Search the Community

American paleontology hobbyist here, seeking wisdom from those of you outside the USA regarding amateur paleontology culture elsewhere. Call me crazy. I'm seeking your stories to use in a planned talk in a session advocating for amateur/hobbyist contributions to paleontology, at the North American Paleontological Convention in June. Which stories? Well, the ones that offer better ways that amateur/hobbyist paleontology can interface with professionals, academics, corporations, and governments. I want to hear about the ways in which differences in cultural or historical or legal framework in different countries have led to different/better relationships with amateur/hobbyist paleontology than we have in the USA. For example: How do municipalities, corporations, and universities regard their role in actively or passively facilitating access/opportunity/education for amateurs/hobbyists? How do states and universities regard hobbyist societies as knowledgeable partners in which to invest trust when it comes to approving outcrop access, amateur grants, etc.? What is the funding mechanism for efforts to keep fossil exposures fresh at designated fossil parks? Is there an amateur paleontology stewardship certification offered by the state, by the municipality, by the national society, by the local museum or university, or by individual quarries that lends meaningful weight when it comes to approving outcrop access, amateur grants, etc.? If you have some interesting answers—especially anecdotal answers—to these and related questions, I'd love to catch up with you for 20 minutes to discuss. Your responses are what will open up possibilities for fossil collectors here in the USA and elsewhere. Let's talk. To start the conversation, send me a DM. Or if you prefer to just leave your thoughts below, that's fine too. Thanks.

I've been sorting through some of my old finds. I just happened to put this small spot on a piece from Swatra St. Park in PA under a lens. It's tiny. The scale seen is in mm. Is this the arm of a brittle star ?

Links to state geological surveys: Alabama https://www.gsa.state.al.us/ogb/publications Alaska https://dggs.alaska.gov/ Arizona http://azgs.arizona.edu/ Arkansas https://www.geology.arkansas.gov/ California https://www.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/ Colorado https://coloradogeologicalsurvey.org/ Connecticut https://portal.ct.gov/deep Delaware https://www.dgs.udel.edu/ Florida https://floridadep.gov/fgs Georgia https://epd.georgia.gov/ Hawaii https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/cwrm/ Idaho https://idahogeology.org/ Illinois https://isgs.illinois.edu/ Indiana https://igws.indiana.edu/ Iowa https://iowageologicalsurvey.org/ Kansas https://www.kgs.ku.edu/ Kentucky http://www.uky.edu/KGS/ Louisiana https://www.lsu.edu/lgs/ Maine https://www.maine.gov/dacf/mgs/ Maryland http://www.mgs.md.gov/index.html Massachusetts http://mgs.geo.umass.edu/ Michigan https://wmich.edu/geologysurvey Minnesota https://cse.umn.edu/mgs Mississippi https://www.mdeq.ms.gov/geology/ Missouri https://dnr.mo.gov/land-geology/geology Montana http://www.mbmg.mtech.edu/main.asp Nebraska http://snr.unl.edu/csd/geology/ Nevada http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/ New Hampshire https://www.des.nh.gov/land/geology New Jersey https://www.state.nj.us/dep/njgs/ New Mexico https://geoinfo.nmt.edu/index.html New York http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/research-collections/geology North Carolina https://deq.nc.gov/about/divisions/energy-mineral-and-land-resources/nc-geological-survey North Dakota https://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndgs/ Ohio https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-odnr/geologic-survey/geologic-survey Oklahoma https://www.ou.edu/ogs Oregon https://www.oregongeology.org/ Pennsylvania https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/about/Pages/Geological-Survey.aspx Rhode Island https://web.uri.edu/geo/rhode-island-geological-survey/ South Carolina https://www.dnr.sc.gov/geology/ South Dakota http://www.sdgs.usd.edu/ Tennessee https://www.tn.gov/environment/program-areas/tennessee-geological-survey.html Texas https://www.beg.utexas.edu/outreach/state-geological-survey Utah https://geology.utah.gov/ Vermont https://dec.vermont.gov/geological-survey Virginia https://energy.virginia.gov/geology/geologymineralresources.shtml Washington https://www.dnr.wa.gov/geology/ West Virginia http://www.wvgs.wvnet.edu/ Wisconsin https://wgnhs.wisc.edu/ Wyoming https://www.wsgs.wyo.gov/

In the fall of 2011 I got of the train in Harrisburg on my way to Red Hill for my first dig with DVPS and waited for the rental car shuttle. The folks there voiced concern that this snow storm might interfere with the dig. Anyway, I dug this from under a snow covered stump up the highway at Swatara State park the next day. Looking at it recently, I noticed this shape that seemed different than the fenestrate bryozoans that were common in the samples. Any chance this is a starfish ?

Me and my girlfriend went to Murdock Beach, we found a ton of concretions, one of which (which I left in the car and can't include) was an agatized acila clam I believe. With pretty good detail. However that was the only fossil that I found which I could recognize. I will post all the finds here which I was curious about. I continually saw these rectangular cross sections of some strange agatized fossil. Then, I split one of these rectangular fossils just right and got a print of what the "skin" or outside layer looks like as almost a cast from a mold of agate. The perfect mold is the last picture I posted. If anyone has any clue as to what this is, you might be the first to identify what all these famous Murdock beach concretions are.

I'm new to fossil hunting. I would love to find a Megalodon tooth. How far north did they range? I'm landlocked in Pennsylvania and frequent Nj & Maryland beaches in the summer. How far north can you find Meg teeth? What states seem best to plan a vacation for one? What type of area is best to search for one, open beach or where there's a cut bank....ect. Thank you.

CALVERT MARINE MUSEUM DESIGNATED AS MARYLAND STATE PALEONTOLOGY CENTER http://www.calvertmarinemuseum.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=278&ARC=418

Hello all, Braved what seems to be one of the colder and windier days within the last two weeks but I think I might have found my first Otodus! This is from the Aquia formation of the Potomac River, it's a little worn and not in the best of shape but if it's a first I'll take it: Also found this little guy and was thinking Cretolamna sp. but wanted to be certain as I'm just a novice: Thanks for any and all help! This forum has definitely helped me tons and I've chatted with quite a few members shared some wonderful advice and made it even harder to think about anything else except for hunting! Recently was able to find my first Meg(s) and now hopefully and Otodus! Everything is starting to fall into place and I'm really excited for summer to roll around so I can put my kayak to good use!

Good afternoon, I accidentally stumbled across Purse State Park and am absolutely hooked! I didn't realize how many teeth were actually there and the different species/history of the area so I only was able to look for about an hour or so and after further inspection and research I believe I have a few different teeth (nothing special, but I would like to know) and I'm sure y'all are tired of the same ole identification questions but no matter how many pictures I look at online I can't entirely tell the differences and I start to see a cooler tooth than I may actually have. I took a few pictures below and I tried to organize similar teeth together (hope I don't embarrass myself). Thanks, I know they aren't gems but I am definitely hooked and will be going again very shortly and maybe with some help I will be able to identify and look for specific kinds when I take my next trip! Thanks so much