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Logging Trackables


bsandrew

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Hi Everyone,

 

This is probably an over done topic but I've just started to Geocache but I'm totally addicted. This is a great way to hike and get work out of your head. As a new user I have been trying to make certain to do everything by the book. But I've been somewhat discouraged that Trackables are not being logged as grabs and drops as they should. Eight out of 10 times, the Trackable that is supposed to be in a Cache is gone but not logged as a grab. Part of the problem might be the directions on the site. What is the general thought on this?

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In before this gets moved to the TB section. Sadly, most people seem to have 'gotten over' the trackables issue, and expect that the inventory listing is going to be inaccurate. There's a few reasons for this, not only the site. Some new cachers will grab a TB and either not know how, or not care how to log it. Hopefully in that situation, it actually gets moved on....

 

The general feeling is that cache owners are not and should not be responsible for the listing of tb, and it's up to the owner of the trackable if they want to mark it missing or not. Other cache owners think that altering the TB list is a disservice to the owners, sending their bug into oblivion (this is not true at all, but the belief seems to remain.) On top of that, most feel that it is not their responsibility in the first place to even maintain the TB listing, and will not do so.

 

So, it's a system that's flawed for a number of unstoppable reasons. You can do what you can to make it better if you are willing to put in the effort. In each log that you write note what TB are not present. If a reasonable amount of time has passed, you can ask the TB owner to mark the trackable as missing on it's page. Following that, you can ask a CO to consider marking the TB's as missing, but they are NOT required to do so. It's simply a courtesy, and it's asking the CO to go above and beyond what they have to. (I sure wish more did myself.)

 

I for one wish there was a better system, but even with the perfect system, there's still going to be issues. Human nature is a tough problem to solve.

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Is it good manners to log a trackable when you find it in the wrong cache?

 

I found a cache that said it had 3 TBs, but it only had one, and that one wasn't listed. So I logged that I picked it up and dropped it in the correct cache. Later, I thought maybe I was stepping on people's toes by doing so.

 

I think it's real irresponsible of people to not log their travel bugs. I've noticed cachers that have been caching for years dropping the ball on TBs too. I saw a cacher that had collected several TBs, then over 6 months later they stuck them in one of their own caches. At least they finally passed them on, which is more than most can say.

Edited by The_Hypnotoad
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Is it good manners to log a trackable when you find it in the wrong cache?

 

Absolutely! You did the right thing in correcting the inventory to the best of your ability. The worst case situation is the person that dropped it off, haven't gotten time to log it yet. It's personal preference how long you wait to log your discovery / find / etc. It doesn't hurt anyone that they personally didn't get to log the drop off IMO. Last time we faced this situation, we found a coin that wasn't logged as dropped off. Set the owner a message we would give them some time to log it themselves if they wish, then would log it as taken from them, and dropped at the cache. Never heard back from them in a reasonable time, so posted as retrieved from owner, placed in cache, then retrieved. Just be careful not to get those (placed, dropped, retrieved, etc) mixed up, otherwise it can mess with the TB's mileage.

 

Just use your own best judgement. Thank you for being one of those that care enough to work toward a better inventory listing. :)

Edited by DudStreet
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If you find a cache with trackables listed that weren't there, post a note on the trackables page so the owner can do something about it.

Mention the fact in your log so the Cache Owner can do something about it.

 

If you find a trackable that is listed in another cache, grab it from there, and dip it in the cache you found it in. If the trackable is in another cacher's possession, then the situation can become a bit more touchy. If the cacher who left it is on vacation, there is a possibility they haven't had the chance to drop it properly. In this case, it's best to send them a note asking how they would like to handle the situation.

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In before this gets moved to the TB section....

 

Why would that make a difference? Speak your piece.

 

I believe I did speak my piece. My question is what difference does your post make? Guess we're both wasting valuable letters on the internet. I heard they are going to be charging per letter soon.

Link to comment

In before this gets moved to the TB section. Sadly, most people seem to have 'gotten over' the trackables issue, and expect that the inventory listing is going to be inaccurate. There's a few reasons for this, not only the site. Some new cachers will grab a TB and either not know how, or not care how to log it. Hopefully in that situation, it actually gets moved on....

 

The general feeling is that cache owners are not and should not be responsible for the listing of tb, and it's up to the owner of the trackable if they want to mark it missing or not. Other cache owners think that altering the TB list is a disservice to the owners, sending their bug into oblivion (this is not true at all, but the belief seems to remain.) On top of that, most feel that it is not their responsibility in the first place to even maintain the TB listing, and will not do so.

 

So, it's a system that's flawed for a number of unstoppable reasons. You can do what you can to make it better if you are willing to put in the effort. In each log that you write note what TB are not present. If a reasonable amount of time has passed, you can ask the TB owner to mark the trackable as missing on it's page. Following that, you can ask a CO to consider marking the TB's as missing, but they are NOT required to do so. It's simply a courtesy, and it's asking the CO to go above and beyond what they have to. (I sure wish more did myself.)

 

I for one wish there was a better system, but even with the perfect system, there's still going to be issues. Human nature is a tough problem to solve.

 

Yup, it is a common problem. IMHO there is not much GS can do about it. The majority of my almost 200 trackables get logged so I don't think the problem is as big as some make it out to me. I also have trackables that hop hundreds of miles without being logged. Yesterday I got an email notice on one that it was missing and then later that day another cache logged that they had retrieved it.

 

If trackables are missing from a cache I find I check the logbook to see if anyone has writen a note that took a TB or GC. Then I write them and ask if they logged it out of the cache. Sometimes they write back that they forgot to log it at retrieved.

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I think it's real irresponsible of people to not log their travel bugs. I've noticed cachers that have been caching for years dropping the ball on TBs too.

 

Before I decided on my new policy of ignoring all trackables, I would occasionally want to move them, as from a rarely-visited cache. But if I logged that I had taken the trackable I would frequently start receiving nagging emails to move it along within a week or so. So I quit logging when I removed them, becoming (as you say) an "irresponsible" TB holder.

 

I just could not stand the emails. The real solution turned out to be giving them up altogether. Indeed, if anybody puts a trackable in one of my caches and I get an email from the trackable owner I list it as missing just on principle. I honestly don't care if the trackable is actually there in my cache or not, and I am not inclined to go out of my way to help out some whiny TB owner who thinks I owe it to him to go check to see if his trackable is in my cache.

 

The basic problem with trackables is that owners don't realize that those who move their items are doing them a favor, not vice-versa.

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Wow....I have never gotten a email from a trackable releaser asking me to move it along and I have held some of them for over a month looking for the right cache to put them in. The releaser should never contact the CO asking them to remove it from their cache. The releaser can mark it missing themselves. I have marked a few of mine missing when I am sure they are no longer in the cache.

 

I completely agree with you that cache owners have no responsibility to check their caches for the trackables that someone else has released.

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I think it's real irresponsible of people to not log their travel bugs. I've noticed cachers that have been caching for years dropping the ball on TBs too.

 

Before I decided on my new policy of ignoring all trackables, I would occasionally want to move them, as from a rarely-visited cache. But if I logged that I had taken the trackable I would frequently start receiving nagging emails to move it along within a week or so. So I quit logging when I removed them, becoming (as you say) an "irresponsible" TB holder.

 

I just could not stand the emails. The real solution turned out to be giving them up altogether. Indeed, if anybody puts a trackable in one of my caches and I get an email from the trackable owner I list it as missing just on principle. I honestly don't care if the trackable is actually there in my cache or not, and I am not inclined to go out of my way to help out some whiny TB owner who thinks I owe it to him to go check to see if his trackable is in my cache.

 

The basic problem with trackables is that owners don't realize that those who move their items are doing them a favor, not vice-versa.

I don't want anyone's help moving a TB if they aren't going to do it correctly.

 

The way you do it is fine if it works, but I think it's irresponsible to sit on them for months or never even log them at all.

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In before this gets moved to the TB section....

 

Why would that make a difference? Speak your piece.

 

I believe I did speak my piece. My question is what difference does your post make? Guess we're both wasting valuable letters on the internet. I heard they are going to be charging per letter soon.

 

Sorry to support you. I should have said that TB conversation needs to be in that forum only. It won't happen again. <_<

Edited by BlueDeuce
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In before this gets moved to the TB section....

 

Why would that make a difference? Speak your piece.

 

I believe I did speak my piece. My question is what difference does your post make? Guess we're both wasting valuable letters on the internet. I heard they are going to be charging per letter soon.

 

Sorry to support you. I should have said that TB conversation needs to be in that forum only. It won't happen again. <_<

 

I am sorry BlueDuece, being somewhat new to the forums, and rather a lurker, I took that as an attack. I was mistaken. Will be happy to admit I was wrong, and thank you for the support. :)

 

- Edit: Going through your profile, it should have been MORE than clear you are a TB lover. I had no right to be concerned with an attack, and a very personal THANK YOU for your efforts. I sincerely apologize for the assumption.

Edited by DudStreet
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It peeves me off when it happens to my TB's. I avidly follow my TB's and have emailed people on a number of occasions to find out what happened to them. One was lost for a year before being found while house cleaning...

I wish that if a TB is not in a cache as logged, the first person to notice would mention so in their log. I've had 5 people log a cache over months before someone mentions there are no trackables in it. When did it go missing? Did someone not log it or did some muggle run off with it leaving the cache intact? Makes it hard to track down your trackable... still, I have found most to respond favourably when emailed has resulted in getting it moving/finding out what happened to it.

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