PaleoNoel Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 Hey everyone! Before the year is over I thought I'd post my best fossil discoveries this year. This summer I was lucky enough to spend three weeks in the American West fossil hunting with PaleoProspectors in Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana. As a result of this expensive commitment and other non fossil related trips I took this year (Music program trip to Quebec + College visits), this was my only fossil hunting excursion this year, and I certainly made the most of it. This is not a post ranking my fossils as each have their own significance to me, instead this is meant to showcase what I thought were the best from my time out west. Without further ado, here are my Top Ten Fossils of 2019! 10. Dromaeosaur Tooth, Hell Creek fm., North Dakota This was my first good find on a day which I had great success and will never forget. We had just come off our first day in North Dakota and the section of the ranch we covered had one microsite (which quickly ran out of fossils with only three people collecting) and very little else covering a vast area. I was disappointed with the productivity that day and feared the rest of the ranch would be as barren. I was proven wrong as I spent all day at the microsites around one large butte, finding plenty of awesome fossils, starting with this beautiful little tooth. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 Sure, just rub it in, Pal,............. 2 I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 9. Paronychodon Tooth, Hell Creek fm., North Dakota Following that day of success where I found the previous dromaeosaur tooth, I hiked out with the rest of the group to a microsite where I spent about an hour at. I found a few Myledaphus ray vertebrae and teeth, a few trike spit teeth, random digits, the tip of a Nanotyrannus tooth and sun bleached half of another Nano. But my best find from this morning was a rooted Paronychodon tooth This is the first theropod tooth I've ever found with the root intact and is one of my best overall. 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Where are the other 8? I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Oh I get it, you found so many great things that you can't decide on your top ten. I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 8. Turtle Claw, Hell Creek fm., South Dakota. After spending the morning at a productive microsite on day 1 of my week in the Dakotas, I went out to prospect with a few others. We walked through some dense brush to a small hill. I followed a trail of turtle shell fragments hoping to find its source and after about 15 minutes of searching the hillside I found this awesome claw. It would be the first of several reptile claws that I found between SD, ND, and MT. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 7. Multituberculate Tooth, Lance fm., Wyoming (found at home in NH). I found this tooth while working with the conglomerate I brought back from the Lance fm. It's probably the smallest vertebrate fossil I've ever found. Always fun when you can find fossils at home. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 6. Unknown Large Mammal Canine (Hopefully Predator), White River fm., Wyoming. Towards the end of the day spent in the White River fm., I found this large tooth from some variety of mammal. Unfortunately the fossil had fallen victim to the freeze and thaw of the Wyoming seasons and was in many pieces. I glued it in place and took it out in one large block. Eventually I hope to get this piece restored in order to find out what it really is. I'm hoping it's predator, but I know that many of the herbivores in the formation have canines of their own. If anyone has any ideas of what it is I would be happy to hear them. The largest piece of the tooth is just under 3.5 cm. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 5. Leptoceratops Tooth, Lance fm., Wyoming. Another conglomerate find, I found this fossil in the field and hoped it was something I hadn't found before. When I got back home in early August I posted it on the Forum and people thought it was probably Leptoceratops-a species new to my collection! Unfortunately, a piece of it cracked off when I was removing the bone fragment covering the top of it, not to worry as I glued it back on soon after. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 4. Ornithomimid Claw, Judith River fm., Montana. On my second day in Montana, I went out prospecting an old site where some people had found some large bones in years past. We had no success in regards to larger bones, but I did manage to find this awesome Ornithomimid claw. This is the first ornithomimid claw that I ever found, and something I see online from the Hell Creek far more than Judith River. Needless to say I was very happy to find it. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 3. Mammal Jaw (Marsupial?), Hell Creek fm., North Dakota. This awesome mammal jaw was found on the same day as the dromaeosaur tooth I showed earlier. I was super pumped to find this one, it added to an already great day. Interestingly, the jaw and tooth have the same colors as what you might see in the White River formation. Probably my best Cretaceous mammal fossil so far! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 2. Thescelosaurus or Pachycephalosaurus Claw, Hell Creek fm., North Dakota. After leaving the microsite where I found the rooted Paronychodon tooth, I went with two of my friends to a spot they had found the day before where one of them had found a nice black Nanotyrannus tooth. I couldn't find anything of note on the hump where my friend found that tooth, but just beyond that site I found this awesome foot claw. At first I only had half of it, but after some mad searching, I found two more pieces that fit together to make it more complete. If anyone knows if there are any major differences in the claw morphology between Thesc & Pachy I would be happy to hear them. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 1. Tyrannosaur Tooth (Gorgosaurus/Daspletosaurus), Judith River fm., Montana. This tooth was possibly my best find from the summer and shattered my previous record for biggest self collected theropod tooth in my possession. This tyrannosaur tooth even made its way into my college essay. When I saw one of the prompts ask to describe one of your interests or passion that your life would not be the same without, I automatically chose to describe my love for paleontology. Here's the excerpt detailing my tooth's discovery- "It’s a dry 88 degree day in Northern Montana. I’m perched upon a steep incline above a stable platform of sandstone, my back to the expansive valley behind me. I have one goal in mind, to find fossils. The sun beats down and the wind whips dust at my face. A curious oval shape peaks from the sediment and catches my eye. Although little is exposed, I suspect its identity and pray it’s intact. I awkwardly arrange myself on the slope of parched earth to excavate the surrounding dirt, dousing my find with Paleobond to ensure its stability. When finally able to safely extract it, I hold a three inch tooth from a Gorgosaurus, a predator similar to the famous T. rex. It hadn’t seen the sun for nearly 77 million years". 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allosaurus Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Wow! Very nice fossils. Sounds like you had a great summer. That tyrannosaur tooth looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 3 hours ago, Darktooth said: Oh I get it, you found so many great things that you can't decide on your top ten. Lol you got me there. It was a tough list to make. 54 minutes ago, Allosaurus said: Wow! Very nice fossils. Sounds like you had a great summer. That tyrannosaur tooth looks great. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Honorable Mentions: Theropod Premaxillary tooth (probably Nanotyrannus), Hell Creek fm., North Dakota. Lizard Jaw (probably Parasaniwa), Hell Creek fm., North Dakota Probable Saurornitholestes Tooth, Judith River fm., Montana Richardoestesia Tooth, Hell Creek fm., North Dakota. Unknown Theropod Claw, Hell Creek fm., North Dakota. Multituberculate Mammal Tooth, Hell Creek fm., South Dakota. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 Honorable Mentions 2: Ankylosaur Scute, Hell Creek fm., South Dakota. Crocodilian Jaw, Hell Creek fm., South Dakota Reptile Claw (Either Croc or Turtle), Hell Creek fm., South Dakota. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuMert Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 8 hours ago, PaleoNoel said: When finally able to safely extract it, I hold a three inch tooth from a Gorgosaurus Awesome look after prep compared to the initial My sites & reports Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Tahan Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Nice finds!! I was thinking of doing something like this but finding the time is impossible lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 5 hours ago, RuMert said: Awesome look after prep compared to the initial Thanks! 2 hours ago, Al Tahan said: Nice finds!! I was thinking of doing something like this but finding the time is impossible lately. It does take a while, but you definitely should if you find the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackson g Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Goodness, you should be proud of yourself! So many nice finds, and what a variety too. To think just in one year you saved all of this. I'm sure the future has alot in store for you. Congratulations, great finds!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoNoel Posted December 31, 2019 Author Share Posted December 31, 2019 1 hour ago, Jackson g said: Goodness, you should be proud of yourself! So many nice finds, and what a variety too. To think just in one year you saved all of this. I'm sure the future has alot in store for you. Congratulations, great finds!! Thank you so much! This year has been my best so far in terms of abundance of finds. Can't wait to be out west again next year! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Nice finds, and they don't even take up too much space! 1 Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinosaur man Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Amazing discoveries! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 It was a nice productive trip for you, great memory, any plans for 2020? Why do you think #10 is a Dromaeosaur ? Your #8 turtle could be dinosaurian, need a closup top view, Your #2 claw looks like Thescelosaurus, your probable Saurornitholestes is definitely one, your reptile claw honorable mention #2 is turtle 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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