Baisch in mt

[smt126]

Unfortunately this is not a trip report, but wanted to let people know who were thinking of making a Montana trip this year that Baisch in glendive shut down for the summer. Shana emailed me the news today. They are trying to keep family safe, and I agree that I think it's best for them. 

 

I already prepaid a nonrefundable week out there at a hotel before all the covid went down. I still plan on heading out there, but will have to adjust our fossil plans a bit. I went there 3 years ago with just my daughter, but will have the whole crew in tow this time. The plan was to let everyone collect dinosaur bones 3 days, then invertebrate hunt or random stuff the other days. I plan on doing the atv park one day, and a roadcut north of Malta another, but other than that not sure what else to do. Does anyone know of any other pay to dig sites that are not easily found on the web where you can keep material around there? I know we can observe at the park, and several museums allow kids to do mini digs but not keep things, but my kids want to take home their work. I'm guessing we will just end up settling on invertebrates again. I have the rockhounding Montana book, but if anyone has any great recommendations, I'm always open to suggestions. 

[PaleoNoel]

That's unfortunate to hear about your trip. While it may not be possible for this summer, but I would highly recommend PaleoProspectors as they allow you to keep essentially whatever you find (unless it's considered scientifically important, which 99% of what you will find isn't), they take a group of people out onto private ranches out west (WY, MT and the Dakotas) for a week at a time to hunt for dinosaurs and other fossils. It's a great service and I've been going with them since 2017 and have found a load of awesome fossils. 

 

Here's a tyrannosaurid tooth I found in the Judith River fm. last summer which I got to keep.

Troodontid tooth found on the same ranch two years before.

Thescelosaurus claw found in North Dakota's Hell Creek fm.

[smt126]

Thanks. I've looked at them in the past, but as a family of 6 with kids aged 6-11, they don't really work for us. It definitely sounds like a great time though. That t rex tooth is a monster.

 

I saw the creationist museum out there has a dig as well and so I might do that since our hotel is in Glendive for the week. The concept is not my cup of tea, but the museum has some nice fossils, and it sounds like Otis Kline and his associates are good at finding fossils.

[jpc]

Just my opinion, but I would never give my money to creationists.... Their goal is to miseducate the masses and that is simply immoral.  And that is this guy's extra polite opinion.  My normal opinion would not be allowed on this forum.   

[smt126]

@jpc yea that is kind of how I feel and thus trying to find anything else that they can take home real dinosaur material. A friend of mine and I used to joke about that museum all the time as we are both agnostic. I'm just split between knowingly allowing them to profit off me versus not giving my family the experience they were hoping for.

 

I've been reading some of your old Montana posts and will probably shoot you a message one of these days if that's ok.

[jpc]

7 hours ago, smt126 said:

@jpc yea that is kind of how I feel and thus trying to find anything else that they can take home real dinosaur material. A friend of mine and I used to joke about that museum all the time as we are both agnostic. I'm just split between knowingly allowing them to profit off me versus not giving my family the experience they were hoping for.

 

I've been reading some of your old Montana posts and will probably shoot you a message one of these days if that's ok.

I understand your dilemma.  Please PM me as needed.