Search the Community

When getting property owner permission to hunt what level of documentation is required. Obviously, something in writing is preferred but is it required?

I had an interesting conversation with my Executive Director today.... I recently acquired some fossils from a TFF member in Canada, and I took the pieces I got to him because I thought he may be interested. I handed him my newly acquired fossil worm burrows and made him figure out what they were, no information, just here tell me what you think. He stared at them, pulled out a loupe, stared at them, and announces it is a worm burrow....he looks some more, and then says, but I don't recognize this rock. I told him it was a Canadian specimen to which he replied, "is it legal?" I was caught off guard. I informed him how I came about it, and he commenced to tell me that years ago when he was working in Canada, all fossils were legally property of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, everything was supposed to go through them. Bear in mind, he is going on 70 so when he was in Canada it was quite a few years back, but it got me wondering...I know we have lots of Canadian members on here. Can anyone enlighten me as to the comments he made? Have any of you heard this before? As I said, it caught me off guard, I know it has been mentioned on here that it is legal to surface collect in Canada, but not dig, but I had not heard anything about all finds being routed through the ROM. Let's hear what you have to say!