Dnf

[+Katydid & Miles Stone]

Ultimately, we are on the honor system as to when we log a DNF (did not find). I've noticed it is subject to interpretation by many. For me, if I set out to find a cache and don't find it on a given visit then I log a DNF. This includes not finding a place to park to get to the cache or just running out of time and having to abort the quest till a later date. I'm interested in how other use (or don't) the DNF.

[+Escapades]

I f we give it a good search and come up empty we log a DNF. If we only have time to do a five minute look we will probably hold off logging a DNF until we come back and give it a good search.

Mike

[+briansnat]

For me, if I set out to find a cache and don't find it on a given visit then I log a DNF

 

That's exactly the criterion I use. If I key in the coordinates, hit go to and don't find the cache its DNF.

[+Renegade Knight]

If I look for the cache and give up because I've flat out looked everywhere I can think of, It's a DNF.

 

If I start looking but run out of daylight, time, or get interrupted I log a note. If I can't find how to get to the cache so I can start looking I'll log a note.

 

If I set out to find the cache and total my car in the parking lot and wake up in the hospital some people would log a DNF, but I'd probalby not log anything since I didn't even mange to look for the cache.

[+Jamie Z]

if I set out to find a cache and don't find it on a given visit then I log a DNF.

Me too.

 

Jamie

[this_is_nascar]

For me, if I set out to find a cache and don't find it on a given visit then I log a DNF

 

That's exactly the criterion I use. If I key in the coordinates, hit go to and don't find the cache its DNF.

Same here.

[+tirediron]

If I start to look for the cache and don't find it, I will usually log a DNF. If I turn back because of light, weather, or something, then a note will suffice. The way I see it, in order to find something, you have to look for it. Therefore, if I didn't look for it, it can't be a DNF!

[+briansnat]

The way I see it, in order to find something, you have to look for it. Therefore, if I didn't look for it, it can't be a DNF!

 

I agree and to me the search begins when I hit "go to".

[+Team Perrito Blanco]

For me, if I set out to find a cache and don't find it on a given visit then I log a DNF. This includes not finding a place to park to get to the cache or just running out of time and having to abort the quest till a later date.

I don't think that not finding a place to park or running out of time are fair reasons for logging a DNF. If you haven't left your car, then you haven't even started to search. And running out of time? WT...?

[+beejay&esskay]

I don't think that not finding a place to park or running out of time are fair reasons for logging a DNF. If you haven't left your car, then you haven't even started to search. And running out of time? WT...?

I'll log a DNF if I did not find it, even if it is a "running out time" issue.

 

Not finding a parking place sounds like a good reason to skip the DNF...unless it's the "Invisible Parking Place" cache. (Out here in the cornfields, parking places can always be found.)

 

I've logged a DNF when the cache was in a park, 20 feet from where I parked my car, and almost certainly under a merry-go-round...in use by 10 kids. I didn't get out of my car...but I went to find it and I didn't.

[+Thot]

I see the purpose of DNFs as help to other cachers or the owner. If I fail to find it because of something about the cache, or for a reason that adds useful information for others, I log a DNF. If I fail to find it for some reason unrelated to the cache itself and where/how it’s hidden I usually don’t. For example, if I get out to the car and on the way to the coordinates my cell phone rings and I have to leave, logging a DNF adds no useful information for others. If I were to reach the location and just as I start looking a drenching rain causes me to run for the car, I don’t DNF. Being stopped by something like these things has nothing whatsoever to do with the cache, and adds no useful information for others. In fact, it could make other cachers who scan logs for purple faces without reading the logs temselves think the cache is hard when the failure has nothing to do with finding the cache.

 

One the other hand I logged a DNF last month because I couldn’t find a place to park. I still don’t know where the owner expects you to park. I asked one person who logged a find where they parked and they said they parked on a nearby residential street and walked through someone’s yard to get to the coordinates. In this case my DNF lets other cachers know they may not find a place to park, and hopefully, the owner will take note and give some indication of where to park. Obviously, if I hunt for it and can’t find it I DNF.

Edited January 6, 2005 by Thot

[+Team Shibby]

I see the purpose of DNFs as help to other cachers or the owner. If I fail to find it because of something about the cache, or for a reason that adds useful information for others, I log a DNF. If I fail to find it for some reason unrelated to the cache itself and where/how it’s hidden I usually don’t. For example, if I get out to the car and on the way to the coordinates my cell phone rings and I have to leave, logging a DNF adds no useful information for others. If I were to reach the location and just as I start looking a drenching rain causes me to run for the car, I don’t DNF. Being stopped by something like these things has nothing whatsoever to do with the cache, and adds no useful information for others. In fact, it could make other cachers who scan logs for purple faces without reading the logs temselves think the cache is hard when the failure has nothing to do with finding the cache.

I could'nt have said this any better, so I'll just quote Thot

 

Kar

[+Team Perks]

If I set out to find the cache and total my car in the parking lot and wake up in the hospital some people would log a DNF, but I'd probalby not log anything since I didn't even mange to look for the cache.

Okay...why do I find that inexplicably hilarious?

 

My answer:

 

If I look for the cache and give up because I can't find it, it's a DNF.

 

If I look for the cache and have to stop because there are too many people around, it's a DNF.

 

If I can't get to the cache site for some reason (road construction, the park is closed, there is a carnival in the parking lot), I post a note.

 

If I look for the cache and have to stop because I'm detained for trespassing on federal property, it's a SBA.

[+TEAM 360]

I do not have ANY DNFs...because I keep my own records....and only keep track of the ones I have found...

 

Not only that, but come to think of it, I really HAVE found most of the caches I go out to look for...can't remember the last time I didn't find one...

[+Team GPSaxophone]

I do not have ANY DNFs...because I keep my own records....and only keep track of the ones I have found...

 

Not only that, but come to think of it, I really HAVE found most of the caches I go out to look for...can't remember the last time I didn't find one...

I remember one...

[briancm]

I log a DNF when I am truly baffled, and there is no hint, or the hint didn't help me. If I'm confused about the coordinates, like from a multi-cache where you have to compute the next point, then I'll email the cache's owner first instead of posting a DNF.

 

The cache I most recently found, Pacific Crossing, was a type of micro I hadn't seen before. Those who have seen its type find it quickly. Others, like me, have a hard time finding it. Some complained in the log that it was too easy. I think that DNFs also give a perspective of its perceived difficulty.

 

If logging a DNF bothers you, then don't do it.

[+YuccaPatrol]

I would say "If logging a DNF bothers you, stay out there until you find the cache"

[4x4van]

If I get to "ground zero" and can't find the cache, even if I run out of time at ground zero, then it's a DNF. If I don't make it anywhere near the site, a DNF log serves no real purpose and adds no useful information for other cachers. Who cares if I was in a car accident 20 miles away from the cache? If I got a phone call and had to call it a day for some reason? If my van wouldn't even start in the driveway? What does any of that have to do with the cache?

 

If I started the day with the intention of finding 10 caches, but ran out of time after 6 and had to go home, what possible purpose would there be to logging 4 DNFs (or even 1 for that matter?)?

 

Here's an example: A couple of weeks ago, my son and I made an afternoon caching run out in the desert. After finding 4 caches, we headed for the 5th and final one. By the time we reached the parking area, we had only 30 minutes of daylight left and the cache was still a 3.5 mile hike (round trip). Hoping that the coordinates were good and we would be able to find the container without too much trouble, we went for it anyway. Got to ground zero just as darkness was falling. Found the cache easily, but had to hike out in the dark. No problem, another smiley. But, if we had decided not to make the hike because of the impending darkness and instead called it a day, I would not have logged a DNF, even though I had hit the GOTO button on the GPS. Our decision on whether or not to cache in the dark would have nothing to do with the cache and would add no relevant information to the logs for the cache owner or other cachers.

 

Don't get me wrong, I do log DNFs, but only if I "did not find" the cache, not if I was prevented from even looking for it (unless, of course, the prevention issue was something to do with the cache, which would probably be a note or SBA issue).

[rescue557]

If we give it a good search and come up empty we log a DNF. If we only have time to do a five minute look we will probably hold off logging a DNF until we come back and give it a good search.

Mike

I log a DNF if I spent 30 minutes or more searching the same area and coming up empty. Of course that is after looking everywhere and making sure that I still am unable to find it.

[Boxer Crew]

I'm with Thot & Team Shibby!

[+Team Tigger International]

I love this topic. Everytime it comes up, we get new and interesting ideas. I've discussed these differing opinions with Star and determined that if everyone's ideas were combined, we'd have 200 DNFs from our trip to Niagara Falls last week (we'd planned to find caches but due to the snow and cold temps we didn't look, but since we HAD planned to look and didn't, we therefore 'did not find' any of the 200 caches we'd planned to look for)

The idea that you DNF a cache without really looking for it seems odd. If we drive by, can't figure out parking or don't feel comfortable with the area, did we 'look'? If we climbed down the 200' of steel stairs into the Niagara Gorge, followed the trail (footprints in the snow) 50' to the top of the ice covered steps and chose not to decend them, we weren't 'not finding the cache' we were 'using common sense'. Were those caches there? Maybe?

Use your own judgement as to when to log a DNF. We all play by our own rules, GC just gives us guildlines to work within.

 

Wulf

[+Thot]

The idea that you DNF a cache without really looking for it seems odd.  If we drive by, can't figure out parking or don't feel comfortable with the area, did we 'look'?  If we climbed down the 200' of steel stairs into the Niagara Gorge, followed the trail (footprints in the snow) 50' to the top of the ice covered steps and chose not to decend them, we weren't 'not finding the cache' we were 'using common sense'.  Were those caches there? Maybe?

I'd lean toward posting DNFs under both of those cases.

 

Finding a place to park is part of finding the cache and was something about the cache location that stopped you from finding it. If I were a cacher after you I’d like to know I may not be able to find a parking place. It may cause the owner to add directions to a parking place or cause me to email the owner and ask.

 

In the second case some older or shaky cachers (like me) would like to know that AFTER they clime down 200’ of stairs, on an icy day, they may be stopped by icy steps. This is information other cachers can use that relates to the cache location and trying to find the cache.

Edited January 7, 2005 by Thot

[+Team Tigger International]

Finding a place to park is part of finding the cache and was something about the cache location that stopped you from finding it. If I were a cacher after you I’d like to know I may not be able to find a parking place. It may cause the owner to add directions to a parking place or cause me to email the owner and ask.

When I'm caching solo, parking for me can sometimes be a bit different than for most cachers. I'm kind of picky about where I like to park my big shiny Goldwing, so I'm likely to pass up on wet dirt roads and 'just park at the side of the road' opportunities. With my 'love' of gravel roads, it's a miracle I managed to log a few of the Metropark caches.

 

Wulf

[+IV_Warrior]

I log a DNF if I've been to "ground zero" and searched.

 

To me logging a DNF just because you planned to hunt for the cache and hit GOTO on the GPS, when you didn't even get out of the vehicle is useless. Worse than useless, actually, as it could push a useful log out of the "5 most recent" logs contained in the PQs.

[+strikeforce1]

I usually don’t log a DNF until I am sure I won’t be going back after it.

 

I try never to log a DNF, I’ll use a Post-A-Note to let the owner and other players know I attempted to find it. Or, Unless, I’m 100% sure it’s not there.

I’ve had to log only two DNF’s. One, I went back and found after someone else did find it. I just looked a little harder.

The other was definitely muggled.

 

A DNF log, could mean a few things,

a ) It’s missing, (at worst).

b ) It’s hid better than it’s rated, so I usually don’t give up till I’ve found it. I’m known not to give up.

c ) I only had a few minutes to search for it because of time constraints.

 

I’ve seen where cachers use the 7 minute rule per star, if it’s Dif rated is two star it should take less than 15 min. to find. Some use a 20 minute rule.

 

There are many interpretations, of what the standard meaning should be.

 

I think the type of logs should be something like:

1) Found it,

2) Hunted it, couldn’t locate it,

3) Found it.

4) Couldn’t find the parking.

 

SF1

[tri trackers]

If I get to "ground zero" and can't find the cache, even if I run out of time at ground zero, then it's a DNF.

 

I agree with this. We had plugged our coordinates in and hit "GOTO" and were right on top of coordinates when a Park Ranger told us he was locking the gates in 15 minutes. We knew we had a .5 mile hike/run back to the car (in sugar sand) and a 10 minute drive out of the park. I thought it better to not upset him and took the "DNF". We felt our log showed you would need to give yourself some time to find.

 

If we go to a site, plug in the coordinates hit "GOTO" and then decide not to leave the parking space. for example: rain, too crowded, no parking etc. We would post a note.

 

tri trackers

Edited January 9, 2005 by tri trackers

[+ZingerHead]

I think "useful DNF" is the key here. If I am planning a day of caching, and there is a cache on my route that was recently DNF'd by an experienced hand, I'll think twice about hunting it. If somebody got to the general vicinity of one of my caches and couldn't find it, I want a DNF logged so I can get out there and check up on the cache. In some cases the DNF logs can be entertaining in themselves, even if they offer no "useful" info, but logging a DNF 'cuz you changed your mind at the last minute doesn't quite clear that bar, IMHO. And as a paper-less cacher I have to side with IV_Warrior. The last 5 logs can be pretty useful when the reception and the hint are working against you on a tough cache. If three of them are "Didn't really hunt anything" DNF reports I'm down 3 potential sources of info.

 

On the flip side of this - NOT logging a DNF when you really DID search for the cache is a crime worthy of flogging!

[+txclif]

I log A DNF if I get to the cooridantes and cannot locate.