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Found It = Didn't Find It


Jamie Z

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One cache around here (micro) was buried under snow for about a month. I posted a note the first time when I didn't find it, and when I found it later it was too wet to sign the log. I posted a slight spoiler photo to prove I had been there but I had the cache IN MY HANDS. That's the important part.

 

Black and white, you found it or you didn't.

 

If I could see the cache but could not reach it, it's not a find.

 

If I can HOLD the cache but cannot open it for some reason I think that is a find, but you need to contact the owner to let them know why your name isn't in the log book, or send them a pic if you have a camera.

If I haven't been able to sign the log because it's been too wet to write on (or, if there hasn't been a log at all), I've just signed my visit on a piece of a separate paper I've been carrying with me. Then I've just slipped the paper into the container.

 

Of course, if there's time and the weather is good, it's always a good idea to let the soaked log book dry in the sun and wind for a while before putting it back into the cache box.

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Recently there were four bogus finds by the same cacher on the same day in my local area.  In every instance the cacher was at ground zero but figured there was too much snow to actually find them.  They posted spoiler picks instead.  :lol:

 

One cache around here (micro) was buried under snow for about a month. I posted a note the first time when I didn't find it, and when I found it later it was too wet to sign the log. I posted a slight spoiler photo to prove I had been there but I had the cache IN MY HANDS. That's the important part.

 

Black and white, you found it or you didn't.

 

If I could see the cache but could not reach it, it's not a find.

 

If I can HOLD the cache but cannot open it for some reason I think that is a find, but you need to contact the owner to let them know why your name isn't in the log book, or send them a pic if you have a camera.

 

Joe Smith

I'm not sure I totally agree with that last part. There was a cache not to far from here where finding the box was the easy part. Deriving the combination to the lock involved running all over town getting clues from several other caches.

That's a horse of a different color. I should explain. I the case I am talking about I had the cache container in my hands and was able to open it. It the cache is locked, to log it as a find it needs to be opened. here is the actual pic I took

 

Joe SMith

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:lol:  November 6, 2003 by XXXXXXX (XX found)

<SNIP>

Unfortunately, we could do little to retrieve the large blue metal object. We could see it thru an opening,

but we were not strong enough to match the monster's height to peer into the mouth and grab the cache -

So we waved goodbye, as we could still see the monster as we travelled south on the "Park".

Edited by Stunod
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January 2 by xxxxxx (97 found)

we looked and looked for this cache and was unable to find it but we know we were in the right area because of hint will consider it as a find unless cache owner checks out and verifys that cache is still in it's place!

 

:P

 

I guess this thread just helps me relieve frustration when I read "finds" like this.

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On an offset cache:

 

:D 12/28/2003 by

found the bearings and distance info, eneded up on a country road. the locals started crawling out of the woods bout dusk, and we figured must be in the wrong place. picked up some friends along the way. will try to figure a little better instead of "eye-ballin it" next time.

 

Jamie

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I guess I'll add another:

  ;)  January 18 by xxxxxxx (67 found)

1setter is right about this one. I did park closer to the house and by the way it was a long process finding a way in here. I walked right up to the gate of the house on Sunday morning. I do not beleive that there is a log or cache, I wound have had to poke around in their yard to be sure. I was not going to do that after seeing the movie Wrong Turn, about a week ago. I would advise some changes to this cache.

 

This is a now archived, screwed up cache with the wrong coordinates. The guy logged it anyway since he walked up to the house???

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The idea of logging an unfound cache is ubsurd. There's two separate ratings for each cache for a reason! There can be a 5/1 cache, just as there can be a 1/5 cache.. logging *either* of those is pathetic because they're *meant* to be difficult to find or get to - that's why they were put where they were. Laziness is not an excuse! Visiting a park is NOT the same as visiting a cache.

 

This sort of relates - I want to hide a cache, my first, but I want to see more caches in my area. I was intensely considering making it mandatory that one hides a new cache in order to log mine. So it would probably be a 5 for difficulty because of the effort required, but only a 1 or 2 for terrain. Any ideas/comments?

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I want to hide a cache, my first, but I want to see more caches in my area. I was intensely considering making it mandatory that one hides a new cache in order to log mine. Any ideas/comments?

 

[thoughts]

Don't force people to hide caches. It can quickly backfire.

1) There are people who don't want to hide caches.

2) There are people who take their time hiding caches. Of the ones we have in the planning stage, chances are none will be placed this month. My first cache took 6 trips and somewhere between 20-30 waypoints (for a simple 4 stage multi) before it was complete.

3) While you may want more caches, I'll lay dollars to doughnuts that what you want is more quality caches, not more crappy caches. Forcing someone to place a cache encourages them to just slap a micro on a light pole in the nearest wal-mart parking lot.

[/thoughts]

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I want to hide a cache, my first, but I want to see more caches in my area. I was intensely considering making it mandatory that one hides a new cache in order to log mine. Any ideas/comments?

 

[thoughts]

Don't force people to hide caches. It can quickly backfire.

1) There are people who don't want to hide caches.

2) There are people who take their time hiding caches. Of the ones we have in the planning stage, chances are none will be placed this month. My first cache took 6 trips and somewhere between 20-30 waypoints (for a simple 4 stage multi) before it was complete.

3) While you may want more caches, I'll lay dollars to doughnuts that what you want is more quality caches, not more crappy caches. Forcing someone to place a cache encourages them to just slap a micro on a light pole in the nearest wal-mart parking lot.

[/thoughts]

I gotta go with bons on this one....forcing people to hide caches would most likely result in really crappy caches. Of course, there are those (a very few) who would take offense at you trying to force your rules on them, and the only cache they would hide would be yours.....but not where you had originally hidden it. ;)

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"Found the first of three but got too late to go to the next. Will come back later to find #2 and #3. New bike/hike trail looks like fun for this spring. Frisbee golf here is fun. but really tough. One of the best. Thanks for the cache. Will be back for a longer stay in the park."

 

Does this mean you can log a find on each stage of the cache? :)

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To be fair to all these wierdos...

I don't recall which one it is, but someone went to a cache that was located inside a business, but the cache at the time failed to say that. Got there after the place was closed, stood at the window, could totally see the container.

 

Logged a note, not a find, and the cache owner decided it'd be a find since the page didn't say it was restricted to finds during business hours at that time.

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"Well, we agree. This was one scary hike. S---- was the smart one. She agreed to take pictures from the safety of the level ground. We made the journey to the top.(NOT) Waved at the camera, and slid back down. There are a few tricky spots on the 'trail'. Great views from the top. Certainly glad we got down before dark."

 

This person has over 2100 finds----- well maybe?

Never signed the log OR made it to the top. Cache owner said it was ok since they had to come back down for safety reasons. I guess if you drive-by and know there is a cache there you can try to log it.

:D

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I'm not sure what to make of this one. I can't tell if they really found the cache or not. Maybe it's a joke.

 

:lol:  June 28, 2003 by xxx (135 found)

Well I thought I found it yesterday. It was not in a metal magnetic keyholder though. It was laying out on top of a table and had 3 keys attached to a chain. Could this have just been conincidence?

 

Jamie

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Another:

 

:( April 8 by ??? (319 found)

Wow! I just ran this off a couple of days ago and the cache was still active. But now it shows it has been archived. I checked the lights and the cache was gone. The light had also been damaged. I'm going to claim this as a find because I found the cache spot.

 

The cache was subsequently found three days later (with attached photos). It was not archived, but rather disabled after these folks posted their "find."

 

Jamie

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B)  I've tried three times to get to the last part of the cache but have been thwarted by the presence of several folks being around, making no effort to move on. This makes me nervous so I have emailed the owner and advised him. I'm in communications with owner re. my results. Thanks for a place to do some honoring of our local heroes.

 

I got a simular e-mail informing me why they were claiming my cache that they never found. :mad:

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What about if you find a cache, but the cache is missing, and in its place is a page torn from the log book with some expletive deletives on it (obviously the cache was plundered)... We considered signing the back of the paper, but it was completely wet. No we didn't find the cache, it was missing. But I almost logged it as a find, because we drove way out of our way to find it and found the note from the geotrashers. :mad: illDRIVE talked me out of it.

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We posted a DNF on our trip out of state, not sure if it was there or not but have since seen that another had found it. It was just well hidden. Just because we knew we wouldn't be back for a long time doesn't mean we should log a find. That's part of the hunt, sometimes not finding it and knowing it is there. In the same vein, we found one that had four DNFs at a rest area that said, we found the spot it had to be because it was perfect but it wasn't there. We found those spots but also found the real cache about 30 feet away, complete and intack. Guess it balances out.

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Check this one out.....

 

I went to calico ghost town this weekend and camped there. I forgot my GPS and to look on the site to see if there were any caches nearby. I went in the cemetary 3-5 times because my nephew, and his freinds wanted to see if any ghost were there. If you don't want me to get the credit for this cache just e-mail me saying that is not ok to log it as a find and I will remove the find.

 

Surprisingly, the owner didn't delete the find.

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May 11, 2003 by someone who just doesn't get it

WooHoo!! #108  2nd out of 6!! [cacher] and I walked right out into the middle of the swamp on this little hole filled pathway... We were about to give up when [cacher] looked else where, looked back at me and said quietly FOUND IT!! Your just plain EVIL !! [cacher] tried to get the log book out. But it was too wet and only a tiny piece of the paper would come out. So we left satisified we had found it. I took a pic of the GPS and the cache together if you need that to verify we were there. Excellent cache!!

 

Life is full of grey areas and uncertainties. It's nice to know that some black and white situations exist. If you signed the log book, you found the cache. If you didn't sign the log book YOU DID NOT FIND THE CACHE.

 

It doesn't matter WHY you couldn't sign the log book: you didn't so you can't claim it. These are the chances we take when we cache. We can do everything right and still not get the smiley. Suck it up and move on.

 

And for those folks who say "what does it matter? Just worry about yourself," I say it does matter. Their false claims undermine my legitimate claims. And if you own a cache and let false claims stand, you are doing a disservice to the cachers who legitimately found the cache.

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:mad:  I've tried three times to get to the last part of the cache but have been thwarted by the presence of several folks being around, making no effort to move on. This makes me nervous so I have emailed the owner and advised him. I'm in communications with owner re. my results. Thanks for a place to do some honoring of our local heroes.

 

I got a simular e-mail informing me why they were claiming my cache that they never found. :mad:

 

I was the one who posted this one and I explained to n0wae the reason why. I also told him that I would try again to get to the cache to sign the log, since that's part of the sport. I am not going to expose a cache (I know exactly where it is) nor am I going to wait out an entire afternoon while the men cruising each other are exposing themselves, either. I made 3 honest attempts. I'm confident I've found it--I just can't get to the log! I will post a note/email n0wae when I do. It's on my list of things to do.

 

I guess this is a good example of laying claim with clear intent to finish it when possible. I've passed by the location a half dozen times since and the cruising activity is still rampant. I'll be in the area a lot more in the coming months, and it's in my plans to get back to this one. I just wish it was winter so I wouldn't have to make so many trips--it is 30 miles away from home.

 

I'm not one of those "other" claim jumpers that the rest of the thread is about. That just ain't the way I play the game.

 

I hope this hasn't tarnished my burgeoning image with y'all. I'm a good egg and an honest cacher. :(

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Life is full of grey areas and uncertainties. It's nice to know that some black and white situations exist. If you signed the log book, you found the cache. If you didn't sign the log book YOU DID NOT FIND THE CACHE.

What if I signed a different log book and added that to the cache. Is that a find or should I delete those finds? Because lord knows there's a lot of full, soggy, and missing log books out there.

 

Black or white? Legitimate or falsified?

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Life is full of grey areas and uncertainties. It's nice to know that some black and white situations exist. If you signed the log book, you found the cache. If you didn't sign the log book YOU DID NOT FIND THE CACHE.

What if I signed a different log book and added that to the cache. Is that a find or should I delete those finds? Because lord knows there's a lot of full, soggy, and missing log books out there.

 

Black or white? Legitimate or falsified?

Yup, I agree with Bons here. Given the information about the soggy, mushy log book, and the fact that they posted a picture of their GPSr with the cache to prove they had found it, that's a definite find in my book. :ph34r: Nothing gray about that one, pretty much black and white.

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In Anne Bonne's case....the best way to get the log is to go in looking official. Wear a hard hat, an orange reflector vest, carry a clip board and a big measuring tape. Go directly to the cache...sign the log and get it over with. Those guys won't be showing anything off or doing anything out of line with someone "official" around. My husband has the patience of a Saint and he will wait and wait and wait for the "perfect time". In this case...a persistant cacher could be mistaken for a "REGULAR". Use your finely-tuned geocaching hunting skills (to quote one of my favorite cachers) on this one.

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What if I signed a different log book and added that to the cache. Is that a find or should I delete those finds? Because lord knows there's a lot of full, soggy, and missing log books out there.

 

Did they sign the log book they added? Then it's a find. It's pretty simple: you've found the cache when you've signed the log book.

 

But I'm derailing the conversation from the delightful excuses. Please continue.

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Life is full of grey areas and uncertainties. It's nice to know that some black and white situations exist. If you signed the log book, you found the cache. If you didn't sign the log book YOU DID NOT FIND THE CACHE.

 

I'm pretty strict about what I count as a find, but if I find the cache, open it and am unable to sign the logbook for whatever reason, its a find to me. This happened once to me, when the logbook was so wet it disintegrated in my hands. I l left a business card and took my photo with the cache and called it a find. After all, it's called geoCACHING, not geoLOGGING.

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May 1 by SOME CLUELESS CACHER! (5254 found)

Came right over from ET Phone Home so you know we were here...was at ground zero but cache was no longer...took photo with GPS at the 'spot' and since ANOTHER CACHER had previously found this cache, they confirmed that it is MIA.

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. It's pretty simple: you've found the cache when you've signed the log book.

 

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm................nope!

1. A signed logbook is proof of a find.

2. A Virtual cache has no logbook.

3. Stuff happens.

 

Boil it all down and the spirit of the rules is verification of a find.

You're both right!

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the best way to get the log is to go in looking official. Wear a hard hat, an orange reflector vest, carry a clip board and a big measuring tape. Go directly to the cache...sign the log and get it over with.

LOL! I can see where that would work. I was dressed in professional clothes a couple of times (Not THAT profession!), but I was also pressed for time. I also condsidered taking out the digital camera and just go in shooting. A call to the local police crossed my mind more than once--but then I realized that maybe I was getting a bit too zealous about logging this one.

 

I'm going that way later today--and I'm taking my hard hat and tool belt!

 

Thanks for the wardrobe suggestion--let's hope we don't have a malfunction :P

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:D  I've tried three times to get to the last part of the cache but have been thwarted by the presence of several folks being around, making no effort to move on. This makes me nervous so I have emailed the owner and advised him. I'm in communications with owner re. my results. Thanks for a place to do some honoring of our local heroes.

 

I got a simular e-mail informing me why they were claiming my cache that they never found. :D

 

I was the one who posted this one and I explained to n0wae the reason why. I also told him that I would try again to get to the cache to sign the log, since that's part of the sport. I am not going to expose a cache (I know exactly where it is) nor am I going to wait out an entire afternoon while the men cruising each other are exposing themselves, either. I made 3 honest attempts. I'm confident I've found it--I just can't get to the log! I will post a note/email n0wae when I do. It's on my list of things to do.

 

I guess this is a good example of laying claim with clear intent to finish it when possible. I've passed by the location a half dozen times since and the cruising activity is still rampant. I'll be in the area a lot more in the coming months, and it's in my plans to get back to this one. I just wish it was winter so I wouldn't have to make so many trips--it is 30 miles away from home.

 

I'm not one of those "other" claim jumpers that the rest of the thread is about. That just ain't the way I play the game.

 

I hope this hasn't tarnished my burgeoning image with y'all. I'm a good egg and an honest cacher. :lol:

Just thought I'd let everyone know than Anne Bonney did finish my multi cache and has now earned her smilie. She is a "good egg" as she promised. I 'm glad I was patient and didn't delete her origional cache post. She is to be commended for being honest and making good on her cache claim.

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Just thought I'd let everyone know than Anne Bonney did finish my multi cache and has now earned her smilie. She is a "good egg" as she promised. I 'm glad I was patient and didn't delete her origional cache post. She is to be commended for being honest and making good on her cache claim.

Great follow up report. I agree that Anne Bonney is to be commended for stepping up to the plate, providing an explanation, getting the smilie, and doing it all with good humor instead of whining about being flamed in the forums.

 

I used to *hate* DNF'ing a cache because of muggle traffic. Now it's just funny, and somewhat to be expected with the way so many caches are hidden nowadays. Over the weekend, I hunted for fourteen caches and DNF'd four of them. Two DNF's were because of caches being hidden in muggle-rich environments. I won't talk about the one where I could not find the entrance to the park. :lol:

 

So from now on, just log the DNF and return later to clean it up. It's part of the fun!

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You could always try my solution for wet log books: I carry one of the 'space pens' that writes anywhere on anything, even upside-down. There have been a couple of caches where the log was sitting in water, but I was able to sign (the Northwest has only two types of weather - raining or not raining yet).

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You could always try my solution for wet log books: I carry one of the 'space pens' that writes anywhere on anything, even upside-down. There have been a couple of caches where the log was sitting in water, but I was able to sign (the Northwest has only two types of weather - raining or not raining yet).

I carry a large can of fluorescent orange spray paint with me and sign the entire cache container with it if the log book is soggy.... :(

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This was just posted at a cache near me:

 

I'm posting this is a find since I know where it's hidden.  Very cool area, be ready to hike a bit tho!

- Neil ( - Robin)

 

Openly admitting you've never been there, just that you know the area. It's a traditional cache too not just a virtual. If someone posted that to one of my caches I'd delete it.

 

Best part too is that this made them the "FTF" on this cache (GCJBNZ). That is of course besides the fact that the owner of the cache logged two finds on it right after it was approved.

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This was just posted at a cache near me:

 

I'm posting this is a find since I know where it's hidden.  Very cool area, be ready to hike a bit tho!

- Neil ( - Robin)

 

Openly admitting you've never been there, just that you know the area. It's a traditional cache too not just a virtual. If someone posted that to one of my caches I'd delete it.

 

Best part too is that this made them the "FTF" on this cache (GCJBNZ). That is of course besides the fact that the owner of the cache logged two finds on it right after it was approved.

Is the owner a noob? On my first cache, I logged a "Found It" when I placed a TB in the cache several days later.....I didn't know at the time that you could do that with a note, and also forgot to go back and change it to a note. A forum member politely told me about it, and that's when I changed it. I was glad they did, as I was a bit embarrassed by my noob fopah....... :(

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A cache went missing near where I used to work. The owner went by to check it and reported it missing with a smiley.

 

:)  July 7, 2003 by xxxxxx (175 found)

Didn't see it when I looked today.

 

It was part of a poker theme where you're supposed to find 6 caches around town and collect 5 cards plus a bonus.

 

The next day, after the owner confirmed the cache was missing, this person obviously was cheating when he logged that he'd found all 6. I was a little tempted to go to some of the other 6 and see if he actually signed the log.

 

:D  July 8, 2003 by xxxxxxx (220 found)

did all 6 yesterday after work.

thanks for the hunt!

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Frank's Peak

here is one for you. We found this cache, but the box was missing. Whoever stole it left the log though, in the correct spot, with a pen. Oh, and a note saying HA! HA! HA! You Got Jacked!!!

Soooo, we put the log in a baggie (we didn't have any containers with us) and searched the area. Managed to find one of the 3 TBs that had been in the cache. Left, but found a second TB a 1/2 mile from the cache.

We only logged it because the log book was there, in the correct spot. AND we found the TBs. If the entire cache was missing...no way.

I have to go look for the thread about the seeming reluctance on some people's part to log DNFs. Geez. I logged two DNFs because there were people around, and I just couldn't get to the right spot. Makes for interest on the cache page in my opinion.

Some of these logs that have been posted, well, they defy belief. I have seen similar things, I will post if I can find them.

B)

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I have seen many tiems where cachers will post finds this way and I do not agree with it. There are a fwe times where I could have logged caches that way, but chose not to. If people want to do this, it is their business. This is where the caceh owner needs to make a decision about whether or not he/she wants to allow the cacher to get credit for it. A cache owner has the right to delete a post...I feel the deletion should eb followed with an email explaining why it has been deleted.

 

Enjoy the summer months.

Dale

Finding Fraggle Rock

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