Retiring From Bugging

[+dankell]

As of today I am now giving up all interest in Travel Bugs.

 

Why?

 

The second of my batch of 5 that were sent into the wild has had it's mascot stolen. The first was my first ever TB, which changed from a hare to a mouse (the bug's name was Hare Today!!!).

 

Now I find that the bug my GF set out from her fathers house in Thailand to come back to the UK has been stolen. The Thai elephant, embroidered with the tags name, and with the tag stiched onto it, has gone missing.

 

I just can't bring myself to put the time into thinking about descriptions, tracking movements, and investing time if peoople are going to spoil it.

 

I think I'd have rathered that the two of them had just dropped off the edge of the world

 

Dan

[+reveritt]

Too bad...it happens...why not try again?

[+Colorado Cacher]

As of today I am now giving up all interest in Travel Bugs.

 

Why?

 

The second of my batch of 5 that were sent into the wild has had it's mascot stolen. The first was my first ever TB, which changed from a hare to a mouse (the bug's name was Hare Today!!!).

 

Now I find that the bug my GF set out from her fathers house in Thailand to come back to the UK has been stolen. The Thai elephant, embroidered with the tags name, and with the tag stiched onto it, has gone missing.

 

I just can't bring myself to put the time into thinking about descriptions, tracking movements, and investing time if peoople are going to spoil it.

 

I think I'd have rathered that the two of them had just dropped off the edge of the world

 

Dan

I agree. Have put out many, many only to have em stolen after many miles. Had a few put out brand new and never even made more than three stops.

 

Why do I need to spend money on a cause thats being stolen, not shared.

[+kentuckygirls]

We had a TB called Quaterback sneak, the mascot survived but the tags disappeared in the first cache we placed it in. Nobody had logged in the cache since us. It makes me mad but like everyone says once you put it in a cache expect to never see it again.

[+GrnXnham]

The simple solution to this is to put out MORE travel bugs. If you have a bunch of them traveling around out there, you won't fuss so much when one or two disappear.

 

People are people, so bugs are going to get lost or stolen by other cachers. There is not a thing we can do about it but release even more TB's!

[+BlueDeuce]

I don't know, that reminds me of the old -have a bunch of kids so a few survive- mentality

 

I think I pay enough for bugs that extra steps should be taken to not lose the ones I release.

 

I think proper logging/care should take a higer status over preventing people from dropping bugs in TB hotel prisons. And you know much I hate TB prisons.

Edited September 22, 2005 by BlueDeuce

[Mustcache]

One thing they can't steal (or lose) is the TB number. It's yours. If your bug is gone, make your own tab with the number on it and release it again. This time maybe you can attach it to something that isn't apt to get stolen.

[RexBloodman]

I would not use the chain that is supplied with the tag. Make it more permenent as in using a rivet through the hole and the item.

[+the hermit crabs]

I understand exactly how the OP feels -- I feel that way frequently myself.

 

Bugs go missing; we know that before we get into it. It's almost like a game to see if you can get yours to outlive its pitifully short life expectancy:

• you try not to make it too cute, or too valuable, or collectible, so it's not too tempting for someone to keep.
  
• you try not to make it too ugly, or else it might end up sinking to the bottom of a TB prison, becoming a the permanent satisfier of the "there must be a minimum of X bugs is this cache" rule.
  
• you try not to make it too small, so that it doesn't lost in the regular cache-clutter.
  
• you try not to make it too big, or people will give up trying to find a cache to squeeze it into, and just toss it in their kids' toybox.
  
• you try to make it out of good materials -- nothing fragile or breakable, nothing prone to getting mildewed or rusty, something that can withstand heat and cold and dampness and accidental drops to the pavement.
  
• you attach a tag or goal sheet or something so that newbies understand that this is not something to keep, but should be logged and passed around.
  
• you try to think of a goal for it that people will think is fun, and not something so difficult that no one wants to bother with it.
  

You do all this stuff, and still they disappear. People lose them. People forget they have them. People have sudden health emergencies or other changes in their lives and bug-logging drops way down on their list of priorities. New cachers pick them up and aren't able to figure out what to do with them. People quit caching. Caches with bugs in them get carried away in floods, or thrown away by people who think they're trash, or blown up by the occasional bomb squad . When bugs vanish that way, you just shrug and maybe send out some more. It's part of the game.

 

But... when there is someone who is rounding up all local bugs by the dozens, just for the sake of stealing them or destroying them -- that's different. Bugs disappearing in other ways is usually due to thoughtlessness or carelessness or accident. Bugs disappearing this way is due to sheer malice, and there is no defense against it.

 

And it's not the loss of some plastic trinket and a five-dollar tag that makes me consider "retiring from bugging", as the OP put it... it's that the bug pirates make me think less of people in general. It's depressing to start thinking "People are such jerks!" just because of a few malicious ones -- but I find myself thinking that way anyway.

 

And then after I'm all cranky and feeling like running random people over with a cement mixer, I'll get a really nice bug log like this one one or this one, and then decide that maybe I'll keep playing for a little while longer.

Edited September 22, 2005 by the hermit crabs

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

As of today I am now giving up all interest in Travel Bugs.

 

Why?

 

The second of my batch of 5 that were sent into the wild has had it's mascot stolen. The first was my first ever TB, which changed from a hare to a mouse (the bug's name was Hare Today!!!).

 

Now I find that the bug my GF set out from her fathers house in Thailand to come back to the UK has been stolen. The Thai elephant, embroidered with the tags name, and with the tag stiched onto it, has gone missing.

 

I just can't bring myself to put the time into thinking about descriptions, tracking movements, and investing time if peoople are going to spoil it.

 

I think I'd have rathered that the two of them had just dropped off the edge of the world

 

Dan

But, but, that's just how some people choose to play the game. At least that's what this post says.

 

How dare you judge other people just because stealing travel bugs is the way they play and you don't agree with it, eh?

[+BlueDeuce]

Well ya, but I'm more concerned about the ones I paid for and put my efforts and maybe even my heart into. Not some freaking commercial.

 

Remember the couch/wife/beer thing? I'm still serious, the things that are important.

Edited September 22, 2005 by BlueDeuce

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

Well ya, but I'm more concerned about the ones I paid for and put my efforts and maybe even my heart into. Not some freaking commercial.

 

Remember the couch/wife/beer thing? I'm still serious, the things that are important.

Yeah, I remember. I know what's important, and I know you do, too. There are some others, though, that don't quite seem to understand - for them it's all anout how many Jeeps are on the desk, or how many icons are in their profile. Then they turn around and point the finger at YOU as if you're the one with the problem. Go figure.

 

I'm thinking I should relocate or just plain steal every CACHE I find, not just the bugs, and then when the high-and-mighty "shut up about the jeep" crowd pitches a fit about it, just telling them to stop whining about the way others choose to play and enjoy the game.

[+BlueDeuce]

I hear ya, but that's not you.

[+ParrotRobAndCeCe]

You're right. I would never actually do that because I have consideration for others - AND their enjoyment of the game.

 

Wish it were the same for everyone.

[+GeoBlank]

I think education is one problem why TBs get stolen.

 

Many people can't seem to log them in or out of caches. Those same people probably have kids that think they are neat and keep them as swag.

 

I think if GC.com did a bit more TB education the logging would be more accurate and the TB disapearance rate would go down.

 

My kids often see swag and want the swag not realizing it is a TB. I make sure that they know the difference and trade accordingly.

 

Education the masses!

[+Ambrosia]

The simple solution to this is to put out MORE travel bugs. If you have a bunch of them traveling around out there, you won't fuss so much when one or two disappear.

 

People are people, so bugs are going to get lost or stolen by other cachers. There is not a thing we can do about it but release even more TB's!

This is true. When you actually get a tb to make it's goal, it's just that much sweeter in light of the others that never make it.

 

Another thing to consider...send some out that don't have precious things attatched. That way it doesn't hurt so much when they dissapear.

[+The Leprechauns]

I think education is one problem why TBs get stolen.

 

Many people can't seem to log them in or out of caches. Those same people probably have kids that think they are neat and keep them as swag.

 

I think if GC.com did a bit more TB education the logging would be more accurate and the TB disapearance rate would go down.

 

My kids often see swag and want the swag not realizing it is a TB. I make sure that they know the difference and trade accordingly.

 

Education the masses!

What would you suggest, above and beyond the following resources:

 

Pinned post in the Travel Bug Forum - Primer on Logging Bugs

How to Use a Travel Bug, from the main Travel Bug link on the site

Travel Bug section of the Groundspeak Help Knowledgebase

 

Should we make everyone take a class and get a diploma before they're allowed to go out into the woods? It's easy to blame the website for everything, it is sort of like blaming the government.

[+welch]

Should we make everyone take a class and get a diploma before they're allowed to go out into the woods? It's easy to blame the website for everything, it is sort of like blaming the government.

I can blame the government????

 

Sometimes I think its because the people finding them (TBs, caches, whatever) steal them because they can't read. I mean its not like these things don't have goals/instructions/address to see for more info, etc On them .

[+Joypa]

For my next Travel Bug I'll attach the tag to a piece of cardboard. Any suggestions on a name?

[+the hermit crabs]

For my next Travel Bug I'll attach the tag to a piece of cardboard. Any suggestions on a name?

 

House of the Future!

[+Ambrosia]

For my next Travel Bug I'll attach the tag to a piece of cardboard. Any suggestions on a name?

 

House of the Future!

I feel a new waymark coming on.

[wandering360]

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=151142

 

here is my solution

[+forman]

I have even put tags with goals on some of my T.B.'s and they still get screwed up.

I am trying to get all mine home and do not take others. I quit at 100 T.B.'s

There are to many stupid people in the world!

 

Don

[+BlueDeuce]

I think we are talking about owning them, not finding.

[+Sagefox]

I have even put tags with goals on some of my T.B.'s and they still get screwed up.

I am trying to get all mine home and do not take others. I quit at 100 T.B.'s

There are to many stupid people in the world!

 

Don

Hey Don! I did that exact thing last summer. Got fed up with what was happening and stopped at 100 because I liked the way it looked on the profile. Held off for a year and now am just grabing them slowly as an interesting one comes along or as the mood strikes me like helping your Pluto bug get home to you.

 

Now I'm going to even send out my bug Copy tags with new identities but not take them too seriously this time. I did learn though not to attach cool hitchhikers. Those all were pinched by non reporting cachers.

 

But I did enjoy a year off from all the grabing, logging and handling.

[+Anonymous']

Yeah, I've given up on having my own TBs. They always get lost or stolen. I've lost at least 3 now, maybe 4 even, which is all I have.

Edited September 24, 2005 by Anonymous'

[+snowfrog]

My first bug travelled a whole 17 miles before it was lost. I contacted the last few logged finders but got no reply. I would prefer to believe the problem is more kids or rookies. They simply don't know what the bug is, or know how to log the pick up's or drops. Either way, wasted money! It would probably be better to simply put the TB's in premier hides only. Hopefully premier cachers are a little more experienced or dedicated to the hobby integrity. That won't eliminate the problem but might reduce it.