taking a dnf

[+pvtplt172]

Today I went Geocaching in Maine. I had 8 Geocaches on my list to find. When I got to my first cache it was an EZ find, however when i got to the second cache it was at a house and there were loads of muggles. I feel like an idiot because I did not get the web page on my smart phone and took a dnf because I didnt want people to think I was trespassing. When I got home today I looked at the cache link. It says CO owns the property. Has anyone else had the same problem ? I feel like an idiot now because i did not even attempt to get this cache when i could have. On the bright side I found 5 of the 8 on the list. the first dnf was because I did not attempt it because I was uncomfortable (this is the cache i am asking about ), the second one I searched hi and low for over 30 mins but dnf, and the third was muggle central. I sat and waited for 20 minutes for them to go away! any way I just wanted advice on what to do the next time.

Edited March 8, 2014 by pvtplt172

[+fizzymagic]

It's always a good idea to read the cache page before seeking any cache. There could be important safety or other information there. That being said, I will sometimes go for caches "blind" just for the challenge, but if anything funky appears I either read the page or abandon the hunt.

[+Walts Hunting]

It is completely understandable what happened. Just part of the hobby. BTW it is not the last time you will feel like an idiot especially when you go back to a cache you missed and don't understand how you did.

[+geodarts]

Has anyone else had the same problem ? I feel like an idiot now because i did not even attempt to get this cache when i could have.

 

I would not feel like an idiot. If you are not comfortable looking for a cache for any reason, it is better not to look for it. I have decided not to look for a number of caches on people's property, even when I am sure that the CO has permission. I would have driven past the cache you describe as well. There are a lot of caches out there.

Edited March 8, 2014 by geodarts

[+Ambrosia]

I went to one last year in my town, and after parking, realized it was in someone's yard. I figured it was the cache owner's property (it was), but I didn't have any cache information (not even a size), just the coords. The next door neighbours were sitting on their front porch staring at me.

 

I decided to go home and come back when I had the info and hint and could go right to the container. I still haven't, yet.

[+pvtplt172]

I went to one last year in my town, and after parking, realized it was in someone's yard. I figured it was the cache owner's property (it was), but I didn't have any cache information (not even a size), just the coords. The next door neighbours were sitting on their front porch staring at me.

 

I decided to go home and come back when I had the info and hint and could go right to the container. I still haven't, yet.

 

I read the page the co flies a geocacing flag on his flag pole when he is there. it is a seasonal home and he is there sometimes during the winter. The houses in the area were clearly abandoned for the winter season however the restaurant near by was open and lots of muggles kept driving by. This is the cache I went to but did not attempt.

GC317JV

[+WRASTRO]

I always read the cache page before I search. I rarely will search for a cache if there a bunch of people milling about and I can't figure out a way to search discretely. I never feel like an idiot for not searching when the situation makes me uncomfortable. Just a part of the game.

[+Ambrosia]

I went to one last year in my town, and after parking, realized it was in someone's yard. I figured it was the cache owner's property (it was), but I didn't have any cache information (not even a size), just the coords. The next door neighbours were sitting on their front porch staring at me.

 

I decided to go home and come back when I had the info and hint and could go right to the container. I still haven't, yet.

 

I read the page the co flies a geocacing flag on his flag pole when he is there. it is a seasonal home and he is there sometimes during the winter. The houses in the area were clearly abandoned for the winter season however the restaurant near by was open and lots of muggles kept driving by. This is the cache I went to but did not attempt.

GC317JV

 

If I didn't have the cache page for that cache, I wouldn't have searched, either. That would give me the heebie-jeebies! But, if I had the cache page, which has really good info including a good hint, it would have been a fun find with people there. It's all relative, isn't it?

[team tisri]

Has anyone else had the same problem ? I feel like an idiot now because i did not even attempt to get this cache when i could have.

 

I would not feel like an idiot. If you are not comfortable looking for a cache for any reason, it is better not to look for it. I have decided not to look for a number of caches on people's property, even when I am sure that the CO has permission. I would have driven past the cache you describe as well. There are a lot of caches out there.

 

That's pretty much my approach as well. If a cache is obviously on someone's private property I'll usually pass it by even if the cache page does say "it's my house, so come on in and look". I really have no desire to deal with neighbours wanting to know why I'm scratching around someone's house, potentially explaining to the police what's going on if someone skipped asking me directly and just called to report a potential break-in or whatever. In areas of high housing density I don't want to be rummaging around in someone's front yard only to see an "updated coordinates" log and realise I had the wrong property.

[Clan Riffster]

When I pull up close to ground zero, and realize that the cache is at someone's residence, my default action is to drive away, unless I know them personally. I'm not comfortable grubbing about in the front yard of a stranger.

[+TheHarleyRebel]

Just blend in with the muggles, and if asked explain that the landowners have given you permission to be there.

[+Walts Hunting]

When I pull up close to ground zero, and realize that the cache is at someone's residence, my default action is to drive away, unless I know them personally. I'm not comfortable grubbing about in the front yard of a stranger.

Same for me. There are to many caches around to worry about all the possible issues.

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

You did the right thing. I would feel like an idiot if I walked right onto the property, had a confrontation and later read on the cache page "Our first hide, not sure about the cords, but the cache is not on the private property. It's near the creek on the other side of the fence".

[+pvtplt172]

so I emailed the owner and he said to feel free and hit it anytime even though he is not there. However i am putting this one off because i want it to be one of my milestone caches. This just means I will have to go get more caches so I can get to this one much quicker. I want to make this my 100th cache.

[+dprovan]

You don't get them all. That's just a fact, and it's important to get used to it. Sometimes you miss them for good reasons, sometimes for bad reasons. This was both.

 

The bad reason is that when things looked screwy, you really should have read the description to see if it addressed what was confusing you. But you're only an idiot if you don't learn the lesson.

 

The good reason is that it's perfectly fine to skip a cache any time you don't like GZ when you get there, and that's still a good reason even when the description tries to make you feel better about it.

[+Chief301]

I do this all the time....if the location is just too muggly (time of day and day of the week have a lot to do with this), or too close to someone's property, or for any other reason just makes me uncomfortable, I have no problem skipping it. I usually don't log a DNF in that situation, though. I'll sometimes just post a note as explain the situation and why I didn't feel comfortable stopping. If I actually got to GZ and searched, however briefly, it's a DNF, but if I never even got out of the car it gets a Note. The way I see it I can't really consider that I didn't find it if I never really got a chance to look for it. That's just how I choose to play, YMMV.

 

I do like to note why I didn't stop, because it may help the next seeker....like if it would be better to search for this one on a weekend or something like that.

[+Sealand Rovers]

Pretty cool seeing something like this happen. I have not come across anything like this in Australia, but if I did I would be a bit worried scrounging around the property of a stranger.

 

If it was an event or someone I knew and I had some form of invitation (I know the existence of a cache could be an invitation in itself) it would be different, but otherwise yeh.. weird

[+BAMBOOZLE]

When I pull up close to ground zero, and realize that the cache is at someone's residence, my default action is to drive away, unless I know them personally. I'm not comfortable grubbing about in the front yard of a stranger.

Same for me. There are to many caches around to worry about all the possible issues.

 

+3......I may make an occasional exception but I've got to feel real comfortable.

[+BCandMsKitty]

I would have done the same thing, except I wouldn't have taken a DNF!

If I don't even search, the most I might do is log a note to say I was at least in the area, explaining why I didn't search.

[+ras_oscar]

I logged a DNF on one after I had already spotted the container. Retrieval would require me to place myself in a position which made me uncomfortable. That's what the ignore list is for.

[+Scratch Ankle]

I had one recently that we were looking for just at dark and was closed. It was a business that would be sensitive to visitors and it was right at the building. We passed that night and I stopped the next day and talked to the manager. They knew nothing about the cache and insisted I remove it. Very unhappy lady. The CO was traveling through and dropped it and then went home -- several states away.

 

Pays to pass when things are a little bit hinky. A call to the local constabulary could have gone poorly.

[team tisri]

I logged a DNF on one after I had already spotted the container. Retrieval would require me to place myself in a position which made me uncomfortable. That's what the ignore list is for.

 

Personally I'd have written a note against it on the basis I technically found the cache (i.e. it's still there, where a DNF suggests it might not be there) and say that I sighted the cache but decided not to retrieve it for (insert reason).

 

It's become something of a favourite for the times I sight caches that are hidden up trees. I don't want to create the impression the cache might not be there, but also don't want to log a Find because I clearly didn't do what was required to claim it.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I logged a DNF on one after I had already spotted the container. Retrieval would require me to place myself in a position which made me uncomfortable. That's what the ignore list is for.

 

Personally I'd have written a note against it on the basis I technically found the cache (i.e. it's still there, where a DNF suggests it might not be there) and say that I sighted the cache but decided not to retrieve it for (insert reason).

 

It's become something of a favourite for the times I sight caches that are hidden up trees. I don't want to create the impression the cache might not be there, but also don't want to log a Find because I clearly didn't do what was required to claim it.

Nah. If I am unable to sign the log, it qualifies as a DNF. Sign log, get a smiley. If I didn't sign the log, then it's a DNF. I located a nano recently that I was unable to open. If I cannot open it, it cannot be opened...) Doesn't seem to have stopped a lot of people from logging their find. "Log is wet". Great excuse for not being able to open the cache to sign the log. If the CO were local, s/he could resolve the problem, by reading the log! Another vacation cache! I was unale to open the cche to sign the log, DNF. NM. Shoul probably post NM on it!

[+DanOCan]

When I pull up close to ground zero, and realize that the cache is at someone's residence, my default action is to drive away, unless I know them personally. I'm not comfortable grubbing about in the front yard of a stranger.

Same for me. There are to many caches around to worry about all the possible issues.

 

+3......I may make an occasional exception but I've got to feel real comfortable.

+4...I've even walked away from finding a cache on the doorstep of someone I do know just because I was worried about attracting the attention of the neighbors.

 

Caching is supposed to be fun so if it makes me feel uncomfortable I'll go find a different one.

[+J Grouchy]

I'm not a fan of front yard caches, even WITH the property owners knowledge and permission. All it takes is one alert neighbor to call 911 and bring the police in force. It may all be legal and above board, but why should I have to deal with that just to sign my name on a slip of paper? Too many folks thinks it's all well and good just because the property owner gives permission, but I think it's rare that neighbors are informed...you know, the folks who live/work nearby and actually take an interest in public safety and have your back if anything suspicious happens on your property.