+3isamagic# Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 ok....we have found over 150 caches. We are ready to hide our first cache. We have found the perfect place, thought up cute info, practiced setting waypoints, created a cammoed cache, gathered swag, found a small notebook and pen..... but what about the FTF??? I see things about coins, but honestly....is there another option? I have seen some caches that mention "a dollar for FTF", but I don't want to start off by being a lame cache. suggestions? Quote Link to comment
kanchan Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 You have an option not to include any FTF prizes. FTF is just a side game. Quote Link to comment
+Roman! Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 ok....we have found over 150 caches. We are ready to hide our first cache. We have found the perfect place, thought up cute info, practiced setting waypoints, created a cammoed cache, gathered swag, found a small notebook and pen..... but what about the FTF??? I see things about coins, but honestly....is there another option? I have seen some caches that mention "a dollar for FTF", but I don't want to start off by being a lame cache. suggestions? Honestly, I like going after FTFs, most people that visit this forum think they are better than everyone else and being competitive at Geocaching is a sin so I'll give you my opinion, for what it's worth, as a lower class FTF hound. My favorite thing is actually seeing a special spot in the log to sign as FTF, bonus is kudos on the cache page but since most COs are better people than I, that's a rarity as they really don't care about me. Quote Link to comment
+Team Exxodos Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 (edited) Hi, adding a FTF gift is totally optional and the kind of gift certainly depends on the size and the difficulty of a cache. Though I see neither a possibility nor a reason to put a gift in a D1/T1 nano ;-) I think one can put a nice surprise in the box of a difficult (e.g. D5...) cache to reward the hard work. And of course it depends on the amount of money you'd like to spend. Nice things are unactivated travelbugs a selfmade "FTF certificate" or anything related to our mutual hobby (little compass, a nice pen, ...). Edible objects (e.g. candy) should not be placed in caches, because they may (and eventually will) attract animals. Regards, M / Team Exxodos Edited September 16, 2012 by Team Exxodos Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 "I don't want to start off by being a lame cache." The lameness of your cache is not related to how you treat FTF. Seriously, it's a complete non-issue. Find a good spot, hide a decent quality container, take good coords, write-up as true as you can make it re size, difficulty and terrain. Leave the hint blank, or if you write a hint, make sure it's useful. Add a bit of info about the hunt or of interest or humor about the location and you're good. You don't need to write a novel. The FTF wants to find an unsigned log. "seeing a special spot in the log to sign as FTF" I don't fool it with these days, but I used to either print, or by hand add to logs on my caches: This space reserved for the ruminations of the MEFF! all bow down..... MEFF is the local variant for FTF, Most Esteemed First to Find. The FTF already gets whatever glory being FTF is worth, why should they also get bonus goodies? the fourth and tenth to find are going to have made just as much effort. FTF can trade for swag like any other cacher. In many many cases, they already think that they get to take something (the best something) and leave nothing, because they're FTF. Quote Link to comment
4wheelin_fool Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 (edited) Back in the old days, many caches would be stocked with multiple items. When the FTF craze started, that gave some FTFers an excuse to take the best item without leaving any trade. You do not have to leave anything for the FTF, but if you do, specify what it is. Edited September 16, 2012 by 4wheelin_fool Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 FTF prizes are neither common in most areas nor expected. I think most FTF hounds will tell you the only prize they want is a blank logbook. I've hidden well over 300 caches and put a FTF prize in maybe a dozen of them and half the time the FTF didn't even bother taking what was a pretty nice item. I've probably been FTF about two dozen times (I don't count) and have only encountered one FTF prize. Why not take the money you would spend on an FTF prize to spruce up the contents for everyone? Quote Link to comment
+Gitchee-Gummee Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Regarding the (sub)title of this thread..... it's rude to EXPECT an FTF prize. It's childish to whimper about one not getting one. Quote Link to comment
+luvvinbird Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I think the satisfaction and bragging rights for FTF-ers outweighs a "prize". The thrill for them is to be the first to sign the log and FTF-ers (in my experience) rarely expect anything else. Quote Link to comment
+lamoracke Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 never personally seen anyone bothered about not having a FTF prize. Now, a FTF prize like an unactivated coin may make someone happy but its totally not expected. Quote Link to comment
+T.D.M.22 Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I don't even put SWAG in most caches, either it is all taken or no one takes it. That's how it works in my city. If I happen to have something like an unactivated coin then I'll leave it, or if it's for an event I might leave something. Quote Link to comment
+CanadianRockies Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Leaving a FTF prize is completely optional. If I didn't participate in the FTF side game, then I'd feel less inclined to leave FTF prizes. But if I did participate, then I'd be more inclined, especially if I had received one or more FTF prizes from other cache owners. Quote Link to comment
+GrievousAngel Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 "I don't want to start off by being a lame cache." The lameness of your cache is not related to how you treat FTF. Seriously, it's a complete non-issue. Find a good spot, hide a decent quality container, take good coords, write-up as true as you can make it re size, difficulty and terrain. Leave the hint blank, or if you write a hint, make sure it's useful. Add a bit of info about the hunt or of interest or humor about the location and you're good. You don't need to write a novel. Yep--if you give us accurate coords and D/T ratings leading to a quality container in a nice spot, your cache is already better than most! On the other hand, a crappy cache with an FTF prize is still a crappy cache. Quote Link to comment
+Viajero Perdido Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 The biggest gift is the adrenaline rush when you turn the page. Especially if you worked for it. Quote Link to comment
+3isamagic# Posted September 16, 2012 Author Share Posted September 16, 2012 Thanks everyone!! We decided to stick with our cache theme (Bear encounter). FTF will be a bear bell. If ftf wants it, great. If not, then it enhances the cache. Thank you for all your comments. I am very nervous about our first hide, but I think we have a good container and a good spot. I was encouraged recently at a meet and greet to get out and hide one because our geoname starts with a 3. Can't be that hard right???? Quote Link to comment
Pup Patrol Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I was encouraged recently at a meet and greet to get out and hide one because our geoname starts with a 3. I don't understand the connection. Maybe it's just me. Wouldn't be surprising. I'm easily baffled. Congratulations on your first hide. Here's hoping all goes well with it. B. Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 We decided to stick with our cache theme (Bear encounter). FTF will be a bear bell. Drat! Too far away to go for FTF! Quote Link to comment
+Sharks-N-Beans Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I was encouraged recently at a meet and greet to get out and hide one because our geoname starts with a 3. I don't understand the connection. Maybe it's just me. Wouldn't be surprising. I'm easily baffled. Congratulations on your first hide. Here's hoping all goes well with it. B. NASCAR Challenge or similar? Quote Link to comment
+SwineFlew Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I was encouraged recently at a meet and greet to get out and hide one because our geoname starts with a 3. I don't understand the connection. Maybe it's just me. Wouldn't be surprising. I'm easily baffled. Congratulations on your first hide. Here's hoping all goes well with it. B. I believe it got to do with challenge like this one. http://coord.info/GC3Q29A The number part are harder to get. Quote Link to comment
+Bear and Ragged Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 I was encouraged recently at a meet and greet to get out and hide one because our geoname starts with a 3. I don't understand the connection. Maybe it's just me. Wouldn't be surprising. I'm easily baffled. I suspect it's for the Alpha/Numeric Challenges... Quote Link to comment
+J-pod! Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 How about a knee brace? Quote Link to comment
+ZigandMoo Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Well I think it all depends on the cache. I've been FTF on a few caches and some have had a prize....others haven't. I havent set out any caches myself, although Im planning on it. I would like to give out a FTF prize but there is a married couple in the area that has a FTF app on their phone which alerts them when a new cache is put out. I've seen them post their find within minutes of a cache being published. Its sad and bugs the heck out of me that they try to be FTF for all the local caches. because of that...I don't want to give out a FTF prize mainly because they most likely will be the ftf. Quote Link to comment
+luvvinbird Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Well I think it all depends on the cache. I've been FTF on a few caches and some have had a prize....others haven't. I havent set out any caches myself, although Im planning on it. I would like to give out a FTF prize but there is a married couple in the area that has a FTF app on their phone which alerts them when a new cache is put out. I've seen them post their find within minutes of a cache being published. Its sad and bugs the heck out of me that they try to be FTF for all the local caches. because of that...I don't want to give out a FTF prize mainly because they most likely will be the ftf. I'm certain all of the FTF "specialists" are alerted by e-mail notifications to their phones. If it bothers you, don't give out a FTF prize. Or, wait until you-know-who logs the FTF and then go back and add your prize for the 2TF, lol. Quote Link to comment
+wimseyguy Posted September 16, 2012 Share Posted September 16, 2012 Regarding the (sub)title of this thread..... it's rude to EXPECT an FTF prize. It's childish to whimper about one not getting one. ^This^ Put out a cache that will be fun for everyone to find, not just the FTF. Pick a nice location, use a quality container put some decent swag in it for those who care about that stuff, and make a nice write up. Simple formula for a winning cache hide. Quote Link to comment
+ThingsMismatched Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 It's always a thrill to find a blank log, and little something extra is just a nice surprise. It's definitely not expected though! Quote Link to comment
+baloo&bd Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 I was encouraged recently at a meet and greet to get out and hide one because our geoname starts with a 3. I don't understand the connection. Maybe it's just me. Wouldn't be surprising. I'm easily baffled. Congratulations on your first hide. Here's hoping all goes well with it. B. NASCAR Challenge or similar? Too obscure. Many NASCAR fans don't even remember Fireball Roberts. Quote Link to comment
GPS-Hermit Posted September 18, 2012 Share Posted September 18, 2012 I was thinking of establishing a cache in which a reward or special trade item was intended for the 10th-2-Find - what would you think if you saw THAT in a new cache. It would take some stragety to compete for that one, I was also not going to mention it in the Cache Page and see what the loggers said about it. On thread - I think it is neat (certainly not required) to place a certificate for FTF in the cache for Bragging rights. It is sometimes nice to have stuff to put in your personal cache of goodies you have found. It is certainly wrong to expect a FTF reward or require it. It is built in to the log book and the Cache Page logs - this is a bragging right game and it is nice to design something about the cache that gives the finder unique bragging rights. Like climbing up the hard way instead of taking the trail. Sky diving or swimming to the cache! Took the short cut thru GaWan-Taun-Emo-Bay. What you do and what made your day special is what it is all about! I love to read the logs. Quote Link to comment
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