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Was I Wrong?


Maconb

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I was reading some older threads and it got me thinking. I have been caching for a few months now. I have 259 finds but one has always bothered me. I went to a small park in a city not to far from home where I saw there had 3 caches placed. I searched and searched for one. And I came up empty It was found and had been found recently and consistently so I didn't log it as a DNF because I knew it had to be there but my "virgin" eyes couldn't find it. The second cache was in the middle of a swamp and I didn't want to get me feet wet so I didn't log that as a DNF because I didn't even get within 60 yards of the GZ before I turned around.... But the third cache is what has haunted me. In this park there were kids playing and what not and there was a nice shelter that for some reason seemed to be a place to sit and play on there computers. I searched and searched then as I looked up in the corner of the shelter I saw, in plain sight, a large pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape with the word in black marker "GEOCACHE". I was right on GZ but the only way to get to the cache was to step on a guy and ruin his Facebook session. I marked this as a find. Was I in the wrong to do this?

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I was reading some older threads and it got me thinking. I have been caching for a few months now. I have 259 finds but one has always bothered me. I went to a small park in a city not to far from home where I saw there had 3 caches placed. I searched and searched for one. And I came up empty It was found and had been found recently and consistently so I didn't log it as a DNF because I knew it had to be there but my "virgin" eyes couldn't find it. The second cache was in the middle of a swamp and I didn't want to get me feet wet so I didn't log that as a DNF because I didn't even get within 60 yards of the GZ before I turned around.... But the third cache is what has haunted me. In this park there were kids playing and what not and there was a nice shelter that for some reason seemed to be a place to sit and play on there computers. I searched and searched then as I looked up in the corner of the shelter I saw, in plain sight, a large pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape with the word in black marker "GEOCACHE". I was right on GZ but the only way to get to the cache was to step on a guy and ruin his Facebook session. I marked this as a find. Was I in the wrong to do this?

 

The premise is to sign the log, personally I would not have logged it as a find but people have logged finds for much worse. Ultimately you are the only one that knows the answer.

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I was reading some older threads and it got me thinking. I have been caching for a few months now. I have 259 finds but one has always bothered me. I went to a small park in a city not to far from home where I saw there had 3 caches placed. I searched and searched for one. And I came up empty It was found and had been found recently and consistently so I didn't log it as a DNF because I knew it had to be there but my "virgin" eyes couldn't find it. The second cache was in the middle of a swamp and I didn't want to get me feet wet so I didn't log that as a DNF because I didn't even get within 60 yards of the GZ before I turned around.... But the third cache is what has haunted me. In this park there were kids playing and what not and there was a nice shelter that for some reason seemed to be a place to sit and play on there computers. I searched and searched then as I looked up in the corner of the shelter I saw, in plain sight, a large pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape with the word in black marker "GEOCACHE". I was right on GZ but the only way to get to the cache was to step on a guy and ruin his Facebook session. I marked this as a find. Was I in the wrong to do this?

I use DNFs as a tool to help me organize my caching attempts. So I can go through the really short (huge) list of caches I attempted but didn't find, and decide which ones to try again. I also rely on other cachers to help me out by making a DNF when they Did Not Find, since whatever the reason, it's useful to know what I might be up against. AND when I try but have to turn back, there's still some kind of a story to tell.

 

In the last example you posted (the one where you could have stepped on a guy), if it's such a lousy cache that I can't even be bothered to attempt it again, nor try later to sign it, it's probably not worth going. If you mark it as a “Find”, things can get confusing later, especially if the next guy can't find it because it really was no longer there when you “Found It”. And now it's listed in your Finds, so remembering which ones you wish to go actually find, will become cumbersome. If the Cache Owner is fine with it, and you decide you Found it, then it's no big deal. But I prefer to log “Found It” when everything's in order (I found the container and signed the log). Otherwise, gets too surreal for me, to bend reality, when a DNF would be perfect. Your mileage may vary.

Edited by kunarion
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People might start throwing around the word "purist" soon...

But the premise of geocaching is to find the cache, sign the log, then log the find online. If you didn't sign the log, especially because of a muggle presence, it should be a DNF because of muggles, and you can return for the find and sign the log later. No signing of a log, no log online.

 

However, how you geocache is up to you, and the owner has a right to delete your log if they determine that you didn't sign a logbook/logsheet and claimed it online. Now, that's the scary reality. But, so long as you are ok with it "haunting" you, nobody can stop you from logging it online and continuing on your way.

 

Thankfully, this game isn't a competition, so if someone gets upset with you doing what you did and calls it "padding your find count", don't let it get to you. But, judging by how you worded your original post, I think you'd rather head back and get pen to paper on that one for good measure. Maybe? :anibad:

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Well both of you are exactly right I am now at 258 finds. to prove this. GL98ECQC That was on my birthday too. Dang! but you are right. Thanks B)

 

We were recently caching in Washington and found a sprinkler head, it matched the name of the cache, "where's the water" but inside it looked like a real sprinkler head and had no log sheet so we looked around and found real sprinkler heads that were exactly the same. The last I don't know how many people logged it as a find, we didn't, the very next cache took us to a metal light pole that was clearly GZ, on the ground was one of those metal fake electrical plates with glue residue where the magnets were but we found no log and although we were 100% we found the container we still logged a DNF. Feels good to be true to yourself, good choice.

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I was reading some older threads and it got me thinking. I have been caching for a few months now. I have 259 finds but one has always bothered me. I went to a small park in a city not to far from home where I saw there had 3 caches placed. I searched and searched for one. And I came up empty It was found and had been found recently and consistently so I didn't log it as a DNF because I knew it had to be there but my "virgin" eyes couldn't find it. The second cache was in the middle of a swamp and I didn't want to get me feet wet so I didn't log that as a DNF because I didn't even get within 60 yards of the GZ before I turned around.... But the third cache is what has haunted me. In this park there were kids playing and what not and there was a nice shelter that for some reason seemed to be a place to sit and play on there computers. I searched and searched then as I looked up in the corner of the shelter I saw, in plain sight, a large pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape with the word in black marker "GEOCACHE". I was right on GZ but the only way to get to the cache was to step on a guy and ruin his Facebook session. I marked this as a find. Was I in the wrong to do this?

Everybody has to cache the way that makes them happy. It's not a competition, so if you feel you "found" the cache, even though you didn't sign the log, then log the find. Personally, I wouldn't have logged a find nor a DNF...I would have just written a note that I saw the cache but couldn't sign the log because of the muggles. Then I would have tried again later.

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I was reading some older threads and it got me thinking. I have been caching for a few months now. I have 259 finds but one has always bothered me. I went to a small park in a city not to far from home where I saw there had 3 caches placed. I searched and searched for one. And I came up empty It was found and had been found recently and consistently so I didn't log it as a DNF because I knew it had to be there but my "virgin" eyes couldn't find it. The second cache was in the middle of a swamp and I didn't want to get me feet wet so I didn't log that as a DNF because I didn't even get within 60 yards of the GZ before I turned around.... But the third cache is what has haunted me. In this park there were kids playing and what not and there was a nice shelter that for some reason seemed to be a place to sit and play on there computers. I searched and searched then as I looked up in the corner of the shelter I saw, in plain sight, a large pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape with the word in black marker "GEOCACHE". I was right on GZ but the only way to get to the cache was to step on a guy and ruin his Facebook session. I marked this as a find. Was I in the wrong to do this?

For me the first search would have been a well earned DNF. The second would have been a note explaining why I did not search for the cache. The third would have been a note or a DNF that related my experience. My personal rule is I log a find when I find the cache and sign the log. I log a DNF when I searched for the cache and did not find it, or I "found it" in a way that did not allow me to sign the log (IE I saw the container but could not/did not retrieve it to sign the log).

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>Whether it was wrong it up to you

 

not really,

please read the section again:

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

III. LOGGING Guidelines:

Logging Guidelines cover the requirements that must be fulfilled in order to log a find.

1.Logging of All Physical Geocaches

 

Physical caches can be logged online as "Found" once the physical log has been signed.

 

so to translate this into something simple..

NO you did not "find" the cache, as is need you to SIGN the log book..

you SAW it, by looking at it..

I suggest you change your log to a NOTE, since you saw it.

a DNF is VERY usefull, when you did now SEE or FIND anything at all

you should also use that type more often too.

Good luck, and welcome into the "playing fair" club,

it is much more fun this way.

 

PS: many caches can be seen, easily from a far distance,

getting your name in the log book

is what is al all about, and that can take many hrs of hard work,

waiting a mugler out, is also a cool game, you can try many methodes to make him leave,

or just ask him, hey can I please go here for a sec, it is allright, I dont want to harm you or anything

just get this litte cache and play my game..

Edited by OZ2CPU
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>Whether it was wrong it up to you

 

not really,

please read the section again:

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

 

III. LOGGING Guidelines:

Logging Guidelines cover the requirements that must be fulfilled in order to log a find.

1.Logging of All Physical Geocaches

 

Physical caches can be logged online as "Found" once the physical log has been signed.

 

This does not preclude a person from logging a find if all they did was "see" the container.

 

If the guideline were to read "Physical caches can only be logged online as "Found" only if the physical log has been signed." then it would be a different story.

 

There is some leeway given to the cache owner, if they want to allow certain online logs to stand even if the physical log was not signed. Such as a cache that was frozen shut and trying to open it would damage the cache, or a totally sopping wet log sheet/book.

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But the premise of geocaching is to find the cache, sign the log, then log the find online. If you didn't sign the log, especially because of a muggle presence, it should be a DNF because of muggles, and you can return for the find and sign the log later. No signing of a log, no log online.

My thoughts exactly.

 

However, how you geocache is up to you, and the owner has a right to delete your log if they determine that you didn't sign a logbook/logsheet and claimed it online. Now, that's the scary reality. But, so long as you are ok with it "haunting" you, nobody can stop you from logging it online and continuing on your way.

I agree with this too. To quote an old cacher in this area: "Sometimes we're all using the same game pieces to play completely different games."

 

-Ron

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>If the guideline were to read "Physical caches can only be logged online as "Found"

>only if the physical log has been signed." then it would be a different story.

 

who do you try to fool ?

do you honostly believe this your self ?

or just simply try to make the seen-only logs you made legall ?

 

ONLY when the GREEN light is lit, you CAN walk (if no cars try to kill you)

it is not:

at green light you MUST walk, close your eyes and shut off your brain,

and then just walk, all others must stop and let you live.

 

The word ONLY is not at all needed, to understand when you can do something.

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At the end of the day does it matter?

 

At first I wasn't worried about it because I thought I had done all I could do to get to this cache. At the time I thought it best not to stand on a picnic table and grab a pill bottle in front of 6 people. I would have had to explain myself. Granted explaining myself could have caused a Geocaching revolution and people would be celebrating the day that they met up with Maconb be and were introduced to the sport. Or they could say that's stupid and muggled it. So I logged it as a find saying nothing. But it has bothered as I have become more involve in the sport. So I posted this on here. Got some feedback and change it from a Find to a DNF. Because at the end of the day I didn't want to be that guy. Thank you all for your feedback.

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I was reading some older threads and it got me thinking. I have been caching for a few months now. I have 259 finds but one has always bothered me. I went to a small park in a city not to far from home where I saw there had 3 caches placed. I searched and searched for one. And I came up empty It was found and had been found recently and consistently so I didn't log it as a DNF because I knew it had to be there but my "virgin" eyes couldn't find it. The second cache was in the middle of a swamp and I didn't want to get me feet wet so I didn't log that as a DNF because I didn't even get within 60 yards of the GZ before I turned around.... But the third cache is what has haunted me. In this park there were kids playing and what not and there was a nice shelter that for some reason seemed to be a place to sit and play on there computers. I searched and searched then as I looked up in the corner of the shelter I saw, in plain sight, a large pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape with the word in black marker "GEOCACHE". I was right on GZ but the only way to get to the cache was to step on a guy and ruin his Facebook session. I marked this as a find. Was I in the wrong to do this?

 

"Right" and "wrong" in the context of this game are somewhat elusive and often up to the individual and their sense of propriety. That being siad, I would have done this in the 3 scenarios....

 

1. DNF - DNF stands for "Did Not Find" and no more and no less. If I look for a cache and don't find it, I log the DNF. Whether others find it or not is completely irrlelevant to me.

 

2. I might write a note saying I thought about going for it, but decided not to based on the conditions. More likely I would just walk away and come back another time or put it on my ignore list, depending on the situation.

 

3. You didn't say much about the "guy", but I may have tried waiting him out or just said "excuse me" and go ahead and make the grab. But unless I actually retrieved the cache and, at the least, attempted to sign the log in some way, I would not take the find. If I can't sign or somehow mark the log, I'll take a pic of the cache and offer it to the CO for proof of retrieval and be willing to delete my find if asked (which has never happened). I've walked away from LOTS of smilies in trees and other places that I could see but could not retrieve.

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As the OP has discovered by now lots of people will get very politically correct over this issue.

 

If you are happy that you found it, and the cache owner is happy for you to log it, then they're the only two people who count; so whether you log it or not is your decision.

 

At the end of the day does it matter?

Often, it does. When the OP returns to the Forum after 100 more finds, asking for help unscrambling a "Finds" list that has become a huge mess, a bunch more than "two people" must get involved to fix that.

 

On that day, you'll no doubt be along to suggest it doesn't matter. :anicute:

Edited by kunarion
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>Because at the end of the day I didn't want to be that guy. Thank you all for your feedback.

 

Now you are a person who play fair game,

after the rules, and enjoy a much more fun game,

you also got our respect, so yes it does matter :-)

 

now go and really find it,

enjoy the full challenge in it,

that is exactly why it was located in such a public place,

to push you, and to entertain you..

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>If the guideline were to read "Physical caches can only be logged online as "Found"

>only if the physical log has been signed." then it would be a different story.

 

who do you try to fool ?

do you honostly believe this your self ?

or just simply try to make the seen-only logs you made legall ?

 

ONLY when the GREEN light is lit, you CAN walk (if no cars try to kill you)

it is not:

at green light you MUST walk, close your eyes and shut off your brain,

and then just walk, all others must stop and let you live.

 

The word ONLY is not at all needed, to understand when you can do something.

 

Yes, I believe that 100%. (Your example is flawed. If the light is red you can walk...just not a smart thing to do.)

 

The guideline "Physical caches can be logged online as "Found" if the physical log has been signed." means that a CO cannot delete your online log if the physical log is signed.

 

It does not preclude a CO from allowing an online log to remain if the physical log is not signed (such as in a case of a soggy mushy pulp of a log book that cannot be physically signed). If I got a log for one of my caches that read "I found it, just wasn't able to sign the log because it was mush", as a CO, I would allow the log to stand. If a cacher logged "I saw the cache way up the tree and I didn't want to climb it." I would delete the log.

 

(Edit to clarify)

Edited by BBWolf+3Pigs
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>If the guideline were to read "Physical caches can only be logged online as "Found"

>only if the physical log has been signed." then it would be a different story.

 

who do you try to fool ?

do you honostly believe this your self ?

or just simply try to make the seen-only logs you made legall ?

 

ONLY when the GREEN light is lit, you CAN walk (if no cars try to kill you)

it is not:

at green light you MUST walk, close your eyes and shut off your brain,

and then just walk, all others must stop and let you live.

 

The word ONLY is not at all needed, to understand when you can do something.

 

You're missing the point. Your translation of the guideline was not entirely accurate.

 

The guideline states:

 

Physical caches can be logged online as "Found" once the physical log has been signed.

 

It does not say, the physical log *must* be signed before logging a find online.

 

The implication is that it allows a cache owner to accept a online found it log even if

the finder didn't sign the log, as in the case of a frozen container, or damaged log sheet.

 

It also means that if someone does not sign the physical log and posts an online log, the cache owner

has the right to delete that log.

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>If the guideline were to read "Physical caches can only be logged online as "Found"

>only if the physical log has been signed." then it would be a different story.

 

who do you try to fool ?

do you honostly believe this your self ?

or just simply try to make the seen-only logs you made legall ?

 

ONLY when the GREEN light is lit, you CAN walk (if no cars try to kill you)

it is not:

at green light you MUST walk, close your eyes and shut off your brain,

and then just walk, all others must stop and let you live.

 

The word ONLY is not at all needed, to understand when you can do something.

The word ONLY is needed to make the statement mean what you believe it means.

You can become Prime Minister of Denmark if you live in Copenhagen.

 

Does that mean you must live in Copenhagen to become Prime Minster of Denmark? Of course not.

 

You can become Prime Minister of Denmark only if you live in Copenhagen.

 

Now you must live in Copenhagen if you wish to become Prime Minister of Denmark.

 

That being said, I personally would not log a "Find" in the OP's third situation unless I signed the log. And if I was the cache owner, I probably would have deleted the "Find."

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I was reading some older threads and it got me thinking. I have been caching for a few months now. I have 259 finds but one has always bothered me. I went to a small park in a city not to far from home where I saw there had 3 caches placed. I searched and searched for one. And I came up empty It was found and had been found recently and consistently so I didn't log it as a DNF because I knew it had to be there but my "virgin" eyes couldn't find it. The second cache was in the middle of a swamp and I didn't want to get me feet wet so I didn't log that as a DNF because I didn't even get within 60 yards of the GZ before I turned around.... But the third cache is what has haunted me. In this park there were kids playing and what not and there was a nice shelter that for some reason seemed to be a place to sit and play on there computers. I searched and searched then as I looked up in the corner of the shelter I saw, in plain sight, a large pill bottle wrapped in camouflage tape with the word in black marker "GEOCACHE". I was right on GZ but the only way to get to the cache was to step on a guy and ruin his Facebook session. I marked this as a find. Was I in the wrong to do this?

#1 I would log a DNF, being new has nothing to do with not seeing a cache, I missed caches that I found latter that were in plain sight.

 

#2. I would have logged a note stating I stopped short due to conditions.

 

#3. I would have asked the muggle at the table if he was a geocacher and then if he said no or what's that gone into my what geocaching speech ending with "Did you know you are sitting 6 feet away from one?" He would most likely say were? and I would point it out grab it and help him log into GeoCaching.com become one of us and post his first find. :D

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>Whether it was wrong it up to you

 

not really,

please read the section again:

http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx

You're confusing "wrong" with "not allowed". As I said in the very next sentence, the CO is allowed to reject the find because he would be acting according to the guidelines. That doesn't make the OP morally wrong for deciding that physically signing the log was less important than protecting it from detection.

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At first I wasn't worried about it because I thought I had done all I could do to get to this cache. At the time I thought it best not to stand on a picnic table and grab a pill bottle in front of 6 people. I would have had to explain myself. Granted explaining myself could have caused a Geocaching revolution and people would be celebrating the day that they met up with Maconb be and were introduced to the sport. Or they could say that's stupid and muggled it. So I logged it as a find saying nothing. But it has bothered as I have become more involve in the sport. So I posted this on here. Got some feedback and change it from a Find to a DNF. Because at the end of the day I didn't want to be that guy. Thank you all for your feedback.

That sounds like a good resolution. Don't listen to those that make you think there's a "that guy" that you shouldn't be, but, on the other hand, why bother to claim a find when you didn't sign the log? Worst case, it's just one find you'll never get. More typically, it's one more fun location you have an excuse to go back to.

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you know dang well what was required.

 

Easy now. At the time I really didn't that was like my 20th cache. But as I got into it more it bothered me. So I asked for opinions and then changed it to a DNF. I came here to gain some perspective not to get scolded.

 

If you don't use my full post, you know dang well what I meant. :ph34r:

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Try this rule. If your "Found it" includes a justification to claim your find, you know dang well what was required.

Easy now. At the time I really didn't that was like my 20th cache. But as I got into it more it bothered me. So I asked for opinions and then changed it to a DNF. I came here to gain some perspective not to get scolded.

 

I fixed it. :P I do understand the rule of "The Find" now. I learned a lot on that little trip. I went to a cache the same day that had a wet log sheet. It took me 1 hour to find so I let the log dry out until I could sign it. Put a note with my find log say that the log was wet and got an immediate email from the C/O tell me that I should have replaced the log. So now a little wiser I have fresh logs, baggies, and a felt pin. But yeah you are right about that find and it looks like I'll have a chance to redeem myself before Christmas.

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I would log it as a find, with a mention in my log as to the circumstances and why I didn't sign the logbook. People do this all the time when they forget a pen. As a cache owner, it's good enough for me. However, if someone were to delete my log for not signing, they would be within their rights, however I have never hear of anybody doing that, at least not where I live.

Edited by The_Incredibles_
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I would log it as a find, with a mention in my log as to the circumstances and why I didn't sign the logbook. People do this all the time when they forget a pen. As a cache owner, it's good enough for me. However, if someone were to delete my log for not signing, they would be within their rights, however I have never hear of anybody doing that, at least not where I live.

 

You avoid retrieving caches because of muggles but that is still a find?

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I would log it as a find, with a mention in my log as to the circumstances and why I didn't sign the logbook. People do this all the time when they forget a pen. As a cache owner, it's good enough for me. However, if someone were to delete my log for not signing, they would be within their rights, however I have never hear of anybody doing that, at least not where I live.

If it was my cache and you logged a find I would delete your log in a heart beat. Theres a big difference of forgetting/losing a pen and having the cache in hand than being able to see the cache and log a find. But you can play how you want to. :laughing:

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I would log it as a find, with a mention in my log as to the circumstances and why I didn't sign the logbook. People do this all the time when they forget a pen. As a cache owner, it's good enough for me. However, if someone were to delete my log for not signing, they would be within their rights, however I have never hear of anybody doing that, at least not where I live.

If it was my cache and you logged a find I would delete your log in a heart beat. Theres a big difference of forgetting/losing a pen and having the cache in hand than being able to see the cache and log a find. But you can play how you want to. :laughing:

 

I agree...if the cache was up a tree. Would you prefer under this circumstance for me to point out the cache to the muggles so they could get out of my way so I could make the grab and sign it? :anibad:

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I would log it as a find, with a mention in my log as to the circumstances and why I didn't sign the logbook. People do this all the time when they forget a pen. As a cache owner, it's good enough for me. However, if someone were to delete my log for not signing, they would be within their rights, however I have never hear of anybody doing that, at least not where I live.

If it was my cache and you logged a find I would delete your log in a heart beat. Theres a big difference of forgetting/losing a pen and having the cache in hand than being able to see the cache and log a find. But you can play how you want to. :laughing:

 

I agree...if the cache was up a tree. Would you prefer under this circumstance for me to point out the cache to the muggles so they could get out of my way so I could make the grab and sign it? :anibad:

 

Now why would you do that, rather than writing a note? Suppose it was a decoy, or not the cache at all?

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I would log it as a find, with a mention in my log as to the circumstances and why I didn't sign the logbook. People do this all the time when they forget a pen. As a cache owner, it's good enough for me. However, if someone were to delete my log for not signing, they would be within their rights, however I have never hear of anybody doing that, at least not where I live.

If it was my cache and you logged a find I would delete your log in a heart beat. Theres a big difference of forgetting/losing a pen and having the cache in hand than being able to see the cache and log a find. But you can play how you want to. :laughing:

 

I agree...if the cache was up a tree. Would you prefer under this circumstance for me to point out the cache to the muggles so they could get out of my way so I could make the grab and sign it? :anibad:

How about come back another day when nobody was around and actually have the cache in hand and sign the log. :rolleyes:

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