Stocksdale Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 I'm tagging on here some of my Mazon questions that I had while researching a trip to head there in Spring. Any experienced Mazonians to help out? 1: Do people collect nodules in the creeks or just in the spoils piles? 2: Is there any places to collect in the "Braidwood Biota" (this would be the areas where you find mostly ferns)? Most of this area is owned by private organizations such as 'Coal City Area Club.' I assume it is hard to get permission in these areas. However, I see two state park areas-- one is 'Short Pioneer Cemetery' (love that name) and the other is 'Goose Lake State Park'. From google earth, it would appear that each include a small spoil pile ( a part of pit 6 and pit 7). Can you collect in these? Also, there is Fossil Rock Recreation Area. This is an RV Camper park that I believe you can get a $5 day pass to collect fossils. Anyone know if this is correct or ever tried there area? 3: Can you get to some of the islands (Braidwood Lake) by bike? It appears there is a path leading from the Power facility but that may be restricted access, right? 4: In the Mazonia/Braidwood FWA: Are some of the more remote areas better? It would appear that the far south area (just north of Rice road) might be good. And the far west area (west of 1900 Road), as well. Or is it better to stick with the main "Mazonia South Unit" where most people go?.....Attaching map for reference. 5: Also list any 'Dud Areas' to avoid and any Really Good areas with GPS coordinate Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Dactyll Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Thats all part of the fossil hunt... Doing the groundwork.... Sometimes it takes people many many trips out to begin to pin point productive spots and if they found something really good in one spot, they may want to keep quiet about that spot until they go again to check it out... It looks like you haverelatively easy access with plenty of parking to gain access to all the area's... so it shouldnt be to difficult to start to get a feel for the place... post some of your finds for us to see... Cheers Steve... And Welcome if your a New Member... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Steve is right, you just have to do the leg work. My suggestion for the Mazonia/Braidwood FWA: use a mountain bike. Though I have not done so myself, I've read some posts in TFF suggesting the area railroad cuts are good spots. Happy hunting & keep us posted! Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trilobiteruss Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 DNR used to plow part of the Mazonia south Unit area, not sure where that is on map have not been there in long time. Then in spring that was good area to find nodules. Y ou really just need to find areas where the vegetation is not too thick and spoils are weathering out and you may find nodules. It is alot of just exploring but we spent most of our time in and around the South Unit below the large cooling lake. always wondered about the islands out in the big lake though they looked interesting with spoil exposed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opie63376 Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Hi: I have been up to Braidwood a few times. I think the authorized collecting period is March - September. As I remember you cannot get to any of the islands from the road, but you can get to some of the large piles in the northeast part of the lake. It would be a long walk from the boat launch on the southside and a bike does make it faster. Just a couple thoughts on that. 1) You should take a day pack. Much easier to transport any finds 2) Don't take your fancy bike. You still have to hike around and this requires you to leave you bike unattended. The South Unit is a good place to look. Just remember it is very brushy and make sure to keep track of where you are. Because of the terrain, many of the hills look alike and the overgrowth doesn't always allow to keep to the route you planned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCFossils Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 There are quite a few posts on this subject so i am sure you can find answers to most of your questions with a quick search. i have also posted a few trip reports along with follow ups on what I found. Everyone is correct that your best plan of action is to get out and hike around the area. Familiarize yourself with the terrain and plan on getting a good workout. Look for areas of exposed ground where the concretions would be eroding out of. Just keep in mind that the area is heavily collected so the early bird gets the worm. You will have the most success getting out right after a heavy rain. I would suggest starting out in the South Unit around Monster Lake and the Ponderosa Area. You can also check out the islands if you have a motorized boat. It takes a lot of persistence and if you keep at it, you are sure to have success. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 Yes, i think i just need to go there (maybe bringing a bike) and check it out. I hope it was clear my number five on the list was a joke. I certainly am not looking for specific spots. My son who is 8 is excited about finding fossils and I just want to plan it out well so that he can easily find some things and not get disappointed. I've got him pretty psyched about finding jellyfish blobs since that is the most abundant fauna. Also have explained that if the nodule ends up looking empty (what many call "duds") may be something really cool like a bit of Carboniferous shark poop. So, in that way every nodule is a 320 million year old "something" even if is not recognizable. In the "braidwood biome" , it sounds like a Pecopteris leaves are often found and I think that would be neat "something" recognizable. Since the "braidwood" is almost entirely private property, it sounds like hunting along railroads would be one of the only options. I hear some speak of "creek nodules." am i assuming correctly that those would be ones found in the creeks as opposed to the piles in the pits. If so, finding "creek nodules" might be a plan for the northern "plant biome" of the Mazon area. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 (edited) And thanks for the tips everyone. All the info is very helpful. RC: I've been eyeballing your super collection on here for awhile. Amazing stuff and such a great resource for IDing. I've read through your reports of the island trip and other trips. Those were very helpful info to get some idea of the place. Also made me realize how big the area is. Anyway, thanks for all your contributions on the site. Edited February 1, 2013 by Neophytus Elginian Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evannorton Posted February 1, 2013 Share Posted February 1, 2013 Hi Neophytus Elginian- It took me approximately 10 months and a dozen trips to dial in on finding good fossils consistently. There are a few tricks of the trade that you pick up through just getting out there. I do recommend a bike for the South Unit - as well as making sure you have a print-out in your pocket of the fossil permit (yes - i have been stopped and asked)...I have not had luck going to the heavily searched areas. Also....the concretions that are smooth/rounded/have a familiar shape in my opnion seem to have the highest probability of success. The Essex area has a lot of duds relative to the Braidwood area - but if you buy the Richardson guide you will learn that duds are just part of the game. Not to discourage you, but my first 3 or 4 buckets of nodules resulted in miscellaneous plant debris as the most exciting finds....I now have a better since of which nodules to keep and which to leave where they lay. Persistance is definitely the name of the game........In terms of specific locations on where to go in the different areas, I'd hate to deprive you of all of that great coming up the learning curve time. Best of luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 1, 2013 Author Share Posted February 1, 2013 I think I've combed through the site and gotten enough tips to definitely get a real good start. Thanks everyone. There are a few private locations that I've come across that I'll contact to get permission. I'm thinking that having a Webelo Scout working on his big geology project will be helpful in that regard Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 I'm thinking that having a Webelo Scout working on his big geology project will be helpful in that regard There is a Boy Scout Camp right on the Mazon River, up near the good Braidwood deposits. I'm pretty sure that at least in the past, the scouts were allowed to fossil hunt there. Can't remember the name, up towards Coal City, but it shouldn't be too hard to find it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted February 2, 2013 Share Posted February 2, 2013 the state park does allow collecting (at least the last time I was there) and they also have a nice collection on display. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 2, 2013 Author Share Posted February 2, 2013 JimB: You mean Goose Lake Prairie, right. I saw there website and it did sound like a real nice display area with the Mazon history. Also looks like a really great spot for bird watching and hiking through prairies! Worth a trip whether or not they allow collecting. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 2, 2013 Author Share Posted February 2, 2013 Glacial: Yes, that is the Rainbow Council Scout Reserve. I pulled up the map of the scout property and they have a nice stretch of the Mazon River along it. Didn't see any piles but there should be some outcrops along the river. Definitely, stopping in there for a hike. Being a scout does have its privileges! Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 Another Mazon question: there appears to be the narrow little ridges across the entire surface where the mine stripped. This looks like a ruffled potato chip surface. And then there are the large (higher elevation) cone like piles. In the strip mining process, is the overburden (and hence concretions) placed in both of these locations? Are they equally promising for finding stuff? Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 As I'm reading, I may have answered my question. I think the big hills are all the overburden from strip one in an area. Then the overburden from the subsequent strips are dumped in the empty adjacent strip forming the little ridges. So, Should i assume both places are good spots to look for mazon concretions? Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 And just for fun: Here's a little educational animation that helped clear it up for me. http://nroc.mpls.k12.mn.us/Environmental%20Science/course%20files/multimedia/lesson47/animations/4b_Area_Strip_Mining.html Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Nice animation! I get a kink in my neck after a Mazon hunt -- those nodules can be anywhere. Keep in mind that some areas are better than others. On the map I PM'd you, there is a nice ridge across the road to the southeast of the parking lot. Tons of nodules. I have not found one fossil from that spot and now skip it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stocksdale Posted February 8, 2013 Author Share Posted February 8, 2013 And to complete my "ahhh" moment, the long lakes are from the final strip mined in an area since they don't have overburden to fill that final coal cut, right? Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.–Carl Sagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glacialerratic Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 I think that sounds about right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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