Why Would You Just "Discover" a TB or Geocoin?

February 19, 2008

If you see the TB or Geocoin in the cache...why don't you pick it up and move it to another cache? After all, you have to log that too.

Why would you just write down the numbers and say you "Discovered" it?

What is the purpose of that?

February 19, 2008

One reason might be if I'm caching with a few friends and we find a coin, and then drop it in the next cache. Discovering it allows us all to recognize the fact that we found the coin.

February 19, 2008

And then some of us don't even waste the energy to "Discover" them. Although I have 4 TBs out and about around the world, I don't play the TB or geocoin game much anymore. There are a few times I'll move one but they become somewhat of a burden if I don't cache frequently. I still have a "Red Jeep" that I need to get moving along.

3.3k · February 19, 2008

The discover option was created to reduce the number of logs cachers received for their geocoins. The old method for getting a unique coin icon (without actually moving the coin) was to retrieve the coin from the cache, then post a note to the cache page so you could drop the coin back into the same cache. This reduced the number of logs for cache owners, and coins owners.

Since geocaching has evolved into a "numbers game," for some, the discover option has been used heavily for travel bugs too. Now cachers can have 1000s of trackables items, without actually moving the items.

Many will argue that the discover option is great so cachers can let trackable owners know their item is in good shape.

1k · February 19, 2008

The only times I have written a discovered post is when I attended a geo event and signed a large wooden plank that travels from function to function and for my daughters when we find one. I am not sure if their is a way for all three of us to say we all found it from GCxxxx cache. So I log it as a find for me and I then log on their profiles the discovery of the TB.

If we see one in the cache that we don't take, we just comment on our log that the TB is still there waiting to be picked up.

February 19, 2008

If you see the TB or Geocoin in the cache...why don't you pick it up and move it to another cache? After all, you have to log that too.

Why would you just write down the numbers and say you "Discovered" it?

What is the purpose of that?

If you find a coin or TB but can only move it opposite to its goal, your options are to Discover it (and by so doing indicate to the owner that it is fine) or to completely ignore it. Why not Discover it?

February 19, 2008

I very seldom use the discover option, but it does have it's usefulness. When I find a TB or coin and it either has a goal I can help with, or has no goal (or no info attached so I don't know the goal) I will take it along to another cache so I use the "retrieve" option. In the case of the coin I get the neat icon on my stats page for this.

If I find a TB with a goal I know I can't help or that is going in the oposite direction I am I will "write a note" to let the owner know it is still alive and in the cache, with a note I don't have to even remember the TB number.

But you don't get the icon added to your page for a "note" so if I find a coin that I can't do anything for I'll "discover" it. That still lets the owner know it is okay, and I get the icon too.

AK

22.1k · February 20, 2008

I discovered this thread in the Geocaching Topics forum. I am helping the thread to reach its goal by moving it to The Travel Bug forum.

February 20, 2008

I cache with a buddy... so say we crack open a wonderfully hidden ammo can on a day long hike (sounds like yesterday!) and there's a coin inside. I spend a few minutes admiring it for it's design and cleverness and find from it's little note that it wants to travel to "X" state. I won't be traveling, but my buddy is going to "X" state next week... so I hand him the coin. I did find it, I enjoyed visiting with it, but my buddy moved it along. I might log a discovery just for the cool memory.

DCC

February 20, 2008

***I discovered this thread in the Geocaching Topics forum. I am helping the thread to reach its goal by moving it to The Travel Bug forum.***

Thanks...

February 20, 2008

I just like the smileys... [ :anicute: ]

22k · February 20, 2008

I just like the smileys... []

Ya don't get smilies for travelers.

Edited February 20, 2008 by BlueDeuce

6.4k · February 20, 2008

Travellers will give you a dog tag But the coins give you ICONS :anicute: !

February 20, 2008

I've always thought it would be interesting if another number was added to the bottom of the tracakble page showing the total number of miles you have moved all the trackables you have found. (Excluding the miles you have moved your own trackables.) Don't know if this would change how trackables are handled or not, but would probably make those TB owners that want to see movement a little happier.

February 20, 2008

If you see the TB or Geocoin in the cache...why don't you pick it up and move it to another cache? After all, you have to log that too.

Why would you just write down the numbers and say you "Discovered" it?

What is the purpose of that?

I'll just "discover" TBs or geocoins if I can't help them with their mission, or if there are several in a cache that is visited regularly, in which case I'll probably only move on one or two (perhaps depending whether I have any to leave). OTOH if a cache hasn't been visited for six months before I find it, I'll pick up whatever's there -- it isn't much fun for the TB owners if the bug is sitting in a cache that long!

Plenty of people -- especially the younger cachers I sometimes cache with -- love to discover geocoins and such, so why move them all?

6.4k · February 20, 2008

Of course, I mostly Do move them along. BUT, I will also discover because who I usually cache with can move the bugs faster than I can.

8.8k · February 20, 2008

The discover feature was added because in the past, when a trackable item went to an event, and lots of people wanted to log it they would have to grab it, and place it, grab it and place it....and when 20 people were doing that, the person who really physically took it, and placed it in another cache, would have it taken from them online, and it sometimes ended up back in the event, or off in limbo somewhere. It's so the people who collect icons and TB stats can log a bug without messing up it's travels.

It's a good feature, but some people don't want their bug discovered. If you are one of those, it is best to let everyone know up front, in bold, on the TB page, that "Discover" logs will be deleted. Or you can let everyone play and enjoy the game their way, and just delete all those emails you get that say someone liked your bug.

February 20, 2008

***It's a good feature, but some people don't want their bug discovered.***

The discovery feature is usefull just to know your TB (or Geocoin) is still out there in a cache somewhere. I thought one of mine was missing but a Discovery post showed up the other day.

Since my TB's had no restriction on where to go...I just wondered that if you saw it...why not take it to the next cache...and I got a lot of answers of "Why".

8.8k · February 20, 2008

Why? I can think of a few reasons:

I'm not going caching for another two months, I better not take it.

I have so many gosh darned TB's in my possession, I can't take one more.

Man, I am so tired of logging twelve times for one cache, I am not taking another bug for a long time!

My buddy took it, I just want the stats for seeing it. (what?! He didn't log it yet?!)

I want the numbers, not the job of moving it.

There's no tag here saying where it's going, what if I'm going the wrong way?

OOoh shiny icon!

Fill in the blanks....... People are like snowflakes, no two humans are alike.

3.4k · March 14, 2008

I have a TB in Ireland that is just being discovered because the caches have gotten smaller. When we sent it out most of the caches were large ammo boxes. Now the caches are smaller so he doesn't fit in them. But by him being discovered I know it is still there and some day someone will take him some where else where there is a bigger cache. Without the discover we would just wonder.

March 14, 2008

When I took a few trips last year that were over a couple of hundred miles, moving the TBs made sense. Now I feel guilty if I were only to move them from cache to cache in the same local area. That's why I've started Discovering them.

1.8k · March 14, 2008

If the bug has a goal tag attached or with it, I may see that I cannot assist in that endeavor. A discover log reassures the TB owner that the traveler is in the noted location.

3.3k · March 14, 2008

As has been discussed in other threads, I saw the bug or coin and I couldn't help it along. Or I saw the bug or coin and I was trading, but I had three trackables to trade and there were six in the cache. I might take four but I probably won't take all six. Should I pretend I never saw the ones I didn't take?

I just appreciate seeing the logs that my trackables are still out there and haven't been muggled or "cachered" (stolen by a cacher). It isn't like I am inundated by logs and it takes a substantial part of my day to read them and delete them.

March 14, 2008

Bottom line is everyone is different. Everyone plays the game differently. Everyone looks at things differently.

I do it because I like a record of bugs I've seen. Therefore, when I discover, it's on my profile and I can go back and look at the bugs etc. where they went.

Also, it's kind of cool to have all those to see. If people say they don't like the stats, I don't buy it. We're a number-driven society. It's like finding a cache. And like others have said, sometimes you have too many already OR can't help it, so you discover to let the owner things still look good and also so you can watch it or get the icon.

3.3k · March 14, 2008

Bottom line is everyone is different. Everyone plays the game differently. Everyone looks at things differently.

I do it because I like a record of bugs I've seen. Therefore, when I discover, it's on my profile and I can go back and look at the bugs etc. where they went.

Also, it's kind of cool to have all those to see. If people say they don't like the stats, I don't buy it. We're a number-driven society. It's like finding a cache. And like others have said, sometimes you have too many already OR can't help it, so you discover to let the owner things still look good and also so you can watch it or get the icon.

For the cachers who claim that it's not about the numbers, they usually just don't log the find online since it doesn't matter to anyone.

March 14, 2008

Very true. But, in my opinion, most people who do things like this actually do log them as finds/discovers etc.

I know someone who does this hobby and they don't do anything but sign the log and log on here. That's it. No TBs. Nothing else.

People who do the TBs/Coins etc. like to see all that.

Maybe I'm wrong. Personally, I like seeing the TBs I've seen, so I discover them. It kind of makes the game fun in that regard.

3.3k · March 14, 2008

Very true. But, in my opinion, most people who do things like this actually do log them as finds/discovers etc.

I know someone who does this hobby and they don't do anything but sign the log and log on here. That's it. No TBs. Nothing else.

People who do the TBs/Coins etc. like to see all that.

Maybe I'm wrong. Personally, I like seeing the TBs I've seen, so I discover them. It kind of makes the game fun in that regard.

I totally agree with you. I find, I retrieve, I discover, I DNF. I play the game my way. I enjoy my find count for caches and for trackables since they are both a fun part of the game for me.

22k · March 14, 2008

Bottom line is everyone is different. Everyone plays the game differently. Everyone looks at things differently.

I do it because I like a record of bugs I've seen. Therefore, when I discover, it's on my profile and I can go back and look at the bugs etc. where they went.

Also, it's kind of cool to have all those to see. If people say they don't like the stats, I don't buy it. We're a number-driven society. It's like finding a cache. And like others have said, sometimes you have too many already OR can't help it, so you discover to let the owner things still look good and also so you can watch it or get the icon.

For the cachers who claim that it's not about the numbers, they usually just don't log the find online since it doesn't matter to anyone.

I have never Discovered a bug. I either Move it or leave it. If there was some issue that the owner wanted to know that his bug was still there or not, I would post a note.

I am not in it for the numbers.

3.3k · March 15, 2008

Bottom line is everyone is different. Everyone plays the game differently. Everyone looks at things differently.

I do it because I like a record of bugs I've seen. Therefore, when I discover, it's on my profile and I can go back and look at the bugs etc. where they went.

Also, it's kind of cool to have all those to see. If people say they don't like the stats, I don't buy it. We're a number-driven society. It's like finding a cache. And like others have said, sometimes you have too many already OR can't help it, so you discover to let the owner things still look good and also so you can watch it or get the icon.

For the cachers who claim that it's not about the numbers, they usually just don't log the find online since it doesn't matter to anyone.

I have never Discovered a bug. I either Move it or leave it. If there was some issue that the owner wanted to know that his bug was still there or not, I would post a note.

I am not in it for the numbers.

I am not in it for the numbers either but that doesn't mean I can't have fun with the numbers.

22k · March 15, 2008

Yes, I know.

March 16, 2008

Some bugs' sole purpose is to be discovered and not picked up.

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=64332

March 16, 2008

I was at an event yesterday. I discovered most of the bugs and coins. I alos took a coin out. At regular caches, the only time to take a bug is if you can move it.

March 19, 2008

In my case, I have a medical condition where I never know if I will feel up to going geocaching. Rather than feel guilty for holding onto a TB for extended periods of time I usually just discover them. It's a fairly rare day when I will pick up a TB and carry it home with me.

March 28, 2008

I saw one of those bug decals with the tracking number in the back window of a car the other day. I'm not into discovery logs, so I called a tow truck.

22k · March 28, 2008

I saw one of those bug decals with the tracking number in the back window of a car the other day. I'm not into discovery logs, so I called a tow truck.

heehee! :unsure:

1.3k · March 28, 2008

I saw one of those bug decals with the tracking number in the back window of a car the other day. I'm not into discovery logs, so I called a tow truck.

heehee!

:unsure: :huh: :blink: :blink:

10.1k · March 28, 2008

Icon ho? :unsure: I did discover a car travel bug. That's what they are there for.

April 6, 2008

I do not like the "Discover" option, as it encourages many geocachers to claim a travel bug find without gaining possession of the bug. It is also confusing in my opinion.

In order for one to gain credit for a travel bug find, one must actually pick up and remove the travel bug from a cache, and move it to another cache. I pick up every travel bug that I see and I move it to another cache. I do not use the "Discover" option.

April 7, 2008

In order for one to gain credit for a travel bug find, one must actually pick up and remove the travel bug from a cache, and move it to another cache. I pick up every travel bug that I see and I move it to another cache. I do not use the "Discover" option.

This all goes back to the idea that people play the game differently.

Who says you have to move it to gain credit? And who cares about credit anyway? Some people discover. Some people move. Some people don't do anything. I move some. I discover some. I do both because I am not always going to be heading to more caches and will discover because I like to actually go back and look at the bugs/coins I've seen.

Again, each person is different. But this is the first I've read or heard that says someone has to "move it to another cache" to gain credit. To each their own.

April 7, 2008

Icon ho? I did discover a car travel bug. That's what they are there for.

I have never seen a vehicle TB. What do they look like? :unsure:

April 7, 2008

Icon ho? I did discover a car travel bug. That's what they are there for.

I have never seen a vehicle TB. What do they look like?

It's a small sticker (maybe a little bit bigger than an index card) with the bug and its tracking number. There are also ones that are magnets. Really cool actually. I just got a sticker one, but might wait to place it until like June, when my lease comes up and I decide what I want to do with this car.

April 7, 2008

Icon ho? I did discover a car travel bug. That's what they are there for.

I have never seen a vehicle TB. What do they look like?

It's a small sticker (maybe a little bit bigger than an index card) with the bug and its tracking number. There are also ones that are magnets. Really cool actually. I just got a sticker one, but might wait to place it until like June, when my lease comes up and I decide what I want to do with this car.

I just got a magnet TB for my car. The car is parked very near a cache i have near my job. My hope is that people with discover it while looking for the cache.

I am also hoping people will discover it while at caching events and such.

Was very cool and ordered on right away when i saw it on the web.

1.3k · April 8, 2008

Mines actually been logged twice by geocachers in the car behind me on the road! Not coming or going to an event or a cache, way cool.

April 15, 2008

I admit, I do it for the numbers. I don't view the numbers as to impress anybody else, but for personal stats.

I'll take Geocoins home to take pictures of them to keep records of them. THen I either go to one of the couple really close Caches that alot of traveler's on business visit. I currently have 5 in my possesion that I need to pass on this comming weekend.

There's alot of time, thought, effort, and sometimes money that goes into geocoins. That's also why I am starting to collecting them.

I've only been geocaching three weeks now, and so far the TB's I've found were some cheesy McToys with a tag on them. If there was something that was done with a lot of thought and very unique, then I might do sometihng. Otherwise, I write the number down and I pass on them. That's just how I play the game differently.

22k · April 15, 2008

I admit, I do it for the numbers.

I appreciate a straightforward and honest answer.

Enjoy.

Edited April 15, 2008 by BlueDeuce

April 22, 2008

If you see the TB or Geocoin in the cache...why don't you pick it up and move it to another cache? After all, you have to log that too.

Why would you just write down the numbers and say you "Discovered" it?

What is the purpose of that?

I agree with everyone who says that there's great value in letting a TB owner know where his bug is, especially if it was moved and not logged.

April 22, 2008

I usually cache with anakerose. We will almost always move trackables when found, but only one of us will take and the other will discover. Most of the time, it will travel with both of us.

May 4, 2008

The website should keep "moved" and "discovered" in separate catagories. Currently, I won't log a discover because it "pollutes" my moves.

22k · May 4, 2008

The website should keep "moved" and "discovered" in separate catagories. Currently, I won't log a discover because it "pollutes" my moves.

I'm not really sure why you would bump a thread from August for a feature request.

May 4, 2008

The website should keep "moved" and "discovered" in separate catagories. Currently, I won't log a discover because it "pollutes" my moves.

I'm not really sure why you would bump a thread from August for a feature request.

Looks like you bumped it after me... :blink:

Why Would You Just "Discover" a TB or Geocoin?

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