Josh Gates Goes Hunting For Jesse James’ Buried Treasure I Expedition Unknown

Oh, that was two million. They buried the other two million.

Talking about burning two million dollars?

Well, up to the screen showing the west side, right where it is, it’s all coins, as far as I know. 14 million in the proper time down. I’ll pinpoint the story.

So, these guys are talking about specific amounts of money in specific areas where they’re buried, and you think these tapes are legitimate?

I know what it is.

What makes you so sure about it?

40 years of research.

And you think some of it could even be here, Robert’s cave area?

I think it could, yes.

The recording offers us enough clues to hone in on an area sloping down toward the nearby creek.

Bud, what do you got there?

This is a dowsing rod.

And how does this guy work?

You load this tube with what you’re looking for. In this case, we’re looking for gold or silver. If you get over the area where you need to be, this thing will start going around and around.

Huh.

Well, dowsing rods have been used by treasure hunters since the 15th century, but there’s little—make that no—scientific evidence that they really work.

Do you believe that this works?

I do. I’ve seen people work it.

Alright, well let’s see. Seems like we’re kind of onto something here. Let’s see where it goes.

Alright, it looks like it’s pulling, not over towards those big rocks.

Alright, let’s go.

Well, we’re getting a circular motion, Josh. We might be in a good spot.

So, you think right here?

Try it.

Okay, let me get the shovels.

I’m not convinced of the dowsing rod, but then again, I’m new to treasure hunting and willing to try anything. And Bud seems pretty sure we found something. Only one way to find out.

How deep down do you think this stuff could be?

Could be up to 18 feet.

[Music]

Just keep it up.

Oh man, there better be a bunch of Mexican gold down here.

Oh, we hit something, Bud.

Well, that sounds good to me.

Lid off a tin can.

Heading that something? Well, I throw this on that, didn’t it?

Okay, so it’s either a can full of gold or it’s Jesse James’ baked beans.

Baked beans? You better fill that hole up.

Okay.

[Music]

I’m not saying I’m losing faith in this treasure hunt, but I am hoping Bud has some more tricks up his sleeve. Maybe a metal detector, or a map, or even a granola bar.

What are we looking for here, Bud?

I look for symbols.

What kind of symbols?

A sign that says, “Treasure buried here?”

No. JJ’s—Jesse James’—turkey tracks, turtles, Masonic emblems.

Jesse James and other outlaws famously used coded maps and carved symbols to mark the location of their loot, but finding those symbols 100 years later is a tough challenge. I don’t have much choice but to follow Bud, as Bud follows his gut.

Well, we’re down to the waterline. They’re hard to see. They’d have been a lot plainer 100 years ago.

Josh, you better get over here.

What do you got, Bud?

Found some carvings.

See this horse’s hoof? There’s a cross, and here’s an arrow.

You’re right. They’re carved right in there.

So, you think that this indicates that some money was buried or moved in this direction?

No, I don’t think it. I know it. They wouldn’t have put that there for nothing.

I don’t know if we’re finding treasure, but you’re a convincing guy, Bud.

[Music]

The best way to see them more clearly is to do a pencil rubbing on paper.

Well, Bud, you can’t see it all that well on the rock, but when you trace it out, it’s really clear.

And there’s no question that that’s an arrow.

No doubt about that.

I may have my doubts about Bud’s old-school approach to treasure hunting, but this is actually a tangible discovery.

Let’s get a compass reading and see where this arrow’s pointing.

We’re talking 52 degrees. Uh-huh.

Alright, well we’re headed upstream, and it looks like the higher ground.

Yes, alright, come on.

Keeping the river on our left, we head upstream. I hope we’re hot on the trail of riches.

Getting older sucks.

[Music]

Well, why don’t you climb down there and check it out?

I’ve done enough climbing today.

Well, I’ll tell you what. You want to split up and cover more ground that way? I’ll go down the sheer cliff of death and you can check out the trails up here.

Sounds good to me. Sounds like a better deal for you than me. And if I find any money, you want me to call you?

[Music]

Okay, well, it’s slippery as hell.

Problem is, it’s been raining, so this whole rock face is really slippy.

Better be some treasure down here, I’ll tell you that.

But you sure you don’t want to do this, Bud?

This whole area is just riddled with all sorts of little ravines down here. There’s all sorts of little nooks and crannies down here to explore, but they’re hard to get to.

Whoa!

Whoa!

This is not easy. This cliff face is super slippery.

[Music]

Whoa, got it!

[Applause]

[Music]

Okay, let’s go find some buried treasure.

I’m on my own, and it’s not exactly a leisurely stroll, but Bud and those symbols have me believing that a piece of Jesse’s treasure could be buried somewhere nearby. I just need to keep my footing long enough to find them.

[Music]

Bit of a tight space here. Trying to find more of these symbols, but other than some grooves and lines here from the wind and water, not much. Like we got some kind of overhang here.

Oh, we got a cave here! Look at this.

Let’s see some light. So it looks like it might go through. Let’s see what we got.

[Music]

Definitely goes through. Looking for symbols in here. Big crack goes all the way up. Little stream coming through here. This would have been another place that would have been a good little hideout.

Definitely a tight squeeze.

Back outside, I had high hopes for the cave, but after crawling my way back into the light and then searching what feels like half of eastern Oklahoma, I don’t come across any additional evidence.

I’m learning that treasure hunting is not exactly a science, but it can be. It’s not easy to explore this whole area without any, you know, modern equipment.

But I got a long hike back up to Bud. I think we’re gonna call this one a day.