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North Sulphur River Feeder Creek Horror Story


flyingpenut

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I had a scare last week that has made decide to stay away from the North Sulphur River feeder creeks for good. It all started when I decided to check out google maps to find a more remote access point since the river has become so picked over. I found a feeder creek that had a bridge that emptied into the NSR and decided to try it out. Well it took an hour just to get halfway all the while I was clomping though thick mud. I then turned a corner and came face to face with a 200 plus pound wild boar. I must have rustled it up from sleeping because it shot up once it saw me and started snorting. By this point I was stuck in the mud again, in the middle of the creek, but luckily it did not charge me. I franticly unstuck myself and backed away slowly and somehow climbed an almost vertical cliff wall. It is amazing what you can do if you have to. I observed the boar trying to climb out of the creek and luckily for me it was to the other side of the creek. I was amazed by how fast and how good at climbing it was even for its massive size. I walked the rest of the way to the river above the creek, looking back about every five seconds to make sure nothing was behind me. Once I made it to the river I made a decision to stay out of those feeder creeks for good. It wouldn't matter what I found in it because it wouldn't be worth going though that again so from now on ill just walk my way from one of the NSR access points. Not to mention all I found the entire two hours was a small broken shark tooth.

 

However once I made it to the river I actually did find a couple of nice finds. I was excited to find my first ever mosasaur tooth in pictures 3 and 4. However it is a strange tan color and I really would have liked the nice shiny black that I see so much on here. I also found a piece of mosasaur jaw fragment in pictures 9 and 10 that might have actually housed the tooth I found earlier haha. In picture 5 I found a fully intact sawfish rostral tooth. And lastly in picture 22 I found a piece of Baculite that had some really nice preservation on it. The rest are items I'm not too sure about so please let me know if you see something in these pictures I wasn't able to identify. See below:

 

Is picture 2 a shark or fish vert? 

Any idea what pictures 6, 7, and 8 are of?

Picture 11 looks like it might be fish bones in coprolite or maybe matrix? 

Picture 12 is turtle maybe?

Pictures 13 and 14 appear to be bone so maybe a part of mosasaur paddle?

Pictures 15 and 16 are very similar to 13 and 14 however the fossilization is much newer so I am thinking Pliocene mammal?

Picture 17 maybe fish jaw?

Picture 18 and 19 also fish jaw?

Picture 20 is not a fossil but maybe pyrite?

And picture 21 is just a strange piece of mosasaur bone that has about 4 rounded cavities on it.

 

1.

IMG_9771.thumb.jpg.3b4010be762857c2033cd8d63bcb3aff.jpg

 

2.

IMG_9797.jpg.173d3685e40ba333792d530b101bb2da.jpg

 

3.

IMG_9799.jpg.799059beace7017ce1908187606c05c0.jpg

 

4.

IMG_9800.jpg.0243c19b168552f77fe8bc97e714e2b8.jpg

 

5.

IMG_9801.jpg.5a6d1c54f3405370119bcf0a7b70ccf2.jpg

 

6.

IMG_9811.jpg.c62c54e3ae7ffc1184291f1cc85c3a5f.jpg

 

7.

IMG_9812.jpg.2bffabb8c9307f26f935111de18202fe.jpg

 

8.

IMG_9813.jpg.e7e17d9acdf1319bdb8adfe2b1c81442.jpg

 

9.

IMG_9814.thumb.jpg.d6f2e98be310c6c0de22a0e4e4cd45cd.jpg

 

10.

IMG_9815.thumb.jpg.bf65455d0126be13890a1a46ca476ea2.jpg

 

11.

IMG_9795.jpg.b6a9d16e58e18bb172d364ada4a1e07c.jpg

 

12.

IMG_9791.jpg.b55bd2cabc86719df162247acb5723f2.jpg

 

13.

IMG_9779.jpg.0730b22e7af7ce7c2ad06fa10bf1abbf.jpg

 

14.

IMG_9780.jpg.f753382923d7caf57853e2398c8a1e79.jpg

 

15.

IMG_9781.jpg.525ae3895e7906aca723d392b714290c.jpg

 

16.

IMG_9782.jpg.be82e67b28d79852946c4fe17197816d.jpg

 

17.IMG_9789.jpg.5892d4f1a76c7c2b44d3bdca99397f20.jpg

 

18.

IMG_9785.jpg.457e79c5a1c2684c21e1c4b8b14a593d.jpg

 

19.

IMG_9786.jpg.a324069ce63ffcc7c7730daf3f31e5ea.jpg

 

20.

IMG_9787.jpg.793814ca01d1de4b017e01cd66e45cf6.jpg

 

21.

IMG_9793.jpg.272d3cb8ce269e5bfbc3c3668d2dc9a2.jpg

 

22.

IMG_9790.jpg.a1284735b030cba19e0ee9fb83308ad0.jpg

 

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*not an expert* but #2 looks very "fishy" to me.  That pic is probably the most heavily worn bacculites I've seen.

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"There is no shortage of fossils. There is only a shortage of paleontologists to study them." - Larry Martin

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Always best to make as much noise as possible. Let them hear you from a distance. Sound large, mean, and dangerous. 

 

Or just fire off a shot or two...

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Looks like a successful outing despite the animal encounter. Congrats on the mosasaur tooth!

 

2. Is definitely fish with that flaky bone.

6-8 is also fish with some scales - very nice.

11. I can't say whether or not it's coprolite, but there's definitely fish tucked in there. 

12. I'm thinking turtle as well.

13, 14. It's mosasaur, but not sure what part it is.

15, 16. This is actually your second mosasaur tooth - just the root.

17. Yup, Enchodus palantine

18, 19. Fish bit, not sure what part.

20. Not sure, could be a mineral or anthroprogenic

"Argumentation cannot suffice for the discovery of new work, since the subtlety of Nature is greater many times than the subtlety of argument." - Carl Sagan

"I was born not knowing and have had only a little time to change that here and there." - Richard Feynman

 

Collections: Hell Creek Microsite | Hell Creek/Lance | Dinosaurs | Sharks | SquamatesPost Oak Creek | North Sulphur RiverLee Creek | Aguja | Permian | Devonian | Triassic | Harding Sandstone

Instagram: @thephysicist_tff

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Smoking rostral spine, that'll be a great find on any outing

“Not only is the universe stranger than we think, it is stranger than we can think” -Werner Heisenberg 

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I've come across feral hogs in creeks around here, seen large groups of them in river bottoms. Usually don't have to worry unless it's spring, females with babies will try to kill you. 

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Nice mosasaur tooth! Indeed quite peculiar preservation! :o

'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett

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Great finds and story! Reminded my of my recent trip to the Volga. In the dark I saw something massive descending from the woods to the shore, which I believe was a bear (could be a big boar too). I stepped back but the animal was between me and nearest civilization. So what did I have to do? Wait? and for how long?:) Fortunately It then probably saw my flashlight and climbed back very fast for such a massive thing. I had to continue in the dark on the shore looking back every minute with a flashlight:) (though if the animal didn't attack at once I doubt it would stalk you after). But encounters like this are what brings a whole new dimension to fossil collecting and fun to remember afterwards

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Mosasaur! :envy:

 

I wonder if it was the same piggy I heard when I was there a few days ago! I also like to park at the Fossil Park and walk several miles way down to a more less spot near a bunch of creeks and I saw a big flash of black-brown and very loud happy snorts up on the cliff.  I usually hear wild pigs or see tons of javelina prints in the mud, super popular drinking spot for them. Glad you are okay! In fact glad you are both okay and avoided the other. From the boars point of view I’m sure ya surprised him! He was definitely not expecting a human minding his own business. Ive never seen them up super close like THAT but I hear them all the time and see shapes of brush moving in the woods above on the other side. Unless they feel threatened they probably avoid us- other important piggy things to do! I always hear them up in the top where its too steep for them to come down when im in the middle of the gravel beds down below. They are very loud and their sounds carry so if you hear one just be alert in case 2 males are nearby as you wouldn’t want to be caught in the middle of a bacon butt showdown. People who have never seen one would poop their pants at their size!  I always tell people to go here in groups for the noise traffic it makes-you want to go in groups anyways because of the deep mud and I cant say how many times I have gotten legitimately stuck and would have been out of luck if my party wasnt there. Anyone reading who wants to plan a trip- this place is a very popular location but has its hazards and risks for sure! Love jt here though, I myself want to go again VERY soon. ***writes down I need to pick up hand wipes for snack breaks and better knee pads. 
 

Always carry airhorns or mace just in case! I always bring a first aid backpack and a weapon of some kind for last resort emergencies as theres nothing out here for quite a drive away. 


Fossil wise I really love your finds! The shell is very pretty, I embarrassingly have yet to see one. I only see inoceramus in the shale and a few black gastros. I love seeing stuff that comes out of the river, it gives me hope to find a blasted tooth! 

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On 10/26/2021 at 3:02 PM, facehugger said:

Always best to make as much noise as possible. Let them hear you from a distance. Sound large, mean, and dangerous. 

 

Or just fire off a shot or two...

100% this! This is why I travel in groups. If you make tons of noise the wildlife will likely hear you from afar and leave to feel safe. Always bring something with you that will make noise! 

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Yeah, that story really doesn't sound pleasant at all. And especially when you're all alone, I can imagine this giving you quite a fright! I've experienced similar situations a couple of times, but never this bad. Glad nothing bad happened...!

'There's nothing like millions of years of really frustrating trial and error to give a species moral fibre and, in some cases, backbone' -- Terry Pratchett

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We have dangerous local critters as well.

snakezilla.thumb.jpg.27239b6dcebaa8bc803da6fa921665ea.jpg

 

I came within about six inches of stepping right on it. I don't know which of us was more scared, but I retained enough presence of mind not to step off the cliff behind me and to take this quick shot with the camera.

 

And, no, I did not squeal like a girl. It was more a Wilhelm scream.

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@kgbudge 

That danger noodle is adorable!  :wub: Snakes are one of my favorite animals! 
 

I usually do the “stingray shuffle” (lived in FL as a kid!) when walking in rocky gravel areas like this and use a walking stick to tap on the ground so critters can feel vibrations and leave safely. Snakes feel vibrations- let them know from a distance! Ive never actually seen a snake of any sort out when fossil hunting, but I usually come out here November-Feb when they go to sleep! 
 

However, not to scare anyone, but my last trip the other week there was a female southern black widow in the weeds down in the gravel bars near the new fossil park entry! Be safe, especially in late summer-fall when its their breeding season. In fact if you are terrified of spiders this place is your worst nightmare that time of year! I saw hundreds of hobo female wolf spiders, TONS of big orb weavers down in the river between the tall weeds, and if this the ocassional harvestmen (those “walking lentils” as I call them !) I avoid spring at this location when its both boar & javelina, and also snake breeding season. 
 

Beware of floods and rock/shale/mud slides more than ANYTHING! I have a new report that might be useful to anyone Id like to add to this thread! I went on last Tuesday during a light drizzle and a whole cliff collapsed! It looked like it fell a little recently, so we avoided that whole section and waded in the water in the middle. Then later from afar it fell more! It sounded like the stampede from Lion King! We called it quits after that, luckily because of the rain we didn’t go far to where we turned back around and left fast. No spiders that day though! We went here that day because we saw it wasn’t supposed to rain until 11pm… but then it came down harder unexpected like normal rain and thats about when we left. It rained a little more that day after we went home (all cozy indoors!). However when we came back after the rain stopped I was STUNNED to see HOW fast the river filled up! 
 

Scary! (It happened behind us but not near us) Wow! I hope no animals were harmed. 

66-F61-C76-05-AC-486-B-9465-E1-E353-C26-

34615594-421-D-4-BB0-B01-E-99711-D10-E0-

041-C32-D4-1-BBD-426-B-B57-C-BF71-B41-B2

 

H2O level when we arrived:
CA2953-D3-CF0-D-4-AE2-AB8-F-7-C4-A3410-A

 

When we came back after the rain: 

966-AD36-C-429-E-4-B83-9438-B09943-C63-B
F647-DC3-B-C7-E7-4-B1-E-806-E-480-B106-B

We saw this, said “Nope not today!” and immediately went home. 

 

My advice- avoid during the animal mating seasons, avoid if there is any rain in the forecast or if it recently rained! Wait a week and let the water dry up. Hogs seem to be active in the AM hours as well! Come when its too cold for cold blooded critters. Come in groups, bring noisy stuff for defense & be loud, bring a first aid kit…. Haha and bathroom tissue! ;)

Edited by AmmoniteDelight
Photos out of order
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I confess that "adorable" was not the word that came to mind when I encountered that snake. I've encountered several other rattlers but never quite this close.

 

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On 10/26/2021 at 1:28 PM, hadrosauridae said:

*not an expert* but #2 looks very "fishy" to me.  That pic is probably the most heavily worn bacculites I've seen.

Haha yes it was pretty worn but I liked the nacre that was still attached. That was the first time I have seen the nacre on a baculite. 

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On 10/26/2021 at 3:02 PM, facehugger said:

Always best to make as much noise as possible. Let them hear you from a distance. Sound large, mean, and dangerous. 

 

Or just fire off a shot or two...

Thanks for the advice. For some reason I was always trying to be as quite as possible but from now on I will make as much noise as possible. 

Edited by flyingpenut
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On 10/26/2021 at 11:38 PM, ThePhysicist said:

Looks like a successful outing despite the animal encounter. Congrats on the mosasaur tooth!

 

2. Is definitely fish with that flaky bone.

6-8 is also fish with some scales - very nice.

11. I can't say whether or not it's coprolite, but there's definitely fish tucked in there. 

12. I'm thinking turtle as well.

13, 14. It's mosasaur, but not sure what part it is.

15, 16. This is actually your second mosasaur tooth - just the root.

17. Yup, Enchodus palantine

18, 19. Fish bit, not sure what part.

20. Not sure, could be a mineral or anthroprogenic

Thanks for the IDs. I did well with the cretaceous fish material this time. I really appreciate the assistance with 15 and 16 as I would never have thought of it being a broken piece of mosasaur tooth root. I have since compared it to a couple of others on here and it looks exactly the same. 

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On 10/27/2021 at 1:11 AM, Jared C said:

Smoking rostral spine, that'll be a great find on any outing

Thanks. This is the first one I have found fully intact. I have several that are broken off though. 

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On 11/4/2021 at 5:30 AM, pachy-pleuro-whatnot-odon said:

Nice mosasaur tooth! Indeed quite peculiar preservation! :o

Thanks. I'm still looking for that black one but being the first one I was pretty happy. 

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On 11/4/2021 at 6:05 AM, RuMert said:

Great finds and story! Reminded my of my recent trip to the Volga. In the dark I saw something massive descending from the woods to the shore, which I believe was a bear (could be a big boar too). I stepped back but the animal was between me and nearest civilization. So what did I have to do? Wait? and for how long?:) Fortunately It then probably saw my flashlight and climbed back very fast for such a massive thing. I had to continue in the dark on the shore looking back every minute with a flashlight:) (though if the animal didn't attack at once I doubt it would stalk you after). But encounters like this are what brings a whole new dimension to fossil collecting and fun to remember afterwards

Animal encounters are not as pleasant as seeing them at the zoo. I know they are probably just as scared of me but I wouldn't want to be on the wrong end of a dangerous animal when he is in a bad mood. 

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On 11/4/2021 at 7:36 AM, AmmoniteDelight said:

Mosasaur! :envy:

 

I wonder if it was the same piggy I heard when I was there a few days ago! I also like to park at the Fossil Park and walk several miles way down to a more less spot near a bunch of creeks and I saw a big flash of black-brown and very loud happy snorts up on the cliff.  I usually hear wild pigs or see tons of javelina prints in the mud, super popular drinking spot for them. Glad you are okay! In fact glad you are both okay and avoided the other. From the boars point of view I’m sure ya surprised him! He was definitely not expecting a human minding his own business. Ive never seen them up super close like THAT but I hear them all the time and see shapes of brush moving in the woods above on the other side. Unless they feel threatened they probably avoid us- other important piggy things to do! I always hear them up in the top where its too steep for them to come down when im in the middle of the gravel beds down below. They are very loud and their sounds carry so if you hear one just be alert in case 2 males are nearby as you wouldn’t want to be caught in the middle of a bacon butt showdown. People who have never seen one would poop their pants at their size!  I always tell people to go here in groups for the noise traffic it makes-you want to go in groups anyways because of the deep mud and I cant say how many times I have gotten legitimately stuck and would have been out of luck if my party wasnt there. Anyone reading who wants to plan a trip- this place is a very popular location but has its hazards and risks for sure! Love jt here though, I myself want to go again VERY soon. ***writes down I need to pick up hand wipes for snack breaks and better knee pads. 
 

Always carry airhorns or mace just in case! I always bring a first aid backpack and a weapon of some kind for last resort emergencies as theres nothing out here for quite a drive away. 


Fossil wise I really love your finds! The shell is very pretty, I embarrassingly have yet to see one. I only see inoceramus in the shale and a few black gastros. I love seeing stuff that comes out of the river, it gives me hope to find a blasted tooth! 

Thanks. Yes an airhorn or mace is a good idea. I carry a large knife but by the time I could use that I would probably already be in a lot of trouble haha. 

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On 11/4/2021 at 12:50 PM, kgbudge said:

We have dangerous local critters as well.

snakezilla.thumb.jpg.27239b6dcebaa8bc803da6fa921665ea.jpg

 

I came within about six inches of stepping right on it. I don't know which of us was more scared, but I retained enough presence of mind not to step off the cliff behind me and to take this quick shot with the camera.

 

And, no, I did not squeal like a girl. It was more a Wilhelm scream.

Now that would give me a heart attack. The snake is scary enough but I am deathly afraid of heights so almost falling off a cliff would be the end for me. 

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On 11/5/2021 at 1:40 PM, AmmoniteDelight said:

@kgbudge 

That danger noodle is adorable!  :wub: Snakes are one of my favorite animals! 
 

I usually do the “stingray shuffle” (lived in FL as a kid!) when walking in rocky gravel areas like this and use a walking stick to tap on the ground so critters can feel vibrations and leave safely. Snakes feel vibrations- let them know from a distance! Ive never actually seen a snake of any sort out when fossil hunting, but I usually come out here November-Feb when they go to sleep! 
 

However, not to scare anyone, but my last trip the other week there was a female southern black widow in the weeds down in the gravel bars near the new fossil park entry! Be safe, especially in late summer-fall when its their breeding season. In fact if you are terrified of spiders this place is your worst nightmare that time of year! I saw hundreds of hobo female wolf spiders, TONS of big orb weavers down in the river between the tall weeds, and if this the ocassional harvestmen (those “walking lentils” as I call them !) I avoid spring at this location when its both boar & javelina, and also snake breeding season. 
 

Beware of floods and rock/shale/mud slides more than ANYTHING! I have a new report that might be useful to anyone Id like to add to this thread! I went on last Tuesday during a light drizzle and a whole cliff collapsed! It looked like it fell a little recently, so we avoided that whole section and waded in the water in the middle. Then later from afar it fell more! It sounded like the stampede from Lion King! We called it quits after that, luckily because of the rain we didn’t go far to where we turned back around and left fast. No spiders that day though! We went here that day because we saw it wasn’t supposed to rain until 11pm… but then it came down harder unexpected like normal rain and thats about when we left. It rained a little more that day after we went home (all cozy indoors!). However when we came back after the rain stopped I was STUNNED to see HOW fast the river filled up! 
 

Scary! (It happened behind us but not near us) Wow! I hope no animals were harmed. 

66-F61-C76-05-AC-486-B-9465-E1-E353-C26-

34615594-421-D-4-BB0-B01-E-99711-D10-E0-

041-C32-D4-1-BBD-426-B-B57-C-BF71-B41-B2

 

H2O level when we arrived:
CA2953-D3-CF0-D-4-AE2-AB8-F-7-C4-A3410-A

 

When we came back after the rain: 

966-AD36-C-429-E-4-B83-9438-B09943-C63-B
F647-DC3-B-C7-E7-4-B1-E-806-E-480-B106-B

We saw this, said “Nope not today!” and immediately went home. 

 

My advice- avoid during the animal mating seasons, avoid if there is any rain in the forecast or if it recently rained! Wait a week and let the water dry up. Hogs seem to be active in the AM hours as well! Come when its too cold for cold blooded critters. Come in groups, bring noisy stuff for defense & be loud, bring a first aid kit…. Haha and bathroom tissue! ;)

I took a look at the water levels and the gauge only showed a 6 inch increase but this looks much higher. I went as soon as I saw your post but unfortunately by then too many footprints were around to find much. 

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