Documenting Finds?

[CodyFackrell]

I just started geocaching with one find under my belt

My question is do you guys document each of your finds? If so, how? Just by pictures? Do you have a notebook that you record each one?

Also, when you take items what do you do with them? Do keep them as a souvenir?

 

Thanks for the info!

[+Team DEMP]

My online log and very infrequently an associated picture are my documentation. 

 

The general rule on taking something is to leave something of equal or greater value in return. I don't normally take shutting from a cache but when my daughters were young, they would always swap out swag in the cache for something I carried in our back pack. 

[+niraD]

My online logs are my record. I upload field notes drafts to the site, which are basically shorthand memos to myself. Then I use those to post actual logs, and perhaps upload photos while I'm at it.

 

The only things I trade for are personal signature items left by other geocachers, and I keep those in my collection at home.

[RuideAlmeida]

I try to always take pictures of the scenery and interesting details of every cache... more than 8200 uploaded and counting.

When I was in Lisbon there's a sympathetic couple that maintains a sort of a diary... a scrapbook with the content of each log they made. They print the listing of the cache, their log and uploaded pictures and spread them over several pages of a diary... as if it was a magazine. Everybody loves to see it on Events they Attend.

Edited June 8, 2018 by RuideAlmeida

[+cerberus1]

10 hours ago, CodyFackrell said:

I just started geocaching with one find under my belt

My question is do you guys document each of your finds? If so, how? Just by pictures? Do you have a notebook that you record each one?

Also, when you take items what do you do with them? Do keep them as a souvenir?

 

I counted three. 

 

When we first started, we copied the cache pages and put them in a notebook. 

 - Years later, if we kept that up, we'd need another room (or a file system in the mini library).  

Today, our online log and being able to view them on "Show all logs for..." on the dashboard are fine.  Wordy logs document each well.

 

Rarely do we trade anything.   Lower terrain caches (and big enough...), we always put "stuff" in, never taking anything out.  Kids like "stuff" in caches.

Sometimes we'll trade for a sig item, keeping that as a souvenir. 

 

[+noncentric]

On 6/8/2018 at 9:44 AM, CodyFackrell said:

My question is do you guys document each of your finds? If so, how? Just by pictures? Do you have a notebook that you record each one?

I use Draft logs and then write an online log later on, when I have time to sit in front of a computer. I do take pictures of some logsheets, but don't post most of them online.  I will take other photos if something strikes my fancy and sometimes post those with the online log.  I try to limit myself to one photo for each log and will combine multiple photos into one photo, which can be done by various smartphone apps, to help meet that personal limitation.

 

On 6/8/2018 at 9:44 AM, CodyFackrell said:

Also, when you take items what do you do with them? Do keep them as a souvenir?

I rarely take swag from caches.  I do remove stuff that is too big for the cache it's in and is causing the container to not close properly, even if I don't have something to trade for it.  Otherwise, the things I take/trade from a cache usually just ends up in my bag until I place it into another cache.

 

Of course, there are also Trackable items that are not meant to be kept by the cachers that find them.  If you are not already familiar with these, then you'll want to read about them.  I will pick these up if I think I can move them to another suitable cache.

 

 

[+Lorien99]

I just started today. It looks like this site is keeping track of my activity. I don't see a place to upload photos (but I haven't explored it too much yet), but I did post photos (just of what I found, not locations or other details) to Instagram and Facebook.

 

I haven't traded anything yet, as I really have no idea what sorts of things are traded nor just how big the caches will be. The one I have found so far is pretty small. Photos work for me and I figure it gives the next person to find the option to leave or trade. And I may get bolder as I find more caches.

 

I expect to get lots of ideas and tips here, as I go along.

[+noncentric]

2 hours ago, Lorien99 said:

I just started today. It looks like this site is keeping track of my activity. I don't see a place to upload photos (but I haven't explored it too much yet), but I did post photos (just of what I found, not locations or other details) to Instagram and Facebook.

The method of including photos with logs differs depending on how you are submitting your logs.  Are you going through the website, the official app, a 3rd party app, etc?  Each of these methods should have an option to attach a photo when submitting the log.  Only the website provides a method of adding a photo to a log that's already been submitted.  See  HERE for website and  HERE for the official app.

 

Keep in mind that posting photos of the cache itself can be considered a "spoiler" and may not be appreciated by the cache owner (CO) or other cachers.  Seeing the container may give away the hiding spot, especially in cases where the cache has special camo.

 

2 hours ago, Lorien99 said:

I haven't traded anything yet, as I really have no idea what sorts of things are traded nor just how big the caches will be. The one I have found so far is pretty small. Photos work for me and I figure it gives the next person to find the option to leave or trade. And I may get bolder as I find more caches.

Each cache has a "size" indicated on the cache page.  For example, the one you found shows a size of "Micro".  There are also sizes of Small, Regular, Large, Other/NotChosen.  Looking at the cache size can help when searching and should help you determine what types of swag are appropriate or not.  See  HERE  for the standards that CO's should be following when assigning a size to their cache.  Of course, sometimes the cache does not match these standards, but in most cases they should.

 

2 hours ago, Lorien99 said:

I expect to get lots of ideas and tips here, as I go along.

You can also get some tips by reviewing Geocaching 101 and the Help Center.

[+K13]

Welcome to the hobby.  Never post a photo of any of MY hides anywhere on the interwebs.  I consider it a spoiler, and think it is one of the "Sins of Geocaching".  Do read those links for Geocaching 101 and look through the Help Center, there's a lot of answers in those.

[+Jayeffel]

On 6/8/2018 at 6:53 PM, niraD said:

My online logs are my record. I upload field notes drafts to the site, which are basically shorthand memos to myself. Then I use those to post actual logs, and perhaps upload photos while I'm at it.

 

The only things I trade for are personal signature items left by other geocachers, and I keep those in my collection at home.

Never knew about field drafts before  - okay, heard about them but had no idea what or where there are. Can say e me a lot of time adding a log comment on  cache page , then going back and editing it.

[+CAVinoGal]

I make too many errors trying to log caches "live" - so my preference is to log a draft with some notes about the find, and those are meant only for me.  Later, when I am on my laptop with a full keyboard, I go to the website and pull up my drafts (neatly ordered and timestamped when I actually found or did not find the caches).  Then I compose my logs and submit.  This works much better for me than trying to  log on my phone in the field.  I inevitably mess up and then have twice the work to do on the computer at home!

 

The rare exception is if I happen to be FTF, then I will log a very short Found it log with a "More later..." tag and add to the log later on.  FTF is a race in my neighborhood, so those first on scene nearly always log immediately  so others checking will see that it's been found.

Edited June 17, 2018 by CAVinoGal
typo corrections

[+K13]

33 minutes ago, CAVinoGal said:

I make too many errors trying to log caches "live" - so my preference is to log a draft with some notes about the find, and those are meant only for me.  Later, when I am on my laptop with a full keybaord, I go to the website and pull up my drafts (neatly ordered and timestamped when I actually found or did not find the caches).  Then I compose my logs and submit.  This owrks much better for me than trying to  log on my phone n the field.  I inevitably mess up and then have twice the work to do on the computer at home!

 

The rare exception is if I happen to be FTF, then I will log a very short Found it log with a "More later..." tag and add to the log later on.  FTF is a race in my neighborhood, so those first on scene nearly always log immediately  so others checking will see that it's been found.

 

I do the same with Field Notes (Drafts, etc.) On a FTF, I will log from the field using a Write Note, then do my usual logging at the computer later.

[+EmzyJanezy]

I love to swap for interesting / pretty bits of swag that appeal to me or my daughters and keep them in a jar on display at home.  My girls enjoy looking through our collected "treasures" so this is what I'll be doing regarding swag for the time being.

Edited June 23, 2018 by EmzyJanezy
Typing error

[+EmzyJanezy]

As for logging I'll put something like "will type later when home" and then put memory joggers to myself such as "nice area" or "wet log" or whatever to remind myself what to put.  Then in the evening I can sit at the computer and type it properly.  Perhaps I should start taking a notebook with me though.  Hmmm.

[+on4bam]

I keep a found database in GSAK that has the published log, if there is one, and my own log. I also include all notes of how a mystery was solved + values found + type of code used. For multi's I enter all WPs (and other info) found along the way. In short, anything that was needed and/or found gets archived in that database. I could add photographs of the WPs, logbooks with codes/values but since they would be stored along with images that ore posted on the listing, I keep them in separate in folders by year/month/day. Photographs from the last 3 years are on the computer but older ones are backed up on network storage.

All notes we take "in the field" are in special notebooks and that info goes into GSAK the next day. Full notebooks are stored.

 

[+cerberus1]

8 minutes ago, EmzyJanezy said:

As for logging I'll put something like "will type later when home" and then put memory joggers to myself such as "nice area" or "wet log" or whatever to remind myself what to put.  Then in the evening I can sit at the computer and type it properly.  Perhaps I should start taking a notebook with me though.  Hmmm.

 

Not a bad idea, really.    I've carried a small notebook of some sort since starting.  Just an index card if only one that day.

Those odd things (flushing a couple grouse, noticing a towhee maybe...)  a quick jot in the book.   

 - You also have some sort of paper JIC you've filled the log (good for until the CO can fix it themselves). 

[+NYPaddleCacher]

On 6/23/2018 at 6:06 PM, EmzyJanezy said:

As for logging I'll put something like "will type later when home" and then put memory joggers to myself such as "nice area" or "wet log" or whatever to remind myself what to put.  Then in the evening I can sit at the computer and type it properly.  Perhaps I should start taking a notebook with me though.  Hmmm.

 

Something to keep in mind here.  If you log a Found It while in the field with "will write more later"  the CO will get a notification of the log, but will not get a notification if you subsequently edit that log to add more information.  They'll see the edit if they visit the cache listing and look at the logs but it won't notify them when you've edited it.  That's one of the reasons I prefer to use a notebook to keep track of my day (though it's been a really long time since I've found more caches in a day that I can't remember every detail) and post everything I want to about the cache when I post the found it log.

[+NanCycle]

5 minutes ago, NYPaddleCacher said:

 

If you log a Found It while in the field with "will write more later"  the CO will get a notification of the log, but will not get a notification if you subsequently edit that log to add more information.  They'll see the edit if they visit the cache listing and look at the logs but it won't notify them when you've edited it.  

 

That's the reason that my occasional log from the field says "More later" rather than "Found it". If anyone who looked at the original log wants to read more, they can look back again later.  They are informed that there will be more later.  

[+arisoft]

On 22.7.2018 at 11:34 PM, NanCycle said:

That's the reason that my occasional log from the field says "More later" rather than "Found it". If anyone who looked at the original log wants to read more, they can look back again later.  They are informed that there will be more later.  

 

Let's see how does it work. More later...

 

Still waiting?

 

As you see... it is not wery kind for to edit log later without posting a new one. Fortunately I can use PGC log notifier which posts me all edited logs. I myself post this kind of "More later..." logs only after FTF hunt when the status of the hunt is important information for other seekers.

Edited July 27, 2018 by arisoft

[+EmzyJanezy]

On ‎22‎/‎07‎/‎2018 at 9:34 PM, NanCycle said:

 

That's the reason that my occasional log from the field says "More later" rather than "Found it". If anyone who looked at the original log wants to read more, they can look back again later.  They are informed that there will be more later.  

 

Exactly