I don't see why some couldn't add a 25th finder, or a 100th finder prize.

There was a local planter here a few years ago who would do that. I got a 7th finder prize for a free icecream cone for instance.

Very mysterious . . . they don't sign logs

Yeah i've wondered about that myself.
This game is basically a, prove that you were THERE with a stamp image game. You prove that you found the box because you have the box image in your logbook that no one really sees but you. And to prove to others that you were actually physically at the box you LEAVE your signature stamp image in the box logbook.
Isn't that the basic idea? At least that's how i've been playing the game.
Maybe its not about proof? But then why do we leave our mark in the box? Have i wasted precious moments by inking up my signature stamp? Nah! i want the world to know i spent a fairly good portion of the last 6 years of my life hunting pieces of rubber in the forest/library/park/plinth. Its a badge i wear honorably ;)

deniserows
in a very small world

This game is basically a, prove that you were THERE with a stamp image game.

How I've always thought of it was that I'm taking the stamp image because it's usually a unique, one-time opportunity to see that image and it's a great keepsake to fun adventure. I'm leaving an image to thank the planter, let them know I enjoyed the box and I appreciate their effort. But then again, I'm probably not playing the game right anyway, with my just over 70 boxes in 3 years. Lol. On a side note, I think a fun thing to leave behind would be a planter's prize. ;)

Well, this thread has already been beat to death, but I was busy running an event yesterday. After reading most of this, I still feel like tossing in my two cents anyhow.

I live in an area that was already pretty saturated with boxes when I started, so in my early years I was rarely a first finder. I was hunting boxes that had been around for years, and even when newer ones fit into a boxing trip, they had already been found by a handful of locals before I got there. This never bothered me, because the concept of "first finder" wasn't even yet in my vocabulary.

After a few years, I progressed from a casual to obsessed boxer and started making certain I had every possible box in an ever expanding radius from my home. It got to the point that, with the exception of a couple unsolved mysteries, I had every box within 60 miles. So whenever a new one got planted closer to home, I was always the first finder. Not because I HAD to be, but because I could be, since I check both sites regularly for new plants, and I'm on the road all day for my job, allowing me to be in whatever area the new plant was without actually driving out of my way, just on my way home.

I now have a reputation locally as the one to beat to be first finder. But in all honesty, I don't care. The only time I specifically make an effort to be first is if it's one of the early plants of a new planter, since you never know how good a hiding spot they chose. Sometimes I'm the ONLY finder. But if it's a new plant by familiar long-time boxers, I don't worry because I know the box will be there when I get around to it, whether that's in a week, a month or a year.

I've been first finder on at least a few hundred boxes, and have a drawer I keep my many first finder prizes in (most are simple certificates, but some are really interesting or creative). But my favorite finds are always the really old boxes with really full logbooks. Seeing those older signature stamps from early boxers, and the longer comments about their hike and the weather and wild animals they saw along the way, make for a fascinating history. I love to flip through the pages and think about all the joy that has been brought to all those lives from one crudely carved little rubber stamp stashed in the woods or on a hill all those years ago.

Kelsung

If I were to acknowledge the FF, I still think the best way is by dedicating the first page in the log book (after the title page)....really jazz it up.

I've done this a couple times when I remember! I have some rub-ons that are in the shape of a picture frame so the page looked a little like a certificate.

I should dig those out because I have 3 logbooks to make...

IrishInks

I think I've now read the whole thread, and I think I have a slightly different twist on how to approach it. In our area, we also have some very active letterboxers, and one in particular who is almost always first finder. My younger son, MegaMonkey, is very competitive and would get very upset when a new clue would show up and we would get out there at our earliest convenience (not always rushing out, but when we could) and we were beaten to the box, by one or more 'boxers, but always by this one. One day not long after he had broken his arm, it was the beginning of summer break and he still was on doctor's orders to not be running around, so I was thrilled to see a new LB listing pop up that was a perfect drive by at a nearby park. It gave us something fun to go do. I told him that we may not beat this other guy, but maybe we could get there at the same time and meet him! So we dashed over and saw another car pull up at the same time, but it was a woman. Hmmmm. We were eyeing each other suspiciously. Turns out it was SJHunnyBunny (Sp? now known as Woman to Blame- Hi!) and we got to meet her for the first time. We couldn't believe we had beaten "the other guy" ...but when we got to the logbook, it turned out someone else had gotten there first. It was a relative of mine, who had introduced me to LBing, but who doesn't even post here. Small world. So I guess for us, especially in the summer time, we love dashing out to 'boxes as soon as they are posted, because it's like a big ol' party to see who you'll run into, all trying to get there first...but more just seeing who we'll meet! Yeah, not so stealthy, but it can be done if you know how :-).

I don't see why some couldn't add a 25th finder, or a 100th finder prize.

LOL. Around here, that would mean the prize would never get taken. Most boxes don't get more than 5 finders, absolute tops.

Thank you SO much to all of the people who replied and gave me some great opinions. That's what I wanted... to know if I was wrong for being disappointed in never being FF or not. Since reading everything, I've really changed my opinion on the whole topic which is great! I love hearing what others think. Isn't that what the boards are all about? Being FREE to ask questions and get lots of different opinions?

Whenever a new letterbox is listed in my area, there is a certain boxer who is ALWAYS first finder. Do you think that's fair to everyone else who would like to actually be a first finder just once

Only a thought if you'd like somebody else to be occasional FF. Blacklist them or others until the first find on the box and then un-blacklist them. They most likely won't even know : ) Just a thought on how you could spread it around.

I've gotten away from FF certificates but think I'll start adding something again, sort forgot about them to be honest

So MY choice, not anybody else's apparently, is to show that I'm a considerate member of the boxing community and give someone else that chance sometimes.

That statement implies that people who are eager to run out find new boxes as soon as they are listed are "inconsiderate", and that you are judging yourself to be more considerate (better) than other boxers. To which I say, why do you care if some else wants to rush out and find boxes? So what if they are always first? They earned it. If you want to be first, then you need to earn it to. It's not like school soccer where both sides get a trophy just for showing up.

It's not like school soccer where both sides get a trophy just for showing up.

Boy, now there's a can of worms . . . !

Only a thought if you'd like somebody else to be occasional FF. Blacklist them or others until the first find on the box and then un-blacklist them. They most likely won't even know : )

that works if you only list on AQ. If the boxes are also listed on LbNA and go out on the announce list, they will still get the listing.

Blacklist them or others until the first find on the box and then un-blacklist them. They most likely won't even know

I'd be mighty careful about doing this, though. People always seem to find stuff out--and THEN you've started a war!

I'd be mighty careful about doing this, though. People always seem to find stuff out--and THEN you've started a war!

Valid point
Tis why you're a WiseOldOwl
and I'm a turkey who have been known to drown in puddles

Blacklist them or others until the first find on the box and then un-blacklist them

A personal note: being blacklisted hurts. period. i wouldn't do it.

~tigs

Nope I would never blacklist the person. She is nice and a great planter etc in our area. I've only ever blacklisted one person and that was after talking it out with many of the local boxers. Some of us did it because boxes were being mistreated by them. I've even considered taking them off because they have seemed to start treating the boxes better now. That's a whole other thread-story :) I agree don't blacklist someone ever unless they are abusing boxes or something really serious like that. Just my opinion

I like being first finder when I'm able to be, which isn't often, but it is always a thrill to beat our local compulsive first finder. Thing is, I've met him a few times and I really like him, so it's hard to be annoyed by him. I call him "My Newman" (Seinfeld reference, as he is my nemesis).

Hello back to Monkeys! :)

Woman to Blame
(formerly known as SJ Honey Bunny)

I've debated all day long about whether I would answer Trailhead Tessie's questions to me. Here's what I think.....

A) I think this question has been talked TO DEATH already. LOL

B) I think we may have forgotten that the first question was for OPINIONS. That means what I think, versus what you think, versus every other person of the thousands reading these posts. And I think that we're all adult enough to have our own opinions without actually being rude to each other in the process. We should not create an atmosphere that newbies to the hobby can't ask questions for fear of the answers, and old timers feel uncomfortable bringing up topics because they don't want to 'shake the hornet's nest'.

C) I answered for myself, for my OWN behavior and choices, because that's all in the world I'm responsible for. I was explaining the choices I make for MYSELF.

D) I do want to answer one statement just in the interests of clarity. Trailhead Tessie said "They earned it. If you want to be first, then you need to earn it to.". I am not, nor will I EVER, expect anyone to wait for me or give me something I didn't earn. If I want FFer, I'll get FFer. If I want someone specific to be FFer on one of my boxes, I'll make that happen. Period. I never said that I want people not to be FFer so that ** I ** could get it...I said I don't try to run out and be FFer so that OTHER people will have the opportunity. Not in this community nor anywhere else will you ever convince me that's an inappropriate choice for me to make because that's MY choice.

E) They aren't posting, but I can assure you there are many others who feel as I do. I know that, because they've told me both today and many, many times in the past. Most people just aren't willing or able to step out and disagree in public like I can. But I assure you, I'm doing it without anger or the intent to insult any person here.

I value each and every person in this forum who cares enough to think about the issues which face our hobby with thought and consideration. How boring we would be if we always agreed! But I don't want to be misunderstood, which is easy to do on an online forum, and I don't want it to be said that I expect anyone to give me anything. That's simply not the way I am as a person. Hopefully the reputation all of us create in our worlds, with the people that know us and have the pleasure of spending time with, understand us better than written words in online forums. I'm not perfect, but I do try to make the choices that feel 'right' to me every day, and hopefully that stands for itself. I would only ask that everyone else does the same thing, and our hobby will endure.

And, as Forrest Gump says, that's all I have to say about that. <nodding>

GreyCrazy

Well said, Greycrazy!

Gee, I would think a simpler method would be to AQ-mail the clues directly to a few locals who rarely get FF honors about a week before you list the clues.

Um, you talked about someone on a public board but you didn't think it would get back to her?

I never saw a name...but if someone surmised who it was.....then there you are!
Everyone needs to remember this is a hobby......if something rubs you the wrong way, back away. Some wise person once said.....(and I take liberties here) you can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all of the time. Maybe some of the offense is feeling badly because some of what has been said is hitting home.
I don't know....just sayin'.......

Maybe you could plant a box for your kids and give them the clue first

I did this for my kids way back when we started boxing. I planted one and let them "proof" the clues and stamp in. I figured it was my box and I could do that. Gosh, that was pre-AQ days!

I also had the very sweet boxer Ruby Tuesday of the Celtic Lions (some of you remember her) offer to send my kids a brand-new hitchhiker for them to launch. They were overjoyed.

At the time I started, there weren't many new boxes here. They'd all been planted and found already. The kids finally got the chance to be FF on a few and the charm wore off. Now they just want to find them and they like seeing the other stamps in the books. :-)

Knit Wit

I did this for my kids way back when we started boxing. I planted one and let them "proof" the clues and stamp in.

My only grandson lives in Indiana and has been coming out alone for a visit every summer since he was 5. That's about the only time we see him unless we go there for Christmas. We started boxing in '07 when he was 8 was here and he really enjoyed it. We each made our own logbooks and used craft foam to make stamps. I wanted to make sure he found something, so I put together 2 boxes and hid them in the local park just for him to find. I pulled them after that. I thought that he might be able to go boxing after he got home, but that didn't happen. His parents are divorced and he was living with his mother, who didn't take him. His dad took him once. That was it. So, the only time he gets to go is when he comes here. I have a number of boxes planted in my area now. I don't save them out for him to be first, but on several occasions it's worked that way. But last year I carved some stamps to send to an event though, and if I hadn't sent them out before he came, so I set up a night-boxing trail (they all had a star theme) So, he was the first finder, but I don't think he cared as much about being first as just having a fun hunt and finding the stamp. As for me, I think I've been FF maybe twice out of 200 finds. It's fun, but I actually prefer getting to see a lot of sig stamps of people who got there before me.

It's a game, people. We're hunting tupperware in the woods. Enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Totally agree Tigs!!!

Hey, why didn't my quote box that I copied appear like everyone elses does???

Did you put double {{ around each end of the copied sentence?

Nope, that'll do it. I must've missed that on the AQ etiquette. ;)

Its right at the top of the "Post a Message" page, like the one I'm on now replying to this... Its one of those things that's always there but most of the time you look right over it...

If you remember it though, its always right there when you are replying to a post. Good luck TD! And see ya in a few days! ;)

I work into the morning of the project, but will get a few hours sleep before heading out. Can't wait!!!