Logging...Did Not Finds...

March 11, 2003

I would like to know how many Geocachers log their failures to find a cache.

Paddle more, be safe, find a lot of stuff,and live long.

1.5k · March 11, 2003

Twenty-three skidoo!

March 11, 2003

Even if I come back another time and find it.

If I can't get to the cache site, if I decide it isn't worth the walk in a particular area, it is getting too dark to go after the cache, etc., then I don't log anything. In other words if I decide not to go for a cache. If I actually tried and failed, I log a DNF. So far, of the DNFs I have logged, I have gone back and found the cache. I leave the original DNF log, also.

My two cents worth, refunds available on request. (US funds only)

9.2k · March 11, 2003

I have logged all 13 of my not-founds on traditional caches. They tend to make for better stories. Usually, the cache is missing, or I just had a bad day and I find it the next time.

I have also logged a not-found on a virtual cache, because the item where the verification information was located was removed from the area.

But I am wondering.... should I be logging my "not-founds" on locationless caches??? "Drove to work today, but did not see a yellow jeep." "I have been all over Pittsburgh, but still haven't spotted an ancient Roman aqueduct." Etc., etc.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I was formerly employed by the Department of Redundancy Department, but I don't work there anymore.

3.5k · March 11, 2003

I'll admit, I didn't bother to log my first few "Did not finds" but have committed myself to doing it now. I figure it probably helps the hider to understand the problems some people have with the cache (they might even get some sick pleasure out of it), it helps other cachers who might have trouble on the hunt. It definitely is a big help when the cache has been stolen.

And besides, when I get to go back and log a "found it!" on the same cache I feel vindicated.

And no . . I don't delete the "Did not find" at that point . . where's the fun in that?!?!

Bret

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

3.1k · March 11, 2003

Gotta log them. It helps me to keep an eye on a cache I couldn't find plus it gives the owner a heads up. Now if someone finds it after me I'll usually delete my no-find and go look for it again.

I hear voices.....and they don't like you!

2.6k · March 11, 2003

I've logged about 105 DNF's

george

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

24.7k · March 11, 2003

If I run out of time but not out of looking I post a note.

If I leave in disgust skunked. I log a skunk along with whatever random and lame excuse I can come up with.

Wherever you go there you are.

March 11, 2003

Sometimes I dream that I went out and searched for a cache, so I will log that as a find. Just because it happened in my imigination only is no reason to deny me my desire.

Don't you oppress me!

(Shut up - Criminal...)

--majicman

1.3k · March 11, 2003

I can go directly to the cache page from "my cache page" when I want to look at it again. Plus, I personally like to see cachers DNF logs on my caches (lets me know to go check up on them), and I imagine others feel the same.

What ain't no country I ever heard of! They speak English in What?

March 11, 2003

I had a person log my multi today. They found the first but couldnt find the second (2 stage), they logged it as a find. I asked them to change it. Right?

9.2k · March 11, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by DeerChaser & Poni:
I had a person log my multi today. They found the first but couldnt find the second (2 stage), they logged it as a find. I asked them to change it. Right?

Absolutely right! If you only get part way through a multicache, the appropriate log entry is to post a note (if you just had to stop, 'cause it was dark and the park was closing, and you only finished 9 of 13 stages) or a not-found (if you searched and got stumped). Now, if only every cache owner monitored their pages...

How much you wanna bet that the person who had their find deleted will write back and complain? "We looked really hard and spent two hours on this cache so we are logging it as a find." boo hoo.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I was formerly employed by the Department of Redundancy Department, but I don't work there anymore.

March 11, 2003

Don't shoot!! They changed it to a no find but a note would have been fine with me. I really dont care but its only fair to others.

Rino 110

MeriGreen 128

38.2k · March 11, 2003

quote:
I had a person log my multi today. They found the first but couldnt find the second (2 stage), they logged it as a find. I asked them to change it. Right?

I would. You don't get a find for each stage of a multi. When you find the cache, you get to log the find. Period.

A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away. -Barry Goldwater

March 11, 2003

I log my non-finds. If I remember correctly all, but one have been reported missing by the cache owner or never found after my attempt.

1.1k · March 11, 2003

If I did not find it, I did not find it and log it as such.

If Someone else finds it afterwards, I go look again, but leave the DNF on the page still.

If it is a multi stage, I usually do not post anything until I get to where the cache is supposed to be located, even if it takes several trips to complete.

And as for posting DNF on those locationless caches, If your posting finds for the ones you are looking for then I would think you have to post a DNF every day that you DNF anything within reason.

How many Roman items are you going to find in Alaska anyway ?

logscaler

March 11, 2003

I just went on a search today.....I didn't log it as a Did NOT find....but I did Post a NOTE, as a did NOT find....

I'm not going to log a Did NOT find due to the amount of snow still at the site. And it's possible that I was 'digging" in the right spot. which in looking at photos after I got home I wasn't.

A "did NOT find" seems to be more of a marker that a cache may be missing, and not any indicator of the searcher's ability to find things.

Now once the snow melts I'll go back....if I don't find it then...I will Log a Did NOT FInd.

regardless of finding or not finding....a NOTE at least should be posted.

There is nothing like a Packrat who is a geocacher.

March 12, 2003

I always log everything, but when I think that a cache is too hard to find, I write a personal E-mail to the cache owner.

When I get back later and find the cache I usually delete my previous "didn't find" log and maybe give a small clue to other seekers.

hello

March 12, 2003

So far I have been unable to find two different caches out of all the ones I have gone after. I have only been geocaching since the beginning of the year so I'm kind of new and still learning. Before reading the previous posts I didn't really think it was that big a deal not to log your did not finds. But after reading the posts above I now feel it is important to do so. So I have since gone back and logged my two previous did not finds in hope that they will help future seekers of that cache and the cache owner. Thanks everyone for opening my eyes to the importance of logging the do not finds as well as the finds. SilverRubicon

38.2k · March 12, 2003

quote:
A "did NOT find" seems to be more of a marker that a cache may be missing, and not any indicator of the searcher's ability to find things.

No a "did not find" means you set out to look for the cache and did not find it.

If you are certain the cache was missing, you can make a note of this fact in your log. But if I had a buck for every time a person was certain the cache was missing and it was still there, I'd be able to buy myself a new GPS V.

"An appeaser is one who keeps feeding a crocodile-hoping it will eat him last" -Winston Churchill

8.9k · March 12, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Sc out:
I always log everything, but when I think that a cache is too hard to find, I write a personal E-mail to the cache owner.

When I get back later and find the cache I usually delete my previous "didn't find" log and maybe give a small clue to other seekers.

You're kidding, right? You delete a didin't find when you find it? And then make it easier for the next finders?

We had a case of a level five cache in our area. Had me stumped. I also had it on my watch list. I had my suscpicions about how to retrieve the cache, but had to go back and verify if I was right. In the interim, other people logged it as found and kept giving more and more and more clues about how to retrieve the cache - until it becames quite obvious. With that information in hand, it was now a level 1 or 2 cache. Please, don't give extra hints to others that follow.

And let us know that you didn't find the cache the first time by leaving your "did not find" log. It lets us know that this is not a cakewalk of a cache. If I see nothing but "found" logs on a cache page, I'll be thinking that it should be incredibly easy to find.

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

38.2k · March 12, 2003

quote:
When I get back later and find the cache I usually delete my previous "didn't find" log and maybe give a small clue to other seekers.

Why would you do something like that? Your DNF's are a part of the history of the cache and an indicator to others that it may take some effort to find.

And leaving clues? Ss a cache owner of a purposefully difficult cache, I'd be quite pissed if someone left clues in their log, even if they encrypted it.

"An appeaser is one who keeps feeding a crocodile-hoping it will eat him last" -Winston Churchill

March 12, 2003

It's my understanding that a DNF log only shows up two places:

The cache log page

Your own "My own cache" page

When others go to your profile there is no way for them to see your DNF entries, right? Seems like the DNF adds information for future cachers visiting a specific site. That's good, isn't it?

March 12, 2003

guess it's all about ego. always log dnf's. it doesn't matter if you can't find it. imho it is wrong to add clues to the cache. don't do it! -harry

8.9k · March 12, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:
Why would you do something like that?

Seems that BrianSnat and I not only share EEGs but internet access times. Or am I just seeing a manifestation of a multiple personality?

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

9.4k · March 12, 2003

I recently went on a cache hunt where the road had been destroyed about 1/4 mile to the cache. (It seems that someone took a bulldozer to a dirt road crossing an arroyo). As I searched for another possible way across the arroyo, I realized how many people were using this area as a shooting range. I decided to not risk my life (or that of my children) and went to find a different cache.

Since I didn't search for the cache, I posted a note to warn other cachers to be wary of the gunfire. I didn't post a not found because I never made it to the cache location, so I don't know if it is not there or difficult to find.

--------------------------------------------

This signature line intentionally left blank

March 12, 2003

In the past I logged them all regardless, and then deleted the not found log when/if I found it later, but recently I give myself 5 days to return and then log it as a not found.

The main reason I log not founds is to notify the cacher who placed the cache that there may be a problem. If I think that the problem is just my lack of time because I am trying to cache on my lunch hour, or got to the park just before curfew, I see these as a waste of server space.

8.9k · March 12, 2003

I hate to say it, but those I'll bet those logs are still there. Jeremy recently recovered one of my accidentally deleted posts. I would almost assuredly guess that the when you delete a post, it just makes it so that it can't be seen by anyone on the web. It still takes up the same amount of server space.

Please, please, please, please - everyone leave your "did not find" logs. It's part of the history of the cache.

Markwell

Chicago Geocaching

3.5k · March 12, 2003

Check out my profile, I added my "Found Could Not Finds" to the information at the bottom. Feel free to steal the little icon that I worked for hours on.

Bret

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again." Mt. 13:44

March 12, 2003

I always log them, sometimes the stories are better than the found ones.

Work Smarter, Not Harder!

March 12, 2003

My first cache was a DNF. After I searched high and low for about 30 minutes, I gave up, knowing that it was there, but not sure where. I went on to successfully hit one or two more that evening.

After monitoring the cache for a while, and being bugged about the DNF, one night the answer hit he while I was smoking.

(The container was a decon kit... and they have the little hook on the end. When I was in the service, I used to keep my cigarettes in an empty decon kit which I clipped to my suspenders.)

If I hadn't logged that DNF, and it didn't mock me everytime I logged on, I may not have gone back for it.

2.6k · March 12, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Sc out:
I always log everything, but when I think that a cache is too hard to find, I write a personal E-mail to the cache owner.

A cache is too hard to find? I'm not sure I understand this. Do you mean if a caches is not rated properly? A level 1 caches should be easy to find, a 4 cache should be very hard to find. Too hard is not a category.

quote:
When I get back later and find the cache I usually delete my previous "didn't find" log and maybe give a small clue to other seekers.

http://scheffleng.lgs.lu/Fotoen/Jota2002/Dcp03562.jpg

http://scheffleng.lgs.lu/Logos/donate_blood_md_wht.gif

Please say you're joking.

george

Pedal until your legs cramp up and then pedal some more.

2.7k · March 12, 2003

450 finds, 57 no finds...approx....89% success rate, however average is not weighed. Four caches have multiple no finds...e.g. Terrace Creek Treasure in Lynwood, WA.

March 19, 2003

If I spend time looking and do not find the cache I enter a no find each time I try. Then if I find it later I enter a find but do not delete the no finds. If there is some reason such as high water, snakes or some other reason I say so. I have gone back seravel time to fine some. Some I have never gone back to.

March 19, 2003

Ive seen the note saying "not found" on one of my caches, and i was baffled. I mean, why do that? I have no shame in logging DNF's, i think i have more then anyone else in Fort Wayne due to my scatterbrained caching approach.

[Episkipos Enos Shenk, KSC]

[http://enos.deviantart.com]

March 19, 2003

I always log my did not finds.I also give an account of how hard and long I looked before I gave up.For example if I looked for 5 minutes and looked at my watch and realized that I was late for something and had to leave,I put that in the log.I wouldn't want the cache placer to get nervous of a cache not being there when I didn't really get a good chance to look for it.On the other hand if I looked for 2 hours and couldn't find it I would want the cache placer to know that too.I was taught to play by the rules(recomendations),or don't play at all!! Just my $.02

fishin'fool was here!

March 19, 2003

I think that the poll is going to be rather skewed based simply on the fact that most regulars on the message boards are also the most likely to log DNFs.

I still think that a large percentage of cachers rarely if ever log DNFs. I've noticed that many cachers will write a log that "third time was a charm" yet often I don't see the other two DNF logs.

To each his own, I guess, but I just don't really get the logic of not logging DNFs. I've even noticed that some cachers will delete their DNF logs after they have found the cache. I guess some people feel that it is somehow a blemish to have that purple frowny face as a log. The only other explanation is that they feel DNF logs should only be for caches that they never found even after numerous attempts.

--CoronaKid

5k · March 19, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by CoronaKid:
I've noticed that many cachers will write a log that "third time was a charm" yet often I don't see the other two DNF logs.

I've seen this more than a few times too, and more often than not, there are no DNF logs.

Logs reading "Took us two tries to find it" or something similar. My favorite was a local cacher who wrote something like "This one stumped us the first time, but we found it this time, and kept our perfect find streak intact."

I read that and said, huh?

Jamie

6.5k · March 19, 2003

I use the DNF's on my cache page as extra motivation to go back and find those rascals that stumped me the first time. I missed two today, so I should probably delete two forum posts to keep the find/post ratio constant, but I digress.

These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes;

Nothing remains quite the same.

Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,

If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

March 20, 2003

and then e-mail the cache owner asking if they are sure it's still there. The only time this happened, the owner shortly wrote back that the cache had come up missing. So I changed my not found to a note.

Since I'm not competing against anyone...I want my logs to be accurate. The note reminds me I didn't miss anything.....because the cache wasn't really there. (How can it be a not found when it doesn't exist?)

We're going on a treasure hunt...we're not quite sure just where...but with our trusty GPS, we'll find a cache stashed there!!

By Daughter Cheryl

March 20, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by CoronaKid:
I think that the poll is going to be rather skewed based simply on the fact that most regulars on the message boards are also the most likely to log DNFs.

I don't follow that logic. The posts here do show it is true, however. They may equally not log DNFs because they don't want anyone to know they "failed". It could be also have been skewed because the regulars are determined finders and have few DNFs. Each option is an assumption.

BTW I have logged DNFs and have also looked and not logged anything.

[This message was edited by brad.32 on March 20, 2003 at 08:14 AM.]

1.2k · March 20, 2003

If I were to log all the caches I have not found yet it would take me all month to log them. All caches that I havent found yet are DNF's for me. there are way to many cachse to log them all as DNF. Ill stick to logging theone I do find

Lapaglia

Muga Muchu (forget yourself, focus)

3k · March 20, 2003

I will log a did not find if I got to the cache site and did not find it. If I had other problems such as finding the parking, or trail head, I don't log it because I never got to the site. Otherwise it might make people think the cache is missing or something. But these polls are fruitless really. Not everyone who reads them votes and not everyone who caches reads them.

Cache you later,

Planet

I feel much more like I do now than when I first got here.

March 20, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Lapaglia:
If I were to log all the caches I have not found yet it would take me all month to log them. All caches that I havent found yet are DNF's for me. there are way to many cachse to log them all as DNF. Ill stick to logging theone I do find

Lapaglia

Muga Muchu (forget yourself, focus)

Maybe if you had some small amount of skill in finding caches, you wouldn't have this dilemma!

--majicman

1.2k · March 20, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by majicman:

quote:
Originally posted by Lapaglia:
If I were to log all the caches I have not found yet it would take me all month to log them. All caches that I havent found yet are DNF's for me. there are way to many cachse to log them all as DNF. Ill stick to logging theone I do find

Lapaglia

Muga Muchu (forget yourself, focus)

Maybe if you had some small amount of skill in finding caches, you wouldn't have this dilemma!

--majicman

Gee, I did everything you taught me to do.

Lapaglia

Muga Muchu (forget yourself, focus)

9.2k · March 20, 2003

Wow, I've always said that one find by LaPaglia should count ten times as much, but now that I know you were trained by Majicman, I think that the difficulty weighting ought to be increased to twenty. I never knew you cached in high heels!

If you want to avoid the "DNF" logs, you should really learn how to geocache from someone who has a lot of finds, but doesn't cross-dress. Maybe Kablooey.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

I was formerly employed by the Department of Redundancy Department, but I don't work there anymore.

Logging...Did Not Finds...

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