Missing caches

[+1bighairywookie]

What if you go to the cords. and the cache isn't there? Do you mark it as a found cache but write in the log on the site that the site had been plundered, or do you log it as a not found? I've been to three sites that have turned up missing and just don't know what to do.

[+IdahoMan]

I have now come across one cache that was missing. I was introducing my family to thier first real set of Cache hunts. My wife, oldest son and brother-inlaw. When we got to one of the Caches (it was my first Cache find). It was now gone. What we did was log it as a "Note". Then I contacted the Owner to inform him of his missing Cache. Once the Cache is replaced I would then log it as a Find.

 

The Story:

My first Cache that I found was a level 1 and very easy. I enjoyed the immediate rush. I had my 3 1/2 year old with me. I have been checking on that cache at least twice a week. Well, last week I brought my family out, I let them use my GPS and let them find some of the Caches that I had been to, Plus three that I had planted. When we got to the Cache that was my first, It Was Gone. I was bummed, so were my family that I had braught. I left a note at the empty spot (So any after us would know it was the right spot). I then went home and sent the Owner a E-Mail. I immediately put together a replacement Cache container, log book, and goodies. When the Owner returned my e-mail with his OK to replace his Cache, I did. He Temp. removed the listing and then after I replaced it, he re-listed it. Now the Cache is up and going again. I have been checking this Cache Daily. If it comes up missing again, then the Owner will archive the Cache and place a new one. It is to bad that people do not get the game at first. But I think if they read the Logs enough times, they just might realize that this is a great sport and fun to do.

 

I will help in any way I can. I try to promote this sport as much as possible.

 

Have Fun Out There,

Frank

IdahoMan

IdahoMan@cableone.net

Lewis Clark Valley GeoCachers

[LazyLeopard]

quote:

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What if you go to the cords. and the cache isn't there?

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If I got to the co-ordinates and couldn't find the cache I'd log a Not Found. That frowny face stands out rather better than the note icon. If there was clear positive evidence that the cache had been plundered I'd make sure that got mentioned in the Not Found log entry, and if I didn't think I could put sufficient detail into the log entry (perhaps because it could give away too much about the hiding place) then I'd also send a private email to the cache owner...

 

Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[+Brokenwing]

I'm with Lazy Leopard on this. We have this same question come up every few days it seems like. I think it's really simple and people are trying to make this way too complicated.

 

Found = I found the cache box.

 

Not found = I didn't find the cache box. (Regardless of the reason.)

 

Other = I have something else to say.

 

Bottom line is if you search and don't find a cache, log it as a not found. Why would it be anything else?

 

Scott / Brokenwing

http://www.cordianet.com/geocaching

[+kam]

post it as a NOT FOUND. I had one of my caches where a party posted it as found, but said it was missing. claimed they found a small part of it.

I immediately went out and checked on it. It was in perfect condition adn where it had been placed. The only thing I could find that they may have thought was part of the cache was a small scrap of paper about 15 feet away. I emailed them and told them the cache was still in place and they had not found it. Since they still left the found log up I then deleted it adn put my own log in explaining that it was still in place. You may be very close but still not find it. In fact, I was at my cache by a dam site when it was found. the couple who found it both had bumped their hand into the camoflauged film container several times before they located it. It was hard to keep from laughing when I saw them miss it. they searched over an hour before locating it. then we all had a good laugh about it.

[+mookie]

I stick with “didn’t sign the logbook = Not Found”.

For instance, I spent 45 minutes looking up and down a small creek yesterday looking for a cache in a small park. This should have been more than enough time considering the size of the area but I had read online logs giving conflicting stories of the cache location. I gave up and was crossing the creek in a different spot (100 feet of so from cache cords.) to reach my car when I found the bottom of a Tupperware container, baggie and pen. Very suspicious but hardly an entire cache. I placed these back at the cache cords, logged a “Not Found” with comments that I think the cache has been plundered. I email the owner with details and they later confirm the cache was indeed plundered. So, even though I found the cords and possibly the cache container, it still counts as a “Not Found” in my book. I’ll go back when/if the cache is replaced.

 

Two other local examples.

A newly placed cache had the cache cords. and the parking cords. swapped by mistake. I didn’t seek this cache until the owner made corrections, but finding only a parking lot would have definitely been a “Not Found”. I can almost envision the online log: “Gee, I went to where the cords were, I’m counting it as a find.”

Lastly, there is another local cache that I searched for in an area of fairly heavy brush, mud, and dozens of great hiding spots for over an hour. I was ready to give up but gave one more look around and saw a suspicious area close to the trail. Sure enough that’s it. But my meri-gold is showing that the cache was 60 feet away. As I read the logbook I see entries like “coordinates were way off” and “cords. were off by 50 feet”, etc….

My point I’m trying to make, just because you think you’re at the right location and don’t find the cache, in MY opinion, it’s a “Not Found”. Cache placers make mistakes. Trees and other natural objects can give faulty gpsr readings. It’s all part of the game and that helps to add challenge and fun. But it’s also a personal game and it’s up to you to be fair and honest with what you log. It seems like a lot of people refuse to log a “Not Found” because they're going to come back another day or they don’t want to break their streak of “Founds”. I bet a lot of these cachers are great golfers as well.

 

IdahoMan, don’t think for a second I’m criticizing you. You knew exactly where the cache had been, because you have been there before. So logging a note is proper. I applaud your initiative to replace it!

 

mookie

[+mookie]

I stick with “didn’t sign the logbook = Not Found”.

For instance, I spent 45 minutes looking up and down a small creek yesterday looking for a cache in a small park. This should have been more than enough time considering the size of the area but I had read online logs giving conflicting stories of the cache location. I gave up and was crossing the creek in a different spot (100 feet of so from cache cords.) to reach my car when I found the bottom of a Tupperware container, baggie and pen. Very suspicious but hardly an entire cache. I placed these back at the cache cords, logged a “Not Found” with comments that I think the cache has been plundered. I email the owner with details and they later confirm the cache was indeed plundered. So, even though I found the cords and possibly the cache container, it still counts as a “Not Found” in my book. I’ll go back when/if the cache is replaced.

 

Two other local examples.

A newly placed cache had the cache cords. and the parking cords. swapped by mistake. I didn’t seek this cache until the owner made corrections, but finding only a parking lot would have definitely been a “Not Found”. I can almost envision the online log: “Gee, I went to where the cords were, I’m counting it as a find.”

Lastly, there is another local cache that I searched for in an area of fairly heavy brush, mud, and dozens of great hiding spots for over an hour. I was ready to give up but gave one more look around and saw a suspicious area close to the trail. Sure enough that’s it. But my meri-gold is showing that the cache was 60 feet away. As I read the logbook I see entries like “coordinates were way off” and “cords. were off by 50 feet”, etc….

My point I’m trying to make, just because you think you’re at the right location and don’t find the cache, in MY opinion, it’s a “Not Found”. Cache placers make mistakes. Trees and other natural objects can give faulty gpsr readings. It’s all part of the game and that helps to add challenge and fun. But it’s also a personal game and it’s up to you to be fair and honest with what you log. It seems like a lot of people refuse to log a “Not Found” because they're going to come back another day or they don’t want to break their streak of “Founds”. I bet a lot of these cachers are great golfers as well.

 

IdahoMan, don’t think for a second I’m criticizing you. You knew exactly where the cache had been, because you have been there before. So logging a note is proper. I applaud your initiative to replace it!

 

mookie

[+Jamie Z]

quote:

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Originally posted by Scott Thomason:

Bottom line is if you search and don't find a cache, log it as a not found. Why would it be anything else?

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Yeah.

quote:

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Originally posted by Mookie:

It seems like a lot of people refuse to log a “Not Found” because they're going to come back another day or they don’t want to break their streak of “Founds”.

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That's funny. There is a local cacher who has boasted about his "streak," and then in the same log has written "took three tries to find this one." I wonder what his rules are... then again, I don't worry about it too much.

 

Jamie

[Shel]

1bigwookie is a BRAND new cacher, and it's been distressing to learn that at least in one instance, the caches he's happened to visit have truly NOT been there.

 

As the owner of one of the caches, I was glad to receive his log on my cache site because it alerted me that there was a problem with my cache. Whether he chose a "not found" or an "other" I don't care, I'm just glad for the info. and both of these entries, as well as the "found it" entry, will generate a email message to the cache owner.

 

1bigwookie, it's good that you hunted Saito's "Tiny - ID" when you did, because it, too, is gone now... I'm not sure whether we want to learn it's our city parks and rec on cleanup duty or not, but Saito's checking on it. Also check the local site for the event cache (aka barbecue for cachers) coming up on May 11. We'd love to see you there.

 

bigwookie, which other caches have you tried that have gone AWOL?

[+mbrownjer]

If you didn't find it, you didn't find it. Tell what happened, but also, don't jump to conclusions. Someone posted that one of my caches had been washed away by a storm, so I drove 130 miles to the site to find it in place and dry as a bone! A week later, a newbie cacher I know told me that a nearby cache that I had told him about had been removed. He had gone out to look for it, and "it just wasn't there anymore." I told him to just post a not found, but he insisted that it was really gone. The next day someone posted a find for that cache!

[+1bighairywookie]

Other caches that I've looked for that have been bogus:

Main Squeeze(Utah)

(maybe on this one, I haven't heard back from the owner)Super Deluxe Booty 1 (Lindsey Lunch Cache) (Utah)

I wouldn't just go and say that the cache had dissappeared just because I didn't find it. Shel's cache was my first try, so when I didn't find it I thought that I had done some thing wrong. Main Squeeze I checked every possible place, then looked at the clue and went back and checked again. Still wasn't anywhere to be found. When I logged it, I noticed that three other more experienced cachers had failed to find it. I e-mailed the owner and sure enough, it had been stolen. And on Super Booty, I had a picture from the web-site. But I can understand your reason for the comment, mbrownjer.

[jherrith]

This one is sooo easy! If you don't find a cache for WHATEVER reason, you should log it as NOT FOUND.