The thrill of a treasure hunt is close to San Antonio, and it's finders keepers. There are ranches two hours away from the city that offer a different kind of hunting.
Mason County is known for hunting for gemstones like topaz. Mark Hahn, the owner of Bar M Ranch, opened up his ranch to the public for this kind of hunting.
"What I have to offer is to come and hunt for it, in God's country, which is the best place in the world to be," he said.
Hahn's ranch in Mason County has been in the family since 1918. There is plenty of space to hunt as well, about 500 acres, to be exact.
"It is not like an Easter egg hunt," he said. "Some folks find it, and a lot of people don't. Topaz hunting and my knowledge, in Texas, Mason County is the only spot you can find clear or blue topaz."
Gemstone hunting is pure luck, but it is finders keepers. It truly is a gamble.
"You can't find it if you don't hunt for it," Hahn said.
For $15, Hahn will let you roam his wide-open spaces. For a fee, he'll even let you borrow a shovel and catcher. You do have to call in advance to set up an appointment.
"You can find topaz all around the world in different forms or fashions," he said. "In Mason County, the clear and especially the blue has the greater value to it."
It is self-guided, so you have all the freedom. You can search by seeing what's on the surface, or get down and dirty. He said the biggest topaz he has seen is the size of a thumbnail, found by an Austin family.
"They drove into the creek bed with their minivan and got stuck," he said. "In the process of digging themselves out, they found that stone."
However, if digging isn't your thing, in town, there is one place you are guaranteed to find what you are looking for. Warren Grote and his wife, Susan, own Mason Country Collectibles.
"They know the bluebonnet," he said. "They know the roadrunner. But they don't know what our state gem is."
They like to educate Texans that topaz is our state gem. They sell it with the popular lone star cut.
"We cut most of ours into that star cut, then we mount it in rings, earrings, and pendants, white gold, yellow gold, or sterling silver," he said.
A rock that you can cut and make into jewelry could be valued at up to $2,000. Of course, it all depends on the find.
Bar M Ranch isn't the only place in Mason to hunt for the topaz, there are two others as well. The Mason Chamber of Commerce has the other locations, click here for more information.