MnGCA

[AerosmithPA]

I think all of us have noticed how State Park caches are places where travel bugs go to get lost. I just spent a fair amount of time explaining to an overseas cacher how I feel his TB was lost in one of these caches.

I haven't hung around the Safari caches long enough to read all of the info provided. I get in there, get the coordinates, and make the find. I always look for TB's to rescue even if none are listed in the cache. I never leave a TB in a Safari cache.

Do the State Parks make an effort to educate new geocachers to the fact that travel bugs are not normal trade items, especially to the people who come in and ask what geocaching is, and are loaned a gps? My hope would be that they step up education in this area of the game, so well meaning people who may not continue geocaching beyond their State Park visit will not lose something which means a lot to someone else.

[RudeRat]

My experience is just the opposite. While at one of the parks doing the state park challenge, I listened to the person behind the counter tell a newbie that she saw a new bug had been dropped in the cache, and then went on to explain what they were. This newbie had his own GPS, but the same conversation with a rented GPS in the mix would surly have meant another dead bug. I had just come from the cache and the bug had already been picked up earlier in the day.

I wish they would put something in the cache discouraging the placement of bugs in the cache with an explination of why.
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Ahhhhhhhh, the power of cheese!

[andrewmcc]

I will bring it up again at the next meeting. I know we had talked about putting some thing in the caches about tbs. Personally think that wouldn't be very effective.
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Dinnae fash yersel (don't worry yourself)

[15Tango]

At Ft. Snelling, the cache notice taped to the inside of the lid of the ammo can explained how travel bugs work. TBs are also mentioned in their brochure (but it doesn't mention geocoins) -

"Keep on the watch for Geocaching Travel Bugs found inside Critter Caches. These "bugs" are objects attached to a geocaching tag. Their mission is to find new caches to visit. You can help the "bug" along on its journey. Visit www.geocaching.com to enter the unique ID number found on the tag and learn more! Do NOT keep Travel Bugs unless you plan on visiting more hidden geocaches."

I agree, it doesn't seem to help - Critter Caches are where Travel Bugs and geocoins go to die. I remember the same thing happened during the State Park History Challenge. I suppose the best we can do is to not place any bugs and coins in these caches and rescue any we do find there.
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There comes a time in every young boy's life when he gets an irresistible urge to seek buried treasure.--Mark Twain

[flaggal]

I have been to a few state park caches that have a laminated paper in the cache stating that if they see a travel bug (they had a photo of the travel tag) that it needs to move along. I do not think it is enough...others do not understand.....I was at a state park today and there was 7 listed in the cache and not one of them was there....Sad..

[Tuxedo Duck]

I was at Wild River State Park last Sunday, August 22, and they had a laminated note about how travel bugs work. This is the first time I have seen that, and liked the idea. But I still am trying to keep travel bugs out of the state park safari caches.

[Pear Head]