Libertytree
6th April 2013, 09:17 AM
http://news.yahoo.com/nm-warns-treasure-hunters-finders-125146563.html
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- A collection of gold and jewels that a retired Santa Fe art dealer says he stashed in the mountains north of Santa Fe has generated so much interest from amateur treasure hunters that some have put their lives in jeopardy or been cited for illegally digging on public lands.
But authorities are warning people about more than being careful and following the law. They also note finders may not be keepers.
"If this treasure is buried, you would need to dig for it. And you can't dig anywhere in a national forest without a permit," said Bruce Hill, spokesman for the Santa Fe National Forest. "Even if it is not buried and it is just placed somewhere it becomes public domain."
Ditto for state lands, according to Department of Game and Fish spokesman Dan Williams.
Forrest Fenn was asked if he had considered land rights before hiding the chest. He said in an email that much has been written about land laws.
"I'm staying out of those discussions, except to say it may be fun to redefine some of the terms," Fenn said in the email.
The poem that Fenn published in his memoir, "The Thrill of the Chase," to give clues to the chest's whereabouts advises the treasure finder to "Look quickly down, your quest to cease, But tarry scant with marvel gaze, Just take the chest and go in peace."
But authorities currently seem to be more concerned about public safety than ownership questions as publicity about Fenn's claims to have hidden the 40-plus pound chest filled with gold coins, gold nuggets and ancient jewelry draws people to the northern New Mexico mountains.
Last month, a woman from Texas got lost in the mountains near Los Alamos overnight after seeing reports about the treasure on national television. But she was found safe the next day.
And Williams said the state plans to file charges against a man found digging last month under a descanso along the upper Pecos River last month. A descanso is a marker where someone has died or ashes scattered. Williams says the man told officers he was digging for Fenn's treasure.
Forest officials are urging treasure hunters to check with their office before setting out to make sure they have the proper gear and know the best places to go, Hill said.
"One of the concerns that we had is that this might invite people that really aren't familiar with traveling in a forest," Hill said. "They could get lost. They could step and stumble and turn an ankle ... maybe put themselves in a situation where they have to be rescued and maybe put other people's lives at risk."
Fenn said he has also posted caution notices on his web site and several blogs.
"Flatlanders don't realize how dangerous it can be," he said.
.................................................. ....................................
Another related article and a snippet of it.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/article_9c83382b-a652-59a1-8c84-790a73ba3cb0.html
Williams said if the man who dug under the descanso — “resting place” in Spanish, usually a homemade memorial placed where someone has died or where their ashes have been scattered — had found Fenn’s treasure, he could not have kept it because state law prevents taking artifacts from state land. He said the same rules would probably apply to most federal land.
“Our officer asked him to repair, to back fill where he was digging, which the guy apparently did, but it may not be to our satisfaction,” he said. “We may have to go in there to tamp it down better and fix it up so that it doesn’t get undermined by erosion.”
.................................................. .........................................
Forrest released the following statement the day after a searcher was arrested for digging on public property while searching for Forrest’s treasure
————————–
This is going to get me in trouble but I have to say it.
The following words have nothing to do with the treasure chest I hid, and they will give no hints or associations to its location.
Searching for hidden treasures in the mountains is enjoyable. It brings families together, it promotes bonding and it gets kids off the streets, out of the game rooms and away from their texting machines.
During rough economic times, it provides hopes and dreams where otherwise they might be lacking. It is both healthy and mind expanding. And it utilizes the great outside for the purpose it was intended. I have 14,442 emails that have told me those things.
I am sorry that someone was arrested for digging a small hole in the ground. In the scope of world events, surely it should not have made the front page and NBC news. It is beyond me why anyone would want to prosecute that man. If I were his judge, I would fine him ten bucks and tell him not to do it again. What has happened to our basic senses? There are those who will tell me that I do not understand the problem, and they will be right, I don’t.
Let us put things in perspective and look at them from a different slant. There are 654,885,389 acres of land in the United States that are owned by the American people. That is what the federal government admits is “public property.” And the population of this great country is 313,914,040. After doing the math I learn that my allotment is exactly 2.086 acres.
Now, what if I wanted to secret a can of Dr. Pepper under a rock in the cooling waters of a rivulet somewhere in my allotted public acreage? If I did, I would not need to use all of my area, I would need just 7.5 fluid ounces and 90 calories of space. And I would still have about 2.08555 acres remaining. Seems fair to me but would I have broken the law? Yes or No? If yes, then let us change the law because who knows where that nonsense could end. If no, then why are we getting so excited about the little things?
Forrest Fenn
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- A collection of gold and jewels that a retired Santa Fe art dealer says he stashed in the mountains north of Santa Fe has generated so much interest from amateur treasure hunters that some have put their lives in jeopardy or been cited for illegally digging on public lands.
But authorities are warning people about more than being careful and following the law. They also note finders may not be keepers.
"If this treasure is buried, you would need to dig for it. And you can't dig anywhere in a national forest without a permit," said Bruce Hill, spokesman for the Santa Fe National Forest. "Even if it is not buried and it is just placed somewhere it becomes public domain."
Ditto for state lands, according to Department of Game and Fish spokesman Dan Williams.
Forrest Fenn was asked if he had considered land rights before hiding the chest. He said in an email that much has been written about land laws.
"I'm staying out of those discussions, except to say it may be fun to redefine some of the terms," Fenn said in the email.
The poem that Fenn published in his memoir, "The Thrill of the Chase," to give clues to the chest's whereabouts advises the treasure finder to "Look quickly down, your quest to cease, But tarry scant with marvel gaze, Just take the chest and go in peace."
But authorities currently seem to be more concerned about public safety than ownership questions as publicity about Fenn's claims to have hidden the 40-plus pound chest filled with gold coins, gold nuggets and ancient jewelry draws people to the northern New Mexico mountains.
Last month, a woman from Texas got lost in the mountains near Los Alamos overnight after seeing reports about the treasure on national television. But she was found safe the next day.
And Williams said the state plans to file charges against a man found digging last month under a descanso along the upper Pecos River last month. A descanso is a marker where someone has died or ashes scattered. Williams says the man told officers he was digging for Fenn's treasure.
Forest officials are urging treasure hunters to check with their office before setting out to make sure they have the proper gear and know the best places to go, Hill said.
"One of the concerns that we had is that this might invite people that really aren't familiar with traveling in a forest," Hill said. "They could get lost. They could step and stumble and turn an ankle ... maybe put themselves in a situation where they have to be rescued and maybe put other people's lives at risk."
Fenn said he has also posted caution notices on his web site and several blogs.
"Flatlanders don't realize how dangerous it can be," he said.
.................................................. ....................................
Another related article and a snippet of it.
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/article_9c83382b-a652-59a1-8c84-790a73ba3cb0.html
Williams said if the man who dug under the descanso — “resting place” in Spanish, usually a homemade memorial placed where someone has died or where their ashes have been scattered — had found Fenn’s treasure, he could not have kept it because state law prevents taking artifacts from state land. He said the same rules would probably apply to most federal land.
“Our officer asked him to repair, to back fill where he was digging, which the guy apparently did, but it may not be to our satisfaction,” he said. “We may have to go in there to tamp it down better and fix it up so that it doesn’t get undermined by erosion.”
.................................................. .........................................
Forrest released the following statement the day after a searcher was arrested for digging on public property while searching for Forrest’s treasure
————————–
This is going to get me in trouble but I have to say it.
The following words have nothing to do with the treasure chest I hid, and they will give no hints or associations to its location.
Searching for hidden treasures in the mountains is enjoyable. It brings families together, it promotes bonding and it gets kids off the streets, out of the game rooms and away from their texting machines.
During rough economic times, it provides hopes and dreams where otherwise they might be lacking. It is both healthy and mind expanding. And it utilizes the great outside for the purpose it was intended. I have 14,442 emails that have told me those things.
I am sorry that someone was arrested for digging a small hole in the ground. In the scope of world events, surely it should not have made the front page and NBC news. It is beyond me why anyone would want to prosecute that man. If I were his judge, I would fine him ten bucks and tell him not to do it again. What has happened to our basic senses? There are those who will tell me that I do not understand the problem, and they will be right, I don’t.
Let us put things in perspective and look at them from a different slant. There are 654,885,389 acres of land in the United States that are owned by the American people. That is what the federal government admits is “public property.” And the population of this great country is 313,914,040. After doing the math I learn that my allotment is exactly 2.086 acres.
Now, what if I wanted to secret a can of Dr. Pepper under a rock in the cooling waters of a rivulet somewhere in my allotted public acreage? If I did, I would not need to use all of my area, I would need just 7.5 fluid ounces and 90 calories of space. And I would still have about 2.08555 acres remaining. Seems fair to me but would I have broken the law? Yes or No? If yes, then let us change the law because who knows where that nonsense could end. If no, then why are we getting so excited about the little things?
Forrest Fenn