active · book hunt
The Bootlegger's Bounty
A Hunt for $25,000 in Grand Forks
A bootlegger vanished. His money didn't. Follow a story buried in Grand Forks' Prohibition past and uncover the clues leading to $25,000.
- Prize
- $25,000
- Location
- Grand Forks, North Dakota
- Begins
- August 21, 2026
- Ends
- Continues until the treasure is found
The Legend
A story worth chasing
They say Emil Rydell could move a truckload of Canadian whiskey through Grand Forks without a single bottle clinking. Then one October night, Emil vanished — and so did the money. The police never found it. The rumors never stopped. Nearly a century later, the trail is warm again. The story is fiction. The history is real. The treasure is very, very real.
How to Enter
From reader to hunter
Join the hunt to receive The Bootlegger’s Bounty ebook and access the interactive clues on the Seven Paces website.
Read the story carefully, follow the clues, and travel to the locations you uncover. Each correct answer will reveal a piece of the final puzzle—and bring you one step closer to the $25,000 bounty.
What You’re Looking For
Know it when you see it
Read the book to find out!
The Prize
One finder. $25,000.
$20,000 cash plus custom jewelry from River City Jewelers valued at $5,000. The prize is paid to the verified finder of the claim code. Winners must be legally eligible to claim. Teams may participate — prize division is up to the team.
Answers before you set out
- Is the treasure in Grand Forks or East Grand Forks?
- The treasure is somewhere within the Greater Grand Forks Metro Area.
- Do I need the book?
- The book provides the clues, but if you can find the treasure without it, that's great! You still win!
- Can I hunt with a team?
- Yes. How a team divides the prize is up to the team.
- Can children participate?
- Absolutely — with adult supervision. The search area is public and safe.
- Is the treasure buried?
- No. No digging is ever required. Ever.
- Will additional clues be released?
- If they are, they will appear in the Hunt Updates feed on this page. That feed is the only canonical source.
- How will we know if it has been found?
- The hunt status on this page will change to Found, and an update will be posted immediately.
- Can I participate from outside Grand Forks?
- You can read and solve from anywhere, but the treasure is physically in the Greater Grand Forks area.
- Are all historical claims in the story factual?
- The story is fiction inspired by real history. Assume nothing; verify everything.
- Where can I ask a rules question?
- Use the contact form and choose "Hunt question" — we answer those first.
Hunt safely
Every Seven Paces hunt is designed to be won without digging, trespassing, swimming, climbing, damaging property, or entering closed areas.