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"Discovered" means what exactly?

Apexbasher

By Apexbasher
in How do I...?

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Apexbasher

+Apexbasher

Posted
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I have a Travel bug wandering around the Oregon area now and a number of people have posted that they "Discovered" it during a period when it was "in the hands" of a geocacher.

 

Is this simply them saying that it was shown to them and they are logging said viewing? What does this mean? Should I be "discovering" every TB I come across in a cache?

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Bad_CRC

+Bad_CRC

Posted
Posted

they added that attribute to keep people from logging a TB and putting it back in the same cache.

 

you can discover every TB you come across if that turns your crank.

 

I don't tend to do that with most TBs I see, but I have done it before when the TB was interesting but I wasn't able to take it and move it towards it's goal.

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Jhwk

+Jhwk

Posted
Posted

I have a Travel bug wandering around the Oregon area now and a number of people have posted that they "Discovered" it during a period when it was "in the hands" of a geocacher.

 

Is this simply them saying that it was shown to them and they are logging said viewing? What does this mean? Should I be "discovering" every TB I come across in a cache?

Q1 - yes, That's what it sounds like.

Q2 - it means your TB is getting seen, but not really moved, until the one who has it, drops it.

Q3 - That is up to you. I will move a TB if I find one and can help it on its way, but, personally, I haven't "discovered" any TB's. Seems to defeat the purpose.

 

Now Geocoins.... That's another matter. :)

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briansnat

+briansnat

Posted
Posted
I understand TBs, but on to the other matter.... GeoCoins...

 

What are the rules there? Take, take and move, etc.

 

What about photos of coins?

 

What about wooden nickels?

 

Other sig items?

 

Generally with geocoins if they are trackable and activated, they should be treated like a travel bug. Some are trackable on this website and some are trackable on other websites (the URL will be on the coin). They will often have a note or tag attached, but you can see if its activated by entering the code in the TB section of this website (or the website noted on the coin).

 

If they are not trackable, or if they are unactivated, trackable coins they are generally like any trade item, unless there are accompanying instructions telling you differently. You are free to keep and collect or move along, or sell it for that matter.

 

None of the wooden nickels that I've seen were trackable, so the above rules for untrackable coins apply.

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Bundyrumandcoke

+Bundyrumandcoke

Posted
Posted

You can also "discover" a T/B in a cache before it is logged as being put in there. For example, I go on holidays. While away, I put a T/B into a cache. I am unable to log any caches found, t/b's dropped, ect until I get back home, say a weeks time. In the meantime, another cacher visits the cache I dropped the T/B in. Because it doesnt show in the inventory for the cache, because I havent logged the drop, the new finder cant "retrieve it from xyz cache" they can only "discover" it. When the drop is logged, it clears itself, AFAIK. Or else the new finder writes a note logging the find, but doesnt log a "found the cache, and took the T/B" until I have logged the drop.

Clear as mud.

Cheers

Bundy

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Apexbasher

+Apexbasher

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THere's no "right" or "wrong" thing to do. It's your choice.

 

Personally, I only log what I pick up and move (coins and TBs). Just my choice - you're free to do what you want.

I tend to agree with your method here. It seems like the only accurate representation of what really happened. Otherwise the Trackables page can be WAY off just by visiting a few TB hotels and logging a discovery of all you see. Seems almost like a misrepresentation of your experience... or something to that effect. ;)

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n0wae

n0wae

Posted
Posted

"Discovered" means you're a numbers whore. :(

You might be right... A group of cachers hikes a mile and looks for a cache... one cacher finds the cache and all log the cache as a find. That's OK and perhaps the "discover" feature was created so everyone in that group could log a single TB found in the cache in the same way. A cool idea! I however wonder about the practice at events of letting everyone log all the bugs on the table... that (IMO) seems to cheapen the discovery feature.

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Kacky

+Kacky

Posted
Posted (edited)

It's especially handy for certain coins like admin bricks. The person who receives one of those is never going to leave it in a cache because it has special meaning. But they will show it to a few special friends, so discovering one is kind of a status symbol. I take umbrage at the term "numbers whore". I, sir, am an ICON whore. ;)

 

There are caches I visit often because of their location, or because it's a TB hostel or a geo-post office. It's not really fair for me to grab every coin in there every time I go, but I was there fair & square, I did the hike or the drive or whichever, so I feel like the icon is appropriate.

Edited by Kacky
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hikemeister

+hikemeister

Posted
Posted (edited)

We tend to use the "Discover" option mostly for geocoins, but we have used it with a few travel bugs. It generally happens at events, where someone has an interesting coin to show off. By "discovering" the coin, several geocachers can add a pretty icon to their stat page - more than could do so by actually grabbing the coin.

 

However, I have seen this done in an odd way that does not seem (to me anyway) like much fun. At some events, geocachers have books full of their geocoins and others 'discover' them. That is kind of interesting, because you actually get to look at the coins. But I also have been at events where cachers just hand out a list of the numbers of their coins and others discover them so they will show up on their collectables page as geocoins found. To each his own I guess, but I do not think that is what was intended when the 'discover' feature was added as an option.

Edited by hikemeister
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Apexbasher

+Apexbasher

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I'm of the opinion that these items were meant to TRAVEL. If what you are doing is not to that end, then what exactly IS your relationship with the TB/Coin? :)

I am more likely to say that the "Discovered" action should be limited to an item that was found in a cache that it was never logged INTO, therefore updating the item's location and journey. :)

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bish0p

+bish0p

Posted
Posted

"Discovered" means you're a numbers whore. :)

 

I have found a number of TB's in caches that they are not logged into, as I find it strange to grab every TB I come across, as I am averaging 100+ caches every 25 days, I will Discover them so that the ower at least knows where they have ended up as some new people have been nice enough t grab them and move them along they just have not logged it here.

 

If I grab them, the of course just get logged.

 

Bish0p

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