Dreaming Of Being Ftf!

[+randnix]

Hey, does anyone know a good way to find cache's that are brand new in a specific area? I want to be FTF -- I've been dreaming about it my whole Geocaching life, but I never seem to be able to locate cache's no one else has found yet!

 

Is there some search tool I'm unaware of? I thought if I searched all of, for instance, Dallas, then I could sort by date placed, but I can't do that and there is no search (that I've found) by date.

 

Any ideas, or is it just a manual process of scrolling through each page of a search looking for a new one?

 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

REN

[+IV_Warrior]

Well, as a premium member you can set up a Pocket Query. Either using the "have not been found" checkbox, or limiting by "date placed" should give you just new caches.

(Unless, of course, there's a old cache that nobody's found, then the first option will show it, but if your goad is to go after FTF's, it still fits)

 

If you set up the query, and DON'T select a day for it to run, you can then use the "run the search" link to view the results online, like a regular search page, without "wasting" one of your 5 daily PQ's.

[+tands]

I just go to my account and click on 'Newest in South Carolina' about, oh, every 2 hours or so every day. An FTF opportunity lasts at most 12 hours in our area. Many are found within 2 hours of posting. Most of our FTFs required either heading out at bedtime (when new caches are born, usually!), or getting up at 5am, or remembering that Dentist Appointment (yeah that's it!) and leaving work. These tactics have been good enough to make 10% of our finds FTFs.

 

- T of TandS

Edited May 21, 2005 by tands

[WH]

Locally, the FTF is pretty competitive. You have to be ready to dash out the door the moment you see a new cache listed, day, night, rain or shine.

 

I've been known to set my alarm to check cache listings at 3AM so I can make a FTF dash in the early morning darkness.

Edited May 21, 2005 by WH

[+CoastieGeorge]

Also do more checking on the listings on say monday night tuesday early morning. Even sunday night, monday morning. Everybody goes out caching on weekends (yeah we do it every other dotw) and have whole days free to spend the time it takes to place caches and then submit them to the approvers. Then you have to give the approvers time too. In my opinion monday nights will provide the best new cache results but there will be scattered new caches through the week.

[+ChileHead]

I just go to my account and click on 'Newest in South Carolina' about, oh, every 2 hours or so every day. An FTF opportunity lasts at most 12 hours in our area. Many are found within 2 hours of posting. Most of our FTFs required either heading out at bedtime (when new caches are born, usually!), or getting up at 5am, or remembering that Dentist Appointment (yeah that's it!) and leaving work. These tactics have been good enough to make 10% of our finds FTFs.

 

- T of TandS

If you're not there within 2 hours here, then you have very little chance. I've been to many caches within 20-30 minutes of being listed, and I'm already second. Most of my FTFs (I've got about 70 or so) are nighttime finds or before 6:30am.

[+Kit Fox]

Any ideas, or is it just a manual process of scrolling through each page of a search looking for a new one?

 

Once you find all of the caches hidden in your area, any new caches will be listed on the first page, when you click the link to find nearest, unfound caches.

 

There is no trophy for having the most FTFs, it is way overrated .

 

I found most of my 57 FTFs to and from work. My most succesful hours for being FTF on caches is between 0530 and 0630 in the morning. I have logged a few FTFs after 2300 hours, when I work 16 hour shifts.

 

On one occasion, I left my house at 0400 hours to find a cache that had a Yellow Jeep TB. I searched in the dark for almost and hour (geometry related cache) and got FTF, and the Jeep.

 

FTF is a question of how dedicated you want to be.

[+Runaround]

There is no trophy for having the most FTFs, it is way overrated .

Amen. 85th to find is just as fun.

 

The one that cracks me up are the people that brag about STF, second to find!?!?! As if anyone cares.

[T@rget]

I assume most people in my area just check the Rhode Island cache page for newly listed caches. I guess its really easy when you live on the border of a state the size of your fist. Texas is a different story.

 

I guess you could always bribe your local approver for some conveniently timed cache approvals

[+ChileHead]

There is no trophy for having the most FTFs, it is way overrated .

You mean, you don't compete in the annual FTF olympics? Sure, there are no trophys, but I really like the gold medals.

[+briansnat]

If you're not there within 2 hours here, then you have very little chance. I've been to many caches within 20-30 minutes of being listed, and I'm already second. Most of my FTFs (I've got about 70 or so) are nighttime finds or before 6:30am.

 

I guess it depends on the region. In northern NJ caches can go for days before the FTF.

[+tands]

We don't dash out instantaneously (but within 2 hrs or so) because we are just so nice that we want others to get FTFs every now and then! So we throttle it back just a tad.

 

- T of TandS

[+AuntieWeasel]

I assume most people in my area just check the Rhode Island cache page for newly listed caches.  I guess its really easy when you live on the border of a state the size of your fist.  Texas is a different story.

No, no, no...it's really hard when you live in a teeny place like poor little Rhode Island. Small area, lots of dedicated new cache watchers. Really, the casual player doesn't stand a chance.

 

I got my one and only FTF quite by accident, as a newbie. And then only because four new caches appeared over a Friday night in one small area. There were at least five of us chasing each other around at dawn like Keystone Kops. I managed to get to one of them first, but two people walked up on me as I logged. My FTF prize? Squishy frog.

 

I pretty much decided that wasn't a variant of the game I much wanted to play.

[+tands]

Here's another strategy. Pal up with other crazed FTFF (First To Find Freaks) and agree to go for them together. That way if it's a puzzle cache you can work together on that and meet up to share the find. S and I fired up a cache right at the end of one of our Geoholic Meetings that was pretty tough and let everyone who attended work together for the FTF.

 

- T

[+Isonzo Karst]

Join or create a state association, or at least a website, then get the FTF nuts together to spend a couple hundred dollars on software and bribery for the hours of labor your webmaster will need to set up something like this Florida First to Find Opportunities the Nomad is King!

[T@rget]

I assume most people in my area just check the Rhode Island cache page for newly listed caches.  I guess its really easy when you live on the border of a state the size of your fist.  Texas is a different story.

No, no, no...it's really hard when you live in a teeny place like poor little Rhode Island. Small area, lots of dedicated new cache watchers. Really, the casual player doesn't stand a chance.

 

I got my one and only FTF quite by accident, as a newbie. And then only because four new caches appeared over a Friday night in one small area. There were at least five of us chasing each other around at dawn like Keystone Kops. I managed to get to one of them first, but two people walked up on me as I logged. My FTF prize? Squishy frog.

 

I pretty much decided that wasn't a variant of the game I much wanted to play.

I didn't mean getting the FTF was easy, I meant checking for new caches in the area is easy. If you live in Rhode Island and see a new cache has been listed, you know it is close.

[+cudlecub]

It's often tuff to be a FTF. Especially when you consider being in an area with a lot of serious cachers. Shoot....we have a FTF uhh uhhh I'll say fanatic in a neighboring town who came into the area to rack up on FTF's for an event. There were approximately 20 new caches in the surrounding area who's coords were slightly off until the night before the event. He went around picking up all the ftf until about 5:30 am and slept in his car until the event started at 10 pm.

 

But getting back to a suggestion on getting a FTF. When I log on to gc.com I will always check the state Iive in for most recent hides. There's times one will pop up just down the road from me and I get the opportunity to grab it. I'm sittingon a little more than 700 finds and only 15 FTF. That's a low percentage in my book, and you alway have to consider if you want to be the FTF the coords are wrong? hahahaha I wish you the best in the search for the elusive FTF.

[+Miragee]

The only FTF I have to my credit was at the end of a relatively long, steep hike. Our local FTF hero (with more than 100 FTFs in just over 15 months of caching) wasn't in the mood for a hike that day. (Thank you, Chuy. )

 

In three weeks, only one other person has made the trip.

 

Anything easier than that and I never would have had a chance in this competitive FTF arena here.

[Golden_Spike]

I think the best thing one can do to help themselves get ftfs is to check the listing very often. I like to log into my account and find the caches closest to my home coordinates with the finds filtered out. The newest in _______ state is also good, as long as you know the names of the big hiders in your area.

 

Chilehead - you shoulda come down to Canandaigua today!

[+ChileHead]

Chilehead - you shoulda come down to Canandaigua today!

Hey, I can't get all the FTFs!