First Finder "rules" Question

[+Team Lawrence]

Here in scenic Richmond, Virginia we have a little friendly first finder racing that takes place between three or four of the local cachers. We aren't too serious (no one gets up an hour before dawn to be the first on site at first light) and I know caching isn't really about any kind of race. On a cache that posted this evening (I know for sure it was between 5 & 8 pm), I realized it was in a shopping center very near to my house and thought "how hard can it be to find a cache in a shopping center?" The cache page said hide-a-key, so I figured it had to be a pretty predictable location. I turned out to be right and found it pretty easily. As it turns out, there was already a log in the cache that was posted three days ago (well before the cache was posted on-line).

 

Even stranger, the hider and the first finder are from a few states away from here and appeared to be travelling together. I ran across a cache this weekend that they visited and they wrote one combined log. In fact, in the cache I found, it says that the hider stashed the cache while the first finder was in the store next door. Is this odd?

 

Since I know you will ask, the cache is listed here. I just wondered what others thought about this.

[+captnemo]

I don't see a real problem here. If CCCA wanted to claim a FTF they would have done so on the Web.

 

I used to have a similar FTF contest going on and under these same circumstances would have claimed a FTF.

[+SBPhishy]

I have done this once. I met a friend for some cache maintenance, and on the way, he hid a cache. He then told me the coords and told me to go find it. I found it and logged it. When it came up online a few days later, I logged a FTF. I guess if anyone looked, the date on the actual cache would be before the date on the online log.

[+Team Lawrence]

EDIT: Received an e-mail that suggests I should have done some searching before posting.

Edited March 3, 2004 by Team Lawrence

[+JMBella]

I would say it's FTF with no asterisk. The cache went public and you found it first. Actually, and I don't expect this to be a popular statement but, I'd say it was good form for CCCA not log the find online.

 

I did give out "pre-coords" on this cache. But if you read the description and the FTF log you can see why.

[+JMBella]

If CCCA wanted to claim a FTF they would have done so on the Web.

I'm quite sure they don't care about FTF. When they log their find (they are probably busy finding another 20 caches today!), it will be sorted to first on the list. I just thought the scenario seemed odd. Two people (I presume) drive up to a store. Person A goes inside, Person B wanders off a few feet and hides a cache. Person A comes back outside and finds the new cache. I'm not even sure I care, it just seemed unusual.

Well let me rephrase that. It would be good form. I don't see a problem with them logging it, but they shouldn't get the FTF. That's lame if they do. They should log it the same day as you so your name appears as #1. We'll see.

[+Team Lawrence]

This is probably a good place to commend fellow Virginia cachers for this cache that was a kind of post-hurricane helping hand for some local cachers who suffered damage from the storm. One of the coolest things I've heard of in geocaching.

[+planetrobert]

I would say it's FTF with no asterisk. The cache went public and you found it first. Actually, and I don't expect this to be a popular statement but, I'd say it was good form for CCCA not log the find online.

 

I did give out "pre-coords" on this cache. But if you read the description and the FTF log you can see why.

nice, very nice

 

to be on topic i must say... i once took issue with this practice, and still sorta think it is underhanded IF the person claims ftf online. But I have since decided that it is no big deal and if that is how they want to play the game then it is ok with me.

 

I do prefer open ff opportunities though where all parties interested have equal opportunity.

[+briansnat]

I don't see the big deal. I've known geocachers give coords to other geocachers to test a cache setup before it was submitted.

[+planetrobert]

I don't see the big deal. I've known geocachers give coords to other geocachers to test a cache setup before it was submitted.

i can understand that 110%

 

I also once saw it from the topic starters POV, now i really don't care.

[+Team Lawrence]

Actually, I've come to agree that I don't really care. I was initially more curious than concerned and I think I've come to understand the situation and now I'm pretty far into the "live and let live" camp.

[+programmer64]

I did a cache yesterday,march 2 that was placed march 1. I was the first one to the cache, yet the log had a FTF note dating back to december??? how do you find a cache 2 months before it goes public? BTW the log was only in the book not online.

[+briansnat]

I did a cache yesterday,march 2 that was placed march 1. I was the first one to the cache, yet the log had a FTF note dating back to december??? how do you find a cache 2 months before it goes public? BTW the log was only in the book not online.

 

Perhaps the logbook was recycled from another cache, or maybe it was listed on another website (there is another) before it was listed on GC.COM.

 

I had something similar happen with one of my caches. Just after I placed it, someone found it. He mentioned that someone beat him to it, but was wondering how, because there were no footprints in the snow at each interim stage. It had me wondering too...because the names were not familiar local geocachers and I know you have to get up pretty early to beat this guy. Finally my curiousity got the better of me and I went to look. Turned out I used the logbook from a temporary (and unlisted) cache I made for my young niece and nephew so they could do a little treasure hunting. The names were theirs and I forgot to rip out the page they signed before I placed the cache.

Edited March 3, 2004 by briansnat

[LokoLobo]

I did a cache yesterday that hadn't been posted as found yet.. When I got there it had a log entry in it dated a day befor it was published on-line.. Either this person "had inside information" or just dated it wrong.. But at the same time there was the FTF reward and a slip inside the cache that said the bearer of this slip is the FTF.. I took the slip and reward.. I think the idea for a fist to find note or slip inside the cache that a person can claim is a great idea.. It would solve a lot of the problems if there was anyone who thought it was serious enough to argue over as to who was FTF.... I plan on putting these FTF notes in every Cache I make from now on..

[Keystone]

I'm posting simply to note that this thread is more than three years old.

 

LokoLobo, you've now started one thread and posted to four others about finding an FTF certificate in a cache. I appreciate your enthusiasm in sharing this idea, which has been around for years, and the excitement you feel by being "first to find." There's no need, however, to post the same comment to every thread that discusses FTF issues. Thanks.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Keystone

[Mr.Yuck]

I'm posting simply to note that this thread is more than three years old.

 

LokoLobo, you've now started one thread and posted to four others about finding an FTF certificate in a cache. I appreciate your enthusiasm in sharing this idea, which has been around for years, and the excitement you feel by being "first to find." There's no need, however, to post the same comment to every thread that discusses FTF issues. Thanks.

 

Aha!! CCCA again. Where's my torch and pitchfork?

[+Renegade Knight]

EDIT: Received an e-mail that suggests I should have done some searching before posting.

 

Here is a post that says you should post in the forums so people can comment. If I really cared about forcing people to use the search feature my posts would always re-direct and never actually answer.

 

As for your question. It's not uncommon. At least they had the courtesy to state the case and actually find the cache (or the street smarts to say that's what they did even if they both hid the cache).

 

Edit:

Yeah, old thread. New answer. Oh well.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Renegade Knight

[+Renegade Knight]

I did a cache yesterday that hadn't been posted as found yet.. When I got there it had a log entry in it dated a day befor it was published on-line.. Either this person "had inside information" or just dated it wrong.. But at the same time there was the FTF reward and a slip inside the cache that said the bearer of this slip is the FTF.. I took the slip and reward.. I think the idea for a fist to find note or slip inside the cache that a person can claim is a great idea.. It would solve a lot of the problems if there was anyone who thought it was serious enough to argue over as to who was FTF.... I plan on putting these FTF notes in every Cache I make from now on..

 

FTF is FTF. Not FT Grab The Note.

 

You can vary who gets the FTF Prize but you can't change the FTF.

[Trinity's Crew]

<snip>

There's no need, however, to post the same comment to every thread

Well that's just great. I guess I'm done posting in these forums.

 

[LokoLobo]

I posted my comment here because I thought it might be relevent.. As I thought it might also be relevent to the other threads I posted something simular to..

 

I'm sorry..

I'll be quiet now....

 

P.S. oh yea.. part of the reason I posted or replied with simular topics is because I felt it was a great idea and I know not every one reads "ALL" the threads or topics, so the more I posted to the more likely someone would see it and also have thought it was a good idea and maybe start the practice themself... I am very sorry for trying to promote a good idea.. OK now I'll be quiet...

Edited October 12, 2007 by LokoLobo

[+DeRock & The Psychic Cacher]

Please Jesus, let that mean the goat thing is dead!

 

Deane

AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI