How long do you look?

[+Bassbully]

That is the question. I have been doing ok in finding caches so far for the time I have had.

 

The issue is how long do some of you more experienced cahers look before you DNF a cache? Is it better to do a short look and if not found leave and post DNF and return later?

 

I tend look harder and longer if the cache is in an area I don't feel like muggles are watching or other's think I'm looking for my lost dog or I that am just crazy.

 

This is one of my issues as a new cacher that I look stupid digging around in rocks or bushes while getting very frustrated to the highest that everybody has logged the cache and I can not

I will say people in my area love their micro's

 

Do any of you have a quick look or look checklist at a cache site you do first before you give up?

Edited July 25, 2013 by Bassbully

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

It all depends on the cache, lcoation, type of hide, etc.

 

For a 1/1 where the hide location is obvious I may look just a few minutes. A D3-5 in the middle of the woods in a pile of glacial erratics, quite a bit longer. If there were a string of DNFs before I got there, probably just a cursory look.

 

[edit for typos]

Edited July 25, 2013 by BBWolf+3Pigs

[+kunarion]

The issue is how long do some of you more experienced cahers look before you DNF a cache? Is it better to do a short look and if not found leave and post DNF and return later?

Sometimes I just want to assess a cache, see what's so tough about it. There's a high-terrain cache nearby, and when I arrived, I could see cachertrack as high as 12 feet up the tree, where they had to balance on a low branch to reach higher ones in the tree. I may “look” for a couple of minutes, but I ain't climbing that tree today, due to my impending doom. I'll return with someone who can point and laugh when I fall. Who can call 911.

 

If someone's just minding their own business, reading a book nearby, I might glance around a little bit and then leave (and log DNF). So I don't creep her out.

 

And if it's listed as super easy, and definitely if it's a place I enjoy visiting, I might search and ponder all afternoon. Long after everyone else has given up on me and left.

 

I usually don't "return later" til receiving some epiphany, where I have a new plan of attack. Otherwise, I'll search "everywhere" again (where I've already looked) and get nowhere. Again.

Edited July 25, 2013 by kunarion

[nonaeroterraqueous]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

[team tisri]

That is the question. I have been doing ok in finding caches so far for the time I have had.

 

The issue is how long do some of you more experienced cahers look before you DNF a cache? Is it better to do a short look and if not found leave and post DNF and return later?

 

I tend look harder and longer if the cache is in an area I don't feel like muggles are watching or other's think I'm looking for my lost dog or I that am just crazy.

 

This is one of my issues as a new cacher that I look stupid digging around in rocks or bushes while getting very frustrated to the highest that everybody has logged the cache and I can not

I will say people in my area love their micro's

 

Do any of you have a quick look or look checklist at a cache site you do first before you give up?

 

No hard and fast rules really.

 

If an area is overlooked and has a lot of muggle activity I'll try and figure where the cache is and if I feel conspicuous I move on.

 

If an area isn't overlooked but the cache is the sort that requires an endlessly repetitive search (magnetic nano on a 100' long metal fence or similar) I'll often not even start to look.

 

If an area has a lot of insect activity I'll often get bored of being eaten alive before I find the cache.

 

If I'm having a bad day and just can't be bothered with a long hunt I'll abandon the search early on.

 

If the cache is in a nice area and I'm not being eaten alive I may hunt for an hour or more.

 

If the FTF is still available I may, or may not, be more forgiving of caches I normally wouldn't spend much time on, and may hunt for longer before giving up.

[team tisri]

If someone's just minding their own business, reading a book nearby, I might glance around a little bit and then leave (and log DNF). So I don't creep her out.

 

Heh, reminds me of a cache I went to find a couple of years back. As I approached GZ I noticed a couple sitting on a nearby bench, and then realised the woman was breastfeeding her baby. That didn't seem like a good time for a man on his own to be lurking in the bushes very close to them...

[+kunarion]

If someone's just minding their own business, reading a book nearby, I might glance around a little bit and then leave (and log DNF). So I don't creep her out.

 

Heh, reminds me of a cache I went to find a couple of years back. As I approached GZ I noticed a couple sitting on a nearby bench, and then realised the woman was breastfeeding her baby. That didn't seem like a good time for a man on his own to be lurking in the bushes very close to them...

Hi there. Do you mind if I look? I'll just be under this bench with my mirror.

 

DNF: I really should have worded it better. Lucky for me, the cops were very understanding.

Edited July 25, 2013 by kunarion

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

The longer you are involved in caching, sooner (or later) you will realize that there will always be a few that stump you. For one reason or another. We have looked for a few caches multiple times (each visit being an extended search), only to find on the 3^rd or 4^th time that it had been in front of our faces all the while. It could be due to extreme camouflage or the fact that it was hidden in a manner that you just hadn't conceived of (yet).

 

That is about the time that you finally get it into your head to not look for a "cache", but to look for something out of the ordinary or just a little bit "out of place". You probably already know that, we did -- but it still takes that jolt to really place it into your noggin so that the idea stays put. Perhaps the biggest fault of new cachers (even some not-so-new cachers) is the fact that they haven't yet shaken the "looking for a container" syndrome.

 

To open this concept up to its fullest -- get out and about. Leave your comfortable neck-o-the-woods, go to areas far away from home. Yes, I realize it isn't always easy to travel long distances just to go 'caching, but the further away from home you get, the more different types and styles of hides you will learn. Folks in areas seem to lock into a pattern of sorts -- getting away from those "pattern areas" can be real eye-openers. Combine geocaching with every opportunity to get away from home territory, even if just for a few caches. In doing so, don't try to make it an all-or-nothing approach and avoid the temptation to rush.

 

We aren't numbers cachers, so really... time-on-scene isn't nearly so relevant to us as it may be to others. Even at that, time does enter the picture. When you ain't having fun at it any more -- move along. It's not unlike sitting at a table and putting together a difficult picture puzzle, there comes a time to walk away. You could (most) always return later, and start fresh.

 

Folks that enjoy the challenge will spend more time in the search. Folks that "have other things to do" will spend less time. Folks that are after numbers alone, will generally spend very little time searching.

 

It all comes down to diff'rnt strokes for diff'rnt folks...

[rascofam]

We are noobs- only found 10 so far, and have already had a few DNF's. Already, we hate the feeling of a DNF, so I feel like we look for a pretty long time, but it has really depended on several factors.

We are not fans of microcaches, but have tried to find a couple. It seems like we've spent more time on those because we know they are generally going to be tougher. Our first DNF was an urban microcache behind a pizza place. We spent waaaay longer on this one than we should have considering it was a microcache in a location without much relevance. However, we had others with us and it just became one of those times when we were determined to find it for the principle of the thing! It had been found the day before, yet there were five adults, all with their GPS honed in ground zero and we couldn't find it. We looked an hour.

Other times, we've spent less time before logging a DNF. Again, usually because the place just wasn't that interesting or relevant and we had other caches on our list we wanted to try to get to. We've logged a DNF after only 15 or 20 minutes of looking if we really felt like it wasn't there or the clue was not that great or whatever. We usually try to be pretty clear in our log if we do leave a DNF, so that the CO doesn't worry that it's missing (unless we are pretty sure that it really is missing)!

Edited July 25, 2013 by rascofam

[+Bassbully]

We are noobs- only found 10 so far, and have already had a few DNF's. Already, we hate the feeling of a DNF, so I feel like we look for a pretty long time, but it has really depended on several factors.

We are not fans of microcaches, but have tried to find a couple. It seems like we've spent more time on those because we know they are generally going to be tougher. Our first DNF was an urban microcache behind a pizza place. We spent waaaay longer on this one than we should have considering it was a microcache in a location without much relevance. However, we had others with us and it just became one of those times when we were determined to find it for the principle of the thing! It had been found the day before, yet there were five adults, all with their GPS honed in ground zero and we couldn't find it. We looked an hour.

Other times, we've spent less time before logging a DNF. Again, usually because the place just wasn't that interesting or relevant and we had other caches on our list we wanted to try to get to. We've logged a DNF after only 15 or 20 minutes of looking if we really felt like it wasn't there or the clue was not that great or whatever. We usually try to be pretty clear in our log if we do leave a DNF, so that the CO doesn't worry that it's missing (unless we are pretty sure that it really is missing)!

 

I understand the feeling of a DNF .... don't like it myself

I have come on a few micro's that are evil hides and now it has helped me search much better.

Even with my skill's getting better there are those that I just can't find and wondered how long is to long or when do you just give up?

 

Thanks for the replies and I'm not alone here.

I still have to get over the issue of what I must look like to some people passing by when I'm crawling around looking under bushes

Edited July 25, 2013 by Bassbully

[+wimseyguy]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

^this^

Sometimes it's only a minute or three, sometimes I'll spend an hour.

All depends on the hide, the general location, and other conditions. I got run off by DEET resistant skeeters in 3-4 minutes on two last week. I was out for a bike ride more than a cache hunt, and there were more down the trail. The week before we spent 30 minutes exploring a ruined foundation out in the woods before we made the find. I rarely let muggle activity affect my searching. I might decide to skip a cache entirely if I don't like the situation, like a playground hide with lots of screaming kids and helicopter parents.

[+geodarts]

The search is the least interesting thing about this game to me. If there is something about the area or there are circumstances that make me want to log it as found, I'll spend a little more time. If I am traveling with my family I generally have a five minute rule. If it is just another container in a place that that holds no interest, then two minutes might be enough. If it a nano hidden in a mall in front of a business, then I probably won't look at all.

 

I'll spend more time with an otherwise interesting Wherigo or letterbox than I will with most traditionals. But the fun factor is the most important consideration and if I have no reason to find a particular cache I will probably not spend too much time.

[+Team Microdot]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

^this^

Sometimes it's only a minute or three, sometimes I'll spend an hour.

 

 

^these^

[RagnoJr]

I agree with some of the other posters that it depends on the type of cache and muggle activity nearby. For me muggle activity is the primary factor. I don't mind spending extra time poking around if there is no one else around to call the cops on me

 

If I just have time for a cursory look and don't really give it a good look, then I usually don't DNF it. I'll only DNF it when I think I have given it a fair chance. Also, if I try to find one and can't, I'll add it to my watchlist so I am notified when others find it. Sometimes just knowing that someone else just found it will motivate me to try again.

[+Bassbully]

I agree with some of the other posters that it depends on the type of cache and muggle activity nearby. For me muggle activity is the primary factor. I don't mind spending extra time poking around if there is no one else around to call the cops on me

 

If I just have time for a cursory look and don't really give it a good look, then I usually don't DNF it. I'll only DNF it when I think I have given it a fair chance. Also, if I try to find one and can't, I'll add it to my watchlist so I am notified when others find it. Sometimes just knowing that someone else just found it will motivate me to try again.

 

One issue is some Caches are always going to have muggle activity even at night. There is one very clever DNF on my list that is driving me crazy.

I have looked as long as a half hour three times and its a clever micro. The only issue is there is a Mc'D's drive thru about 70 feet away

[+wimseyguy]

Meh, those people don't even know you exist. They are totally focused on getting their McFix.

 

I've stood back and watched geopals look for caches in mugglicious zones. Except for the parents watching kids scenario we are mostly invisible to them. Unless you are moving in tune with the

or

soundtrack playing in your head. Then all bets are off.

[+J Grouchy]

Rarely do I ever look more than about 20 minutes, and that's generally for hides in wooded areas that may require searching a wider area. I figure any longer isn't really searching, just me being stubborn. It takes a fresh eye, in my opinion. I'll come back to a place multiple times rather than spend an hour looking in a 20 or 30 foot radius.

[+R.O.B]

I search until the frustration factor is more than the fun factor.

 

That's my cue to go on to the next cache.

[+niraD]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

+1

 

When it's no longer fun, I stop searching and log a DNF.

 

If and when I return to search again, the same thing applies. When it's no longer fun, I stop searching and log a DNF.

 

I don't think I've searched for much more than an hour in a single attempt at a single cache location. But I have searched for up to an hour in each attempt at interesting 4-star camouflage caches.

Edited July 25, 2013 by niraD

[+ras_oscar]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

+1

[+The_Incredibles_]

Depends on the cache. I like to do a good search and check all possible hiding spots. Typically I'll give up after 20 minutes if I can't find it. Or sooner if I'm sure it's gone.

[+lamoracke]

Depends on the cache. If its very remote and I think I just cannot find it, I may search for an hour or two. If its a relatively inane drive up cache that has a chance of being gone, I may only look 5 minutes and move on with life. If its a cache I need for a challenge cache I am working on, then I might look for it longer, or even see if I can call the CO (assuming I know them) to replace it for them.

 

Here is a DNF of mine. If not for the fact I had my kid at the car (with another adult), I might have looked for 2 hours assuming I had the time and water. Its a tough to reach spot (thus increasing my willingness to look) and I could have used the cache in a challenge.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=7a959fdc-c823-479a-8cc8-39704ad969f9

 

Instead, mainly due to the kid and time, I just looked 15-20 minutes.

Edited July 25, 2013 by lamoracke

[+Harry Dolphin]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

+1

 

It varies with the cache/CO. Spent an hour looking for an evil cache Sunday. I'll be back. (CO that I like and trust.) Spent 15 minutes looking through someone's shrubs in a residential area. I will not be back. I play this game to have fun.

Usually 20 minutes is my "Oh well/DNF" limit.

[+SwineFlew]

Depend. If I am traveling, no more than 5 mins. I pick easy caches for this reason.

 

There was a cache in Texas that I searched for 10 mins because I was working on getting all the counties as I can. After reading some logs,I found out this was a typical hide of the CO and all the local knew where to look. But for someone that never found this CO caches, it was alot harder. Yea, I picked it because it was rated low. I moved on to the next cache down the road. (I always have two backup for every county)

[AZcachemeister]

Mostly it depends on the effort needed to get to the location.

If it's a 'drive-up', maybe five minutes...ten max.

If I just spent three hours hiking to the location, I will tend to spend a little more time on actually locating the cache.

[+Roman!]

I look till I find it but what irks me is that it's always in the last place I look.

[+lamoracke]

I look till I find it but what irks me is that it's always in the last place I look.

 

I intentionally have looked in more spots after finding the cache so I can have that sentence not apply.

[+Roman!]

I look till I find it but what irks me is that it's always in the last place I look.

 

I intentionally have looked in more spots after finding the cache so I can have that sentence not apply.

 

Hmmm, never thought of that, have you ever found a second cache that way?

[+lamoracke]

I look till I find it but what irks me is that it's always in the last place I look.

 

I intentionally have looked in more spots after finding the cache so I can have that sentence not apply.

 

Hmmm, never thought of that, have you ever found a second cache that way?

 

Have found many old fashioned letterboxes or the odd unpublished cache, but never after the actual found cache. I once found a prior version of the cache, thought missing long before. That count? Have not done this silly behavior that often to be that successful, but its nice to occasionally say in a log, found the cache in the 3rd to last place I looked, just to be different.

[+Roman!]

I look till I find it but what irks me is that it's always in the last place I look.

 

I intentionally have looked in more spots after finding the cache so I can have that sentence not apply.

 

Hmmm, never thought of that, have you ever found a second cache that way?

 

Have found many old fashioned letterboxes or the odd unpublished cache, but never after the actual found cache. I once found a prior version of the cache, thought missing long before. That count? Have not done this silly behavior that often to be that successful, but its nice to occasionally say in a log, found the cache in the 3rd to last place I looked, just to be different.

 

I actually found a second version of a cache on the opposite side of a stump, I found the first one in the first place I looked in the stump and went to the opposite side as it was easier to open the cache there and sign the log and as I looked down I saw the second container so I can say I found a cache in the first and last place I looked.

Edited July 26, 2013 by Roman!

[+bjohio]

Rarely do I ever look more than about 20 minutes

 

+1

 

That's probably my average. Of course, that would change depending on the type of hide.

[+Fridge01]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

Now that's a good answer I think I'll use it too. For me it ceases to be fun after just a few minutes and I typically move on quickly. I'll stay longer if it's an interesting search.

[+Anansi Joy]

I look longer if I don't feel that I'm being noticed by others. Or being bombarded by giant grasshoppers.

[+Bassbully]

I just looked for over an hour for a cacher with pretty cool hide history. I wouldn't give up but finally did. It broke my streak of 21 finds in a row without a DNF.

[+BlueDeuce]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

When I was new it was difficult to gauge several factors. Was I exposing the cache to muggles? Was I stepping too far into the decorated landscape to make a search? Am I on private property? Just how hard is a 3 star cache? When should I log a DNF? To name just a few.

 

Fortunately I hooked up with more experienced cachers who guided me better than the fun method of caching.

 

 

Edit: then/than

Edited July 29, 2013 by BlueDeuce

[+Bassbully]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

When I was new it was difficult to gauge several factors. Was I exposing the cache to muggles? Was I stepping too far into the decorated landscape to make a search? Am I on private property? Just how hard is a 3 star cache? When should I log a DNF? To name just a few.

 

Fortunately I hooked up with more experienced cachers who guided me better than the fun method of caching.

 

 

Edit: then/than

 

Good points. I have had the same feelings and in a way still do. Thoughts like this is what had me make the post in the first place...thanks.

[+-CJ-]

If I fail to find a cache in reasonable time (this depends on its difficulty according to its description) I usually stipulate some additional time for searches - depending on circumstances. Sometimes 5 minutes, sometimes 2 hours.

[+Corp Of Discovery]

Til my caching partners drag me away or until it's not fun anymore. It's more often the former, but occasionally the latter...

[Clan Riffster]

It all depends on the cache, lcoation, type of hide, etc.

Yeah, that pretty much sums up how I play. If I find myself in a place I enjoy being, at what seems to be a challenging hide, based on D/T, past logs, etc, I might spend a lot of time there. One particular cache took me a combined 15 hours to locate. If I find myself at a place I don't enjoy, I am likely to walk away after a few seconds. I have an internal fun meter. When it hits zero, I leave.

Edited July 30, 2013 by Clan Riffster

[+Shmitty]

No more than 15 minutes per star for us. We often don't get to the 1 hour mark for a D=4 cache, usually stopping after about a half hour, but we won't search for a D=1 for more than 15 minutes.

[+edscott]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

exactly.

[+Vandyvan]

As a general rule I agree with what Shmitty posted. 10-15 minutes per degree of difficulty. Personally, I hate to give up so I will spend as long as it takes until I've convinced myself that it's really not there, or that I'm just not going to find it. Recent log entries factor in pretty heavily. If it has been found recently I tend to look longer, if it hasn't been found in some time, especially if the last few log entries are DNF's, I try not to waste too much time.

[+JL_HSTRE]

Depending on the cache, I usually take 5 to 15 minutes to look before taking a DNF and moving on if I haven't found it. It depends on the container size, the difficulty rating, the GZ area, and my whims/schedule that day. I haven't the patience or interest in searching more than 15 minutes for any cache.

[+MountainWoods]

Rarely do I ever look more than about 20 minutes, and that's generally for hides in wooded areas that may require searching a wider area. I figure any longer isn't really searching, just me being stubborn. It takes a fresh eye, in my opinion. I'll come back to a place multiple times rather than spend an hour looking in a 20 or 30 foot radius.

20 minutes is about my limit too, before it becomes frustration instead of fun. However, where I differ is that I rarely go back now. Did that a couple of times at first; but for me that was just extending torture. Now if I don't find it after 20 (or at most 30) minutes, it goes in my Ignore list if it would be in my home area map.

 

And, as usual, I always log a DNF. I wish that you didn't have to put in any text when you log a DNF, but at least 2 characters are required. Although I want to register the DNF, I don't even want to waste time on verbiage. I just couldn't find it. Period.

[+BlueDeuce]

Look until it isn't fun anymore. That's all there is to it.

 

When I was new it was difficult to gauge several factors. Was I exposing the cache to muggles? Was I stepping too far into the decorated landscape to make a search? Am I on private property? Just how hard is a 3 star cache? When should I log a DNF? To name just a few.

 

Fortunately I hooked up with more experienced cachers who guided me better than the fun method of caching.

 

 

Edit: then/than

 

Good points. I have had the same feelings and in a way still do. Thoughts like this is what had me make the post in the first place...thanks.

 

I had the opportunity to cache with a 2001 Charter Member named Welsh. He taught me more about the art of searching than I could ever figure out using the fun method. Hard work, determination, experience and insight.

 

Here's my log from one hunt. (That get-together was actually the start of the Iowa Geocaching Club)

 

Saturday, 18 October 2003

 

A total of 15 people joined in the search on a beautiful fall day. We definitely have a fantastic collection of dedicated and talented cachers in the area. I wish even more cachers could have joined us. A special thanks to Ernie K (a future geocacher) for providing the canoe.

 

RooBoy and PaGruvy were first to start. After ten minutes or so we could see them giving us the universal - palms up, arms out-stretched - sign of "Heck, I don't know where the dumb thing is". The second try by two more cachers was also a bust. Rooboy then decided to take the land route. Apparently his shoe tread was too slick as he climbed down the cliff in his bare feet! After meeting Rooboy you wouldn't think he would turn out to be such a nut, but I guess looks are deceiving!

 

Well, after searching and searching we still hadn't found the cache. We were beginning to think that either the cache had been plundered or we really stank at this sport. Cachers visiting the site before had been pretty sure they could see the container from shore, but it was no-where to be found. We discussed whether we should leave a new cache container or log 6 or 7 shameful "Not Founds".

 

But all was not lost. Welch started poking around the quarry and found the cache container located clear on the other side, sitting in water and mud. (Now I know why you should bring a senior cacher to the tough ones). Most of the contents were soaked and the logs were trashed. The last log was from a fisherman who had found the container, but I really do think he either found it in the mud and figured he should replace it in the same location or it was displaced after his find. The cache could have ended up in the water for several 'natural' reasons.

 

Welch came through again by providing a new container, stocked with swag and a log book. Top quality stuff. Even the logbook has it's own container. We all signed the log and had a good time trading stories and Geocaching insights. The kids went through the swag an like an antique dealer looking for the perfect find. S10 then showed his daring by replacing the cache by also going over the top. (I still wouldn't be comfortable to make the climb).

 

It really was a pleasure to meet everyone. Left three gold dollars, a match holder, a smiley coin purse and Thing 1. I'll be posting pictures once I clarify a few names. There should be another meet next spring for cachers who would like help to claim this one.

 

Edited August 1, 2013 by BlueDeuce

[+hpfenning]

Meh, those people don't even know you exist. They are totally focused on getting their McFix.

 

I've stood back and watched geopals look for caches in mugglicious zones. Except for the parents watching kids scenario we are mostly invisible to them. Unless you are moving in tune with the

or

soundtrack playing in your head. Then all bets are off.

 

I agree. It's kinda like "Hiding in plain sight" most of the time. If you look like you are supposed to be there as opposed to sneeking around, most people will ignore you. Look as long as you feel comfortable. I don't like to give up...