he archives them. Guess what ever it takes to boost those numbers.

[+SwineFlew]

I almost logged one of my caches, it wasnt where I hidden it and I searched for 30 mins and so I gave up and was ready to put down a new cache and found the one I was looking for.

 

If a CO wants to log his/her cache, let him/her.

[+Ike 13]

Most people I have seen do it don't know there is a Write Note option.

[+Klatch]

Most people I have seen do it don't know there is a Write Note option.

I agree, most of the time it is a mistake for that reason.

[knowschad]

I almost logged one of my caches, it wasnt where I hidden it and I searched for 30 mins and so I gave up and was ready to put down a new cache and found the one I was looking for.

 

If a CO wants to log his/her cache, let him/her.

 

I did once, a number of years ago, for that very reason. Of course, I only did it for the fun of it, and I did log a proper DNF beforehand. It was a very evil micro that had been moved a good 30 feet from where I had hidden it. After that, I tethered it in place.

[knowschad]

A local cacher has recently created a few caches. I noticed on one of them they logged their own cache as a find. What do you guys think. Would you do it? Should a CO be able to do it?

 

Thoughts? Opinions?

 

I saw it locally not long ago. A relatively new cacher had put out several hides, and had logged them all. I raised my eyebrows, and then lowered them.

[+OHail]

We have a local cacher that logs all his caches as found just before he archives them. Guess what ever it takes to boost those numbers.

 

I noticed that and have wondered about it.

 

To address the OP's question, I wouldn't normally log my own cache but do have finds on two I now own. I found those before I adopted them. I have toyed with the idea of logging my own challenge cache since I now qualify for it but haven't made up my mind on that one.

Edited May 14, 2012 by OHail

[+lamoracke]

as much as I wish I could log my own mystery challenge cache, I have not done so as I feel it would be a bit tacky.

[+BaseOverApex]

Most people I have seen do it don't know there is a Write Note option.

I recently logged one of my own caches as a find because it took some finding! Then I went around and changed it to a "write note." I got an external site to list all my duplicate finds (I had about 5 finds logged twice) and changed the second find to a "write note" too.

All my finds are unique and genuine, baby!

Edited May 14, 2012 by BaseOverApex

[+DragonsWest]

Events: Yes

 

All others: Mmmm .. probably not.

[+Ohiosiouxfan]

I think I read somewhere that if you log your own cache you will go blind....

[+Mr.Benchmark]

We have a local cacher that logs all his caches as found just before he archives them. Guess what ever it takes to boost those numbers.

 

I can think of one reason to do this - if you want to keep track of which caches you KNOW you removed, you could log a find on the cache before archival. If you don't find the cache, and then archive, you'd want to then log a DNF. That way, you can be certain that the self-found caches you archived really are gone (you went out and physically removed them.) On the other hand, archived DNF caches are not absolutely gone - they may have been moved to a nearby hiding place and remain in place, nearby, but unfound by the CO. (Of course, if they are just logging them "found", clicking "archive" and never actually checking / removing them, then that doesn't seem useful to me at all - quite the contrary.)

 

Obviously they could add other log types other than "Found It" and "Did Not Find" to the archive type log to signify the physical removal of a cache. I don't think they will though, I can't imagine lots of people using this heavily, although it seems like a sensible thing to me.

 

I can also see an owner logging a "found" log on a cache they've replaced so that people will search for it again, rather than filtering it out of GSAK queries. I don't think this is an awesome idea, but I can see how someone would do it. I guess I wouldn't have much problem with it in the case where the CO really had to search for the cache because it had been moved / rehidden in a different location. I mean, if you had to really seriously search for your cache, how is that not really a find? Obviously though, for a cache you've hidden that remains in the place where you'd originally hidden it, logging it found is pretty silly.

 

Other than the case where the owner is providing misleading info (logging found on a cache that really isn't present, for example), I can't see how this does any harm, or why anyone would care. Is it cheesy to log your own cache that is right where you placed it? Sure, it's stupid, pointless, meaningless, and tacky. But in the grand scheme of things, it doesn't really change much of anything, does it?

 

That said, I've only ever "found" caches I own that I found before adopting them.

[Pup Patrol]

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=80

 

6.6. Logging My Own Cache

 

Can I log a find on my own cache? What about when I go back to visit?

 

It is considered "bad form" to log a find on your own cache, no matter when you do it. The same is true if you re-visit another traditional cache (for example to place or retrieve a travel bug). Use the "post a note" log option to record your visit in these circumstances.

 

In either case, you're not "finding" a cache because you already know where it is. Save the smiley face for use when you've truly discovered a hidden cache.

 

 

B.

[+edscott]

Only if you're so inept that finding your own hide is a challenge.

[+briansnat]

Only if you're so inept that finding your own hide is a challenge.

 

Guilty. I had one cache that I couldn't find. Went home to archive it and there was a found it log the very same day. I went back several times and never could find it, but it kept getting found it logs.

 

As far as the original question. Can they log finds on their own caches. Obviously. Should they? Only if they want to look silly.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

Only if you're so inept that finding your own hide is a challenge.

 

Guilty. I had one cache that I couldn't find. Went home to archive it and there was a found it log the very same day. I went back several times and never could find it, but it kept getting found it logs.

 

As far as the original question. Can they log finds on their own caches. Obviously. Should they? Only if they want to look silly.

 

What about logging DNF in a case like yours - where the CO really can't find their own cache? Is it also bad form to DNF your own cache?

[+captnemo]

Can you? Sure!

 

Should you? No!

 

Would I? Never!

 

I have adopted two caches, one I found and logged as a find before I adopted it the other I helped place so I didn't log it.

[+StarBrand]

The system does indeed allow it.

 

I find it rather cheesy to do so.

[+Phizy]

There is only one time that I will (and plan on) do it. I'll be taking on some caches from someone who wants to pass them on. I've found 2 of the 5. I'll take them on and then claim the other 3 as found.

 

But, in this case, I didn't PLACE them, just a new owner.

[+E_ZIG_A]

Remember that this is a game that everyone plays their own way?

 

I log my own Geocaches just before I archive them and I do that because I like to see that smiley face marked on the map and I also have the advantage (*and amusement... ) of sending out one of the non active members of the jmandea on patrol team to make the find.... since starting up this fun sport we've all ended up living in different cities, so going by THE RULES it would not be unusual for a jmandea on patrol member to have great difficulty in finding a jmandea on patrol geocache (watched by a sniggering jmandea on patrol team mate...) :blink:

 

Anyway, logging a FTF on your own cache would be tacky IMHO, but logging your own cache before archiving or moving on; why not? It's not as if we are getting paid for each Geocache we find, is it?

[+wimseyguy]

Can they-yes the website will allow this.

Should they-no, with the exception of caches found prior to adoption and perhaps challenge caches. For most challenge caches the effort is in completing the qualifying criteria not actually finding the container.

Attending events that you have hosted is also OK in my book.

 

Editing to add that I once posted a DNF on a cache I own but didn't find at a maintenance visit. But I did not log a find on the replacement container I put in its place.

Edited May 15, 2012 by wimseyguy

[+Isonzo Karst]

wow, I'm going to disagree with wimseyguy, this doesn't happen often =:-)

 

Can a CO log their own cache as a find? Yes, obviously they can.

 

Should they? Yes, if it makes them happy. Sometimes this is just a novice error of not realizing that "write note" is available, those who stay in the game for a while will probably figure this out, and those who don't won't. Don't make no nevermind.

[+The_Incredibles_]

It's cheesy, but if they want to, that's fine with me.

 

My sister did this the other day. She went to check on her cache and it was not where it was supposed to be. She presumed it muggled, then went looking for another place to hide it, then found it. So she figured she deserved to log it as a find.

Edited May 15, 2012 by The_Incredibles_

[joesdolphins]

A local cacher has recently created a few caches. I noticed on one of them they logged their own cache as a find. What do you guys think. Would you do it? Should a CO be able to do it?

 

Thoughts? Opinions?

[joesdolphins]

No you should not log your own caches as finds. But I don't know why geocaching allows it. You should have a screen saying you own this cache if you try to log it the site should block it.

[+Totem Clan]

I log finds one some of my caches before they were my caches. I found the caches and then later adopted them.

 

Apart from that I would say it's not the proper thing to do.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

No you should not log your own caches as finds. But I don't know why geocaching allows it. You should have a screen saying you own this cache if you try to log it the site should block it.

 

How would it improve the game if they disallowed CO's from logging their own caches as found? I can't see any point in doing this personally, except under unusual circumstances (cache adoption or maybe a situation where the CO really had to search for a long time to find their own cache that had been moved to a different location), but I can't really see what harm it does either.

 

BTW, should a CO log their own cache as "DNF"? Would that bother anyone?

[+Totem Clan]

No you should not log your own caches as finds. But I don't know why geocaching allows it. You should have a screen saying you own this cache if you try to log it the site should block it.

What about events?

[+tozainamboku]

There a number of reasons someone might log their own caches, and a few of these might explain why the system allows it.

 

1. Events. Many people log attended a their own events. For one thing it is possible to not attend your own event (say a family emergency comes up). So it makes sense to indicate if you were, in fact, at the event.

 

2. Grandfathered moving caches. These are rare and far between now. Generally it was considered acceptable to find a moving cache after someone else had found and moved it. (Similarly, it was acceptable to log your own locationless caches).

 

3. Adoption. Generally you should find a cache before you adopt it, but this is not always the case. Many people adopt a cache and then find it. They want to log that they found the cache even though they are now the cache owner.

 

4. Teams. Sometimes one member of a team account hides a cache and others on the team go find it. Who wants to be the "meanie" who tells a young child they can't log the cache daddy hid?

 

There are other reasons, though these are less likely to be acceptable to people whose knickers are bunched up.

[+jellis]

Events: Yes

 

All others: Mmmm .. probably not.

 

Yes I too attended my own events. The last one I wasn't sure I'd make it.

I have some adopted ones I had to find to adopt them. Some if I adopted out cause they are no longer mine.

[+CanadianRockies]

I log my own Geocaches just before I archive them and I do that because I like to see that smiley face marked on the map...

That's a rather fleeting moment of pleasure, since the smiley face disappears from the map after you archive the cache.

[+bflentje]

I log my own Geocaches just before I archive them and I do that because I like to see that smiley face marked on the map...

That's a rather fleeting moment of pleasure, since the smiley face disappears from the map after you archive the cache.

 

I personally don't care if you log your own caches but this excuse is a bit weak.

[+BaseOverApex]

I can think of one reason to do this - if you want to keep track of which caches you KNOW you removed, you could log a find on the cache before archival. If you don't find the cache, and then archive, you'd want to then log a DNF.

 

Hmmm... never thought about that. Arguably, if you recommend an archive and the local reviewer (or the CO) perform the archive, then you've done the community a favoure and I reckon you deserve the point!!

[+BaseOverApex]

4. Teams. Sometimes one member of a team account hides a cache and others on the team go find it. Who wants to be the "meanie" who tells a young child they can't log the cache daddy hid?

 

Now, there's an interesting one. I don't want to hijack the thread, but my nipper's not a premium member, whereas I am. He's found (and written in the logbooks of) premium caches from my GPSr. I'm perfectly content that he does this under the supervision of a premium member (me). But he gets well pissed when he can't log them online. It's a similar problem.

[+The_Incredibles_]

4. Teams. Sometimes one member of a team account hides a cache and others on the team go find it. Who wants to be the "meanie" who tells a young child they can't log the cache daddy hid?

 

Now, there's an interesting one. I don't want to hijack the thread, but my nipper's not a premium member, whereas I am. He's found (and written in the logbooks of) premium caches from my GPSr. I'm perfectly content that he does this under the supervision of a premium member (me). But he gets well pissed when he can't log them online. It's a similar problem.

 

Actually he can. A basic member can log PMO caches. I've never done it myself, but I'm sure someone else will chime in or you can search other threads on the subject.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

I can think of one reason to do this - if you want to keep track of which caches you KNOW you removed, you could log a find on the cache before archival. If you don't find the cache, and then archive, you'd want to then log a DNF.

 

Hmmm... never thought about that. Arguably, if you recommend an archive and the local reviewer (or the CO) perform the archive, then you've done the community a favoure and I reckon you deserve the point!!

 

That isn't what I'm saying. Once a CO decides ro archive a cache, they can:

- remove the physical cache, then archive (found log)

- fail to find the cache, presume it missing (dnf)

- never visit the GZ at all because others report it missing

Logging "found", "dnf", or nothing would help you keep track of what you did with the cache, in a way that was easy to search in a database.

 

I'd presume found logs would be rare - but maybe someone builds custom containers that break a lot, removing them when it is annoying to fix them?

[DannyCaffeine]

If you find it and later adopt it.

[Mr.Yuck]

I log my own Geocaches just before I archive them and I do that because I like to see that smiley face marked on the map... in my found stats.

That's a rather fleeting moment of pleasure, since the smiley face disappears from the map after you archive the cache.

 

I personally don't care if you log your own caches but this excuse is a bit weak.

 

Not only is it weak, but it's a false statement, seeing as it disappears from the maps the second they archive it. I've fixed it for them in the quote in bolding though.

 

EDIT: I've never been a big GSAK user, although I have dabbled in it over the years. jmandea is probably talking about that. At least I hope they are.

Edited May 17, 2012 by Mr.Yuck

[+Lady Loki]

 

BTW, should a CO log their own cache as "DNF"? Would that bother anyone?

It would probably confuse me. After all, if the CO can't find the cache they hid, what chance do I have of finding it?

[Mr.Yuck]

Events: Yes

 

All others: Mmmm .. probably not.

 

Yes I too attended my own events. The last one I wasn't sure I'd make it.

I have some adopted ones I had to find to adopt them. Some if I adopted out cause they are no longer mine.

 

I attend my own events, and don't go by my one event I hosted on Geocaching.com in 2006 or whatever, I've hosted others on alternative websites, one just a couple weeks ago. There are actually people who argue against this, and don't do it themselves.

 

I have never adopted a cache. I was once offered a few, but the guy decided to not move out of the area after all. I'd let my find logs stand on those in a micro second if I actually adopted. And if I adopted before actually finding myself, well, that would be a no-brainer in the find column.

[+Mr.Benchmark]

BTW, should a CO log their own cache as "DNF"? Would that bother anyone?

It would probably confuse me. After all, if the CO can't find the cache they hid, what chance do I have of finding it?

 

Possibly a better chance than they do - you don't know where it's supposed to be, as opposed to where it actually is. Mostly, though, I just wondered if a DNF from the CO would upset people. A Found It log definitely seems to bother people - so is DNF just as odious? If not, why not?

 

BTW, I think the typical response for an owned cache the CO can't find is liable to be "Temporarily Disabled", followed by "Owner Maintenance." But there could be cases where the cache is still present, others still find it, but the owner can't. Caches, unfortunately, don't always stay hidden in the same location.

[+Don_J]

4. Teams. Sometimes one member of a team account hides a cache and others on the team go find it. Who wants to be the "meanie" who tells a young child they can't log the cache daddy hid?

 

Now, there's an interesting one. I don't want to hijack the thread, but my nipper's not a premium member, whereas I am. He's found (and written in the logbooks of) premium caches from my GPSr. I'm perfectly content that he does this under the supervision of a premium member (me). But he gets well pissed when he can't log them online. It's a similar problem.

 

Actually he can. A basic member can log PMO caches. I've never done it myself, but I'm sure someone else will chime in or you can search other threads on the subject.

 

Since no one has chimed in, I will. With your nipper logged in, go to http://www.geocachingadmin.com/ Enter the GC# and click LOG. It will bring you to the log page for that cache. As long as they have found it and signed the paper log it is perfectly acceptable for them to log online. The web site administrators have intentionally left this back door open for that purpose.

[Mr.Yuck]

4. Teams. Sometimes one member of a team account hides a cache and others on the team go find it. Who wants to be the "meanie" who tells a young child they can't log the cache daddy hid?

 

Now, there's an interesting one. I don't want to hijack the thread, but my nipper's not a premium member, whereas I am. He's found (and written in the logbooks of) premium caches from my GPSr. I'm perfectly content that he does this under the supervision of a premium member (me). But he gets well pissed when he can't log them online. It's a similar problem.

 

Actually he can. A basic member can log PMO caches. I've never done it myself, but I'm sure someone else will chime in or you can search other threads on the subject.

 

Since no one has chimed in, I will. With your nipper logged in, go to http://www.geocachingadmin.com/ Enter the GC# and click LOG. It will bring you to the log page for that cache. As long as they have found it and signed the paper log it is perfectly acceptable for them to log online. The web site administrators have intentionally left this back door open for that purpose.

 

That's probably been shown to be the easiest. Here's an alternate method, and it's much easier and quicker than it sounds in print. While logged in yourself be on the "add a log entry" page for the PMO in question. Log out at the top of the page, and immediately log in with the non-PMO account. The non-PMO account will then be right at the same add a log entry page.

 

Just a side note on the "history" of the authorized back-door method. PMO caches were created in 2002, and very early on, people discovered that this back door was open, maybe never even intentionally. But back then, the CEO of Groundspeak used to interact in the forums regularly, and many times stated he would leave it open for non-PMO's to log these caches. True, it has never been publicized, and I'll bet tens of thousands of non-PMO's who never look at the forums, or never heard word of mouth, have no clue they can log these caches.

[+thewingfamily]

So this may be the right place for this question. I put out a cache with a fellow cacher and my son put everything together for it so I put all three of our names in the owner spot. Since my son was not there when it was placed (and didn't even know where it was going to be put) should he be able to log it on his personal account? He hasn't brought it up yet, but he has gone and found it. I know that he is probably going to ask the question at some point

 

Thanks.

[+BaseOverApex]

Now, there's an interesting one. I don't want to hijack the thread, but my nipper's not a premium member, whereas I am. He's found (and written in the logbooks of) premium caches from my GPSr. I'm perfectly content that he does this under the supervision of a premium member (me). But he gets well pissed when he can't log them online. It's a similar problem.

Actually he can. A basic member can log PMO caches. I've never done it myself, but I'm sure someone else will chime in or you can search other threads on the subject.

Oh, sweet. How come I've never spotted this feature before? He was well P.O'd on Saturday because 6 of the 7 we found were premiums!! Works a treat! Thanks and Kudos.

[+jellis]

So this may be the right place for this question. I put out a cache with a fellow cacher and my son put everything together for it so I put all three of our names in the owner spot. Since my son was not there when it was placed (and didn't even know where it was going to be put) should he be able to log it on his personal account? He hasn't brought it up yet, but he has gone and found it. I know that he is probably going to ask the question at some point

 

Thanks.

Sure but others would frown if it was in the FTF spot. Though some here don't do FTFs there are those who do and get really upset if members of the CO log FTF if they were part of it. Just saying they weren't there doesn't mean it will make them feel better.

[+GeoJunkie]

We have a local cacher that logs all his caches as found just before he archives them. Guess what ever it takes to boost those numbers.

 

I noticed that and have wondered about it.

 

To address the OP's question, I wouldn't normally log my own cache but do have finds on two I now own. I found those before I adopted them. I have toyed with the idea of logging my own challenge cache since I now qualify for it but haven't made up my mind on that one.

 

Other than logging my own events (since I attended), I've done this once. I had adopted a group of caches that I had found. One, I actually had to actually find before I could start maintaining it. So, yes, technically, I found my own cache, but that was because I didn't hide it...