Did Not Find

December 29, 2003

Do you post Did Not Find"?

I know everyone is sure to post a "Found It", but does everyone do for "Did Not Find"?

No one likes being skunked on a cache (including me), but I will always post a NDF.

Being a owner of 3 caches, DNF's alert me that the cache might have a problem. It also gives vital information to other cachers. I alway look at the logs before I go after a cache.

I am just curious to see what other Geocachers do with DNF's.

6.5k · December 29, 2003

Do you post Did Not Find"?

I know everyone is sure to post a "Found It", but does everyone do for "Did Not Find"?

No one likes being skunked on a cache (including me), but I will always post a NDF.

Being a owner of 3 caches, DNF's alert me that the cache might have a problem. It also gives vital information to other cachers. I alway look at the logs before I go after a cache.

I am just curious to see what other Geocachers do with DNF's.

Yes I do. If I actually get out of the car and go down the trail I log a DNF, even if I don't get all the way to the cache area (I got blocked by a River at the last 490ft on one cache). If I don't leave the car I may post a note, or maybe nothing at all depends on cache.

ps- when I post a DNF it says there (unless the cache owner deletes).

December 29, 2003

yep. when I don't find it, I always log a DNF. many people don't , though.

3.8k · December 29, 2003

YES.

I used a couple DNF's to check some of my caches. One was gone, the other wasn't. I replaced the one that was gone, and adjusted the coords a bit on the one that was still there as I got a better reading with no tree cover.

December 29, 2003

i just got a DNF today heres a link

Peaks of the ALPS (multi)

its a multi and i couldnt even fidn the first part

1.7k · December 29, 2003

yes

38.2k · December 29, 2003

I always do. I think it's nice to let the owner know that someone is looking for his cache, whether it was found or not. Also, several DNF's in a row can indicate a problem with the cache, or that perhaps the owner should adjust the difficulty rating.

Some people won't post a DNF because they think it's something to be ashamed of. It isn't.

Edited December 29, 2003 by briansnat

9.4k · December 29, 2003

Being a owner of 3 caches, DNF's alert me that the cache might have a problem. It also gives vital information to other cachers. I alway look at the logs before I go after a cache.

Exactly, DNF's let the cache owner know that there may be a problem with the cache. Sometimes the problem is with the seeker, other times it is with the placer.

December 29, 2003

Yes. If we didn't get close to it, we usually post a note.

December 29, 2003

I have one DNF (I only have 8 finds) and I posted it.

Tho' someone else found it the same day.

La-Ho

3.8k · December 29, 2003

I have one DNF (I only have 8 finds) and I posted it.

Tho' someone else found it the same day.

Don't feel bad. On 12/26 I logged one FTF and 2 DNF's. On 12/28 a newbie logged his first 2 finds. Guess which two they were?

I went back to log one of them, will do the other soon.

Some days we're just off.

December 29, 2003

I remember some of the DNF's I've logged better than the finds! Log 'em all - finds or not - makes interesting reading!

December 29, 2003

i log DNF's also, It's a good way for the cache owner to check his/her cache, plus they might also e-mail you a small hint to help you out. That's my experience.

December 29, 2003

Being new, I've been pretty lucky. I haven't had to log a DNF yet. I did go after one and didn't find it, but that was because I had to leave before I could start searching. If I would have spent any amount of time looking for it, I would have logged it.

Personally it wouldn't bother me to put up a couple of DNFs. I feel that it's a good tool for the owner. If he sees a bunch of these, he should go out and ensure that it's still there.

F_M

4k · December 29, 2003

On all 3 of my DNF's, they had come up missing. One of them, the owner knew it was gone, but never bothered to archive it, the other two, the owner's didn't know about it, checked, and subsequently archived them. The last one, I really wasn't sure if I was in the right spot, where the other two I was sure. I'm no more ashamed of my DNF's than I am of my warn meter level! :unsure:

December 29, 2003

This has been discussed before and the answers vary.

Some post a DNF if they leave the house with the intention to find it but don't even get close due to whatever reason ie: flat tire - never got close. Some, like myself, post a note if they didn't find it but have no reason to believe it is missing and a DNF if they think it is missing. I always post at least a note if I go looking so the owner know people are interested in finding their caches. Others never post DNFs and just e-mail the owner, as an owner I would prefer the DNF post. Then some (most?) never mention it at all.

I've posted DNFs and later gone back and found the cache, I leave the DNF in the logs, some don't.

24.7k · December 29, 2003

I think this is one of those things that mose people who actully respond to, post DNF's.

My take is if I'm at ground zero looking for the cache and give up looking it's a skunk. If I run out of daylight or time but I'm really not done looking, it's a note.

5k · December 29, 2003

As RK said, I doubt anyone will add a comment that they don't post their DNFs. What I find to be a reasonable indicator of this unknown stat is by reading some Found It logs.

You will occasionally read Found It logs that say something to the effect of "took me two tries, but I found it this time," or "last time I was here I didn't look in this spot." Most of the time, those logs will not have corresponding DNF logs. I get the impression that most people do not post their DNFs, despite the responses posted in this thread.

I recall a cache where I posted the first DNF after a list of about 15 finds. Two other people posted finds after my DNF--one said "third time's a charm" and the other stated that they had been out to the cache site once before. Certainly they weren't the only ones.

Oh, and as long as you're asking... my DNF criteria is if I enter the waypoint as GOTO and then do not find the cache, for whatever reason, I post a DNF.

Jamie

2k · December 29, 2003

If I start to look for it (i.e. get out of my car) and don't find it, it's a DNF. And if I find it some other day, the DNF stands.

But some people are ashamed to admit failure, so they don't post DNFs. I don't know how you convince them otherwise, except by example.

December 29, 2003

Actually, sorry, now that I think about it, I lied when I said I always log a DNF! On one cache, I tried to get it twice but couldn't get close because of "No Trespassing" signs blocking me... then I tried again, and for some reason the no trespassing signs weren't there and I got to the actual cache site but couldn't find it... THEN I logged a DNF but mentioned that I had been there twice before but couldn't get close... I don't know why I didn't log it as a DNF every time... guess I thought it didn't "count" or something unless I made it to the actual coordinates... :unsure:

Edited December 29, 2003 by mozartman

4.2k · December 29, 2003

I am just curious to see what other Geocachers do with DNF's.

We sitz back and laughs our a**es off, that's what! hahahahahah

Seriously though, I think the DNF logs are usually more entertaining than the finds. A good stump story will almost always trump a good found story.

(Sound of door opening for somebody to prove me wrong...)

Point? I wish everybody would post their DNFs as well. I too don't see why some people's find logs say "...took us X number of tries..." without there being a DNF log to accompany it. Pretty petty if you ask me.

C'mon folks - don't be shy. Admit you couldn't find it. Who are you trying to impress??

2.6k · December 29, 2003

As RK said, I doubt anyone will add a comment that they don't post their DNFs. What I find to be a reasonable indicator of this unknown stat is by reading some Found It logs.

You will occasionally read Found It logs that say something to the effect of "took me two tries, but I found it this time," or "last time I was here I didn't look in this spot." Most of the time, those logs will not have corresponding DNF logs. I get the impression that most people do not post their DNFs, despite the responses posted in this thread.

I've noticed the same phenomenon. Some time ago I asked a similar question in my regional forum in the old forums (I made a poll of it). I got one answer to none of your business -option, everyone else replied Of course I log DNFs, I didn't find it after all, and no one indicated they don't log DNFs. However, I know several of the people who answered that poll - if not personally, I at least know something about their caching history. Many of those people actually don't log DNFs, as they often told in their Found It logs that 'it was their third time here' or something similar. Actually some people voted for Of course I log DNFs, I didn't find it after all but said in their post that they don't (for various reasons). :unsure:

For the record, I log my DNFs, because very often it's valuable information for the next hunters and the owner that there might be problems at that cache, and to let the owner know that someone is interested in his/her cache, and most importantly because it's part of my personal geocaching history.

December 29, 2003

I have about seventy (70) DNFs logged. That covers most of the times I failed to find a cache, including return visits where I found they had been stolen.

When I peruse the "Read the latest cache logs" list, I normally read only two types of entires; Ones from my home state, and DNFs.

-WR

December 29, 2003

We log DNF's because it helps fellow cachers who come after us and also helps the cache owner.

We also consider it a challenge to find that cache later. We just found our 100th cache which was a previous DNF. We "saved" it for just that milestone.

Janine

2.1k · December 29, 2003

There's only been a couple instances of DNF with me. Only logged one of those and forgot to log it as a DNf until the owner joked about it in their log. I hadn't had the problem until then so I wasn't used to it. The other one I didn't log as a DNF due to the fact that from previous logs that I wasn't sure if it was going to be one that I wanted to go after due to property issues. I waited a while and while I was doing caches in the area I drove by and saw what I didn't feel comfortable as to passing across private property. I didn't post it as a DNF, but did make a log entry into it. This was also after a couple of emails to the email address on the cache page.

December 29, 2003

I log DNFs as well, as long as I actually really tried to find the cache. Until now I only had two DNFs, one was apparently stolen and the other one seems to be a bit tricky...

It has quite a few DNF logs but also a few "found it". Really honours its name:

The Enchanted Forest - One day the cache is there, the other day it isn't :unsure:

2.3k · December 29, 2003

I do post my DNFs and I look at them all time until I make myself go back and find it!!

I think I have had only 1 or 2 that I probably will not go back to only because they are in different states and I don't know if I'll get back there any time soon.

38.2k · December 29, 2003

I agree with Jamie. Despite what we see in the forums, it seems that a lot of people don't log DNF's. I remember one guy who explained that he didn't want to see "frowny faces" messing up his cache page :unsure: .

I also use the same criterion as Jamie for a DNF. If I hit "goto" and come up empty, its a DNF. Others won't log a DNF unless they get to ground zero and don't find it. I think either is fine and just a matter of personal preference.

5k · December 29, 2003

I also use the same criterion as Jamie for a DNF.

Actually Brian, you are where I got the idea for this.

Which caused a personal dilemma a few months ago. I was out cycling and very near an area which I knew held a cache, although I didn't have the coordinates with me. I searched the area and didn't find it. Now I didn't know if I should log a DNF, since I never even had the coordinates in the first place. I decided on a note, owing to my GOTO criteria.

Jamie

1.1k · December 29, 2003

Man, I am screwed. :unsure:

I have a few hundred caches listed on my laptop that I have put into a route or otherwise looked at. Now according to Jamie Z and Brian, I have to take the next three days logging DNF's.

Thanks a lot guys.

I log DNF's only if I have made an active search for the cache but I will post notes if something like a blocked road or no trespassing signs stop access to the cache location.

And I have no idea how many DNF's I have but they do make for interesting stories.

logscaler.

22k · December 29, 2003

I'll post a DNF on the first attempt, but if I search a couple-three more times within a reasonable time period, say within a week before I find it, I won't log each try.

If a log a DNF and then get skunked again two months later, then yes I'll log another DNF.

20.7k · December 29, 2003

If I start pinging for a cache, I log a DNF, If I quit the hunt before I've arrived at the cache location, I'll typiclly post a note. That way the owner knows that there is no reason to think that there may be a problem.

I also do not delete my DNFs and notes once I've found the cache. I've never really understood why people do this.

4k · December 29, 2003

Though I hate it when people do this in the forums, I'm going to say what many others before me have said: If I make it to the cache site, it's a DNF. If blocked roads, no trespassing signs, lions, tigers, or bears stop me before I get close, then I'd post a note.

If the cache is gone and I know it's gone, it's still a DNF, but I'll explain the DNF so that the owner knows there is a problem. If the cache is there (how would I know if I didn't find it?), but I don't find it, it's still a DNF.

Now that I think about it, I think I have notes posted on a couple of my DNFs. I better check that before someone here calls me on it! :unsure:

2.3k · December 29, 2003

Though I hate it when people do this in the forums, I'm going to say what many others before me have said: If I make it to the cache site, it's a DNF. If blocked roads, no trespassing signs, lions, tigers, or bears stop me before I get close, then I'd post a note.

If the cache is gone and I know it's gone, it's still a DNF, but I'll explain the DNF so that the owner knows there is a problem. If the cache is there (how would I know if I didn't find it?), but I don't find it, it's still a DNF.

Now that I think about it, I think I have notes posted on a couple of my DNFs. I better check that before someone here calls me on it!

Lucky for you we can't see DNFs on other cachers...

Only you can see your own DNFs.

I really like the GOTO method, but I also agree sometimes I can't get to the area for other reasons so no real attempt was made...

What I have done in the past is if I looked for the cache and didn't find it then its a DNF, if I ran out of daylight or ran into some of those lions, tigers or bears then its an incomplete and it goes back on the pile for next time.

December 29, 2003

I don't always post a note or DNF, only if their is pertantent information for others or the owner. If it is a micro that I belived would be hard and I don't find it I will keep silent but if I have a interesting story to tell or if I think somethings up with the cache I will post.

1.7k · December 29, 2003

If it is a new cache, I don't always log a NF. Not being the best hunter I don't wantto discourage other finders. Dick, W7WT

December 29, 2003

I always try and log a DNF though I will admitt to not. I ususally will just add to the Do not find log and change it to a found after I have found it. some of the found it logs get quite long if it takes a couple of trys to find it. and one in particular I am still looking for after not finding it three times. Others have found it in between my not finds so I know its there and one of these days I will get it. To me its a record of my journeys and a hopefully happy ending.

December 29, 2003

I'll have to admit I was a little embarrassed to log my first DNF. I thought for sure that someone was going to say "look at that newbie, they can't find even the simple ones" but, I decided it was worth it to the cache owner to know if it wasn't there or if it was just my newbie skills that caused it not to be found.

38.2k · December 30, 2003

If it is a new cache, I don't always log a NF. Not being the best hunter I don't wantto discourage other finders. Dick, W7WT

I disagree with that. It's called a 'did not find", not a "did not find because I'm not a very good hunter and don't want to discourage others"

December 30, 2003

I have logged a dozen DNF's.

December 30, 2003

Definitely post DNF's. It is the only way to know if there is a problem and needs a maintenance run.

December 30, 2003

DNF"s what happens with your DNF when you go back and find it the second or third try ? Do you edit it to a find or do you post a second one as a Found It?

Do you leave it a a DNF if it gets archived as a missing cache shortly after your unsuccessful visit?

And yes I do log my DNF's.

5.3k · December 30, 2003

DNF"s what happens with your DNF when you go back and find it the second or third try ? Do you edit it to a find or do you post a second one as a Found It?
Do you leave it a a DNF if it gets archived as a missing cache shortly after your unsuccessful visit?

And yes I do log my DNF's.

Why on earth would you go back to change a DNF into a find? I always add a new "found" log.

And why would you change a DNF if the cache is found to be missing? You still didn't find it, did you?

DNFs are part of the history of the cache, and shouldn't be changed, IMO. I honestly don't get why people think that a DNF is some kind of shameful thing. It's not; it's just a record of what happened!

Edited December 30, 2003 by fizzymagic

December 30, 2003

if i perform a goto on the coords and can't find the cache before i go home then it is a dnf. if i find it later i log a found, but the dnf remains as part of the history of the cache. no shame in logging a dnf, and it clues the owner in to a possible problem. -harry

1.3k · December 30, 2003

Definatly log the DNF's!!!

As others have said, sometimes those are better than the ever popular:

TNLNSL

Thanks

1.1k · December 30, 2003

I echo and amplify all others on this thread.

I also know for an unscientfic FACT that I **BY FAR** lead the state of Mississippi in DNF logs. Like others, I try to make my DNF logs as entertaining as possible for everyone else...figure it's the least I can do (1) for the cache hider or other searchers in case there really is a problem with the cache, and (2) for others who search and DO find it so they can have their fun giving me a hard time about my ineptitude. It's part of the game.

-Dave R. in Biloxi

Edited December 30, 2003 by drat19

December 30, 2003

Why on earth would you go back to change a DNF into a find? I always add a new "found" log.

I always leave my DNF logs but after going through my logs today trying to figure out which DNFs are still unresolved I can see a benefit to changing the logs. It would be nice to be able to quickly go through my logs and know all the frowny faces are still on my To Do list.

December 30, 2003

I always post DNFs. Like others I use the "got out of the car" criterion. Unless it's a really good story, noone needs (or wants) to know that I was not able to find a particular cache because I got a flat or got called in to work. I think there was only one case where I logged a note rather than a DNF when I got to the cache site and found a construction fence up around the whole block. I leave them too. In my mind a later find (or failure to) is a new event in the history of the cache and the cache owner deserves an accurate history for his/her creation. Some owners have sent me hints and some have even sent email that they have checked on the cache.

38.2k · December 30, 2003

DNF"s what happens with your DNF when you go back and find it the second or third try ? Do you edit it to a find or do you post a second one as a Found It?
Do you leave it a a DNF if it gets archived as a missing cache shortly after your unsuccessful visit?

I leave them. I don't see why I should delete, or edit them, because they are a part of the history of the cache and part of my geocaching history. Besides, sometimes my DNF logs are more entertaining than my Found It logs.

Edited December 30, 2003 by briansnat

December 30, 2003

I guess I am selective about posting DNFs. If I actively search for one, I will post a DNF. If I hit the "Go to" button, I'll either post a DNF, a note or nothing depending on the situation. If something blocks me from getting to the area, like a closed road, no trespassing sign, I'll post a note. If I go to an area and don't search for personal reasons (I don't like caches on lawns, neighborhood yards, etc) I usually won't post anything.

I also like to benchmark, so I'm used to seeing the purple frowns, since about 35-40% of all my benchmark hunts end up as DNF.

Did Not Find

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