Travel Bug In Cache Description, But Not There.

[+Lostboy1966]

I struck out today to find a cache that was showing a Travel Bug at the site, eager to claim my first one. When I found the cache, the TB was nowhere to be seen. Looking back at the logs, I found that it had been picked up about a month sooner – I guess it has yet to be dropped off in the next cache. Is there a way to report that you are ‘holding’ a bug, even if it has yet to be relocated? Should I contact the person that picked it up to let them know they need to register the fact that they have it, so that the bug no longer shows as being in the cache? Advice to a Noob is appreciated...

[+Airmapper]

When you find a bug you get a number of it that cannot be gotten off the website (unless someone squeals who has had it) Once you get it you "pick up" the bug from the cache and the status reads in your possession, and is listed in inventory. Once you put a bug into a cache, you "drop" the bug into it via the new log page.

 

Go to the Travel Bug page on GC.com and enter TBM4BK in the search bug box. This is only a reference number, the dog tag has a different one that allows you to log it. Anyway, it will read "Last Seen: In the hands of Airmapper."

 

I just found a feature to report the bug missing, this is new to me, but is a great option. (Maybe someone else can elaborate on that, I just now seen it.)

 

Your problem is someone neglected to do this, and the bug is in limbo somewhere unknown, either still with whoever got it, or in a cache. I really makes everyone happy when you log bugs properly.

Edited November 27, 2005 by Airmapper

[+BigHank]

It may be that someone new to caching found the bug and doesn't know how to "take possession" of it from the cache. I have had this happen. If they don't do that in a few days, a polite email inquiry as to the bug's status might be in order...although it probably would be more proper to come from the bug's owner. And sometimes, people take them, and keep them, and they are never heard from again. Had that happen, too.

[+GPSOkie]

I had a similar situation today where I found a cache that was listed as having a geocoin but when I found the cache, the coin was missing. After reading the other logs, I discovered that cachers before me had made the same discovery. After looking back to October, I discovered a log where the coin was taken. The person just has not properly logged the coin.

[+Blue Man]

You can contact either the owner of the travel bug or the owner of the cache where it is listed. They both have the ability to mark it as "missing". I would leave it up to the TB owner to contact the person in physical possession of it and give a gentle reminder to log their retrieval.

[+Cait&aly&unc]

We had our Billy Bear TB logged out but not removed from the cache description. I went into the logs and removed it, posting a note to that effect. The finder also told us in the TB log where it was so we also posted a note there and loggid it in to the cache. It ws just an inexperience mistake. Some people don't realize that there is more to TB's than you expect at first. It's easy to track them if you only have a few out there but if you have a lot I bet it can get kind of hairy. (Better get that TB on my desk on it's way tomorrow!)