Virtual and Earth caches etiquette

[+Munkey990]

I am fairly new to geocaching and have a question about virtual and earthcaches. I have logged one of each and both required finding information at gz and sending an email to the co with answers to questions. I never received an response from either owner. One of them even says in the description that he does not answer all emails. I went ahead and logged them as found. Is that the correct thing to do? If so then why bother to send any email to the co at all? Why shouldn't I just go to gz and log myself a find without bothering to look for any info? What's the fun in that?

[+TriciaG]

Yes, go ahead and log them. The CO probably did check the answers and would delete your find if you didn't send it, so yeah - that, and for honesty's sake, send the answers.

 

Do you need a "Yep, answers are OK" email in order for the cache to be fun?

[+cerberus1]

I am fairly new to geocaching and have a question about virtual and earthcaches. I have logged one of each and both required finding information at gz and sending an email to the co with answers to questions. I never received an response from either owner. One of them even says in the description that he does not answer all emails. I went ahead and logged them as found. Is that the correct thing to do? If so then why bother to send any email to the co at all? Why shouldn't I just go to gz and log myself a find without bothering to look for any info? What's the fun in that?

Is that the correct thing to do?

- Yes

 

If so then why bother to send any email to the co at all?

- 'Cause thems the rules

 

Why shouldn't I just go to gz and log myself a find without bothering to look for any info?

- Because that would be the time a CO does check - and you're deleted.

[+dprovan]

Yes, if the description doesn't say otherwise, you can log the find as soon as you've sent in your answers. I'm always finding all types of caches, and I like to log them all in order, so I'm glad I don't have to wait for approval to log virtuals and eartchcaches.

 

It's rare that the answers won't be considered acceptable since, in my experience, at least, virtual and earthcache owners give a lot of leeway. Worst case, they can reject your find by deleting your log.

[+Walts Hunting]

I Log them right away no matter what the description says. Never had one deleted. Also a quick check on the COs recent activity can be a clue as to whether he will respond. Your virtual guy hasn't been on the site for nine months but your Earthcache guy is recently active.

[+Irishflea]

I had a question as a noob cacher about being required to submit a photo with me holding my GPSr at the earthcache. I use my cellphone. The CO responded with an answer and reminded me to submit my answers to the questions too, but did not respond once I had submitted everything. I think a nonresponse is the norm, so log the find.

[+Lil Devil]

I had a question as a noob cacher about being required to submit a photo with me holding my GPSr at the earthcache.

It should be noted here that the Earthcache Guidelines state "All requests for photographs must be optional." The Earthcache owner can not require you to submit a photo.

[+Traditional Bill]

I own a few earthcaches and one of them is found regularly as it's located very close to a '00 cache. Every cacher handles their logs differently. Some wait to send the info and log right away, some send info right away and log later and some do both at the same time. I only respond to those that haven't sent info, sent wrong info, or sent exceptional info (those are usually followed with a "great job" type of response). All others, I don't respond as I don't believe it's necessary.

 

So if you won't get a response, why bother? Well, first off, some CO's will delete your log if you don't send the info in a reasonable amount of time (I know I do,at least). Secondly, the CO brought you to that area for some specific reasons and whether they respond or not, wouldn't you want to learn about those reasons by performing the logging tasks? Regardless of the CO, it will almost always end up being more fun by doing any virtual or earthcache as it was intended.