Tb Collecting, Is It Wrong?

[Dennisfauchez]

I've been considering collecting a few bugs (5-10) and watching them scatter from one cache. But the first few bugs I get will be in my possesion for 2-3 weeks. Is this wrong to do? I don't want to bug anybody with this, I just thought maybe it would be neat to watch them scatter afterwards... I could also contact the owners of each and every bug, but that would take a while...

 

Just some thoughts...

 

Thnx,

-D-

[+BlueDeuce]

Taking bugs without assisting or checking with the owner, hmmmm.

 

Let me ask you this, how remote is your cache you plan to place them in?

Edited October 6, 2004 by Elf Danach

[+ZackJones]

I think it's a cool concept if you were releasing 5-10 bugs of your own but (don't take this wrong) I don't see the point of gathering other TBs and then tracking them after you place them all in one cache.

 

I'm with the Elf regarding the remoteness of the cache. It may be cool to take 5 - 10 TBs and drop them off at a TB Hotel near an airport to see what direction they scatter but I don't think it would be very cool to take 5-10 TBs and place them in a 5/5 or night only cache.

 

Zack

[+Planet]

why do they all have to scatter at once? Couldn't you just drop the next five bugs in the same cache as you find them? No matter what, ask the owners.

[+Renegade Knight]

Two weeks is not overly long for a TB to be in a cache owners hands. Normally I hold them longer for lack of finding anything but micro's.

 

If you keep your turn around time reasonable, it's no skin off anyones back. However if you actually can help a bug to it's goal, you should do that rather than have it be one of your scattergun race.

 

One last thought. A lot of bugs have no particular goal except for interesting cache experiences while they travel. So take a photo and post it. The owner would appreciate it.

[+bigredmed]

I am with Elf on this one. I don't think its all that uncommon for people to hold a bug that long. I do think that to do so is bordering on neglect (especially if you don't let the owner know what's up.) As for the scattering part, use your own bugs.

[+BlueDeuce]

...

Edited October 7, 2004 by Elf Danach

[+planetrobert]

right now i have 11 bugs that belong to others and 1 of my own to release. i grabbed them starting 10 days ago and some only 6 days ago. I will be releasing them ALL in a TB hotel cache that gets a lot of traffic this saturday which will be 13 days for the longest held bugs.

 

I like to do this regularly since bugs in my area get trapped it seems and so i transport them 90 miles it all weather I-5 where they WILL move better than around my area.

 

I usually will do a drop within a week for this type of bug grab but didn't go south last week.

 

Also like to do this when i travel long distances by going out and grabbing all the bugs in my area and moving them a great distance.

 

as long as it ain't a level5 cache, do it.

[+budd-rdc]

I try to avoid TB collecting if I can. At one time, I had about 6 of them, thinking that I could help each one with its mission, but that took too long. I even passed up a few Bugs because I didn't want any more hassles. I eventually ended up dumping a few of them at a cache and felt bad for holding onto them without giving them the adventures needed.

 

I try to keep no more than 4 now, and usually less. If I can't do anything interesting with a bug, I try to move it on as quickly as possible. So rather than say that collecting TBs is right or wrong, you may want to ask yourself what's the best way to respectfully handle someone else's property?

 

You can check the gallery in my profile to see that I try to make Travel Bug owners happy by documenting adventures relative to its mission or its theme:

 

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=19...84-38cb92e1d3bd

[+YuccaPatrol]

I could also contact the owners of each and every bug, but that would take a while...

 

If you are going to hold onto them for several weeks, you've got time to contact each and every TB owner if that is what you think you should do. . . .

[+zygote2k]

I think you should hold them for as long as you need to. Don't let all these people who live vicariously through their TB's frustrate your TB experiment. Do what you think is right.

[hunter-bob]

I would like that to happen to my frsit Tb just buy ur own and do it.

[+Weavey]

I don't see a problem with it as long as you don't hang on to them too long ...mmm

as some Geo grubbers do .. !!

I often have 5 or 6 bugs in my possesion, but keep them moving all the time...

Just like circulating the food in your fridge ...

Weavey

[+drat19]

I spent about 2 months this summer accumulating a total of 40 TBs for a trip I had planned to Maritime Eastern Canada in October (I'm based in So. Mississippi). I contacted the owners of each and every TB to advise them that their TBs would be "stalled" with me until my trip (I didn't disclose where I was going unless they responded and asked...part of the fun!), and most importantly I assured each TB owner that their TBs were in good hands and excellent care. I also informed each TB owner that I would be glad to put them out sooner if they wanted.

 

Of all the replies I received from the TB owners, NOT ONE had any objection that their TBs were "stalled", and in fact they were grateful that I contacted them, and they could tell from my profile/stats that I'm a responsible TB carrier.

 

I distributed the 40 TBs in caches all over New England and the Canadian Maritimes during my trip, and I received many thank you notes for the responsible handling, and of course the MEGA mileage. (I must admit, though, that I was sweating my checked baggage getting to the same city as me after 3 flight connections...I'm sure I was more worried about the TBs than I was about my clothes! )

 

If you're doing any kind of "TB project", like what I did or like what you're planning, as long as you communicate with the TB owners, and most importantly, as long as you HANDLE and LOG THEM PROPERLY (can't we get certain newbs to read a flippin' TB tips page and learn these simple extra steps?!?) (sorry, subject for another rant!), you should have no problems.

 

-Dave R. in Biloxi (over 360 TBs/GeoCoins moved to date, as of this post)

Edited October 31, 2004 by drat19

[+fly46]

(I must admit, though, that I was sweating my checked baggage getting to the same city as me after 3 flight connections...I'm sure I was more worried about the TBs than I was about my clothes

 

I was so worried about getting TBs through an airport that I almost carried them on. Probably a good thing I didn't as I ended up searched at the airport and I'm sure that Uncle Elwyn would have raised questions.

 

 

Anyway, I say that as long as you put a TB back in circulation in less than 14 days, who cares what you do with them? The site gives you 14 days before it puts a little * next to the bug, so if you have one for two weeks, don't sweat it.

 

Now if you're talking two months, that's a whole different kettle of fish.

[+drat19]

Anyway, I say that as long as you put a TB back in circulation in less than 14 days, who cares what you do with them? The site gives you 14 days before it puts a little * next to the bug, so if you have one for two weeks, don't sweat it.

 

Now if you're talking two months, that's a whole different kettle of fish.

Agreed. 2 (or even 3) weeks to hold a TB until its next drop is no biggie, IMHO. Anything longer means a note to its owner is in order, to advise the "stall" and to ask if it's OK.

 

-Dave R.

[+Thot]

the first few bugs I get will be in my possesion for 2-3 weeks. Is this wrong to do? 

My crude study says it takes 42 days on average for a bug to move from one cache to the next. Of course this includes the time it lies in the from cache plus the transit time. But, since you're at half that, or less, it doesn't seem onerous.

Edited November 1, 2004 by Thot