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In late March, a shiny trophy studded with a purple gem was placed in the middle of Watchung Reservation in Union County. A trail cam that live streamed the trophy 24-7 was activated. And the first Veil hunt was on.
Veil is an interactive treasure hunt founded by brothers Jeff and Paul DuVilla, New Jersey natives raised in Hammonton.
“We’re trying to reframe what a treasure hunt can be,” says Jeff. “Traditional hunts might span the entire country and drag on for years. Ours are short, punchy and accessible.”
Participants try to glean where the treasure is before 22 days are up, when the location is broadcast to everyone. If they do, they can head out to the spot and claim the glitzy trophy—and a cash prize, the amount of which is determined by how many people play.
Paul, who still lives in Hammonton, has a background in advertising and videography; Jeff, who lives outside Philadelphia, is creative director of an entertainment company.
“Getting to build something together has been really fun,” says Paul.
The winner of the first Veil hunt, who found the prize in 16 days, won just shy of $4,000. Anyone can hunt for free and watch on the website as the search shrinks more each day to a smaller area. Or participants can pay a fee to receive daily clues in the form of cyphers, riddles and “glitches.”
Glitches are glimpses of the past edited into photos of the forest. One glitch showed dinosaurs. Others included old mining equipment, Revolutionary War soldiers, a solar eclipse and more.
“Each visual cue led players down rabbit holes of historical detective work, sparking tons of discussion online,” Jeff adds.
More than 1,000 people participated in the first treasure hunt. A chat group on Discord gave members a chance to theorize and collaborate, fostering a vibrant community of searchers all hunting for the same prize.
“Some players were able to narrow down locations way earlier than we expected,” says Paul. “Seeing them solving clues and sharing their reasoning was fascinating.”
The hunt inspired people to explore new locations as they searched, creating a fulfilling experience even for those who didn’t win. Veil hunts launch every few weeks, and many participants, the DuVillas say, are already strategizing for the next.
“Our dream?” says Jeff. “Multiple Veil hunts running simultaneously across the country at all times.”
