+USN Radio Chief Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Today I was out caching and getting a few TB's to haul back home for Thanksgiving. I found a bug with a specific goal and I got it to take with me. I put it in my backpack and headed out. When I got home I relized that somewhere along the trail my backpack pocket was left unzipped and Mr. Travel Bug had fallen out along the trail. I contacted the bug's owner (it hadn't traveled out of the area yet) with an email and offered to replace his bug. I feel really bad that I lost someone's bug. For those of you out there with lost bugs I am sorry my carelessness caused a bug to go MIA. Hopefully a fellow GeoCacher will find him along the trail. Is there anything else I can do correct my mistake of loosing this bug. Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 If it still in the cache listing the owner needs to move it to an unknown location so people aren't expecting to still find it. (If it's in your inventory the owner should grab it away from you.) It can always be pulled back out if found. You can give the owner these instructions. On the bug page, under Travel Bug Owner Options is a pulldown menu labled 'Recalculate Distance', in there is the option "Mark Bug Missing". Also I wouldn't replace the bug for a good 3-4 weeks as the bug may be found before then. On a side note, travel bugs are not trade items. Cache owners have no right to place traveling restrictions on other people bugs and you are not obligated to follow one for one trading rules. Quote Link to comment
+donbadabon Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 The owner shouldn't be upset. No one should release any TB that they would miss if it were lost. I agree with BlueDuece, give it a little bit to see if it shows up. Maybe another cacher will spot it and pass it along. Quote Link to comment
+Eartha Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 You could also post a note to the cache page to tell people to be on the look out for it along the trail. It might be found, they are cachers after all! Quote Link to comment
+Anuebunnie Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I had a coin go missing recently. The person who had it e-mailed me and offer a replacement. I thanked him for his honesty and contacting me. I declined on a replacement because to me that isnt fair to him. Well long story short the coin was found a month later and is now on the move. So you never know what will happen. Quote Link to comment
+q22q17 Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 You could also post a note to the cache page to tell people to be on the look out for it along the trail. It might be found, they are cachers after all! Eartha offers a really good suggestion! I can't tell you the number of times we found caches due to either trampled grass, or other things that may have previously fallen out of caches, like dropped pens or swag. So the bug would at least get the next few owners on the right course! And, you know, as a TB owner, I find it very cool that you were honest and contacted the owner, and you went out of your way to see how the owner felt. I've had so many go missing, that all someone needed to say was "sorry". That's it. If more cachers were like you, and kind and honest, mistakes happen, it's really not that big of a deal, then it would be more fun to release bugs. All any of us can do is do our best. Quote Link to comment
webelos_pack53 Posted November 25, 2006 Share Posted November 25, 2006 All any of us can do is do our best. I like the way you think!!! I'm Glad that your an honest geocacher!!! If I lost my TB(s) I wouldn't be too sad I would just need a srry to cheer me up If every geocacher was as truthful as you geocaching would be WAY more FUN!!! Quote Link to comment
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