Trackables not in caches as listed.

[+mrs.mellott]

Hey all!

 

I'm a newbie geocacher, but my husband started many years ago, so I am relatively familiar with all the procedures. My question is this:

If we find a cache that is supposed to have trackables, but doesn't, is there a way to mark the trackable as missing? I realize this could open up a lot of possible problems, and maybe it's just my OCD tendencies, but when I see trackables from June, and it's now almost November, I've visited the cache and they clearly aren't there.... It drives me bonkers! Is there a way for someone other than the trackable owner to mark it MIA?

 

Thanks!

[+dfx]

Is there a way for someone other than the trackable owner to mark it MIA?

 

 

The owner of the cache can do that too. So your best bet is to let both cache owner and trackable owner know (through a note for instance) that the trackable wasn't there. Other than that, there's nothing you can do.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

The cache owner or the traveler owner can mark it as "missing" (which removes it from the cache inventory).

 

To do this, they need evidence that it isn't in the cache...

 

Your job, should you decide to accept it, is the following:

 

1) in your "found it" log (or note, if that is the case) of the cache, report in the log that the traveler (by NAME is not present);

2) for that particular traveler, use the cache inventory link to access the page and post a "note" log stating that the traveler is not in (name the cache) -- you do not need the tracking # to post a note.

 

A cache owner receives the cache log via email -- the traveler owner does not. The traveler owner receives an email of the log from the trackable page -- the cache owner does not. So.... you see, you must do BOTH logs.

 

Whether or not either person will mark the traveler as "missing" is an entirely different matter....

 

Forum Mod Eartha can also perform this function of marking a TB or geocoin as missing, but I would go that route only if it really, really, really bothers you that much. Certainly not on a whim from a singular visit to a cache that you don't ever plan to visit again.

[lcombee]

I suspect that many TB's "missing" from a cache simply aren't logged properly and laying around somewhere. (i.e., they are not stolen) If there is ONE thing that Groundspeak must do is to change the way people log whether they take a trackable. Now you need to click twice: first log the cache and then log the trackable. You should be forced to do in one go, and if you did not take a trackable from a cache be forced to acknowledge that you did not take it. And maybe have the text for these options in a local language (if desired, to be configured during registration).

 

This happened to me: I put out a TB a few weeks ago. Now it's taken, the guy has logged the cache but he hasn't correctly logged the trackable as 'retrieved'. It is listed as still in the cache but he has it. He logged he 'discovered' the TB and writes he took it. I checked the cache, indeed it is gone. Now it's a mess. I emailed the guy but - how typical - he is not responding. Maybe with some luck he fixes it later.

 

If the TB owner changes the status to 'missing' too soon it's an extra incentive for the one who holds it to just drop the whole thing. It's better to leave a note in the TB log to encourage whoever hasn't properly logged the TB to sort out and email the TB owner if help is needed. This also helps those who hope to find a TB/GC to see the status and know that the item isn't yet truly missing.

 

Of course after 1-2 years???

[+Gumbys4eva]

I hate when that happens too. You go to a cache, and no trackable is there. However, last week I found a cache that had a TB that hadn't been logged in over 2 years! It didn't even say that it was in the cache. Happy Days! The TB owner was pleased too.

[+mrs.mellott]

Thank you for the responses everyone! I had been mentioning on the cache log that the trackables were not present, but hadn't followed that up on the trackable page as well, so I will be sure to do that from this point on.

 

That is very cool about a trackable resurfacing after two years though! I do hope that the majority of missing travel bugs are just logged improperly and will turn up again at some point.

[Narcosynthesis]

A lot of TB's missing from a cache will have just been moved on as intended, just not logged properly. So they will be MIA until someone finds them in their new cache and logs them there.

 

It is also possible that they have been picked up recently but just not logged yet - many won't be able to log 'officially' until they get home or to internet access, so if it was picked up shortly before you got there, it is possible it will appear when they log their recent finds.

 

I would have a look at the recent logs to see if there is any mention of picking up the TB (and if so an email to the person to remind them to log it could be in order), and mention it in your own log that there were TB's listed, but none in the cache. This I believe can also be done on the TB's page to let the owner know too.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

....see if there is any mention of picking up the TB (and if so an email to the person to remind them to log it could be in order), and mention it in your own log that there were TB's listed, but none in the cache. This I believe can also be done on the TB's page to let the owner know too.

It used to be that most everybody picking up/dropping of a TB would mention so in the log (by NAME). Now however, it seems very few mention anything about a drop or pickup -- if so, they don't bother with the name.

 

It would be nice if the trend were to reverse, it helps to track down a missing or mislogged traveler.

[+karenskie7209]

Can someone explain eto me how to log a trackable properly.

 

I have found and moved and logged a few succesfully but have 2 recently that havnt behaved as I expected and are not appearing in my inventory - how do I move tehm to my inventory.

 

One I logged (on my phone) and moved to another box within days but its not in the inventory and therefore I can't log that its in its new box.

 

Another I still to move on and I have logged it as discovered but cant see a way of moving it tot eh inventory?

 

Pleas help I feel I am lettign the trackable owners down, think it might be an ipone thing as sometimes it logges thigns OK and sometimes I come back the the computer and the log isnt there I have to do it again.

 

Stuck with the trackable I moved on straight away as I now dont have its code anymore (unless i go back to the cache and retrieve it!!)

 

Hope someon can help I've only been caching since March so still learning

[+Eartha]

At the top of this forum is a thread called How To Log a Trackable. In my signature line there is a link to the Groundspeak Knowledge Books for more information on Trackables.

[+angevine]

Yikes. This is a recurring problem, as is the opposite -- bugs appearing in caches that aren't listed as being there. A lot of cachers don't seem to know exactly what do with trackables.

 

Inform, inform, inform. First make sure that it really isn't there (look around: I've found stuff outside of containers from time to time) and then let both the cache owner and the trackable owner know. It may well surface eventually ... I also know people have picked up trackballs and haven't logged them until they're ready to drop them off, which can be weeks or even months later.

 

As I said, they can get very messy.

 

-- Jeannette

 

who wrote the book on geocaching:

Open Your Heart with Geocaching

available on Amazon, B&N, and at Powell's

[+fuzziebear3]

Can someone explain eto me how to log a trackable properly.

 

I have found and moved and logged a few succesfully but have 2 recently that havnt behaved as I expected and are not appearing in my inventory - how do I move tehm to my inventory.

 

One I logged (on my phone) and moved to another box within days but its not in the inventory and therefore I can't log that its in its new box.

 

Another I still to move on and I have logged it as discovered but cant see a way of moving it tot eh inventory?

 

Pleas help I feel I am lettign the trackable owners down, think it might be an ipone thing as sometimes it logges thigns OK and sometimes I come back the the computer and the log isnt there I have to do it again.

 

Stuck with the trackable I moved on straight away as I now dont have its code anymore (unless i go back to the cache and retrieve it!!)

 

Hope someon can help I've only been caching since March so still learning

 

As Eartha mentioned, there is an article that will help you.

I'll also mention a couple things from your post:

 

You said you 'Discovered' it. Discovered does not put it in your inventory, it is supposed to note that you saw it and left it there.

If you took it with you, the proper log is 'Retrieved from ....'. This is the one that adds it to your inventory.

 

For the one you already put in a cache, you need to either go back and get it so you can do the logging correctly, or send an e-mail to the owner asking for the number so you can do the online part of the logging. Once you get the number, do the 'Retrieve from ...' on the bug. After it is in your inventory, 'write a note' on the cache page and you will be able to denote 'Dropped Off' the bug into the cache.