glacialerratic Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 This past weekend, I pulled a 600 mile trip to St. Louis, MO., for my 25th Class Reunion, traveling on I-55 for about half the journey. The perfect excuse for a little leg-stretching fossil hunt. I swore a long time ago never to hunt the wildlife management area during the summer, but seeing as I hadn't been down at all since 2006, I figured what the heck. I made a bee-line to a nice long east/west running ridge I'd had pretty good success on in the past, finding a nice shrimp, a gorgeous annualaria, and a flying insect (Gerarus sp.)there in the past. The first thing I noticed on the walk up, aside from the heavy vegetation, was how dry it was. This caused me some concern, as I had been hoping the place had received heavy rain all summer long. All the cottonwood trees had dropped most of their leaves, and those still hanging were curled up brown. I hit the ridge and spied my previous productive spots. They were still there, but greatly reduced in size by overgrowth. I decided to walk the ridge to the northeast to see if there was any other areas of exposed clay. I walked about a 1/4 mile, the phragmites and autumn olive getting thicker with each step. My extra effort paid off when, through the trees I could see two rather large areas of clay running up the side of the steep and fairly high ridge. I beat it on towards them through think underbrush, heading to the one furthest east. I scrambled up the right hand side and immediately started spotting nodules. The dry conditions actually helped, as up on the clay, the grass was all but dead and easy to see through, and the hard clay was pale in contrast to the siderite nodules. I started picking up lots. Making my way to the top, I noticed that someone had actually dug out the entire area either earlier this spring or maybe sometime in '09. I was perfectly happy to take advantage of what's a no-no in the 'park.' The only tracks I saw were from deer. I was geeked. I went over the whole area methodically, top to base, side to side. I found many nodules, some of them pretty good sized and well shaped. When I finished that spot, I skirted a large draw filled with cottonwoods, slipping and sliding on the fallen leaves, and searched the next spot to the west. Same thing. All in all, I picked up 156 nodules in a little less than 90 minutes. Some were pretty small, and a few I probably should have just left, but, when it's been 4 years, what the heck. I was really happy to be back. I was riding high the rest of the trip to St. Louis. On the return trip, I was pretty tired, as we'd been out at the reunion till 2am the night before, and I didn't want to arrive home too late. I stuck closer to the road to hit some low ridges were I'd found quite a few nodules in the past. Still plenty of exposed clay left on my favorite little ridge, but I was following in someone's footsteps and mason hammer scrapings. It looked like they had been there the day before. Still, I managed to scoop up 14 nodules, 3 or 4 of then pretty nice. They must have been standing on them. I only spent an hour, and wasn't quite as pumped up when I left. All in all, 170 nodules in a little less than 3 hours of hunting, including walking time. Now that's what I call a rest break! Let the freeze/thawing begin... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 The little fat one probably is a clunker (maybe it has a clam shell in it). I just like the way it looked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 That's a 12" ruler in the above photos for scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 This big one is tantalizing. I found several in big chunks of matrix, that when hammered showed nice nodules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 how do you freeze-thaw them? I'm unfamilliar with the technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pleecan Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 (edited) That is a nice haul of material Tim... Winter is approaching so you can carry out rapid freeze thaw cycles in the months ahead. Lots of fun in anticipation of what's inside each nodule. PL Edited September 21, 2010 by pleecan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 Put them in a bucket, or pot, as the bucket will eventually crack, soak for 48 hrs., then thaw and repeat -- most likely many times. Thanks Peter! Yes, the perfect winter-time fossiling activity for someone way up north. Unfortunately, I get the feeling we're going to get nailed this winter with lake effect snow. Lake MI. is at record warmth. Gonna cozy up with the wood stove and my nodules! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scylla Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 (edited) It has taken some time, but I have recently (4/17/12) opened a nodule that I thought was worth sharing from this 2010 trip. ID by RCFossils, Annularia sphenophylloides, here's the positive: Negative: The entire nodule is 3cm long. I have opened lots of other nodules since this trip, the usual lot of non-id-able bits and pieces, around 12 jellies, most of them poorly preserved, and one other plant. Here's Annularia stellata, 5.5 cm in length: The best jelly found, the abundant Essexella asherae, 4cm: What may be a nonannelid worm, tentatively Coprinoscolex sp., but it is one of those Mazon fossils that requires a little imagination, in a 3cm nodule: And lastly, what may be a juvenile Didontogaster (polychaete worm), another small nodule at 3.5cm: The worm ID's are very tentative... Thanks for looking! Edited April 23, 2012 by michigantim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Russell Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Very nice Tim! Thanks for sharing your discoveries. That first one's a beauty! As they all are. I may just have to head down Mazon today for a three hour tour. Thanks for the inspiration! Finding my way through life; one fossil at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted April 22, 2012 Author Share Posted April 22, 2012 Thanks, Rob! Being that close, it would be easy to make a trip down after some decent rains. I've always wished I was able to do that! Even with all the vegetation and collectors, you can still find a nice haul if you time it right. What seems to take a lot of time is the freeze/thawing. That Sphenophyllum sp. took a good solid 40 cycles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lloyd Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Should be plenty of nice finds in those nodules. Good haul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 What seems to take a lot of time is the freeze/thawing. That Sphenophyllum sp. took a good solid 40 cycles. Your patience paid off; it's a classic beauty! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dragonsfly Posted April 22, 2012 Share Posted April 22, 2012 Tim , I found one very similar to your "clunker" and it turned out to be a jelly running vertically. I ended up with 4 cross section pieces that nest back together, one of my favs ! Nice plants ! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCFossils Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 Nice haul! I am just starting to go through my stuff that opened last Winter. The first plant is a nice example of Annularia sphenophylloides. The secone appears to be Annularia stellata. Not sure on the 2 "worms". I am pretty sure the first is not Coprinoscolex. If it is a worm, it is more likely Fossundecima. I think the second worm might be an Essexella that did not split out properly. Keep searching as there are still good things to be found. I just had a little dragonfly pop open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Thanks, everyone for the compliments! That first one caught my breath when I picked it up. I was hoping you'd chime in RCFossils. So the first plant is an Annularia? This is the first example of this species I've found. I have a few of the other specie, stellata. I'm not entirely sure on the worms, either, just kind of taking a stab... I'll check out Fossundecima for the 1st one. There's a bit of shadow off the "front" one that one that kind of throws me... The 2nd one, under magnification, shows segments and pustules. I'll have to get another pic, since you can't zoom my attachment. It sounds like you are leaving your nodules outside to freeze/thaw? You must have a lot! I'm looking forward to seeing what you find, and esp. that dragonfly!!! Thanks for your input. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas Fossil Hound Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the Freeze/Thaw extraction technique. I will have to give it a try, but it may take a LOT longer in Texas! Edited April 24, 2012 by Texas Fossil Hound "Silence is Golden, but duct tape is Silver." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted April 24, 2012 Author Share Posted April 24, 2012 Hey Texas Fossil Hound, yer funny... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Hi Tim, Some nice ones there! Was just commenting in RC's post that seeing the variety from this locale from all of you gets me excited like a kid and thinking about the endless possibilities. Thanks for sharing. Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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