Template for Travel Bugs

[Guest TTracker]

I think the reason so many travel bugs are lost is because the finder either doesn't know what they are or how to post their find. I've made up a MS Word template to include with the bug. It explains what the bug is and what to do with it. Do you think this is a good idea? Here's a photo showing how the finished tag looks in use.

 

[Guest LazyLeopard]

quote:

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Do you think this is a good idea?

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Yep, something like that is definitely a good idea. I released my first two bugs without any accompanying instructions, but I included a printout of the TB FAQ with the third.

 

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Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[Guest Hawk-eye]

Ya know ... it's probably a good idea ... but it's spelled out on the back of the tag ... simple and sweet ... but I know you're right ... I have a couple that are AWOL right now. Although I think they are dorment because the cacher ... has gone inactive for the moment ... say for a month plus on one of them.

[Guest Morseman]

quote:

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Originally posted by TTracker:

I think the reason so many travel bugs are lost is because the finder either doesn't know what they are or how to post their find. I've made up a MS Word template to include with the bug

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Sounds like a good idea, and the finished product looks very readable even though it's kept as small as possible.

 

Would you care to cut and past your words into this thread, so that others, like me, can modify them to our own use?

 

I realise that this is pure lazyness on my part, but reinventing something that someone has obviously put some thought in seems a bit of a waste of an oportunity.

 

Thanks.

 

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Morseman

[Guest Morseman]

quote:

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Originally posted by TTracker:

I think the reason so many travel bugs are lost is because the finder either doesn't know what they are or how to post their find. I've made up a MS Word template to include with the bug

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Sounds like a good idea, and the finished product looks very readable even though it's kept as small as possible.

 

Would you care to cut and past your words into this thread, so that others, like me, can modify them to our own use?

 

I realise that this is pure lazyness on my part, but reinventing something that someone has obviously put some thought in seems a bit of a waste of an oportunity.

 

Thanks.

 

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Morseman

[Guest TTracker]

I can send you the MS Word file. Send your URL to almac882@aol.com and I'll attach a copy.

[Guest Ttepee]

Another important thing that needs to be on the tag is the bug's personal goals. I put that on the reverse side of the card...I've known seasoned cachers that won't pick up a bug unless they know the bug's goals beforehand for fear of moving them in the wrong direction.

[Guest TTracker]

Right, Ttepee, I neglected to say both sides of the tag are printed. Actually printed on one side and folded over. The other side tells about the goals of the TB, where it wants to go, etc.

[Guest Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

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Originally posted by TTracker:

I think the reason so many travel bugs are lost is because the finder either doesn't know what they are or how to post their find.

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I don't understand why it's common for people NOT to know what a travel bug is. In order to participate in geocaching, they need to access the website. Travel bugs (both what they are and how to use them) are clearly explained on the site. If someone can't understand the clear description on the site, I'm wondering if a tag is going to be of much help to them.

[Guest LazyLeopard]

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I don't understand why it's common for people NOT to know what a travel bug is. In order to participate in geocaching, they need to access the website.

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I suspect there are at least some folks who hunt caches using the positions from geocaching.com but who are not registered on the site. Because they're not registered they can't log finds or bugs on the site, but that doesn't stop them picking the physical bugs out of the caches they find...

 

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Purrs... LazyLeopard http://www.lazyleopard.org.uk

[Guest Zuckerruebensirup]

quote:

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Originally posted by LazyLeopard:

I suspect there are at least some folks who hunt caches using the positions from geocaching.com but who are not registered on the site.

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In my opinion, if someone enjoys hunting for caches, the least they can do to show their appreciation to the people who go to the trouble of setting up caches, is to log their visit on the site. Part of the fun of being a cache owner is to see how many visitors come look for it. If people are finding caches, but not logging them, that's being a poor sport, in my opinion. It's not like there's a subscription fee to register to the site.

 

Has it ever been discussed whether the cache locations should only be accessible to registered users? (Or what about an option as a cache owner to choose whether your cache is "open to the public" or visible to registered users only?)

[Guest Markwell]

with really great caches that produce outstanding stories that people feel they have to tell.

 

Just my 50¢

 

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Markwell

My GPS Activity Page

Non omnes vagi perditi sunt

[Guest Zuckerruebensirup]

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Originally posted by Markwell:

Remember back to when you were first scoping out Geocaching.com (for me it was Feb of 2001). I would guess a universal thought process was, ?Hey! There's one of these not too far from where I am. Maybe I?ll check this out.?

 

If you didn?t have access to know that there was one in your area, I think we?d have a lot more people come to the Geocaching website and leave without going any further.

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Actually, I liked the looks of geocaching enough to register before I even headed out for my first cache hunt...but perhaps if I didn't know in advance that there were some in my area, I wouldn't have. Also, I agree that many people wouldn't bother registering until they had first tried it out, and were sure they liked it...so you make a very good point.

 

By the way, the discussion here sparked enough curiosity in my mind that I started a new discussion thread on the topic in the general forum.

 

I still think cache owners should have the choice to not reveal their cache details blindly to the public. What if the link for showing how many caches (and their distance) from a zipcode still worked, but you couldn't view the exact coordinates (or map links) until you logged in?

[Guest Katetrex]

My experience as a "newbie" with my first bug experience are as follows: The cache log had a new entry by the cache owner stating a bug had been placed there. No instructions on the bug's mission and no bug icon appeared on the cache page. I assume this was because he missed a step somewhere. I retrieved the bug and tried to find it by entering the number stamped on the tag into the window on the bug page and pressing "GO". I was presented with a cache page that had nothing to do with the bug I now had in my possession. I finally looked at the pictures in the gallery and found the appropriate bug. At that point, I logged it as being in my possession. I am assuming that the owner had never logged it into his possession/cache and that this was my only option to get it into play. The other issue was that I was not able to go geocaching for several weeks and had no idea of the best place to leave it, as it had no mission that I knew of. I finally placed the bug in a nearby and often visited cache just to get it out of my possession and back into play.

 

Since that time, the bug's owner had placed a mission statement, someone else has picked it up and I am off the hook. I doubt if I will pick up any more bugs any time soon, I am not quite ready for the commitment and responsibilty of it all.