The First Call: How to Question a Stranger and Track Down a Hidden Treasure Cache

Every treasure hunter has a story that starts with a call. A stranger reaches out with whispers of something hidden—a buried cache, a family tale, an old map. This isn’t fantasy. This is the first spark of potential discovery.

As someone who’s chased both treasure myths and maps across Texas and beyond, I’ve learned that the key to turning a conversation into a real lead lies in knowing what to ask, what to look for, and how to investigate methodically—from field to farmhouse.

This article lays out my complete approach:

1. The questions to ask a stranger in order to verify the authenticity of their story.
2. Signs to look for on land that may conceal treasure.
3. How to find secret hiding spots inside homes and outbuildings.

Part 1: Interviewing the Stranger With Their Tale of Treasures — What to Ask First

When that first call comes in, the goal isn’t to leap at the lead. It’s to gather information that this individual presents, verify the story in terms of feasibility and practicality of carrying out a search, and to map out possible next steps.

Key Questions to Ask the Caller:

1. Tell me what exactly do you know regarding this treasure/cache?
Pin down whether this is a story passed down and from whom, a document in hand, or a personal find. Create a note for this step and handwrite or record all that is said including name, phone numbers, pertinent information related to what the caller knows.

2. How did you come across this information?
Determine credibility—was it inherited, overheard, or uncovered? 

3. What’s the approximate location?
Ask for coordinates, property boundaries, landmarks, even GPS pins. A vague location is a red flag, but sometimes even partial clues are enough to start.

4. What era is this supposed to be from?
Context is everything. Spanish Colonial gold isn’t likely to be in a Depression-era moonshiner’s backyard.  Documentation from the 1700’s is going to be harder to find than from the late 1800’s/early 1900’s.  Your chances of finding a cache from days past exponentially decrease with each decade going back in history.

5. Are there documents, photos, or artifacts?
Documentation is everything in hunting a hidden hoard of loot.  Sometimes it can present itself up front, a key piece of the puzzle that perhaps even the person who holds it in the possession doesn’t know the significance of.  Even a scribbled map or yellowed letter with directions can be valuable.  It can also be a nothingburger but even that is a step in the right direction because you have eliminated what it represents.

6. Do you know anyone else who might know more?
Ask for names of relatives, locals, historians, or caretakers who can corroborate or expand the story.  Be aware that anyone who buries or hides valuables may very well have provided hints or clues as to the location of those valuables.  A close friend, a former spouse, within a book (especially a bible).  In the contents of a mobile phone in the terms of a note, or even a photo.

7. Why are you calling now?
Motivation matters. Are they looking for help digging, hoping to sell the site, or just sharing for history’s sake?  What specifically do they want from you as a treasure hunter?

8.  A caveat and pause
IF you can’t get the above information to justify and enable further investigation or an on site search, you need to know when to quit.  This can’t be overemphasized.  Even a true story or legend from history can be rendered useless because of distortion of one single fact. A large amount of treasure tales that we encounter today are rendered useless due to distortion of information either intentionally or by accident. 

9.  Where to keep all of your stories you will run into.
In Texas we have 254 counties.  I actually have 254 3 hole folders with the fold down metal tabs (you remember in school ?) and I maintain them for each county in Texas.  When I hear of a treasure, I put that information in the county folder where it should be.  I do this because if any further information develops regarding that specific treasure tale, I can add to it within that county folder.  And fair warning….you will move a specific treasure story as far as you can, and then another year or three and more information will surface that will add to the facts of the tale.  This way, you can build up a file on each cache and that in turn will move you forward.  My oldest current pursuit is almost 9 years old.  I am convinced that had I been given proper information that I discovered was incorrect 2 years ago, I would have already recovered this treasure.

So let’s assume that they have legitimate potential and we want to investigate the outside land of a property.  Here we go:

Part 2: Evaluating the Land — What Signs to Look For Outdoors

Once you have a site where you believe it is reasonably possible or even likely to have a cache on it your fieldwork begins. Whether it’s a remote piece of ranchland or a backyard in a ghost town, you’re looking for signs left by humans long ago.

Top Indicators of a Potential Treasure Cache Site:

First before you go out in the field….hear my words here.  Learn how to really look.  Most inexperienced treasure hunters don’t focus and because of that one factor, many indicators are not seen.  Remember that the original treasure was likely buried as concealment, and signs will be subtle.  Sensory overload will cause you to miss important clues.  Inside a structure I actually use a high lumen adjustable focus diameter  flashlight because it forces me to pay attention to what is illuminated.  In the daytime you can use your finger to do the same thing.  Really learn to “see”.

• Unnatural Ground Disturbance:
  Look for small mounds, depressions, or changes in vegetation that suggest the ground was dug and refilled.  If a dig was recent, the dirt will be loose and mounded. If a large container was used it might still be mounded but erosion and settling will make any mound significantly smaller and more subtle. 
• Rock Formations or Markers:
  Stones arranged unnaturally—especially in triangles, crosses, or arrows—were often used as markers by outlaws and soldiers.  Settlers moved a lot of stones from a site used for a garden…..but they could also be used to mark the location of a cache of hidden loot.  Until you know for sure, do NOT move or remove the signs.  They might have more information to point you to where a cache is buried.
• Trees with Modifications:
  Old trees might have carvings (initials, symbols), axe scars, or “blazes” that align with sun/shadow patterns. Trees grow from the top up, so any marks made by a person who has hidden a cache are going to be at whatever height they were made at. 
• Remnants of Camps or Structures:
  Old homesteads, cellar holes, chimney piles, or wagon ruts. Look for signs of long-term presence—trash pits, shell casings, broken crockery.
• Water Proximity:
  People tend to bury near water—but just far enough to avoid flooding. Areas 20-50 yards from springs, creeks, or wells are prime hiding zones.
• Metal Artifacts or Signals:
  Using a detector, you might find nails, tools, buttons—anything signaling historic human presence.  If you are using a metal detector just know that you gotta dig a lot of trash at a former homesite in order to recover lost treasures.  In almost all cache hunting I suggest using the largest coil you have.  You are not interested in small targets.  When you get a signal raise the coil above the ground 8-12 inches and see if there is still a signal.  If so it warrants further investigation i.e. dig.
• People tend to want to keep buried riches within eyesight of the home:
  The average distance from a homesite where a cache of valuables may be buried typically ranges from 10 to 100 feet, with the most common distance being 20 to 50 feet. This distance is not random—it’s the result of a mix of practicality, psychology, and necessity, especially in historical contexts.  Buried caches are most often found within that radius.
• Personal spaces:
  If a person had a favorite tree or spot to sit at, they tend to bury there in order to sit on their gold so to speak. Likewise if a man and wife had a favorite part of a river or stream to sit at, it could be another indicator to pay attention to that spot.
• Are there large rocks or caves:
  Those make great hiding places, as do hollowed logs.

Part 3: Inside the Walls — How to Search Homes and Outbuildings

Many treasure caches aren’t buried at all. They’re hidden in houses—especially if the home was occupied during unstable times (wars, bank panics, Prohibition). From false walls to hollow steps, here are the top hiding spots to investigate.

Top Hiding Places Inside a House:

• Under Floorboards:
  Loose boards beneath rugs or furniture were common places for people to hide coins or documents.  My very first cache was under a scuttle hole in the floor….a Wells Fargo Strongbox. 
• Behind Baseboards or Crown Molding:
  Pry gently along decorative trim—some were designed to pop off easily.
• Inside Walls or Behind False Panels:
  Knock along walls for hollow sounds or use a small inspection camera to look behind. Pay special attention behind fireplaces or in closets. Even the Mantels of fireplaces make great hiding places.
• Under Stair Treads or Risers:
  Staircases often held hidden compartments—especially in older homes.
• In Chimneys or Hearths:
  The ash box or chimney cleanout area may conceal a brick that pops out.
• Attic Rafters and Beams:
  Items could be wrapped and wired under beams, particularly near chimneys.
• Inside Air Vents or Behind Grates:
  Older vent systems were often disconnected and made for perfect secret safes.
• Behind Wall-Hung Mirrors or Paintings:
  Especially if they’ve been mounted for decades.

Top Hiding Places in Outbuildings and Barns:

• False Walls in Barns or Tool Sheds:
  Especially behind feed storage areas, hay lofts, or tack rooms.
• Beneath Floorboards or Trapdoors:
  Old barns often had cellars or grain bins that were later covered.
• Inside Old Equipment:
  Look in hollow posts, old stoves, farm machinery, or cisterns.
• In or Under Stone Fencing or Corner Posts:
  Hollowed-out stones or buried cache boxes could be hidden there.  My second cache was a post hole cache, and the post was lying on the ground with wire still attached.
• Abandoned Wells or Outhouses:
  People often threw valuables into dry wells or privy holes in emergencies.

Tools of the Trade for Indoor and Outdoor Searches

To investigate safely and thoroughly, equip yourself with:

• Metal Detector with Ground Balance Control
• Inspection Camera (Borescope)
• Non-Marring Pry Tools
• Stud Finder and Wall Scanner
• UV Flashlight (for document or paint markings)
• Measuring Tape and Compass
• Ground Penetrating Radar (if access allows)

Conclusion: A Lead Is Just the Beginning

Treasure hunting is a science wrapped in mystery and driven by patience. That first stranger’s call could be the start of a genuine discovery—but only if you know how to ask, where to look, and how to follow the signs, from field to floorboard.

Every search is a blend of forensic investigation, historical analysis, and gut instinct. And sometimes, behind the oldest walls or beneath the quietest tree, you’ll find a forgotten chapter of someone’s life—waiting to be brought to light.

Final Note: Take photos, document everything, and seek landowner permission or historical society input when investigating. Safety, legality, and respect for heritage come first.