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Showing results for tags 'Braidwood'.
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I am new to the fossil collecting hobby and am attempting to open my iron concretions collected in Braidwood, IL using the freeze thaw method. I am doing it in my freezer in a single layer in a plastic shoe box. When they are thawing at room temperature the outer layers are crumbling. The nodes have not split yet. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.
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Hello there! I’ve been to fossil sites since I was six. From Braidwood to Wyoming and the Dakotas. I’ve worked at some museums before but my education has led to more anthropological pursuits. I’m hoping to share what I have in my collection and also ID some of the weird shapes braidwood finds. My dad first took me there, and before that his dad took him there. So I’m happy to have my small collection but I also want to have proper context and cataloguing. Thanks everyone! Also this seems like the nicest Internet forum board ever.
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Went out this afternoon hunting for Mazon Creek fossils in Mazonia-Braidwood. We spent about three hours searching for concretions without a lot of luck. We did find a couple of small ones. I wanted to check out one more area before we left and we ended up finding the attached. It is the largest one I have ever seen (in person or on the internet). It is hard to tell, but that is a quarter on it. When I went to pick it up, the nodule on top detached from the lower half. That nodule is probably the largest one I have ever collected. It is clear by looking at it that it used to be one large piece. My question to the group is, has anyone found anything this large? Should I try to open it myself (freeze/thaw) or try to find someone more experienced?
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Hello everyone, I recently purchased a lot of Mazon creek concretions for an extremely low amount of money. From this and the picture I assumed it meant most were just concretions, but I could see two ferns so I bid for it and easily one. I'm not familiar with Mazon creek flora and fauna, so I decide to ask all of you if they are just rocks or fossils, and if they are fossils, what type. There's sixteen so I'm going to post two a time (perhaps two a week depending on how fast they are identified) as to not overload all of you. First up is the two I know are fossils, both of which I think are ferns. Species or genus might not be possible to find out, but it's worth a try.
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I've tentatively identified a number of Mazon pieces in my possession, and I was wondering if I could get some confirmations or corrections from those of you (all of you) who are more knowledgeable and experienced than I. The first (#1) based on length, fossilization curvature, and the pyritized mouth and throat slit, I believe to be Gilpichthys greenei.
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This is my first year hunting Mazon Creek and I've found some cool stuff so far. I'm starting this thread not only for myself but for others to show off their personal Mazon Creek finds that you're proud of. I will be continuously adding to this thread to show pictures and i may need help with IDs. We all love pictures, so don't be shy. Show us what you got! And someone please correct any mistaken IDs (that's how we learn) Edit: IDs added Pecopteris mazoniana-Pit 2 Alethopteris serli-Pit 2 Lobetelson partial Shrimp-Pit 11 Achistrum (Sea Cucumber)-Pit 11 Rhaphidiophorus hystrix (polychaete worm)-Pit 11 Achistrum (Sea Cucumber)-Pit 11 Achistrum (Sea Cucumber)-Pit 11 Achistrum (Sea Cucumber)-Pit 11 Essexella asherae-Pit 11 Essexella asherae-Pit 11 Essexella asherae-Pit 11
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Hi all haven't been on in for a bit even forgot password lol. Love to get your insight,on all I find. Found this in braidwood strip pit area,probably one of the best gem like ones I found.Think petrified wood but,when found thought in was a piece of steak.
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After reading the forums here, I spent about 10 ten hours, mostly walking around and looking for exposed spoil piles, at Mazon/Braidwood a few weeks ago and had relatively little success. While I am certainly not wishing for anyone to betray their own personal hotspot for nodules in the park, I do hope that I might be able to gather some general information that would help me on my next outing to the public use areas. I spent most of my time surface gathering on an exposed pile about a mile south of the Kankakee public boat launch on the Braidwood lake, and about half a mile north of 5000 N. Road (the road with the pull-off parking for fossil hunting, what I assume to be Pit 11. This pile was very moist, dark, and generally coal-ish. While there were many naturally open nodules in this area I only found about 10 unopened in a ten hour search. Is this the right area or should I look further to the south of 5000 N. Road? Are nodules in the area more commonly found in the coal-ish sediment or the more usual colored soil? Thanks for the help.
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Hello everyone, I will be visiting the Mazon Creek area next week, and I'm seeking some advice in the meantime. Our destination for the day will be the Mazonia-Braidwood Fish and Wildlife Area. I've never visited the area, so all of my planning is based on trip reports, topographic maps and satellite images. I'm aware of the caveats (ticks,vegetation, picked-over areas), but I feel as though it's probably something everyone in Illinois or anywhere else should do at least once. If anyone has any advice on how to make my trip/hunting more efficient and worthwhile, I would love to hear it. (I'll also be stopping at Kankakee River State Park later that day, if anyone has information on that park, it would also be very appreciated) Thanks, Matt
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I recently spent about 10 hours surface collecting in pit 11 on the south unit of the Mazon-braidwood state wildlife area and honestly didn't have much success. I'm wondering if anyone knows when Esconi plans to have their first outing to the private pile in Braceville?
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Hi there everyone, I'm in the western 'burbs of Chicago (Woodridge, IL (via Brookfield)), and have known for years about the Mazon Creek fossils, but somehow assumed that the Mazonia Fish & Wildlife area, and along the shores of the actual creek were the only place to find the fossils. After reading a bunch of posts about the subject here, I've happily discovered that I was very wrong, and that the extent of these fossils is much larger. Happy why?... because guess what? ... I belong to a sportsman's club who's property borders the southeast fence of Braidwood lake, and has a good number of strip mine lakes. My family & I have belonged to this club for 20 years, and it never occurred to me that I could be fossil hunting right there when we go camping/fishing/hunting. D'oh! Most of the hills & mounds on the property are pretty well overgrown, and have poison ivy in abundance. So I think I'll plan on exploring in the fall/early winter after a lot of the undergrowth has died back. I'll make sure to report back any finds! In the meantime though, I'll continue to peruse these forums and learn all I can from the wise members here. NImrodVern
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Hi FF- Does anyone else think this looks like bone? May be wishful thinking on my part. Any thoughts appreciated? Evan
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I'm wrapping up the finishing touches on my Mazon Creek cabinet. I made custom lexan shelves. Wrapped the backer with basket weave vinyl. And mounted rope lighting around it. One problem is the plastic doors. They're shot and i need to replace them with good ol' fashioned glass. I also made all of the custom mounts for my collection. I tried to utilize as much space as possible, so i made the mounts all different sizes. All of the mounts are cut lexan. I still have to make a few more, but 99% are done. And if i ever have the luxury of finding better examples of the specimens i have now, i can just keep cycling them into my main large display case. These are just my best finds to date. Flora side. Mainly pit 2. Fauna side. Mainly pit 11. Let me know if you have any questions on who, what, where and how. Thanks for lookin'
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I and other members will be heading to Fossil Rock campground to hunt pit 2 on Sunday October 19th 2014. Hopefully the weather will corporate and we can get our buckets filled! Come and join us. It doesn't matter if you've never done it before, i will be happy to teach you what to look for and how to be successful in your 300mya scavenger hunt. We will meet at the Shell gas station in Coal City @ 8-8:30am. It's just west of rt.55 on 113. Hopefully this link will help http://goo.gl/maps/z6m7q Supplies you need and may want. -shovel, pickaxe, rockhammer (basically a good and sturdy digging device). We will be digging through hard shale. -a pair of gloves to keep from collecting blisters -a pair of extra clothes and boots/shoes definitely helps on the ride home. -a bucket, backpack, rock bag (anything that will handle about 5lbs-50lbs worth of rocks) -water is a must, water, water, water -snacks and food is up to you -hiking boots, old pair of shoes, etc. They will get dirty. -i would say bug spray, but being so late in the year hopefully they won't be too crazy. -also it's $5 a person to dig at the campground. This pit is great for very well preserved plants, wood, insects and horseshoe crabs. I have found some awesomely preserved stuff there. These are some of the hardest nodules you will collect anywhere in the Mazon Creek area, and sometimes they take over 30+ freeze/thaw cycles to pop. As i stated above, we WILL be digging, so eat your Wheaties. You can hike around and try and surface collect, but since the spoil piles aren't that tall it may be a waste of time. Here's a live weather link to check the weather for that day. http://m.accuweather.com/en/us/coal-city-il/60416/weather-forecast/332818 Hope to see you there!
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I got out to the Braidwood fauna area last week. I found this half nodule just as it was and wondering what this is? Bark impression? I definitely found a lot of petrified wood and plant stuff where I went so thought the bark idea. But haven't seen anything like this before... Here's the finds for the day.
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Hello Everyone: I have been a fan of the Fossil Forum for sometime now. Love the posting and sharing of information. It is always exciting to see all of the finds here. I have been collecting at ESCONI hill outside Braidwood, Illinois several times this past year. I have been freezing and thawing numerous nodules but only finding wood fragments. Did find some nice smaller cordaites. However, a couple of weeks ago, I cracked the attached nodule and it produced a nice 3d fossil. However, it has me puzzled. I have been searching through "The Mazon Creek Fossil Fauna" by Jack Wittry, 2012. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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I went through some of my previous finds to pull out things I had yet to successfully ID. Any thoughts on the below are appreciated. 1) Stem and branch of pecopteris given how many varities of pecopteris I find in the same location 2) bark/tree or root element 3) Looks like stigmariodes bumps 4) perhaps C. Goepperti 5) Neat piece of a branch with leaf scars and some leaves
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Hi Folks- This is one of my favorite finds of 2012. I found this already split. It is a large sized leaf for the area....my guess on exact species is Neuropteris vermicularis. Enjoy. Evan
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Hi Folks- Having a hard time identifying this one....if I had to wager a guess...I'd say Mariopteris next to a branch. Evan
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Hi Folks- Been opening a number of nodules of late and came across this - which I think is likely nothing - but I thought I'd poll the forum. The nodule was collected at a Braidwood location - where I typically find fauna - I have found one edmondia clam (but I am assumming it is fresh water variety). Any thoughts on this? Sorry in advance for the poor quality image....I haven't invested yet in better camera equipment.
