Finding caches bfore publication and/or a GPS

[+HB-vanislelady]

Recently while geocaching an area I happened upon a cache hide that had not yet been published and there fore proceeded to find two others in obvious spots. These caches were not marked as geocaches, no name, no GC#, no indication of what, who, etc.(against guidelines) I also actively looked for them when the series was published while I was in the area and found another of the series that had not yet been published.

 

There also seems to be a problem with finding a published cache without the use of a GPS.

 

The following comments have been published on some of these caches:

 

" However actively searching for caches prior to publication without the use of a GPS does not comply with geocaching 101 fundamental rules nor is it in the spirit of the game. "

 

" we didn't need to use a gps to make the find. We know it is against Groundspeak guidelines which state we must use one"

 

So although I know that I will get thrashed for actively pursuing a cache before publication and logging the find, that does not bother me in the least.

 

However, my questions/queries are:

Where does it say that you cannot log a find on an unpublished cache?

Where does it say that a GPS is mandatory?

 

One more question:

 

Where does it say that you cannot look for an unpublished cache?

 

I am just confused about where they pulled these fictional rules/guidelines from. I have gone over everything and found nothing even pertaining to it.

Edited October 14, 2014 by HB-vanislelady

[+K13]

You aren't going to find those requirements in the guidelines.

 

A GPS device is mandatory for PLACING a cache, not for finding one....they are confused (or upset that you found their cache before it was published)

 

As to logging an unpublished cache, once it is online, it can be logged. Once it is in the field, anyone can stumble across it and sign the log inside, whether it is online or not.

 

Welcome to the club of those who have found a cache prior to it being published. I've done that a couple of times so far.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Actually, they are only jealous of your skills.

Further proven by the fact that they haven't the foggiest of what the guidelines do/do not say, apparently.

[+Chrysalides]

Where does it say that you cannot log a find on an unpublished cache?

Where does it say that a GPS is mandatory?

Nowhere in the Groundspeak guidelines.

 

You cannot log it online if it is unpublished for the obvious reason that you cannot access the page, but once it is published, there is nothing to prevent you from back-dating your find to the date you actually found it. Some FTF hounds, and some cache owners, may get a bit snippy about it, and exemplifies exactly what can be wrong with the whole FTF game. Most, however, treat it like what it is - a game.

[+HB-vanislelady]

One more question:

 

Where does it say that you cannot look for an unpublished cache?

 

I am just confused about where they pulled these fictional rules/guidelines from. I have gone over everything and found nothing even pertaining to it...

[+BCandMsKitty]

One more question:

 

Where does it say that you cannot look for an unpublished cache?

 

I am just confused about where they pulled these fictional rules/guidelines from. I have gone over everything and found nothing even pertaining to it...

 

This has been already answered very well.

[+ChileHead]

If you can find a cache before it's published, good for you!

 

Anybody complaining is just a sore sport that they were the first loser.

[+Chief301]

There is no guideline stating that you must use a GPS to find a Geocache. Whether you used a handheld GPS, a smartphone app, a map and compass (yes, some folks prefer to do it this way), just an educated guess after studying the map, or even just stumbled on it by accident, a find is a find. If you found the container and signed the log, you are entitled to claim the find. Period. That's one of the few hard and fast rules of the game.

 

Those who are whining about your find probably do recall reading something about "a GPS device must be used"....they misremembered or misinterpreted the guideline that states that a GPS device must be used for PLACING a cache. There is no such requirement for finding one.

[+niraD]

Where does it say that you cannot look for an unpublished cache?

It doesn't. I've given a number of geocaching classes where I've had my students search for unpublished caches. There's nothing wrong with searching for unpublished caches. Geocaching is not owned by Groundspeak or by the geocaching.com site.

 

I am just confused about where they pulled these fictional rules/guidelines from. I have gone over everything and found nothing even pertaining to it...

Well, fictional rules/guidelines can be that way sometimes...

 

Different people have different ideas about what is or is not in the spirit of Real Geocaching™.

 

I think numbers run trails that encourage "shortcuts" like leapfrogging or the three cache monte are not in the spirit of Real Geocaching™. Others think that finding a geocache before it is published on the geocaching.com site is not in the spirit of Real Geocaching™. Others think that finding a geocache without using a GPS device of some sort is not in the spirit of Real Geocaching™. Others think that puzzle caches are not in the spirit of Real Geocaching™. Others think... well, others think any number of things are not in the spirit of Real Geocaching™.

 

And none of it really matters to Groundspeak or to anyone else.