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Hi, I'm looking for advice as a fist time collector. I was thinking of taking a trip to Hell Creek Montana to look for T -rex teeth. I know it's a long shot in regards to finding one but it sounds like fun in my head anyways. I was wondering if anyway could give me advice (links etc) where I can pay to collect or look on public lands (if possible). I'm want to do this for fun but would like to get my hands dirty, no pun intended :-). I realize law enforcment take this stuff seriously so I don't want to get into trouble!

Staying at Bobs lake in Ontario this week for the family’s summer trip. Unfortunately the area we’re staying at is unfossiliferous, being compromised of Precambrian granite and gneiss, however scouting out nearby Kingston and I’m hopeful at my prospects. I have a few sites I’ve scouted out and plan to hit in the following days, but I’d like to ask more about the laws/do’s and don’ts before I start any digging. I’ve read a few articles online and it’s started to make me rethink digging, so any further information helps out. Thanks for reading, and I hope I can follow this up with a successful post!

From the New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/26/world/australia/new-zealand-whale-fossil.html 2 men used a rock saw and chisel to extract a fossil whale out of a riverbank that was a local attraction. Its not clear if thats illegal per New Zealand law. There are a few quotes from Bobby Boessenecker in the article. It seems amateur and commercial fossil collecting has exploded in the past few years along with the fossil market. The article implies that we'll see more of a push to codify laws to protect these fossils in response.

What are the laws around collecting fossils in Capitola Beach, or really any beach in general in California? I want to go fossil hunting but I want to know what’s legal or what isn’t beforehand.

Our view: With fossils, look but don't take, The Salem News, July 23, 2021 After popularity of Massachusetts state dinosaur campaign, clarity sought on protecting fossils and artifacts, Mass Live, July 22, 2021 Dinosaur bill unearths new concern among archeologists about outdated fossil laws, MetroWest Daily News, July 23, 2021 Massachusetts State Dinosaur: Podokesaurus holyokensis wins fan vote, lawmaker files legislation to officially declare state dinosaur, Mass Live, February 4, 2021 Yours, Paul H.

New member. I did post in an old question too. I’ve been legally collecting surface finds from an area where I know others have collected too. I mostly find small fragments and want to see if anyone else has fragments from the area they don’t want so I can take them to the small schools near me and show to the kids and out of curiosity see if any fit with what I have. I want to note I know the laws about collecting and have met up with some folks from U of A when I’ve found anything for them. It’s just junk stuff I’m wanting. Like to show kids what they are more likely to find. Anyhow given as we cannot sell, how can I try to acquire from others similar fossils? Can I trade?

I have been looking into a new fossil site exposing the Bay Point Formation in San Diego, CA. I want to see if it would be legal for me to go collecting there, as it looks like it could be a good exposure. The signs around it say that it is a "Natural Park commissioned by the City of San Diego." I couldn't find anything on Natural Park fossil laws when I looked them up. Does anyone know of the regulations of them?

I've read many times on the Forum that there are strict export and collection laws in Mexico because they may consider fossils to be national treasures. I have one supplier insisting the exact opposite - that there's no such law on exports nor collecting and that there was one mistaken case years ago, though that person received their fossils back when the law was made known to the Mexican authorities who confiscated them initially. Evidently there is the idea that the export of fossils is strictly mandated in Mexico. I'm not sure now where it came from. I'd like to read these laws, but for my part cannot find them. Does anyone know where I might look?

Hello All, So recently I've been doing a little bit of reading on random fossil news to pass the time, and I keep reading a lot of comments about "illegal fossils" and whatnot. One specific specimen that comes up a loooot in my readings is the T-Rex fossils. Some mention the legality of the issue, some mention the fact that they might be going to private collectors rather than museums, and many mention both. I understand why the scientific community might want to perform research on the specimen, but seeing as there are more than a single T-Rex fossil that belong to museums, shouldn't this be fine to sell a couple to collectors? Also when a fossil is considered "illegal" what exactly does it mean? Illegal as in illegal to find, illegal to keep if found, illegal to ship overseas, and/or illegal to sell? Thanks, -Em

I was wondering, especially being new to hunting and collecting fossils. Can you legally collect fossils, such as shark teeth on state and public land? My Geology profession told me that it is legal to go and collect fossils from state and public property without a permit. I just want to make absolute certain that what he said is true, before I go out and start collecting. There are a few rivers and creeks that I have passed that have really nice sedimentary layers, which scream fossils. I do live in Bedford, Texas, so I am not aware of the laws about legally collecting.

I am collecting links to fossil, rock and mineral collecting laws/codes/rules in the US Forest Service lands and other Federal lands. LINK The default is that you are allowed to collect most invertebrate fossil in US Forest Service lands unless it is in written plans or rules that prohibit it. Always ask US Forest Service managers ahead of time if collecting is allowed and the written rule or plan that allows or prohibits it. Please let me know if you have any additional info to add to my collection. I find the actual rules or laws most useful. Read sections 291.1 to 291.12 of the applicable code from the Code of Federal Regulations: link Definition of “casual collecting” and its sub parts especially important. Rest of code should be read before collecting.

Hi all, I hope you don't mind but I want to piggy back some questions off of a couple of other posts I've seen recently about transporting and buying fossils legally and going through customs. To make it simple, my husband is US military and we are stationed in England. I've bought several fossils while here and discovered a few (very minor ones, so far) on my own. After seeing a few posts, I'm beginning to get a little concerned that I may not be able to take them back with me, or to another overseas location. I want to keep collecting but I'm hesitant if I can't bring them with me. If anyone has been in a similar situation or knows a good answer, I'd love to hear about it. Thank you! (And sorry if it's already been covered before)

Earlier this summer, my father and I went on a road trip around the vicinity of Seneca Rocks in West Virginia; on the way back from a long day of hiking we stopped on a small outlet from the road (Corridor H, near Elkins) to stretch our legs. It was right beside of an extremely large and layered road-cut, we were in awe to find the best shell fossils that we've found in WV so far just laying everywhere. I climbed up the edge of the hillside parallel to the road to the second layer of exposed rock which was 99% shale (absolutely insane amounts of fossils, crinoids, brachiopods, etc. all nearly perfectly preserved) we left with only a few fossils. Ever since then we have talked of returning to have a more extensive dig at the site, but we fear that there are laws which prohibit us from being there and collecting. The road that the site is on is 'Corridor H' which connects Route 48 and Route 250. It is a double lane on both sides. I understand that interstates and highways are no-go's, but nowhere that I've read does Corridor H or a 'Corridor' in general classify as one of these (also not to mention that it is unfinished in most parts of Virginia, this doesn't apply to the West Virginia portion, however...). I would like to know if anyone had any thoughts on digging here, i've seen a few treads mentioning collecting on Corridor H but nothing to the extent of knowing if it is legal or not. (if anyone has any questions for me either pm or reply) Thanks all. The small gold star represents the locality. A satellite image of the area. The distance from the road to the site is a little over ~100ft (30m) Just below the star you can see a tiny dirt road where we parked.

Dear all, Is anybody aware of the legal prospects regarding Fossil hunting and Collection in India. Please let me know if there is any provision of registration of such collections such that I can legally have possession of Fossils and related stuff.

I am going Manitoba on a fishing trip. Are there any special Canadian laws regarding fossil collecting? Are the islands there fossiliferous?

Anybody familiar with the collecting laws for Israel? What can be found? Any areas that I should definitely hit?

Received this from the AAPS: AAPS Member John McNamara sent me the following, and I wish to share it with all AAPS members. - George Winters, Administrative Director My thoughts on this are as follows. This legislation is not limited to tusks and ivory as many John Q Public voters would think it is. Every state bill and law defines ivory rather loosely with most declaring ivory to be "ANY tooth or tusk from ANY animal". Massachusetts defines ivory as any tooth or tusk from, BUT NOT LIMITED TO......, which means legally, this could encompass ANY tooth of any vertebrate, extinct or extant. The objective of the law is to stop not just elephant slaughter but any illegal wildlife trafficking, as most bills declare. Therefore, ANY fossil remains of animals.... ALL animals, are open to future bans since most fossils are of "wildlife" and based on the dangerous precedent set with the inclusion of fossils in these current bills and laws. Currently, all wildlife remains are regulated or banned. If we are declaring that it is difficult to determine fossil from modern remains of certain animals, then the case is made that ALL fossil remains should be included in such regulations or bans. More dangerous is the fact that legal precedent is already set to make this a reality as preposterous as it seems. One of the stated objectives of including fossils in said bans is that it relieves law enforcement of the burden to discern modern vs. prehistoric remains. That's ludicrous as the very essence and duty of law enforcement is to discern legal from illegal. By including fossils in the way these laws are being justified, then ANY fossil that might possibly be confused or believed to be modern, would be fair game to outlaw. For those that consider themselves safe in that they do not deal in fossils that would apply here, understand this is the tip of the iceberg and no one is safe. Wording in some of these bills identifies fossils as "precious artifacts that need protection" (Rhode Island). So we now have legislation being drafted and establishing fossils as precious and needing protection, where could this go? Rhode Island words their bill as follows that fossils are "(4) Precious artifacts from prehistoric mammoths are also not safe and need protection from illegal ivory traffickers;". If fossils are classified as "precious artifacts" that need protection, how much into the future is the general U.S. public made to believe that ALL fossils found in the United States are "precious artifacts" that need protection and therefore, are made illegal? We are already seeing U.S. federal law enforcement pressing down heavily over all fossil and artifact trade under the auspices that this market funds illicit activities and terrorist organizations. With the incredulous bans of mammoth remains from 100,000 years ago being necessary to protect modern elephants, anything is possible with ignorance at the helm of U.S. law-making. The effect of these laws are sure to be catastrophic to commercial paleontology in America. Moreover, they would pose a serious blow to U.S. public education in a country that is already grappling with poor educational scores on a global level in comparison to other countries. The historical awareness that comes with the private ownership of fossils like the ones here in the bans, is a priceless reward we cannot afford to see squandered by the misguided few. How many teachers and students have brought in their own fossils to school or to a civic group to show a multitude of people that may otherwise never see a real fossil? How many kids and adults are made aware of the value of paleontology by the dissemination of fossils amongst individual private collections? All this would end abruptly should the ridiculous legislation continue on the course it is on now. A basic knowledge of the U.S. legal system is all that is needed to know that laws lead to more laws and, precedent comes easily but is overturned rarely. It also goes without saying that a trend in state level legislation motivates national legislation. I believe the AAPS should be behind a "grass roots" campaign for all members to contact their lawmakers and push for the exemption of ALL fossil material from these laws before we are further demonized on a public and national level as being complicit in illegal activities that "fund the military operations of notorious terrorist groups" as one bill reads. See this http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/african-elephant-4d-proposed-changes.pdf#page5, Comments for a national law revision per the link above, ends on Sept 28, 20days! There should be comments to the feds that request a total exemption on fossils. I found a link the other day (have to find it) where a paleontologist is being interviewed and other scientific professionals are chiming in that they want to see bans on fossils made under the umbrella of wildlife protection laws, just as I commented to you. I found that article AFTER I wrote so it may come sooner than we think. One paleontologist is quoted as saying such a law would end any amateur cooperation so there are academics that would argue in favor of the commercial side, to the US but action is needed NOW. We are at a moment of enormous legal ramifications with regards to commercial paleontology right now. These laws are the FIRST laws in America that ban the sale, possession with intent to deliver, import and export of common fossils. Even a simple form letter that can be sent to all state and federal representatives, would be nice. If you woud liek to work on a committee to address these issues, please contact george@stonejungle.com Sincerely, John McNamara, President Paleo Direct, Inc.

I was reading about someone getting in trouble for collecting fossils on the missouri river because it was on the corps of engineers land and that led me to thinking where it is okay to collect and where its not if you know anything about some basic laws or if you know anything about Kansas or Missouri restrictions. A more specific question, is the clinton lake spillway okay to collect on since the corps of engineers built it what are the restrictions for things like that. Thanks in Advance.