Michel Becker, the treasure hunt organiser, announced on October 3rd 2024 that the correct solution has been given to him. The longest running treasure hunt in the world* is finally over!
The solution will be revealed soon. Keep in touch with the news through the official Discord server, Golden Owl social media channels in English on Instagram and Facebook, or subscribe for email updates.
In a TV interview by Michel Becker on April 18th he revealed that the anonymous finders of the owl are two individuals from two different countries outside France. One of the finders had 20 years of experience, while the other was newer to the hunt. They had no immediate plans to sell the owl. It’s likely we’ll find out more about the winners when the film, ‘The Discovery of the Golden Owl’ hits French cinemas on May 2nd. Of course, this film will also reveal the solution and we’ll finally know where the prize was buried.
Here’s how the owl discovery unfolded.
Becker first announced the win on his Discord server on the morning of 3/10/2024, and said, ‘A potential winning solution is currently being verified. The verification system is currently locked and no longer allows you to submit your solutions. Further information will be communicated to you as soon as possible.’
He followed this up with a second message around two hours later.
Don’t go digging! We confirm that the Golden Owl countermark was unearthed last night, simultaneously with a solution upload to the online verification system. It is therefore useless to go digging on the location you assume to be the cache. As previously announced, we are verifying the validity of the proposed solution.
The chouettedor.com official website was updated to confirm the owl was found on October 3rd.
On October 8th Michel Becker gave a new update.
Last minute ! I knew it, it’s no surprise, conspiracy theorists, litigants and haters of all stripes are in turmoil and vociferating. The leaders of the A2CO association are trying to accredit the existence of another solution that would lead to the first missing countermark. As usual, everyone is flooding the media with unfounded rumors and unproven assertions. Fortunately, journalists are not being fooled and I thank them for that. We are preparing a complete legal file for them that will prevent them from dwelling on fakes. It is therefore confirmed that the game “On the trail of the golden owl” is now over! The solutions indicate a specific location and only one perfectly defined and from where the countermark numbered 2/8 was extracted. This is without any doubt or possible dispute. It is therefore no longer possible to submit your solutions or to claim to be the winner. All these bad loser ramblings cause us extra work and make us waste precious time. The good news is that the latest information we were waiting for concerning the organization of the end of the game and the means of disseminating the solutions, has just reached us. I will need you very much for this and I will tell you more very soon. Finally, thank you for your countless tags, I do not drink, I do not speak, but I do not sleep either … See you very very soon! Michel BECKER
A document explaining the legal history of the owl was published to help the media. (English translation here) Then on October 11th Michel Becker spoke in a community chat on his Discord server and explained that the winner wanted to remain anonymous.
A video released on October 13th 2024 explained that the answers to the clues would be shared around the 32nd anniversary of the hunt (April 23rd) He also revealed that a private buyer contacted him with an offer of 300,000 euro to buy the gold owl, but the winner declined this offer.
In a Discord vocal on March 13th 2025 Michel Becker revealed that a documentary film explaining the solution would be shown in cinemas around France on May 2nd 2025. He hoped a broadcast in other countries would follow.
Well done to the finder of the owl, huge congratulations are due.
*Sur La Trace de La Chouette d’Or founded in 1993 is the longest running unsolved treasure hunt with a single prize. The Secret treasure hunt was founded in 1982 but 3 of the 12 prizes have been found.