Geocacher has my trackable for well over a month. What do i do?

June 18, 2016

I released my geocache in France in April and its mission is to return to me in England. However a french geocacher has picked it up and kept it for over a month although he has been geocaching many times in that period and logged a visit for many of the caches. Should i contact him and ask him politely to drop of the trackable. Or is there a politer option?

Thanks so much

Olly

June 18, 2016

There's hardly anything politer than talking politely I actually have a similar situation, for some cachers it seems cool to keep a trackable to add mileage with each cache they visit - while ignoring an intended goal of the trackable. But when talking with them, they understand your intentions the same, so it usually helps.

So yes, message them, talking (insult-free™ ) is a good way to get your TB going again.

Though it has to be mentioned - sending out a TB means also giving up control and hoping for the best. Sooner or later they are prone to get lost, so when someone has a TB for longer I tend to contact them to at least make sure the TB still exists.

4.6k · June 18, 2016

I also have a few TBs that I carry around for longer than I'd like to. The reason is simple, we skipped a few cachedays because of the weather, many caches are micro's or "small" but not big enough to hold TBs and we try to leave TBs only if we think the cache is "safe" enough to leave TBs. In practice that means we leave/swap TBs mostly only in caches away from busy places, in multi's/mysteries....

11.6k · June 18, 2016

I released my geocache in France in April and its mission is to return to me in England. However a french geocacher has picked it up and kept it for over a month although he has been geocaching many times in that period and logged a visit for many of the caches. Should i contact him and ask him politely to drop of the trackable. Or is there a politer option?

Thanks so much

Olly

It's difficult to convey what "Do Not Keep Me" means. I don't know why takers can't understand the phrase, (nor the "place it within 2 weeks" etiquette) but they can't. Get the word out that if people are wondering aloud on the Forum why a TB isn't being placed and logged, a taker should re-evaluate what he's doing with Trackables. And that he should consider logging "Discover" instead from now on, and leave these alone in the cache.

But if you don't want your TB to be carried around by one one cacher, your TB description needs clarification. The text "feel free to go to lots of nice places with me as well" could easily be interpreted that a finder has permission to keep it and bring it to a bunch of caches.

I've tried the text "Please place this Trackable into a cache, and log the Drop". Takers excel at justifying poor management of property that is not their own. But it's good if the Owner's wishes are written in the page.

Edited June 18, 2016 by kunarion

13.7k · June 18, 2016

I'm not too thrilled with this "Visit" option with trackables, that allows others to hold on to your trackable for a very long time, as long as it appears they are visiting caches with it.

- With no pics, there's no real guarantee that the thing is anywhere but a code on someone's inventory, and disappeared long ago.

I'd send a polite, "You're so kind for taking such good care of my trackable. Please place it in a cache soon, so others can enjoy it as well. Thanks !" kinda note, and keep your fingers crossed.

Your line, "I get bored quickly so please don't keep me for too long." might help for others - next time.

5.7k · June 18, 2016

I keep TB's until I can find a nice safe PMO cache to place them in. If I got a please move it along note I would just drop it off in any cache. :laughing:

11.6k · June 18, 2016

I'm not too thrilled with this "Visit" option with trackables, that allows others to hold on to your trackable for a very long time, as long as it appears they are visiting caches with it.

Some of my TBs traveled across oceans, with "Visit" logs. Then once returning and eventually dropped, there's this long list of Visits. I guess they were real logs. Sure seem like it. No stories, no photos, of course, but logs. "Picked Up in Anaheim", "Dropped in Oakland". Two notifications and a buhzillion Visits to distant continents. I see the list and wonder what the Taker thought of me, since I never acknowledged all the travel while it was happening. I didn't even know.

Edited June 18, 2016 by kunarion

13.7k · June 18, 2016

I keep TB's until I can find a nice safe PMO cache to place them in. If I got a please move it along note I would just drop it off in any cache.

What's the difference?

Just a few days ago, a new cacher joined, and became a premium member that day.

Getting Started has a bunch of 'em. Basic questions from pms with no finds.

- At least they're validated...

Seems the app's creating 'em. :laughing:

5.7k · June 18, 2016

I keep TB's until I can find a nice safe PMO cache to place them in. If I got a please move it along note I would just drop it off in any cache.

What's the difference?

Just a few days ago, a new cacher joined, and became a premium member that day.

Getting Started has a bunch of 'em. Basic questions from pms with no finds.

- At least they're validated...

Seems the app's creating 'em.

I would try and find a PMO cache off the beating path that requires effort to visit. I have had better luck placing TB's in caches like that than caches that get lots of visits.

As for the join today and go out and seek TB's users... all you need is an account. I do feel that most PM's are more responsible.

3.4k · June 18, 2016

I released my geocache in France in April and its mission is to return to me in England. However a french geocacher has picked it up and kept it for over a month although he has been geocaching many times in that period and logged a visit for many of the caches. Should i contact him and ask him politely to drop of the trackable. Or is there a politer option?

Thanks so much

Olly

Two of my TBs are being held by (different) cachers for a year or more. I have tried the polite talk and one responded promising to drop it soon; that was in January. No response from the other. Both are still caching and have found several caches large enough to place it in. No visits on either of these. I have already marked missing the TB where the cacher did not respond and am just about ready to mark the other one missing too.

On the other hand, I sometimes keep TBs for a month or so, because I just don't find a cache big enough to hold it.

(Yes, I know I could revisit another cache just to drop the TB, so no one has to tell me that. I just keep hoping to find the large enough cache the next time.)

June 18, 2016

I understand your desire to see your travel bug "kept in play" rather than being held for weeks or months by one person. As Cerebrus mentioned, in that case, it's hard to know if the cacher actually still physically has your bug and is just "visiting" or carrying it around without placing it, or if it's actually missing. A few of my bugs are currently in that unknown limbo.

On the other hand, I myself am guilty of holding someone else's bug for longer than intended. I usually try to move them along to a different cache within a week or two. Unfortunately this time, our car broke down shortly after I picked up the travel bug and I wasn't able to really go out caching for several days while the car was in the shop. Then I got sick and again, couldn't get out and do in caching for almost two weeks longer. So I've had some poor guys travel bug in my possession for a month and haven't done anything with it. I suppose I could just run out and place it in the boring old cache just up the street from my house (just so it's no longer in my hands); but as Manville Possum pointed out - just dumping it in any old cache could result it getting it lost or stolen - or just having the bug sit there for long periods in a lonely, seldom visited cache. So perhaps the owner would prefer I hold onto his bug until I can take it somewhere better.

Of course, I also did the polite thing and contacted the owner of the travel bug to explain why I still haven't placed his bug. But not all cachers bother to communicate.

11.6k · June 18, 2016

I also did the polite thing and contacted the owner of the travel bug to explain why I still haven't placed his bug.

Great job! I know I'd appreciate the info.

June 18, 2016

deleted because post was needlessly redundant.

Edited June 18, 2016 by TheAuthorityFigures

10.1k · June 18, 2016

I released my geocache in France in April and its mission is to return to me in England. However a french geocacher has picked it up and kept it for over a month although he has been geocaching many times in that period and logged a visit for many of the caches. Should i contact him and ask him politely to drop of the trackable. Or is there a politer option?

Thanks so much

Olly

Two of my TBs are being held by (different) cachers for a year or more. I have tried the polite talk and one responded promising to drop it soon; that was in January. No response from the other. Both are still caching and have found several caches large enough to place it in. No visits on either of these. I have already marked missing the TB where the cacher did not respond and am just about ready to mark the other one missing too.

On the other hand, I sometimes keep TBs for a month or so, because I just don't find a cache big enough to hold it.

(Yes, I know I could revisit another cache just to drop the TB, so no one has to tell me that. I just keep hoping to find the large enough cache the next time.)

I've tried that. E-mailing the holder of the trackable. Sometimes they get put in a cache and are never seen again.

On the other fin, I moved some trackables to what seemed like nice caches a hundred miles (or so) west. Several finders of the cache since, no one has logged them as found. The modern world, I guess, of muggle Apps.

Told a cacher that my trackable did not want to visit every cache in the world. It wants to be put in a cache to be picked up by another cacher. Nothing since.

Of the 34 I've put out in the last twelve years, none are moving. Most are listed as 'missing'. So sad.

7.3k · June 19, 2016

Don't waste your time trying to contact the kidnapper.

People are just incredible.

They will hang onto your trackable for months or years, using it as a personal mileage marker. "Just adding miles"....what if I don't want useless, pointless miles and non-descript "visited" logs? No photos, nothing.

Or the rescuer who says they will get it moving again, who promptly loses it or forgets it while they find cache after cache?

It's a giant waste of time and money releasing trackables into the wild. May as well just throw the thing in the toilet and be done with it.

B.

June 19, 2016

Don't waste your time trying to contact the kidnapper.

People are just incredible.

They will hang onto your trackable for months or years, using it as a personal mileage marker. "Just adding miles"....what if I don't want useless, pointless miles and non-descript "visited" logs? No photos, nothing.

Or the rescuer who says they will get it moving again, who promptly loses it or forgets it while they find cache after cache?

It's a giant waste of time and money releasing trackables into the wild. May as well just throw the thing in the toilet and be done with it.

B.

Don't hold back...tell us how you really feel about TB's. Lol

June 19, 2016

I have sent him a polite email and just hope he does something with the trackable

June 19, 2016

This has been a good discussion. Since this topic is about trackables however, I'm going to move it to the Travel Bugs forum.

11.6k · June 19, 2016

I have sent him a polite email and just hope he does something with the trackable

When you place a TB, it's in the wind. You can watch and enjoy the chaos. But you lose control, and likely won't ever get it back. One of my Geocoins went to Germany, returned to the USA, and I retrieved it. Cool. That hardly ever happens. But a Geocoin is laser-inscribed with the Tracking Number. Who knows, the gene pool may clear in the thief's family, and by some fluke of nature, produce an honest person in the next generation. Could happen . For TBs, be sure that thing is bullet-proof. Permanently secure it to its toy. Never use the included ball chain as the attachment device.

One plan is to read the logs as they happen, months or even years apart, with the understanding that the logs are not necessarily accurate. And just chill. This also means that if your TB evaporates from a cache, don't allow anyone or any Listing Service to require you to Mark It Missing. Chill. If people wanted accuracy, they would make real logs.

Edited June 19, 2016 by kunarion

June 20, 2016

Out of curiosity and assuming that "safe" cache isn't affected by weather catastrophes, new construction, fire, animals, etc. -- will the next guy that picks up the TB be as conscientious about placing it? I have a cache near me that it well hidden (I didn't find it the first time) but it has been muggled a couple times as it is very public (found a used condom in it) so I wouldn't drop a cache there.

I do plan out where I put a TB and would weed out caches that appear to have a history of being muggled. However, my concern is putting it where it can be found and moved on hopefully where the owner wants it to go. If it's "safe" it may not be moving. When a TB gets released it's no longer safe.

June 20, 2016

It's difficult to convey what "Do Not Keep Me" means. I don't know why takers can't understand the phrase, (nor the "place it within 2 weeks" etiquette) but they can't. Get the word out that if people are wondering aloud on the Forum why a TB isn't being placed and logged, a taker should re-evaluate what he's doing with Trackables. And that he should consider logging "Discover" instead from now on, and leave these alone in the cache.

It's not always so simple. In 2013 we were preparing to move from Michigan to Maine. So I grabbed as many travel bugs as I could find to bring with me, as that would help put a lot of miles on them. Once we got to Maine, I put the travel bugs in various caches that we found. However, after I placed the last one I realized that my list wasn't empty, it said I still had one more left to place. I just couldn't find it anywhere though, must have gotten packed into another box.

It's been almost 3 years now and I still haven't been able to find that darn bug. The site still lists that I have it, and I'm sure I do. Where exactly, that's a tougher question to answer. I always look for it when we go through a box that hasn't been touched in a long time, but unfortunately it just hasn't shown up yet.

11.6k · June 21, 2016

It's difficult to convey what "Do Not Keep Me" means. I don't know why takers can't understand the phrase, (nor the "place it within 2 weeks" etiquette) but they can't. Get the word out that if people are wondering aloud on the Forum why a TB isn't being placed and logged, a taker should re-evaluate what he's doing with Trackables. And that he should consider logging "Discover" instead from now on, and leave these alone in the cache.

It's not always so simple. In 2013 we were preparing to move from Michigan to Maine. So I grabbed as many travel bugs as I could find to bring with me, as that would help put a lot of miles on them. Once we got to Maine, I put the travel bugs in various caches that we found. However, after I placed the last one I realized that my list wasn't empty, it said I still had one more left to place. I just couldn't find it anywhere though, must have gotten packed into another box.

It's been almost 3 years now and I still haven't been able to find that darn bug. The site still lists that I have it, and I'm sure I do. Where exactly, that's a tougher question to answer. I always look for it when we go through a box that hasn't been touched in a long time, but unfortunately it just hasn't shown up yet.

If you are waiting for the Owner to arrive in the Forums asking why that TB hasn't been dropped, you are still in the wrong. Fess up. It doesn't matter how it went missing, post a note on the TB page (which I'd suppose you did, right?) with what you already said. I lose my own TBs all the time (found later in the pocket of a pack I didn't know I had placed it :anicute: ). Things happen. But the taker must post honest updates on the TB page. Never make the Owner guess. If you catch heat for honestly admitting you lost it, then I'd be on your side. Otherwise, my stand is that Owners' property is to be respected as theirs.

Using an imaginary example, suppose a veteran cacher steals a bunch of valuable "Jeep TBs" and then fiddles with the TB logs' dates and deletes some of his logs so that it (kind of) looks like he was the first to find it. And then he goes on ebay and these Forums with a story about not understanding Geocaching and that he found a bag of "I don't know what they are" in a thrift store and so he has no recourse except to sell them on ebay. For a lot of money (and these will be purchased by other Geocachers to "rescue" the TBs as their own trophies, go figure). We keep seeing how "TB's have no value", and the authorities and Groundspeak "can do nothing about it" (they refuse to even correct a fake log? Yep. Believe me, I know). So why all the subterfuge?! Anyway, even in that case, the taker can/should come clean. "I stole these for personal gain and I'm selling them on ebay" (and include "buy them and it's a rescue mission, so that makes it all OK" if you want). But make the real logs. Fake logs, dishonesty, are what caused the empty cache. And the Owners are frustrated and wondering what happened. Let them off the hook. Give them some closure. Yes, even if you simply packed it and can't remember where, say so.

Also, Groundspeak, who won't restore logs, had better not "clean up" missing TBs.... you know, fixing those logs specifically. That would be hypocritical.

Edited June 21, 2016 by kunarion

3.4k · July 2, 2016

I released my geocache in France in April and its mission is to return to me in England. However a french geocacher has picked it up and kept it for over a month although he has been geocaching many times in that period and logged a visit for many of the caches. Should i contact him and ask him politely to drop of the trackable. Or is there a politer option?

Thanks so much

Olly

Two of my TBs are being held by (different) cachers for a year or more. I have tried the polite talk and one responded promising to drop it soon; that was in January. No response from the other. Both are still caching and have found several caches large enough to place it in. No visits on either of these. I have already marked missing the TB where the cacher did not respond and am just about ready to mark the other one missing too.

On the other hand, I sometimes keep TBs for a month or so, because I just don't find a cache big enough to hold it.

(Yes, I know I could revisit another cache just to drop the TB, so no one has to tell me that. I just keep hoping to find the large enough cache the next time.)

The person who promised in January to drop the TB "soon" finally did so today, after holding it for almost 15 months.

3.2k · July 9, 2016

Had a TB go missing in October of 2012. Just reappeared this spring in the possession of a cacher that has never visited the cache where the TB was last recorded. Have several others that are probably lost forever but once in a while you might be surprised.

3.4k · July 9, 2016

I released my geocache in France in April and its mission is to return to me in England. However a french geocacher has picked it up and kept it for over a month although he has been geocaching many times in that period and logged a visit for many of the caches. Should i contact him and ask him politely to drop of the trackable. Or is there a politer option?

Thanks so much

Olly

Two of my TBs are being held by (different) cachers for a year or more. I have tried the polite talk and one responded promising to drop it soon; that was in January. No response from the other. Both are still caching and have found several caches large enough to place it in. No visits on either of these. I have already marked missing the TB where the cacher did not respond and am just about ready to mark the other one missing too.

On the other hand, I sometimes keep TBs for a month or so, because I just don't find a cache big enough to hold it.

(Yes, I know I could revisit another cache just to drop the TB, so no one has to tell me that. I just keep hoping to find the large enough cache the next time.)

The person who promised in January to drop the TB "soon" finally did so today, after holding it for almost 15 months.

And in the last few days two of my TBs that had been in caches for nearly a year were finally retrieved, and one that had been in a cache for nearly three years was retrieved today.

September 22, 2017

Someone has had one of mine for 3 months. I did ask them if they still had it (they have not visited any caches at all with my bug). They said yes but they haven't had time. It's now 3 months. Still nothing. Should I report it as missing?

Another Travel Bug was picked up by someone from where I put it, so it hasn't travelled at all. That has also been 2 months now. He said he would go caching soon.

What can I do`

I always message the owner if I want to hang on to it for longer.

11.6k · September 22, 2017

14 minutes ago, 10ccScout said:

Someone has had one of mine for 3 months. I did ask them if they still had it (they have not visited any caches at all with my bug). They said yes but they haven't had time. It's now 3 months. Still nothing. Should I report it as missing?

It isn't missing. It's correctly shown in the Inventory of the person who holds it.

But it is your TB, so you may do as you wish. I usually wait til the taker gets bored with Geocaching, and has not done anything for a year. In that time, I design and create the revived TB in its new version, and plan what I will do. Mostly I make the revived TBs into very nice versions (one now has a teeny 14K solid gold charm!), and I keep them. But you can make a rock-solid version of the original and place it again to travel. Or use the Tracking Number on a hat or shirt or car decal or in other creative ways. Be sure to update the page, so people know what they find, especially if the old one ever turns up.

Edited September 22, 2017 by kunarion

September 22, 2017

I am so upset ! I had four beautiful Trackables. The last one, has just gone missing in France. One, which went to Australia and (supposedly) travelled thousands of miles visiting many, many Caches, was out of circulation for about 12 months. I politely contacted the Geocacher and asked her if she would place it in a Cache, as she appeared to visit many Caches. She rudely replied with the message that she was moving and had other things to think about. I accepted that, but months later found that she had been visiting many other Caches. I contacted again - still very politely, and got no response. I looked up her page and found that she had over 60 Trackables, but mine wasn't listed amongst them. You can't tell me that she had taken all of those Trackables to every Cache she had found, and why was she hanging on to so many? Where had mine disappeared to - during her move perhaps, but why had she hung on to if for so long? I was extremely upset that a Geocacher could treat another one in that way. I've had to console myself to the fact that this one is lost forever. Also, my other two, have gone missing in England. I'll never make another Trackable if Geocachers can't play the game properly. Groundspeak needs to be able to contact the last person to have placed a Trackable, as so many seem to think they can COLLECT them ! Not only that, I'm constantly having my Caches stolen too - some have been unique and also expensive ones, hidden in places where no one else would look - what's with these Geocachers, that they can't play the game properly. I no longer look for Caches, but I hide them for the benefit of others, especially for those with families (I enjoying making Caches too). I'm a lover of the countryside, and if it encourages children to walk and enjoy nature I love to help them, but I'm gradually decreasing my Caches as they now go missing, sadly, as I'm finding it too expensive to replace them constantly. Don't be downhearted over your Trackable not being placed yet - think, there may be a family problem, or weather conditions which has stopped the fellow Geocacher from placing the Trackable, but be aware that they may be keeping it, or have lost it. I even wondered if some people think that Trackables are something they can swop. Contact the Geocacher concerned in a while, always be polite, and just hope for the best - many Geocachers are very helpful ! That's all the advice I can offer. I do hope your Trackable appears again for you. Dawdee

13.7k · September 22, 2017

4 hours ago, Dawdee said:

I am so upset ! I had four beautiful Trackables...

I looked up her page and found that she had over 60 Trackables, but mine wasn't listed amongst them...

I hear ya... Lost ours and a dozen or so of the other 2/3rds coins. All were premium members at the time.

That person holding your trackable a year, hasn't had any other movement for it since. That was in '15. It's now '17. Mark it missing with the rest. They may have circular filed it after your second email, but with no pics they could just as well lost it a week after the first "visit" and just have the code still in inventory.

It's still listed as in their possession. You can't see another's inventory.

There's been a few threads on trackables belonging to others sold on ebay. For some, it may be a "souvenir" from their one weekend of caching (and that free app...), or grabbed by a kid when the parents were busy with the log. Others hoard them for who-knows-what reason.

I personally feel the creation of the "visit" log was a poor move. Enabled those too lazy to drop/retrieve to log simply. There's no way someone's lugging a backpack full of toys and "stuff" cache-to-cache...

7.8k · September 29, 2017

On ‎9‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 9:27 AM, kunarion said:

I usually wait til the taker gets bored with Geocaching, and has not done anything for a year. In that time, I design and create the revived TB in its new version, and plan what I will do.

I've considered doing this with some of my long-missing trackables, but recently had two resurface after being missing for over 5 years, so I don't think I'll revive any of my others. One resurfaced over 1000 kms from where it was last logged, and the other was finally dropped by someone who had suddenly stopped caching 5 years ago. I now know that this was due to health issues, so at least that's understandable. I'm curious what happened with the trackable that travelled 1000 kms. What happened in between? Where did it go? Who had it? I'll probably never know.

1.7k · September 30, 2017

Interesting discussion. I haven't yet placed any trackables (just started geocaching in March, 2017). I have grabbed and retrieved a few, and tried to fulfill their missions, and dropped a few as I traveled, trying to keep with the missions stated by the TO's. I've documented the travels with pics, especially if the TO's requested pics. Hopefully, the TO's are getting the logs of visits, pics, and retrieves/drops so they know their trackable is still in play.

I don't visit all the trackables in my possession to every cache I find. I have one that requests only visits to T3/D3 or higher, for example. Some I have had in my possesion for awhile, but I will place them in a cache when I find one that seems suitable. I try to take care with the trackables I have, and I would hope, when and if I place my own, others would take the same care with mine. Fully realizing, of course, that may not happen. Still, I do what I can to "play the game" as intended.

11.6k · September 30, 2017

14 hours ago, The A-Team said:

I've considered doing this with some of my long-missing trackables, but recently had two resurface after being missing for over 5 years, so I don't think I'll revive any of my others. One resurfaced over 1000 kms from where it was last logged, and the other was finally dropped by someone who had suddenly stopped caching 5 years ago. I now know that this was due to health issues, so at least that's understandable. I'm curious what happened with the trackable that travelled 1000 kms. What happened in between? Where did it go? Who had it? I'll probably never know.

Yes! I have a couple of TBs with mystery gaps like that. I wish that cachers would always show consideration for the the owner. Since Groundspeak sells these things with the pitch that the buyer owns it, others track it, the owner follows the fascinating travels -- then at the very least, all Cachers should be told by Groundspeak exactly what the expectation is. Basically, that Takers must always log iit and keep the owner informed with any issues other than promptly placing and logging it, or if that's too much trouble, don't touch it in the first place.

Edited September 30, 2017 by kunarion

November 1, 2017

I came across an abandoned TB that burnt. Only a find piece was left on the chain. The owner would never contact me for the tag. What is the correct way to dispose of the TB or notify GC of the situation?

11.6k · November 1, 2017

2 hours ago, TOW Vehicle said:

I came across an abandoned TB that burnt. Only a find piece was left on the chain. The owner would never contact me for the tag. What is the correct way to dispose of the TB or notify GC of the situation?

If ÿou can read the Tracking Number, place it in a cache and log the drop. If you can't read it, a note about the illegible Tracking Number would be good.

Edited November 1, 2017 by kunarion

13.7k · November 1, 2017

16 hours ago, TOW Vehicle said:

I came across an abandoned TB that burnt. Only a find piece was left on the chain. The owner would never contact me for the tag. What is the correct way to dispose of the TB or notify GC of the situation?

Not sure what a "find piece" is, but if there's a legible code on a tag or other item, I'd drop it in a cache and move on. It's not mine, and don't see why Geocaching.com would need to be notified either...

Maybe it would depend on my mood, but if it's just an illegible piece of scrap, and no reply by the owner, I may just drop it in the circular file at home.

November 30, 2017

This is the part of participating in geocaching that I dislike, that we can spend money to contribute trackables, with the intent that they fulfill a mission. Most cases, to go from cache to cache and log accordingly. And when someone picks up a tracker in August, you write in September asking about it but get told will drop in the next week, and they still have it - well, it is discouraging. That person has a ton of trackables and seems to be a hoarder, pick them up and apparently hold on to them based on how many. And even another note, this time a bit more snide about my desire for that trackable to get into a cache and move on, didn't seem to help. Spending more money on trackables, that will just get held, is not likely for me.

13.7k · November 30, 2017

10 hours ago, Robester0 said:

This is the part of participating in geocaching that I dislike, that we can spend money to contribute trackables, with the intent that they fulfill a mission. Most cases, to go from cache to cache and log accordingly. And when someone picks up a tracker in August, you write in September asking about it but get told will drop in the next week, and they still have it - well, it is discouraging. That person has a ton of trackables and seems to be a hoarder, pick them up and apparently hold on to them based on how many. And even another note, this time a bit more snide about my desire for that trackable to get into a cache and move on, didn't seem to help. Spending more money on trackables, that will just get held, is not likely for me.

Yeah, lesson learned I guess. Contacting once with a simple "Hi. Curious when you'll drop my trackable so the kids can see who grabs it next. " or similar may help. That second time, either they jump-to, disregards and still visits, hoards it with no logs, or it gets pitched in da woods.

We'll drop the free promotion ones now (if we get one...) but spending the bucks for more will hafta wait until there's a more convincing game plan for our money. We still have some tags left, might make a good FTF prize.

January 1, 2018

On ‎11‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 2:22 PM, cerberus1 said:

Not sure what a "find piece" is, but if there's a legible code on a tag or other item, I'd drop it in a cache and move on. It's not mine, and don't see why Geocaching.com would need to be notified either...

Maybe it would depend on my mood, but if it's just an illegible piece of scrap, and no reply by the owner, I may just drop it in the circular file at home.

The fine piece is a sliver of melted metal (best description I can give). My idea was to see if there was a way to properly dispose of the tag to shut down that TB Number but, "in the trash it goes."

January 9, 2018

My very first TB, released in April 2017, has been in one player's possession for nearly 3 months now. The TB hotel where it was picked up has since been archived by the owner due to many TBs being picked up but not logged, and I think I found the culprit. I discovered the player that has mine has over 80 trackables in their inventory, every single one still listed in their possession, and they picked up several TBs at a time during half a dozen visits to the same TB hotel over two months. They obviously have NO intention of playing by the rules, which is even more clear when they are leaving comments like, "Found it. Stole it.". Is there a way to report someone like this? I see that more as blatant theft, and feel this "player" needs to be blocked from Geocaching since they don't really want to play anyway.

13.7k · January 9, 2018

1 hour ago, DarthTaiter79 said:

. Is there a way to report someone like this?

Sure. Just leave a message with the "Contact Us" link on the bottom of all forum pages.

Edited to add... I'd mention their caching name, followed by how many trackables they now have in their possession. A clue to the agenda is no micros found too.

Premium member, joined just to steal from pmo hides as well? Nothing new, but still creepy.

Edited January 9, 2018 by cerberus1

1.7k · January 10, 2018

11 hours ago, DarthTaiter79 said:

My very first TB, released in April 2017, has been in one player's possession for nearly 3 months now. The TB hotel where it was picked up has since been archived by the owner due to many TBs being picked up but not logged, and I think I found the culprit. I discovered the player that has mine has over 80 trackables in their inventory, every single one still listed in their possession, and they picked up several TBs at a time during half a dozen visits to the same TB hotel over two months. They obviously have NO intention of playing by the rules, which is even more clear when they are leaving comments like, "Found it. Stole it.". Is there a way to report someone like this? I see that more as blatant theft, and feel this "player" needs to be blocked from Geocaching since they don't really want to play anyway.

Reporting and blocking may stop them from logging anything more, but will not likely stop the behavior. And that means the trackables will simply disappear with no logs. At least you know where they are/who has them, I agree that what they are doing is wrong, and not what is intended. Blatantly stelaing and logging that you are stealing the trackables ... wondering how long till they get caught? I don't understand people that seem to enjoy spoiling the game for everyone else.

I wonder if you can find someone local to them who would be willing to intervene and persuade this rogue cacher to put the trackables back in play? Contacting this player yourself may backfire, and make their behavior even worse ... their cache name itself shows that this behavior is intentional and not just a newbie making a mistake. Sad, sad.

March 2, 2018

On 18/06/2016 at 8:42 AM, The Perkins Family said:

I released my geocache in France in April and its mission is to return to me in England. However a french geocacher has picked it up and kept it for over a month although he has been geocaching many times in that period and logged a visit for many of the caches. Should i contact him and ask him politely to drop of the trackable. Or is there a politer option?

Thanks so much

Olly

I'm in the completely same situation! :lol:

4.6k · March 2, 2018

I'm holding on to a few trackables at the moment. Problem is that we haven't been out a lot since getting back from holiday in December. Caches we did were all micro's so no possibility to drop them.

OTOH, a cacher has one of my TBs since September, placed/retrieved it in his own event and is now "holding on to it" to place in an upcoming CITO. He did "mark it missing" but claims he still has it in his possession. This TB was left in Australia with a mission to come home. It's stuck at less than 200Km from home :mad:

March 12, 2018

Reading through this discussion I appear to have a similar issue. I dropped my first TB back in October and it sat dormant over winter. It was recently picked up in February with a lovely picture posted on the day of pick up. It has since then been logged at many locations however by the same Cacher each time.

I have posted a polite message suggesting that whilst its great they are looking after the TB and moving it around, it also might be nice if they dropped it off in a cache for someone else to find.

heres hoping.

11.6k · March 12, 2018

3 hours ago, TeamWilcockson said:

I have posted a polite message suggesting that whilst its great they are looking after the TB and moving it around, it also might be nice if they dropped it off in a cache for someone else to find.

Your TB's goal is to "wander". You must make that goal more specific, because it's easy for people to be confused into thinking it's OK if it "wanders" with one person forevermore in a box of 50 other TBs (among other storage boxes, many miles from the cache it's logged at). I don't know why it's so easy for them to become confused, but I'm pretty sure they need to have their medication re-evaluated.

Anyway, here's my most recent idea. For the Goal on most of my TBs, I'm adding the text "Post cool stories and pictures at a cache location. Place me into a cache and log the drop."

For the description, here's my clarification of what I mean by "moving from cache to cache" (or "wandering"), as it applies to my TB:

"The unending automatic “visit” logs with no photos, no personalized text, make it seem like there's a problem, and are not the mission. Please physically place my TB into a safe Geocache container and log that you did so. If you can't find one, the container where you got it is fine."

Wish me luck.

Edited March 12, 2018 by kunarion

March 12, 2018

53 minutes ago, kunarion said:

Your TB's goal is to "wander". You must make that goal more specific, because it's easy for people to be confused into thinking it's OK if it "wanders" with one person forevermore in a box of 50 other TBs (among other storage boxes, many miles from the cache it's logged at). I don't know why it's so easy for them to become confused, but I'm pretty sure they need to have their medication re-evaluated.

Anyway, here's my most recent idea. For the Goal on most of my TBs, I'm adding the text "Post cool stories and pictures at a cache location. Place me into a cache and log the drop."

For the description, here's my clarification of what I mean by "moving from cache to cache" (or "wandering"), as it applies to my TB:

"The unending automatic “visit” logs with no photos, no personalized text, make it seem like there's a problem, and are not the mission. Please physically place my TB into a safe Geocache container and log that you did so. If you can't find one, the container where you got it is fine."

Wish me luck.

Hi Kunarion, thanks for posting so quickly. I guess this is a case of learning as you go and thanks for the advice.

I would say however as a fairly new Cacher it seems fairly clear to me that when you find TB you decide where you are going to take it to based on its goal and drop it into a Cache box for someone else to take up the mantle.

My kids have just bought two TBs so will make sure that we get a better brief on the site.

Hope you dont mind but I have used your wording as it seems pretty much on point

Edited March 12, 2018 by TeamWilcockson
update of information

13.7k · March 12, 2018

I kinda agree with kunarion, but it appears you've since "corrected" your trackable's page... Odd (to me) that the "About This Item" (a trackable's description area) is just a rant about visit logs.

"Visit" logs are an approved log type by Groundspeak. It simply replaces the Drop and Retrieve that was used by one person to move trackables cache-to-cache years ago. In your case, one person saved your trackable (sat dormant in a cache) and has it a little over a month. If a trackables "goal" is to "travel my way around Europe collecting a photograph of every Capital City as I go", it's sorta doing that. We rarely see photos or personalized text on those who do a drop/retrieve. Once in a while you get one that's different and leaves lengthy logs and pics too. Be happy for those brief moments. Relax a bit maybe, or possible you'll spend a lot of time anxious about something you had no control of once it left your hands.

Most I know would be happy that's it's still in play...

11.6k · March 12, 2018

1 hour ago, TeamWilcockson said:

Hi Kunarion, thanks for posting so quickly. I guess this is a case of learning as you go and thanks for the advice.

I would say however as a fairly new Cacher it seems fairly clear to me that when you find TB you decide where you are going to take it to based on its goal and drop it into a Cache box for someone else to take up the mantle.

My kids have just bought two TBs so will make sure that we get a better brief on the site.

Hope you dont mind but I have used your wording as it seems pretty much on point

Cool! Post an update here sometime, if it seems to make a difference. :cute:

March 13, 2018

22 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

"Visit" logs are an approved log type by Groundspeak. It simply replaces the Drop and Retrieve that was used by one person to move trackables cache-to-cache years ago.

While this is technically correct considering the actual flood of "took it" logs compared to those rare "Drop+Retrieve" combos back in the days it is a completely out of proportion statement that "Visits are just a replacement". They are a plague..

I applaud every trackable owner who insists that the trackable page gets not completely cluttered with meaningless "Visit/Took it" and "Discovery" logs.

13.7k · March 13, 2018

29 minutes ago, Hynz said:

While this is technically correct considering the actual flood of "took it" logs compared to those rare "Drop+Retrieve" combos back in the days it is a completely out of proportion statement that "Visits are just a replacement". They are a plague..

I applaud every trackable owner who insists that the trackable page gets not completely cluttered with meaningless "Visit/Took it" and "Discovery" logs.

I'd kind of agree, and personally don't believe most even know where that trackable they've visited for months are anymore, but the fact is it was numerous cachers who asked for that change.

- One of those "careful what you wish for" things.

Geocacher has my trackable for well over a month. What do i do?

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