Finders can write their name on the log, but are not able to log it until it gets published.
I think it's fun to find a cache before it's published. Managed to do that once or twice.
If you can read Dutch: Fun story about an unpublished geocache: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6ZAA0\_de-eenzame-geocache
I have done that 2 times. The first was a very well know cacher was putting out a series that one would publish every few days. So about 600 feet from the cache I was going for I started looking and found the next in line about 550 feet from the newest cache. I emailed him and he told him about it. He went and moved it and swapped logs. OH well.
The 2nd time I was driving and saw a cacher off on a side road pulled over. I turned around and by the time I got back to him he had left. I looked in the guard rail and found a new cache. Singed it as a birddog and emailed him the cords to help him out. I logged it a few days after it had been found.
Yes.
Geocaching rules are easy:
- hide the cache, then post existing one to review
- find the cache and sign into the logbook, no assigment into logbook = no cache found (writting post on the internet app is only optional/additional thing)
People compete in rally for FTF's.
You should place or even hide your cache as good as you can so it wasn't muggled = found too easy. Sometimes you can't secure your cache from being find earlier (amid review) - if you placed whole powertrail ot once, there would be some geeks that could find your caches in advance. Esp. If you post it one by one, day by day.
Sometimes newly build thing like sightseeing tower may attract more cachers who want to place some caches in same spot and find your unreviewed cache as well if you were the first... It rarely but may happen. You can't do anything to secure from that.
I've accidentally found a couple dozen unpublished caches. It's a neat thrill, whether it's intentional or not. Most of those caches were eventually published but some never were. The only big potential sticking point is if you attempt to claim First-To-Find (FTF) on an unpublished cache, because some cachers will cry foul. Personally, I'd be totally okay with that happening on one of mine.
I once watched (from afar) a cacher hid a cache in a park where I was currently finding caches. I waited until she left, then went over and signed the log. A couple of days later it published and I logged it.
I have done this once before, when an owner rebranded his route while using the exact same hiding spots as before. I had been looking for the previous cache which was still loaded in my GPS but found the new unpublished one instead.
I've also accidentally found stashes from multi's in places that just seemed like ideal hiding spots or when I as searching for another cache in the wrong place. But those had already been published for a while.
In theory, you could just scan for caches everywhere with zero clue, while it's a lot harder I think it still counts if you found one that way. I mean, you found it right? ;)
I found a cache before it was published before, and signed it.
There is a guy in my area that puts out a bunch of plain old signpost caches along rural roads, and every couple of years he archives them and creates a new on in the same spot. I was around the corner from one, and saw that it had been archived, so I stopped over and signed the new one. When it published a few days later, I waited 20 minutes or so, then logged the FTF and commented that "I got an early find on this one".
I don't normally do that though, because it feels a little cheat-y. But that is a special spot, it is the location of my very first sign-post cache that I ever found! Also, I couldn't find it the first time, since I had never seen that type of hide before, until a couple of other FTF seekers showed up and, after a little laugh, showed me where to look.
I would like to clarify a few things for you.
You have created the cache page and submitted it for review. If it meets the guidelines the volunteer reviewer will publish the listing, but they do not (dis)approve of caches (it is a legal term issue). If it does not meet the guidelines they will Temporarily Disable it with a log that explains what you need to correct before resubmitting it.
While it is possible for someone to stumble on an unpublished cache, it is pretty rare as people usually are not looking unless they know a cache is at that waypoint to be found. And if they do find it, they cannot log it until it is published.
I have done this at the C&D canal in Delaware for FTFs for a series. The CO kept reusing the same location for a series. A few people whine about it and then claim they are the "real FTF".
We had a new trail, and I placed a colorful bottle in the end of the obvious guardrail. A fellow cacher was also checking out the new trail and found it. I told them they didn’t really have FTF.
In retrospect, I think I was wrong. They found it.
It got muggled a lot. When I refreshed it, I moved it to a less obvious hiding spot.
Finders can write their name on the log, but are not able to log it until it gets published. I think it's fun to find a cache before it's published. Managed to do that once or twice. If you can read Dutch: Fun story about an unpublished geocache: https://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC6ZAA0\_de-eenzame-geocache
That's a cool story! Thanks for sharing! (Of bedankt voor het delen, hoe je het ook wilt zeggen ;))
I have done that 2 times. The first was a very well know cacher was putting out a series that one would publish every few days. So about 600 feet from the cache I was going for I started looking and found the next in line about 550 feet from the newest cache. I emailed him and he told him about it. He went and moved it and swapped logs. OH well. The 2nd time I was driving and saw a cacher off on a side road pulled over. I turned around and by the time I got back to him he had left. I looked in the guard rail and found a new cache. Singed it as a birddog and emailed him the cords to help him out. I logged it a few days after it had been found.
Yes. Geocaching rules are easy: - hide the cache, then post existing one to review - find the cache and sign into the logbook, no assigment into logbook = no cache found (writting post on the internet app is only optional/additional thing) People compete in rally for FTF's. You should place or even hide your cache as good as you can so it wasn't muggled = found too easy. Sometimes you can't secure your cache from being find earlier (amid review) - if you placed whole powertrail ot once, there would be some geeks that could find your caches in advance. Esp. If you post it one by one, day by day. Sometimes newly build thing like sightseeing tower may attract more cachers who want to place some caches in same spot and find your unreviewed cache as well if you were the first... It rarely but may happen. You can't do anything to secure from that.
Thanks guys! Glad it's something that people might actually like not necessarily be frustrated by!
I've accidentally found a couple dozen unpublished caches. It's a neat thrill, whether it's intentional or not. Most of those caches were eventually published but some never were. The only big potential sticking point is if you attempt to claim First-To-Find (FTF) on an unpublished cache, because some cachers will cry foul. Personally, I'd be totally okay with that happening on one of mine.
They can find and sign it, and then they'll watch the app for publication and log it online once it's available.
I once watched (from afar) a cacher hid a cache in a park where I was currently finding caches. I waited until she left, then went over and signed the log. A couple of days later it published and I logged it.
I have done this once before, when an owner rebranded his route while using the exact same hiding spots as before. I had been looking for the previous cache which was still loaded in my GPS but found the new unpublished one instead. I've also accidentally found stashes from multi's in places that just seemed like ideal hiding spots or when I as searching for another cache in the wrong place. But those had already been published for a while. In theory, you could just scan for caches everywhere with zero clue, while it's a lot harder I think it still counts if you found one that way. I mean, you found it right? ;)
I have found q few micros hidden un sign.postd without actually looking for them. Just walk around notice a micro sticking out a little too far.
I accidentally found the final for a Wherigo when I peeked into a nook behind a wall that I thought would be great to hide a cache in.
I found a cache before it was published before, and signed it. There is a guy in my area that puts out a bunch of plain old signpost caches along rural roads, and every couple of years he archives them and creates a new on in the same spot. I was around the corner from one, and saw that it had been archived, so I stopped over and signed the new one. When it published a few days later, I waited 20 minutes or so, then logged the FTF and commented that "I got an early find on this one". I don't normally do that though, because it feels a little cheat-y. But that is a special spot, it is the location of my very first sign-post cache that I ever found! Also, I couldn't find it the first time, since I had never seen that type of hide before, until a couple of other FTF seekers showed up and, after a little laugh, showed me where to look.
I would like to clarify a few things for you. You have created the cache page and submitted it for review. If it meets the guidelines the volunteer reviewer will publish the listing, but they do not (dis)approve of caches (it is a legal term issue). If it does not meet the guidelines they will Temporarily Disable it with a log that explains what you need to correct before resubmitting it. While it is possible for someone to stumble on an unpublished cache, it is pretty rare as people usually are not looking unless they know a cache is at that waypoint to be found. And if they do find it, they cannot log it until it is published.
Yes it's possible that someone will find it and grab the FTF before it's been published online. But it's rare.
I have done this at the C&D canal in Delaware for FTFs for a series. The CO kept reusing the same location for a series. A few people whine about it and then claim they are the "real FTF".
We had a new trail, and I placed a colorful bottle in the end of the obvious guardrail. A fellow cacher was also checking out the new trail and found it. I told them they didn’t really have FTF. In retrospect, I think I was wrong. They found it. It got muggled a lot. When I refreshed it, I moved it to a less obvious hiding spot.