Tb Retrieval Courtesy

[+Angus27]

Hey,

 

I was just wondering, if i come across a TB in a cache, should i take it? Even if i have others?

 

When is it alright to take lots? If the cache only gets visited every month?

 

Ive done 6 cache's and gathered 3 out of 4 of the TB's. Am i being a bit greedy?

 

I would have grabbed the 4th one but i was in a rush a forgot to keep it out when i was putting the cache back. I grabbed them all because the cache's only get visited every month or two and i think i could move the TB's to more places.

 

Cheers, Angus

Edited December 31, 2005 by Angus27

[+kentuckygirls]

This is just one opinion, but I think its ok especially if the caches don't get visited very often. The whole fun of having a travel bug is to watch it move, so if I was the owner I would appreciate it. Just don't hang on to them too long.

[+the hermit crabs]

There is no consensus on this. I happen to agree with kentuckygirl's point of view -- if you can help the bugs along, do it; there is no such thing as "your fair share". As long as you don't hold the bugs too long, you are doing the bug owners a favor.

 

There are people who feel differently, though, as you see by reading threads like this one and this one.

 

It's really up to you -- do what you think is right.

[+BlueDeuce]

There are no share requirements, if you can help'em, move'em.

[+cache_test_dummies]

I try not to have too many bugs in my possession at one time because I find it makes it more difficult to get them all moved along in a timely way. Plus, the more bugs I've got in my bag, the tougher it is to keep track of their goals.

[+ZackJones]

I love to help TBs move around and have adopted a 30 day rule. If a TB sits in a local cache for 30 days or more I'll grab it up and move it. I figure 30 days gives plenty of time for other cachers to grab, if they're interested.

[+Teamhawaii1981 & blueicyrose]

I'm of the "As long as I can move them along in a reasonable time period, I take them" school. TB's are cool. I like taking pictures of them. I always write at least a sentence or two in the log and upload images. If you are going to make the owner happy by the way you treat your bug, take it.

 

First come, first serve. IMO.

[+Metaphor]

I'm of the "As long as I can move them along in a reasonable time period, I take them" school

 

And if you have plans to hold it for a while, email the owner to ask or notify him or her of your plans. (I'm holding two bugs until April, after recieving approval from the owners, for a trans-Atlantic jump. I wouldn't keep them that long normally without permission.)

[+nielsenc]

I take and move what I can handle. I sometimes go to 'travel bug hotels' and pick up two or three without leaving any. But at the end of the day, they get moved to other caches so it shouldnt matter.

 

nielsenc

[+badlands]

I just took 11 bugs from the Midwest to Texas with the intent of collecting as many and bringing them back. Well, 75 caches later, I left 11 and only found 1 to bring back. Am I disappointed.....no way....just part of the game. I'm sure the owners liked seeing their bugs travel a thousand miles. Next time it might be the other way around. In general I try to drop bugs in caches that are unlikely to be muggled and appear to be well maintained.

[+ScoutingWV]

Travel bugs/geocoins activated and placed in caches with a stated goal are not trade items - they're meant to move. If you can help them along toward their intended goal in a reasonable amount of time, I say move as many as you can.

[+q22q17]

We went to Utah over Thanksgiving, and I was thrilled to release many TBs along the way. However, only found 2 to pick up and bring back to California. Recently I have now activated about 20 more, and am looking for a way to get them out. Although there are a lot of varying opinions on the number of TB's someone holds, I think that as long as you can help them in their journey, go for it.

[+Highpointer]

Hey,

 

I was just wondering, if I come across a TB in a cache, should I take it? Even if I have others?

 

When is it all right to take lots? If the cache only gets visited every month?

 

I've done six caches and gathered three out of four of the TB's. Am I being a bit greedy?

You are not being greedy by taking as many travel bugs as you can, as long as you can move them to other caches within a reasonable amount of time. Travel bugs are not regular trade items, so when you pick up a travel bug, eventually you will drop it in another cache. This is sort of like a person who earns a lot of money, but who eventually gives all of his money away. Would you consider a person like that to be greedy?

 

Some people criticize me for taking too many travel bugs. However, since I move all other travel bugs I pick up to other caches, then why don't I earn any credit when I move the travel bugs? Sometimes I may have more than 10 travel bugs in my inventory, especially when I am intending to go on a trip. There have been other times when my inventory is empty.

 

I know everyone has their own opinions about geocaching, but one of mine is that I don't like to leave a cache with more than one travel bug in it. The reason for this is that if the cache becomes lost, stolen, or ransacked, then only one travel bug is lost.

 

For example, just before Memorial Day weekend this year, I had 16 travel bugs in my possession. However, during that weekend, I traveled from my home in Tempe to the Flagstaff area in northern Arizona, and I deposited each of those 16 travel bugs to 16 different caches, either in the Flagstaff area or en route to Flagstaff. Here is one of my log entries from that weekend. In my opinion, 16 travel bugs distributed to 16 different caches makes these travel bugs accessible to a wider number of geocachers, rather than placing these 16 travel bugs in only one or two caches (and spreads out the risk of travel bug losses).

 

Another of my opinions about travel bugs is that if a geocacher sees a travel bug in a cache, then that geocacher should, in most cases, pick up this travel bug. Geocachers shouldn't pass up travel bugs. They are fun to pick up and move, and travel bugs should have a random nature about them. If you aren't moving in the exact direction that a travel bug is intended to go, then pick it up and move it anyway. Eventually, it will get to its destination as long as the travel bug stays active. It should not be the intention of travel bugs to travel the shortest or fastest route. Random, multidirectional movements is in the spirit of the travel bug's nature.

 

Ken Akerman (a.k.a. Highpointer)

Edited January 7, 2006 by Highpointer

[+Eartha]

Travel Bug. What does the bug page say? Do that. Just remember to log it ASAP.

[+Neos 1]

I agree with the others who say pick them up if you are willing to help them along. I really don't understand why anyone would want to put a travel bug out in a cache that rarely got visitors.... If I find TBs that have been sitting awhile unloved and unmoved, I grab them and take them somewhere else, just to get them going again.

[+ZackJones]

I really don't understand why anyone would want to put a travel bug out in a cache that rarely got visitors....

Sometimes it is done so the cache will get visitors.

[+blackjack65]

I really don't understand why anyone would want to put a travel bug out in a cache that rarely got visitors....

Sometimes it is done so the cache will get visitors.

If someone wants more visit to a cache,

then they can put one of their own Travel Bugs or GeoCoins in it.

Stranding someone else's is just plain rude.