How often do you confirm logs? 2015

[+LaughterOnWater]

From this previous post, I see that different people have different experiences and strategies.

 

Well, it's 2015... Seven years hence.

 

Do you confirm online entries with those who have signed the logs in your caches?

 

How often?

 

How often have you removed a "found it" because you couldn't find it in the physical cache log?

 

Do you wait until you see a NM before you change the log, or do you take a more proactive approach?

[+NeverSummer]

Do you confirm online entries with those who have signed the logs in your caches? Yes.

 

How often? Generally whenever I perform any maintenance on my caches.

 

How often have you removed a "found it" because you couldn't find it in the physical cache log? Not that often. I usually email people who have logged online and do not appear to have signed the log. I'll ask them about the cache, and if they can tell me where they found it and what it looked like. If they can give me that much, I'll forgive missing a signature. There have been a few "obvious" examples where people had armchair logged many caches across many miles and states in a single day. But I'd say I can count on 2 hands how many I've actually emailed, and one hand for how many I've deleted.

 

Do you wait until you see a NM before you change the log, or do you take a more proactive approach? Nope, I don't wait for a NM. I usually check on my caches whenever I walk,bike, or drive by. I also try to get out and check caches before the tourist season begins. When I see a DNF that calls any question that the cache might be missing I head out and check on it. Most of the time it's still there, but it sure is a nice reminder to check on things so that it's where I hid it, how I hid it, etc.

Edited June 10, 2015 by NeverSummer

[+SageTracey]

I only check physical logs when the online log gives me cause for concern. I take the the attitude that if a cacher wants to falsely boost their smiley count, the only person they are cheating is themselves. That said, if I were to find a false log that then had the potential to mislead a subsequent finder, I would have no hesitation in deleting the false log.

 

Most of my hides are within just a few kilometres of my home so I will pop in on them regularly to check that there has been no cache creep and that the logs are in good condition.

[+KC2WI]

I never check paper logs against online. If someone is just in it for the numbers and wants to lie that is their problem.

 

I don't have any regular maintenance schedule. I check caches if I am in the area or if I see comments indicating there is a problem. Or if I see the finds piling up and think the log might be getting full.

[+ArtieD]

I only check the log if an online log looks really hinky. Other than that, if someone wants to lie about a find, then it's on them.

[+niraD]

I don't think my answer has changed.

 

I confirm signatures on the physical log when something in the online log seems questionable. If my suspicions are confirmed by the physical log, then I delete the online log. This has been very rare.

 

And I perform maintenance visits when I'm in the area and it's convenient. Or, when an online log indicates an issue, I plan a visit into my schedule.

[+Sagefox]

I don't think my answer has changed.

 

I confirm signatures on the physical log when something in the online log seems questionable. If my suspicions are confirmed by the physical log, then I delete the online log. This has been very rare.

 

And I perform maintenance visits when I'm in the area and it's convenient. Or, when an online log indicates an issue, I plan a visit into my schedule.

Me too to all the above.

 

Often I compare finders logs to the web page when I switch a full or wet log for a new one.

 

Almost all the online loggers have signed the logs during our 13 year run. Often there are signatures of people who do not log online.

[+jellis]

I don't think my answer has changed.

 

I confirm signatures on the physical log when something in the online log seems questionable. If my suspicions are confirmed by the physical log, then I delete the online log. This has been very rare.

 

And I perform maintenance visits when I'm in the area and it's convenient. Or, when an online log indicates an issue, I plan a visit into my schedule.

Me too. Especially on an evil cache and they say it was easy. Mentioned this a few times. I had someone log a cache and when I went to do maintenance I noticed a cacher didn't sign. I deleted their log and they asked why. I said their name wasn't on the logsheet. She responded "I didn't know I had to sign it"

It's harder when the logsheet is damp or missing, or someone replaces the full logsheet for me.

[+Uncle Alaska]

As often as possible...things that sometime make it difficult: people signing a different name on physical log than online, poor penmanship, and signed the physical log and not posted online (makes reconciling difficult sometimes).

Edited June 10, 2015 by Uncle Alaska

[+dprovan]

I only go out of my way to check logs if something looks suspicious, like a newbie finding a hard puzzle or someone finding my cache when they weren't caching in my area. As I recall, I've rejected a single find because there was no match in the physical log.

 

If I swap out a log, I check the log against the on-line list, but I expect to find discrepancies and I don't worry about them. I think once I spotted a signature I recognized in the physical log that wasn't on-line, and it turned out they forgot to log the find on-line.

 

I try to check my caches from time to time to keep the log from getting full, and I watch for comments in the found logs about the log filling up, but I still sometimes need to go swap a log because of an NM telling me it was full.

[+jwmoe1973]

I've only deleted one online Found It log..., posted on a cache I archived several days earlier. As I recall, that particular person was somehow posting Found It logs on several other caches that had recently been archived. Yeah, no e-mail on that one, just delete.

 

I've not owned many caches, but I check(ed) on them as needed. Whether it was prompted by an online log or I was nearby.

 

I only confirm and reconcile online and physical logs when I change the physical log sheet. Even then it's more just having fun reading who was there than actually scrutinizing the two logs.

[+edscott]

I've not been checking lately unless a maintenance visit is needed, but I did some spot checks on a group of caches I did this weekend and noticed a lot of "immaculate finds". I suspect more people get confused when doing and logging a power trail simply because of the number and similarity of the hides, but I'm going to start keeping closer track of my small group of seldom found caches.

[+WarNinjas]

Do you confirm online entries with those who have signed the logs in your caches?

 

Not often unless there is a reason. I think once or twice in the beginning. Just for fun. There was one time our area got logs from one cacher on many caches. Some were hard puzzles and kayak to only caches there was no way he/she had found all those. Some checked some logs to confirm. Most were deleted. I think I deleted a few but if someone wants to play that way then they are not really playing and I wasn't to worried about it.

 

How often have you removed a "found it" because you couldn't find it in the physical cache log?

I don't think I ever have. I have had to email a few new cachers who claimed finds on our challenges and there was no way they could qualify.

 

Do you wait until you see a NM before you change the log, or do you take a more proactive approach?

I don't wait for a NM I will change out when in the area if I think full or I make a note on my phone if someone said it is getting full and replace it. I had out a bison tube that I am guessing only had about 50 places to sign. Somehow it got found over 100 times with no notes to the log getting full. It just went missing and I replaced it. I have no idea how it happened.

[+K13]

I check logs any time a cacher whose name contains the word Laughter.

 

Seriously, I check then I'm doing regular maintenance, or when someone's log seems hinky. I've not deleted a log ....yet, but would if the signature isn't on the paper.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Very rarely. That said, I just did it.

A very novice finder logged a long tough multi with a few words. I checked, no sig.

 

I'm trying to find out whether it's a read find on some other cache, or if they thought that finding the first stage = smiley.

Good news is that they DID respond to my email. I'm hoping this is just a wrong GC Code issue, and I can get them to understand how to handle it.

 

If it comes to log deletion, I will do it. I'll probably wait 6 months or so, as I have in the past with other novice finds of a first stage, or of a challenge cache. So far, this has been beyond the last login by novice. No feelings hurt.

 

I could make it PMO, but there are couple of hiking cachers in my area that might find it; they're Basic members.

[+narcissa]

I've checked a couple of suspicious logs, but the only logs I've ever had to delete were Earthcache logs.

[+lamoracke]

I once checked how many logs I had online vs the paper log but never deleted any, it was an exercise in curiosity once. If an online log gets my attention, I might look at a particular log but I have never felt the need to go through all the signatures and delete logs not there. Even if I found one missing, its not like I own the Ape cache in Brazil, was hopefully just an honest mistake.

[+jellis]

I once checked how many logs I had online vs the paper log but never deleted any, it was an exercise in curiosity once. If an online log gets my attention, I might look at a particular log but I have never felt the need to go through all the signatures and delete logs not there. Even if I found one missing, its not like I own the Ape cache in Brazil, was hopefully just an honest mistake.

speaking of the Brazil Ape cache. There is a large group of cachers going later this year. About 24 of them. Wish I could go but I don't have the money these guys do.

[+lamoracke]

I once checked how many logs I had online vs the paper log but never deleted any, it was an exercise in curiosity once. If an online log gets my attention, I might look at a particular log but I have never felt the need to go through all the signatures and delete logs not there. Even if I found one missing, its not like I own the Ape cache in Brazil, was hopefully just an honest mistake.

speaking of the Brazil Ape cache. There is a large group of cachers going later this year. About 24 of them. Wish I could go but I don't have the money these guys do.

 

Well, there was sure a large group of Germans who just went. Course, I wonder what will happen with that cache, given the CO just passed away. It would seem you do not need a person living in the area to own that one.

 

Yeah, I often joke if I win the lottery, I would go to Brazil and find it and take 10 of my friends with me, well, and the family.

[+coachstahly]

I rarely check against the signed logs. If they want to cheat, they're not really bothering me. I might consider it for one of my harder D caches though. The few logs I have had to delete revolve around new cachers who log a "Found It" when all they've found is the first stage of one of my multis. I send them an email, letting them know they have to find the final to log it as found, that they can change it to a note, and that they are more than welcome to contact me for any nudges or hints in order to complete the multi. If they don't reply within a week, I usually delete the log. It's only happened three times in 5 years.

Edited June 11, 2015 by coachstahly

[+LaughterOnWater]

Everyone, thanks for these frank responses. It highlights one thing that is very cool about the sport. Most people seeking geocaches grasp intuitively that it would be an empty victory to merely post "found it" from their desktop without having actually found it. There is also a lot of difference in style as to how people approach log confirmation, all of which seem equally valid. I'm not sure exactly how I'll approach log confirmation when I start, but hearing how other people do it gives me some perspective about what's acceptable.

I check logs any time a cacher whose name contains the word Laughter.

 

Again, thanks!

 

Chris

[Pup Patrol]

Do you confirm online entries with those who have signed the logs in your caches?

Yes.

 

How often?

When performing maintenance runs, or when an online log sounds "iffy".

 

How often have you removed a "found it" because you couldn't find it in the physical cache log?

Twice, on two different caches.

 

1.) Online log made much of how hard the cache was to find, the terrain was difficult, the cache was near the neighbour's fence. All of that was a completely wrong description of the cache location.

 

We went to the cache, and there was no sig from those cachers (who were together). Deleted their online "found it" logs. Twice.

 

2.) On the other cache, there were two things that screamed "false". One, it was in winter. Two, online log said the cache was empty, not even a logbook, so they added swag and a piece of paper. They signed the paper they added.

 

We went out to the location. There were no tracks in the snow near the container location. First clue that something was wrong.

 

Went back to the first stage, a micro with a tag with the 2nd stage coordinates. I was amazed to see how much crap one could jam into the little film canister.

 

Removed the junk from the Stage 1 container, deleted the online "found it" log, and posted a note on the cache page saying that it was a multicache. Finding Stage 1 didn't count as finding the cache.

 

The stunning part was that the online log mentioned the clue! There are 2 clues, one for each stage.

 

The cache page clearly states that it's a multicache.

 

Do you wait until you see a NM before you change the log, or do you take a more proactive approach?

Reading the logs should alert one to when the log is full, or getting full, so waiting for a NM isn't necessary.

 

It is helpful if people write such stuff in their logs. But, you know..."tftc", "got it", etc....not helpful at all.

 

People who don't post their DNF's aren't helping, either. Our cache was missing for quite a while before we knew about it. When we replaced it, someone found it and logged that they had been to look for it numerous times and couldn't find it. They didn't log any DNF's, so we had no idea there was a problem.

 

B.

Edited June 11, 2015 by Pup Patrol

[+narcissa]

Do you confirm online entries with those who have signed the logs in your caches?

Yes.

 

How often?

When performing maintenance runs, or when an online log sounds "iffy".

 

How often have you removed a "found it" because you couldn't find it in the physical cache log?

Twice, on two different caches.

 

1.) Online log made much of how hard the cache was to find, the terrain was difficult, the cache was near the neighbour's fence. All of that was a completely wrong description of the cache location.

 

We went to the cache, and there was no sig from those cachers (who were together). Deleted their online "found it" logs. Twice.

 

2.) On the other cache, there were two things that screamed "false". One, it was in winter. Two, online log said the cache was empty, not even a logbook, so they added swag and a piece of paper. They signed the paper they added.

 

We went out to the location. There were no tracks in the snow near the container location. First clue that something was wrong.

 

Went back to the first stage, a micro with a tag with the 2nd stage coordinates. I was amazed to see how much crap one could jam into the little film canister.

 

Removed the junk from the Stage 1 container, deleted the online "found it" log, and posted a note on the cache page saying that it was a multicache. Finding Stage 1 didn't count as finding the cache.

 

The stunning part was that the online log mentioned the clue! There are 2 clues, one for each stage.

 

The cache page clearly states that it's a multicache.

 

Do you wait until you see a NM before you change the log, or do you take a more proactive approach?

Reading the logs should alert one to when the log is full, or getting full, so waiting for a NM isn't necessary.

 

It is helpful if people write such stuff in their logs. But, you know..."tftc", "got it", etc....not helpful at all.

 

People who don't post their DNF's aren't helping, either. Our cache was missing for quite a while before we knew about it. When we replaced it, someone found it and logged that they had been to look for it numerous times and couldn't find it. They didn't log any DNF's, so we had no idea there was a problem.

 

B.

 

This reminds me - I did delete a log recently. They posted a picture of the object at the starting coordinates and said "Is this it? Couldn't find the container." No need to check the log for that.

[+bflentje]

I only audit or delete logs when someone blatantly claims they found a high star cache and indicate they never got their hands on it.. think tree climbing, etc.

 

And for those of you who do audits on a regular basis, keep in mind that as far as I know, there is no rule as to what my signature is. I usually sign with the following depending on the cache circumstances; bflentje, bart, flentje, bf, b, and even have been known to "X" or dot the log if its a nano with a full log. Be sure when reconciling that this is factored in.

[knowschad]

I only audit or delete logs when someone blatantly claims they found a high star cache and indicate they never got their hands on it.. think tree climbing, etc.

 

And for those of you who do audits on a regular basis, keep in mind that as far as I know, there is no rule as to what my signature is. I usually sign with the following depending on the cache circumstances; bflentje, bart, flentje, bf, b, and even have been known to "X" or dot the log if its a nano with a full log. Be sure when reconciling that this is factored in.

 

Not to mention the group-signing names that have become so common, at least in our area. ("BAG" being one very common one when it is a very Big Group finding the caches)

[+niraD]

I confirm signatures on the physical log when something in the online log seems questionable.

I check logs any time a cacher whose name contains the word Laughter.

To-may-to, to-mah-to...