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How do I decide which logs to Delete?


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Hello all, I recently saw a log on one of my Multis: I found the Cleveland browns cache. there are no bleachers. It is pretty clear that this cacher only did stage 1, Most likley because he didn't know how a multi works. However, When I first started caching I did the same thing and she let it slide. I would send them a message but I have found that a lot of younger cachers don't know what the message center is. I think I'll let this one slide, but how do I use better judgement in the future? Happy holidays!- Dennis

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Your decision to delete any log, should be decided upon checking the logbook of a given cache... not simply based on the logs on the listing page.

If the cacher nickname is missing on the logbook (and not included on a group name, by instance) you may delete the log on the listing.

It is good etiquette to ask and help newbies, for sure.

Edited by RuideAlmeida
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8 minutes ago, dennistubaplayer said:

Hello all, I recently saw a log on one of my Multis: I found the Cleveland browns cache. there are no bleachers. It is pretty clear that this cacher only did stage 1, Most likley because he didn't know how a multi works. However, When I first started caching I did the same thing and she let it slide. I would send them a message but I have found that a lot of younger cachers don't know what the message center is. I think I'll let this one slide, but how do I use better judgement in the future? Happy holidays!- Dennis

 

Let's see...as a brand-new cacher, how would I feel  finding out (maybe at an event) that you let one person's find stand, but you nailed me...   :)

I feel it'd be a good idea to start from scratch as a cache owner with this one.  If you're positive they didn't find it (hopefully after stopping there...).

We use email, but if we have no response within a week or two, they're deleted.  I feel that's the only way some people will learn.

 - If they even notice it was removed.     Could count on one hand those that did.

 

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First, I agree with RuideAlmeida: if you want to be strict, that's fine, but in order to reject the find, you really need to know for sure whether they signed the log, so physically check it.

 

If you want to let it slide, that's OK, too. To avoid the problem cerberus1 mentions, when you check the physical log, that counts as owner maintenance, so post an OM and mention the missing signature and admit you've giving this one person some slack, but no one else should expect any. (It doesn't matter whether that's true or not. ;))

 

In my opinion, what you do or don't do about it as a CO are somewhat secondary to the question of how to teach the seeker about multicaches in case they really don't know about them. Whatever you do with their log, they'll likely never notice or won't understand. To help them learn, don't worry about being a CO: you're just another friendly cacher. I agree the message center is probably out, but they'll notice an email if their address is set right. (If it isn't, then there's nothing you can do unless you meet them in person sometime.) So I tend to send email with enough information to make them realize how multis work if they don't know without flat out accusing of them of not knowing what a multi is in case they do. The most important thing is to think of it more like you're explaining what a double IPA is to your drinking buddy and forget anything about the original owner/seeker, somewhat antagonistic dynamic in which they technically did something wrong that you have to prevent or correct. Imagine you noticed this in a log for someone else's cache so when you're dealing with the newbie, there's no need to talk about whether you'll reject his find.

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By not immediately deleting the find I think you're already show good judgment. 

 

Reaching out and offering guidance to a new cacher is always a good thing.  

 

In the end it's up to you to decide if the find stays or geos.  You are after all the cache owner. 

 

In 10 years of Geocaching I can only remember deleting 1 find.  I've had countless "Didn't have a pen to sign the log" finds but I don't have the time to wallow in the "everybody's  trying to get away with something" crowd.       

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On 12/29/2020 at 7:56 AM, justintim1999 said:

In 10 years of Geocaching I can only remember deleting 1 find.  I've had countless "Didn't have a pen to sign the log" finds but I don't have the time to wallow in the "everybody's  trying to get away with something" crowd.       

 

Put out some earthcaches, and you'll get a streak going soon enough. :anibad:  I can't recall ever deleting a find on one of our physical caches, but I've deleted at least one "find" from nearly all of our 30 earthcaches, whenever someone fails to send in answers.

 

(It's not like I'm a stickler. If you get anything close, you get the find. And I always send out a reminder to folks, explaining how earthcaches work. But if one sends nothing in after I've reminded you to do so - or better yet, one replies to my reminder to send answers and tells me, "I was there so I logged a find. I'm not sending any answers," like one bright soul did for our earthcache at Texas Canyon, Arizona - then guess what, the smiley goes away.)

Edited by hzoi
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I am pretty lenient about not deleting logs when someone says "forgot my pen" or similar statements that cast doubt on whether they've met the technical definition for a "found it" log.  This is supposed to be fun, and life is too short to argue about those cases.

 

I think that Multicaches (as in the OP), Earthcaches, Virtual Caches and Webcam Caches have a heightened standard.  I believe that challenge caches also fall in this category, because of the effort involved for qualifiers.  The challenge cache is "cheapened" when someone with 10 finds logs a find on a challenge cache that requires extensive travel to find many, many qualifying caches.

 

I have deleted more logs on my 16 challenge caches and one Virtual Cache than on all my other caches combined.  Usually the issue arises with a newer geocacher who does not understand how these cache types work.  So, I always send a helpful message, then wait for a week, before deleting a log.  I even have a form letter template for my challenge caches:

Quote

 

Hello, and thank you for your interest in my geocache, "NAME OF CHALLENGE CACHE." As explained on the cache page, this is a challenge cache. You cannot log an online find until you meet the challenge requirements. For this challenge, you need to find DESCRIBE CHALLENGE REQUIREMENTS. You do not meet the challenge requirements at this time.

Please change your online find to a "Write Note" log, by going to Geocaching.com and editing your log entry. You can change it back to a find once you've met the challenge requirements. Let me know if you have any questions!

 

 

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4 hours ago, The Leprechauns said:

I think that Multicaches (as in the OP), Earthcaches, Virtual Caches and Webcam Caches have a heightened standard.  I believe that challenge caches also fall in this category, because of the effort involved for qualifiers.  The challenge cache is "cheapened" when someone with 10 finds logs a find on a challenge cache that requires extensive travel to find many, many qualifying caches.

I agree there's a higher standard, but I don't think the justification is avoiding cheapening. The issue is that those people are not actually doing the cache, whether through ignorance or malfeasance. Even when it's by ignorance, they failed, so it really wasn't a find and can quite rightly be deleted.

 

But I don't think letting their find stand does anything to make a successful find less valuable. Thinking that it does just leads to a CO who decides to be lenient being viewed as acting against other successful finders. No good will come from that, but it's bound to cause bad feelings and even arguments between two people that have, until that moment when the CO decided to be nice to someone else, been enjoying playing the game with each other.

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