CACHE FOUND BEFORE PUBLISHED?

[+orienteeer]

how does this happen?

 

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5R4VV_milling-about

[+cerberus1]

Buncha folks found it during an event (was placed for 'em) and it opened up afterwards.

[+palmetto]

I assume the cache info was released at the event that finders attended on April 11. The reviewer published it the next day.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

The first thing to do is look for the FTF claim. There is none!

 

It was part of an event, then published afterwards.

[+uxorious]

how does this happen?

 

http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC5R4VV_milling-about

I can think of several ways they may have gotten the coordinates before the cache was published.

 

I once hid a cache while camping for the weekend near here. Later I met some cachers from out of state that were camping near me. In conversation, I mentioned I had just hid a new cache, and offered to give them the name and coordinates if they wanted to go find it.

 

They had to leave that day, so turned down the offer, but if they had taken me up on it, they would have found it before it was published.

 

with my slow typing, I see a couple other ways offered above.

[Andronicus]

Remember, FTF is a statment of fact and does not conform to your personal set of rules, and has nothing to do with the time a cache was published on geocaching.com.

 

I have done similar things for events. For each of my 3 Halloween events, I put out a cache, got preliminary approval from my reviewer, then at 1200h on 31 October, posted the coordinates on my event page. FTF was around 1300h. When the cache was published a day or so later, the page stated that FTF was already taken, so don't bother trying for it.

 

If anyone has a problem with that it is really too bad for them. It is my cache and I can do what ever I want with it withing the guidlines.

 

Other ways this can happen is:

 

-published earlyer on another cache listing site

-found by blind luck

-found by COs friend while 'testing' the coordinates

 

There are other potental ways it could happen, and they are all OK. If the CO knows about FTF happening before publishing, it would be courteous of him/her to mention it on the cache page, but again, not required.

[+dprovan]

Remember, FTF is a statment of fact and does not conform to your personal set of rules, and has nothing to do with the time a cache was published on geocaching.com.

I say the exact opposite: FTF is a matter of opinion, so if you think you're FTF, don't worry about people with different opinions about it.

 

Although this seems off topic since I don't see any argument over FTF honors in this case. The OP, in particular, hasn't found it yet, so I have no reason to think he was worried about any FTF claims.

 

If anyone has a problem with that it is really too bad for them. It is my cache and I can do what ever I want with it withing the guidlines.

It's true you can write whatever you want in your cache's description, but it's also true that no one has to listen to you if they disagree with your opinion about whether they're FTF.

[Andronicus]

Remember, FTF is a statment of fact and does not conform to your personal set of rules, and has nothing to do with the time a cache was published on geocaching.com.

I say the exact opposite: FTF is a matter of opinion, so if you think you're FTF, don't worry about people with different opinions about it.

 

Although this seems off topic since I don't see any argument over FTF honors in this case. The OP, in particular, hasn't found it yet, so I have no reason to think he was worried about any FTF claims.

 

If anyone has a problem with that it is really too bad for them. It is my cache and I can do what ever I want with it withing the guidlines.

It's true you can write whatever you want in your cache's description, but it's also true that no one has to listen to you if they disagree with your opinion about whether they're FTF.

These metaphysical discussions are why FTF should never be a Getting Started topic (especialy one with a title in all caps).

 

While I agree with you that anyone can clame to be FTF (supporting your 'opinion' theory), FTF is actualy the First to Find. Others can think or claim whatever they like (as you indicated), but if they weren't first, they arn't first.

 

FTF is an acronym for First To Find. It is not an acronym for:

-First To Find After Publishing On Geocaching.com.

-Cacher who REALY REALY REALY want to be First To Find.

-Cacher who want to be first to find so badly that s/he convinces him/her self that s/he is first to find while all other cachers know s/he was actualy second, and are now snickering behind his/her back.

-First to be with the hider when s/he hid the cache. (ok, this one is arguable. Personaly, I don't think you can FIND something when you already know where it is, otherwise all of us COs would be 'finding' our own caches)