Veterans Day

To my brothers and sisters in arms I say thank you for your service to our great country.

Treasure hunting, the internet, and reality tv

The search for buried treasure has become so popular that many of the major cable networks each have their own version of a treasure show now. When these shows first came out I had high hopes that they would capture the true essence of treasure hunting. Sadly for most of these shows there is very little reality in their reality tv.

I'm contacted all the time by production companies wanting me to try out for a show they are trying to sell to the networks. Very few are interested in my skill set of interpreting treasure signs. Instead most are just looking for big personalities. The concept of the hunt for treasure is lost to the train wreck drama and personal conflicts of those people starring in the shows. Don't get me wrong. Even with my disappointment in most of these programs I still tune in to watch them.

The internet has been both a curse and a blessing to treasure hunters. In the old days we had to search for our information at the local library or court houses. Read through numerous books and magazines. Track down old timers who might have a lead for you. I still do those things, but the internet now allows me do do most of these things and more from the comfort of home.

The online treasure forums allow treasure hunters to gather and swap stories and ideas. Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation floating around the internet. Especially when it comes to KGC treasure.

Social media is the new phenomenon in the world of treasure hunting. It allows us to connect with other like minded people who enjoy the same hobbies and interest as we do. In some cases it even allows you to make up your own reality of who you are. I have a rich yuppie in mind who is trying to be a cross between Murdock from the A Team and Indiana Jones  when I say this.

The beauty of the internet is that if you have enough money you can create your own image. The above mentioned treasure hunter has done just that. He says that he is a professional because he derives his income from treasure hunting. This may be true. I can't seem to find any documented finds this person has made that would cover his overhead,  so it must be the dozens of websites, videos, and books that this person promotes that bring in the bucks. Like one of my old friends say....that's why they call us treasure hunters and not treasure finders.

However it is you enjoy treasure whether reading about it,  surfing the net, or watching it on TV take the time and do some searching outdoors for your own. Not all treasure is gold. Sometimes it just the memories we make with friends and family while on the hunt.

Good luck and good hunting!

Treasure Sign or Big Ugly Rock?

Is this a treasure sign or big, ugly rock? A self proclaimed professional treasure hunter may look at it and say that it's nothing more than a big, ugly rock. It would be foolish on his or her part without first asking a few questions. The first question I would ask myself, when deciding if something I find in the field is a sign or not, would be is it in context with others signs found in the area? Such as drill holes, carvings, shadow symbols, etc.

Second question would be does it have instructions? In the case of this bird head pointer it is saying go left.

Third question is does it lead to something?  If it's a sign it should lead you to something obvious. In the case of the one pictured above it pointed to another directional marker.

One stone mason who viewed the picture claimed it couldn't be a sign because it didn't have any tool or chisel marks. Several centuries of Oklahoma wind and rain tend to leave rocks weathered and it's highly doubtful and chisel marks would've remained. There's also the possibility that the rock was natural and only needed slight modification to make it look like a bird's head.

Not all signs you come across point to treasure. Some are just marking a trail or lead to a campsite or water source. They are still fun to find and photograph. Please don't remove them from the location you find them in.

Good luck and good hunting!

Treasure hunt for a book

I'm looking for a rare treasure book and decided to make a treasure hunt of it. I would trade this $5 gold coin for the book. The book is "Spanish Trail of Gold", by Robert O. Burch. It was self published in 1935. This will be a challenge for people to find.

Good luck and good hunting!

Treasure hunting community loses another great

It's with a sad heart that I write this post. Oliver Ray Pack has passed on to an eternal rest. He was a good friend and mentor and has been instrumental in my treasure hunting education. Ray preserved some of Oklahoma's most interesting treasure history. Four decades ago he was able to acquire the remnants of Joe Hunter's treasure maps and the tea kettle watch.

There was much more to Ray than treasure hunting. He was very giving of his time and knowledge and on more than one occasion helped those in need. His sense of humor was something to behold.  He also had a great knowledge of history.

 Due to health reasons we were only able to share in one adventure together over the past few years. It was a memorable trip to eastern Oklahoma. One that I will never forget. I was sure we were going to have a "deliverance" moment before the trip was over. You had to be there to really get the full experience of the trip.

There is so much more I could write about Ray, but I can't properly do him the honor he deserves on a blog posting.

His memory will live on through his family and friends, but his presence will truly be missed.

The greatest treasures are not the material things, but those people who touch our lives in a positive way.