Are place names on a map relevant at all to the clues in the poem? I.e. Roughly how big was the location or area you had decided the treasure was at? A Statement on the Disclosure of My Identity. Me personally, I was never a good treasure hunter. But, Michigan native Jonathan "Jack" Stuef has now made his identity public after a federal court order against Fenn's estate would have made his name public. first off i would just like to congratulate you. Moreover, Jack does not want his family to be subjected to the stalkers, death threats, home invasions, frivolous lawsuits, and potential kidnappings that Forrest Fenn and his family had to face between 2010 and 2020. But I could never get passed my confirmation bias of Madison Junction, Firehole Canyon, Nez Perce Creek: HOB, Nez Perce/Mary Mountain trail. I understand if you dont have the time to answer, I appreciate you taking the time to answer my first email. In preparation, Sommer subpoenaed Stuef for a deposition. After the announcement in June 2020, there were maybe two days of people being excited, and then when it was clear they werent going to get a full explanation out of Fenn, it turned in a hurry. did you have a similar experience? i bought the book a few years ago and half heartedly followed on the internet but didnt put in the effort that you did nor am i nearly as clever:). Then you get out there in the wilderness and realize you have two ideas, you need nine, and youre basically just out for a walk. I had a pet theory that Forest endangered the solution by the amount of interviews he gave, and came to the conclusion that if he were to make an unguarded comment, it would have been early on in the chase and/or when asked an unusual question. In an effort to prove that Fenn didnt move the treasure, his lawyer revealed that Fenn told Yellowstone National Parks chief ranger, Sarah Davis, where it was hidden. But finder (or hired writer) Jack Stuef says he didnt solve the poem, he found it by figuring out the general area where Fenn wanted to die, then looked for 25 days until he found it. Assistant US attorney Kimberley Bell tried to prevent that. Jonathan "Jack" Stuef is pictured in a photo he posted to his Twitter account. Once it was a phenomenon, it was too late. Im not reading much of the online conversation because the emails keep me plenty busy. An affidavit filed as part of an ongoing lawsuit confirms that the treasure was buried inside an iconic American landmark, and now officials are scrambling to keep the exact location secret. So for now, the deposition will proceed, and Fenns hiding spot could soon be revealed. My name is Jack Stuef, and I am the finder of the Forrest Fenn Treasure. He Doesn't Mind, In a First, Subjects to Be Asked to Pledge Allegiance to King, Fountain of Youth? Fenn teased the treasures location in his 2010 memoir The Thrill of the Chase. In particular, a 24-line poem was used as the only information needed to discover the box left unburied in the Rocky Mountains. A DuckDuckGo extension in your browser, please access Newser without it: Either by removing it, whitelisting us, or using another browser. Ive answered a number of questions since the last installment of Jack Gets Mail that I thought were particularly illuminating or would be of interest to the wider group of searchers, so Ive put together another roundup of those emails. He declined to comment until his case is resolved, and its set to begin proceedings in June. This thing has intrinsic value and its part of a bigger story with a lot of parts. The Finder says it took him 25 full days of scouring one specific area to locate the treasure. Jack is now using his old search location as his story of how it was found. If the lawsuit advances and Stuef is forced to provide a deposition, well likely find out precisely where the bronze chest sat in the wilderness for a decade. [Nick had a lot of long questions and I asked him to narrow them down]. Ive been working on Forrests poem for about 8 years and would love to pose a few questions if youd indulge me. If you only had the Thrill of the Chase book (and went BOTG of course) would you have been able to solve the poem and find the treasure? Department of Corrections. For years, searchers have theorized that the treasure was found in Yellowstone, which is why Stuef wouldnt share any specifics: found property in a national park is supposed to be turned in to the park supervisor. Based on McCracken's discovery in the Fenn probate case, several pictures were released of the treasure chest in situ (purportedly taken on June 5, 2020). 1. Stuef could be compelled to reveal the location in a sworn deposition in one of several lawsuits over the treasure hunt that began in 2010. City offices are open for regular business hours. Its not about the money. The contents aren't fully known, but there were 19th-century coins, gold nuggets, rare jewels, pre-Columbian artifacts, and more inside a small bronze chest. My question is,. private emails between Stuef and Fenn that occurred immediately after the treasure was found. I now own the treasure chest. Join Outside+ to get Outside magazine, access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. In November 2020, five months after the chest was found, MeatEater podcast guest and journalist Benjamin Wallace published an article in New York Magazine that followed a group of the treasures most feverish hunters. He has freelanced for other publications such as Outside Business Journal, Gear Patrol, and before that, various newspapers. I left it vague enough so that everyone who left a fake blaze out there now feels bad about it and realizes they may have wasted time making a fake blaze instead of looking harder for the treasure. "Begin it where warm waters halt / And take it in the canyon down / Not far, but too far to walk / Put in below the home of Brown," the poem began. Theres more than one you can cross, where youre feeling the self-hate and self-loathing of not finding it. Over the past two years, all but one of the lawsuits have been dismissed. in December of that year, just before being added as a defendant to one of the lawsuitsmy texts and emails were hackedwhich forced his hand. That may be paltry by Forrest Fenns standards, but to me thats quite a lot. 2. M.T. I ask that second question because I know I would have gone through it piece by piece. You are a great writer just like Forrest. 3. Its also important to note he once gave us an idea of how many hints were in TTOTC, and it wasnt very many. Ten days later, [Fenn] released some photos, and that helped some. But the lawsuit from Florida's Jamie McCracken, who says he has evidence that Fenn was still alive after his death was announced, accuses Fenn of monitoring his search and moving the treasure four times when McCracken got too close, per Outside. The late Forrest Fenn and reported treasure discoverer Jack Stuef. Well, the McCracken proceedings are set to begin in June. 1. Its been an unexpected pleasure to answer them. 3. No. Do you think you would have found the treasure a lot sooner with a body at the spot? Stuef would be under oath and could be compelled to reveal the exact location of the treasure. First of all, Congratulations! I never could find a blaze from there that would take me off the trail.. Jack first joined The Thrill of The Chase and the hunt for Fenn's treasure in 2018. that the treasure was found in Yellowstone, which is why Stuef wouldnt share any specifics: found property. Fenn said he spent $5,000 on a lawyer figuring out the potential finders legal situation before he placed the chest. Fenns advice was to stick to the search seasons, but that varies from New Mexico to Wyoming. Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Do you mean substituting synonyms for the words of the poem so that they would make sense? But Stuef passed the test. I dont think he anticipated that people would be dying. Privacy Policy. Assuming that Brown was not Forrests name for the chest and that hoB is something that you need to be BOTG in the right area in order to identify, then its unlikely Ill ever be able to get past that point in the poem. (AP Photo/Matthew Brown, File), Limo Crash Killed 20. And you can feel that when youre looking through it. Stuef . But mostly what informed me was studying his words. The number of people who go to the point that they were neglecting their home lives was pretty rare. When I was outed as the finder of the Fenn Treasure a month ago, I didn't predict I would answer so many emails from searchers, or that I would continue to receive so much gratitude back from kind people around the world who loved this treasure hunt as much as I did. Jack had remained anonymous, he said, not because he had anything to hide but because he feared the potential threats that came with his findings. June 16, 2020 Fenn posts three photos of him with the treasure in what appears to be a lawyers office. If you had arrived at the spot, only to realize you werent the first one there and the chest was gone. He seemed satisfied overall with his performance keeping the secret, and I agree it was impressive. There was this one instance where another hunter and I were down in Bear Canyon in New Mexico. My only Wyoming solve was my first one and it was (very) weak. Cookie Notice It is EXACTLY what made the hunt so difficult for so many. Stuef wrote that Fenn's death was not the first time the man had made him cry, but that he cried throughout the strenuous treasure hunt. He has been writing about the outdoor industry, running, cycling, camping, and more for nearly a decade. In terms of looking at that as a concept, you have to look at why people search for this thing. Did the solve involve the use of synonyms for words found in the poem clues? treasure was exactly where Fenn originally left it. Any idea what they were used for? I always wondered if there had been an extra stanza before that he cut out to make it harder, but I forgot to ask him. However, this is not the case at least this time. Today, I looked at my inbox, and I have received over . Ahead of proceedings set for June, a lawyer for Fenn's estate has subpoenaed Stuef for a deposition, hoping he'll say that he followed the clues in the poem contained in Fenn's memoir to the original hiding spot. He also states that there are 10 or so other clues hidden in a poem in his self-published book, The Thrill of the Chase.. I do not know the person who found it, but the poem in my book led him to the precise spot, Fenn writes. And no, Jack is not revealing the final resting place of the treasure chest. Thanks for sharing that tidbit. But then, it also seems like Stuef knew he was going to find the treasure long before he did. In some strange way, it will make me smile knowing you are the only person who can truly smile back.either as a delighted nod or a pitiful shake of the head! Is this an original key, or a cheap replica? If youre already well-versed in the story of the Fenn treasure, then skip to the next page break. His view seemed to be that the location of the treasure became public information when Fenn published his poem. So, I could not help but notice that you resemble Forrest in many ways. I spent the last 7 summers working out in Wyoming, looking for the treasure in my spare time. 4. I think a lot of people would come to see it, and it would give a lot of closure to a lot of people. One of the people who searched unsuccessfully for the treasure, Jamie McCracken, filed a claim against Fenn's estate. That kinda blew my mind, that someone actively searching could be so close and not know. Five deaths are attributed to the search. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. Jack Stuef, a 32-year-old medical student at the time, found the treasure in 2020. So probably not. Until the finder revealed himself in late September 2020, I was 50-50 on the whole thing. No, there are no plans to disclose the location of the chest and its final resting place besides "in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming". And, as hell happily state, he was nowhere close. :P. Hope youre doing well and really appreciate again you taking time from your day to give a stranger some closure! Profiling all this and much more, CBS 48 Hours: The Fenn Treasure shows us precisely what went down with several of the individuals involved in the hunt, most notably, the one who found it, Jack Stuef. Gotta say Im 10% jealous, but 90% thrilled for you. There were a few times when I, exhausted, covered in scratches and bites and sweat and pine pitch, and nearing the end of my days water supply, sat down on a downed tree and just cried alone in the woods in sheer frustration.. The people who were searching for the chest wanted to be right. Even when Im theoretically detached and floating above it all, Im not. Lets be clear, he took the attention. The finder wants me to remain silent and I always said the finder gets to make those two calls. He read Fenn's memoir, "The Thrill of the Chase," and learned everything he could about the eccentric millionaire before starting his search for the treasure. , Stuef applied for tax status and apparently moved to Puerto Ricowhere there is almost no capital gains taxin September 2019, nine months before he found the treasure. June 6, 2020 Fenn writes on his blog that the treasure has been found. More than a decade ago, in 2010, an eccentric art dealer and author, Forrest Fenn, announced that he had hidden a treasure of gold and jewels in the Rocky Mountains of the United States by publishing a 24-line poem, or riddle, in his memoir The Thrill of the Chase. So, of course, from here, began a journey of searches that resulted in everything from marriages to deaths. But if this passes without Stuef coming under oath, then modern historys greatest treasure hunt might end with a hiding spot reveal that's 3,500 square miles. I am the person who found Forrests famed treasure. The McCracken lawsuit made public photos of the chest in situ, still embedded in the ground, as well as some private emails between Stuef and Fenn that occurred immediately after the treasure was found. I think its possible to read that multiple ways and be correct. McCracken claims this was made possible by Fenn buying a property near his search spot to keep tabs on McCrackens hunt. He wrote what he wanted to say. The treasure was found by Jack Stuef in June 2020, but for a dedicated community of internet sleuths, the hunt isn't over . They too were certain the chest was hidden in Yellowstone National Park and even employed a dog that could sniff precious metals buried up to 40 feet underground. Was the natural damage that the blaze suffered something that occurred slowly (like erosion, settling, etc.) Did Forrest Fenn simply overlook the effects of time and moisture on the key, or did some protection he have for the key fail? Finding this thing, achieving this will prove every naysayer wrong. At this point, they've done a good job at figuring out the bounds of what I feel I can responsibly share about my . You find one or two things that make you think this may be a workable area. But if youre asking in the hopes you could find an urn there, no you could not. Below are all the coincidences that lead me to Amelias cabin. And Stuefs first email reads like it was written by a committee of lawyers. Yellow stones. Wealthy New Mexico antiquities dealer Forrest Fenn filled a bronze chest with more than $1 million in gold, jewels and other valuables and hid it somewhere in the Rocky Mountains, leaving nothing but a cryptic poem he wrote in 2010 as a clue on how to find it. In April, assistant U.S. attorney Kimberley Bell filed a motion to intervene in McCrackens case, arguing that publicizing the exact location of Fenns treasure would result in a surge of visitors and damage to the park. 1. I think they accepted this is what I do and they werent expecting to find it. It was almost universal condemnation. But nobody was looking there, because it wasnt very good. He is a medical student in Michigan with actual student loans (as some have speculated to be false from his previous Medium article on the chest find). No, and he was somewhat surprised when I told him it had happened. Did Forest know when you spoke to him that hed made an error in the past? Wed have to define too big, but right around the time I was getting into it was when there were three deaths in a month. A question: If someone made a fake blaze and you publicly mentioned it was 1000 feet from the real blaze didnt you essentially tell that person where the chest was, or do you believe the maker of the fake blaze was most likely not a Fenn searcher? And then its past tense because youve then done everything you need to do to find the treasure at that point. And as an antiquities dealer with mountain experience, he would have seen a lot of old things and know how things survive in good shape (as well as the damages that can occur). Either he ended it himself or something else is going on. and our I think it would be cool to listen to that and close my eyes and envision your journey! As far as other things, some things will come out over time, but nothing revelatory in the sense that it changes everything. Thats the reason or excuse to search for it, but not the why. On May 4, judge Francis J. Mathew denied the governments motion to intervene in the case, saying that doing so would cause undue delay, and that the government has other avenueslike an injunction in federal courtif it wants to keep the location of the treasure a secret. Heres a brief timeline on how we got here: Sign up to receive GearJunkie content direct to your inbox. And yes, in theory, somebody else roughly figured out the general area and couldnt find the thing. For a little more than a decade, hundreds of thousands of people searched for a box of gold, jewelry, and rare coins hidden by the eccentric art dealer Forrest Fenn. Read more. Watersas in a designated body of water(s) rather than simply a plural form of water? Hi Jack, I hope you had a Merry Christmas, I have two questions concerning the final clue that you might entertain answering. The lawsuits make some pretty outrageous claims. Theres a fear that divulging the treasures burial spot in Yellowstone would invite hordes of visitors. A third implied that Fenn was lying when he said he never told anyone where the treasure was, because pop star Taylor Swift referenced that she knew the location of the treasure in her lyrics and music videos. After Forrest Fenns passing, though, Jack penned a piece on his blog, titled A Remembrance of Forrest Fenn, calling the New Mexican his friend and detailing the unprecedented legacy he left behind. I watched your video on confirmation bias and thought it was extremely helpful. According to the CNN article released 1 hour ago; "Stuef said he'll never reveal the location where he found the chest to preserve the wildlife there and prevent other explorers from following his trail, which could be dangerous." 4. He was heavily influenced by it and from that point forward, didnt want to believe in anything until he was certain hed found the treasure. When a lucky searcher struck gold and found the chest in June, Fenn did not identify the winner, who wished to remain anonymous, and he did not reveal the location of the chest, telling ABC News after it was found that he "hid it in a pretty good place.". He has been identified as the person who found Rocky Mountain treasure. Department of Community and Economic Development. Thats definitely one of the lines. As for his past, Jack graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in English in 2010 before starting his career as a writer. Begin ittake it Is it and actual thing and not simply your quest? Stuef would be under oath and could be compelled to reveal the exact location of the treasure. Some services are being offered online or by appointment. Then with time, Jack started opening up about his entanglement in the quest. In the summer of 2020, the decade-long Forrest Fenn treasure hunt ended in a tangled mess of conspiracy theories, wild accusations, and protracted legal proceedings. Its probably easy to tally up coincidences on any subject, and thats why so many searchers felt they wound up in rabbit holes. She filed a motion to intervene in the case in April on the argument that revealing the treasure's location will result in damage to Yellowstone. According to a report, though, it seems like he dislikes almost everything about the medical field apart from treating patients. Fenn told Davis where he stashed the treasure so that Davis could determine if the area could handle extra foot traffic from tourists who wanted to visit the treasures former location. It was not a disappointment at all. I think I can answer that either way and people would quibble if they knew all the answers. An affidavit in an ongoing lawsuit confirms that the treasure was buried in iconic areas of the United States, and now officials are struggling with how to keep the treasure's location from being released. In support of that motion, Davis signed an affidavit stating Fenn and Stuef revealed the location to her in August 2020 and that upon visiting itit's never stated that the treasure is indeed within the parkshe found the spot could not handle an influx of visitors. Yes. He said he does not plan to so that the location is kept safe. September 7, 2020 Fenns family announces that Fenn has died of natural causes. in a national park is supposed to be turned in to the park supervisor. 2010 - Fenn, an 80-year-old art dealer and writer, announces that hes hidden a treasure worth $2 million in the Rocky Mountains. I would like to ask: what gave you confidence in your search location? He says Fenn misled the entire community on the hunt. CBS via YouTube/ @stuef. (Read more Forrest Fenn treasure stories.). Five searchers died in the course of the hunt. They wanted that validation in their life. Barbarisi explored that ethos and went afield with several of the characters involved in the search, which became the basis for his book. And it works as a poem that tells a coherent story. I wish I were making that up. Our danger was messing up the environment around us, not our safety, except for getting too close to a bear one time. Hopefully you can answer these questions, but I understand if not! Yes. I spent a night at a hotel on my way to New Mexico and wiped dirt off everything with the hotel towels (not with any type of soap or cleaner, just occasionally wetting them a little bit). It taught me that I am as gullible as everyone else. Which brings us to Jamie McCracken, theFlorida man now hunting for treasure in a New Mexico courtroom. All Rights Reserved. NOTHING about it will be accidental and The treasure will be found by someone who followed the clues to the location.. "Every day.". You already know that the treasure was found, so the book spends most of its time exploring the drive and conviction behind its hunters over the last 4 years of the search. Scores of treasure seekers would scour his book, television interviews, and other materials for added meaning to those clues. Thanks Dave. Jack Stuef has not revealed the location where he found Forrest Fenn's treasure chest. Jack briefly communicated with Forrest over emails, but he did not know him personally until the chest find and had not met him in person. As personalities clash, deaths come to light, and popular theories fall out of favor, several people find themselves changed by the hunt in ways they wouldnt have expected for better or for worse. So, what comes next for those seeking answers on the treasures exact location? Thats not too much to give away because theres a million canyons. I know you found the chest in WY, but does the chase begin outside of that state? Thanks Spallies. The poem is straightforward. Hahaha! In support of that motion, the parks chief ranger, Davis, signed an affidavit stating that in August 2020, two months after the treasure was found, she had a Zoom meeting with Fenn and Stuef, during which they told her where the treasure had been stashed. Department of Education. And thats when I learned that a 32-year-old Michigan native and medical student was the person who had finally solved Fenns poem. It clearly impacted [Stuef] in a major way. A 32-year-old medical student has been identified as the finder of a million-dollar treasure that evaded seekers for more than a decade. 1. See pricing and listing details of Philadelphia real estate for sale. McCracken accuses Fenn of moving the treasure four timeswhenever McCracken was getting close to it, he says. And I wasnt allowed to open it. Did you figure out hoB before you ever went BOTG to your search area? I searched for it for two years, and on June 6 of this year, I retrieved the treasure from the place I found it in Wyoming, the same place Forrest hid it 10 years ago. It took nearly a decade since hed buried it in 2010 for someone to untangle all the clues hed left on his website and in the poem, but a man from back east, Forrest stated, who wished to remain anonymous, had finally done it. "Ive probably thought about it for at least a couple hours a day, every day, since I learned about it," Stuef said. To me, you need evidence that he intended something to be a hint in order to consider it as such, and I was happy to leave legitimate hints on the table if they didnt meet that high burden of proof. I think the past tense does help you realize that there is a gap there, the search you have to do for the blaze. Its that concept of a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.. (Hair, skin, facial structure, stature) Do you think some of these similarities in turn may have helped you find the chest? A burner account u/inthewood33 posted this link July 15, 2018 with a description and images of a shovel and rock and crossbones that they found and interpreted as a fake blaze.. The treasure chest's finder: a Pennsylvania medical school student. The treasure was filthy, and dirt got all over the interior bag I had it in. Thanks again Jack and completely understand if I dont hear back from my question. Department of Banking and Securities. Stuef became hooked on the idea of finding the treasure after learning about it on Twitter in 2018, he told Outside magazine. Jack's reasoning for coming forward is the hope that revealing the finder of the chest will lay things to rest. Congratulations, again! "When I finally found it, the primary emotion was not joy but rather the most profound feeling of relief in my entire life," Stuef wrote.
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