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Did Not Find


Bob&TheGang

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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.

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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).

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

 

Tho' someone else found it the same day. :P

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. :o

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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

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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:

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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.

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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

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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 by mozartman
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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??

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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. :D

 

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.

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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.

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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:

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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:

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.

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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.

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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 by fizzymagic
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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 by drat19
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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.

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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.

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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 by briansnat
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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.

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