Texas Pennsylvanian Trip to Brownwood (Wilsons)

[JamieLynn]

The Paleontological Society of Austin did our annual field trip out to Brownwood Texas. It was a beautiful day for collecting. Super blue sky and temps starting in the 50s and warming to the 80s. This site is so big that I have not even begun to explore all of it so decided to head to a different area than I had previously collected in. Walking toward the back I had my first nice find - a lovely little crinoid calyx, just shining in the dirt!

 

Next find was what I HOPED was a complete Neospirifer, but sadly, the underside was not so good. Still nice though

 

 

When I got to the back, there is a lovely little pond surround by the cliffs of this old quarry. 

 

Found a "non fossil"

 

My first "best" find of the day was this partial Petalodus tooth. So far I have only found partials, but this is the best one so far, at least it has the tip of the tooth! And the texture is just lovely. It's a nice size too, just over one inch:

 

and then I found this little piece. I almost didn't pick it up because it didn't look like much. I thought it might be another chunk of 

a Petalodus and actually almost left it there. But I then went back and said what the heck, even a partial is good. AND I AM GLAD I DID GO BACK!! Because upon photographing and being able to see better detail....I'm pretty sure it is Deltodus tooth! Another Pennsylvanian shark that I had seen a few picture of but not one in real life. So I am super happy with my "almost got away" story! hahhaha!  It is also 1 inch

 

 

A few more of my favorite finds from the day:

Echinoid plate

 

Bryozoan 

 

Crinoid

 

Crinoid:

 

And I posted this on my Fossil a Day thread but here it is again. All of these colors of crinoids are found here. That just ever ceases to amaze me! I am already looking forward to my next trip there!

 

 

 

[Mark Kmiecik]

Thanks for sharing with us. Great spot, great specimens!

[JohnJ]

Did you try to pick up any 'rattling crinoid stems' this time?

 

Beautiful finds.

[deutscheben]

Nice teeth! 

[JamieLynn]

55 minutes ago, JohnJ said:

Did you try to pick up any 'rattling crinoid stems' this time?

 

Beautiful finds.

hahahha!! Fortunately my friend the rattlesnake was all safely tucked away in his home this time. 

[Jeffrey P]

Really nice finds beautifully photographed, especially the Deltodus. Congrats. Your report makes me want to return there someday. 

[Castle Rock]

@JamieLynnI would like to know if any of your collecting occurred around those cliffs at the back of the pond? I have thought about making my way back to those and often wondered if that area was likely to produce anything INSITU!  Dave

[JamieLynn]

@Castle Rock- I did not make it all the way back there. I am saving that for next trip! Supposedly there is some Permian exposures there, but I can't remember what color rocks they are.  I did make it to the last "big pile" of rocks right before the cliffs and didn't find anything worth keeping. 

[BudB]

Nice finds! I'd love to make a trip there, but cringe at the idea of the four hour drive there.

[Castle Rock]

@JamieLynnI have basically walked everywhere EXCEPT the rock face at the rear and it has been my experience that there appears to be very little fossil-bearing rock in most of the large piles west of the center.  I would love to know if ANYBODY has found much worthy of comment toward the west end and the pond area. 

[Castle Rock]

@JamieLynnLooks like it's about the same drive time for you as it is for me (3 hours each way) and I don't make the trip more than twice a year.  I had been thinking about going over there recently, but knowing that a group has just been there I won't be going any time soon. 

[JamieLynn]

@BudB - yeah, it's a bit of a roadtrip, but it is worth it. You can literally fossil hunt for HOURS and still not cover the whole site.

@Castle Rock - yep, it's about the same drive! A long way! And while we most certainly didn't pick it clean, yes, there were about a dozen of us all over, so after a good rain would be a better bet.  On another note, I will be in Midland after Christmas and was thinking to go over to Big Springs to go fossil hunting!

[Castle Rock]

@JamieLynn

3 hours ago, JamieLynn said:

was thinking to go over to Big Springs to go fossil hunting!

There is a spot down in SE corner of Howard County where I USED to be able to collect Permian vertebrate remains...off limits now.. rancher says family only.  Do you have a place in mind? Pickings seem pretty slim out this way. 

[Sjfriend]

8 hours ago, BudB said:

Nice finds! I'd love to make a trip there, but cringe at the idea of the four hour drive there.

I drive further then that just to get to Lowes, Wendy's and Costco But then we only go a couple times a year.

 

I understand about the drive. If I didn't have to I rarely would. For fossils it would depend on what was at site and if I had closer stuff to dig.

[JamieLynn]

10 hours ago, Castle Rock said:

@JamieLynn

There is a spot down in SE corner of Howard County where I USED to be able to collect Permian vertebrate remains...off limits now.. rancher says family only.  Do you have a place in mind? Pickings seem pretty slim out this way. 

oh man!! That would have been amazing!! Bummer.  i had heard that the big hill in Big Spring had fossils. 

[FossilNerd]

On 12/13/2021 at 1:54 PM, JamieLynn said:

All of these colors of crinoids are found here. That just ever ceases to amaze me!

That is a beautiful crinoid rainbow, and I love the variety of crinoid columnals you always seem to find. They have the coolest shapes.  

[Castle Rock]

@JamieLynn I made a trip Wilson's Clay Pit about 3 weeks ago and I would advise ANYONE that might be thinking about a trip to that site in coming weeks to think about WAITING for a while. I found almost NOTHING and I am concerned about the absence of RAIN out this way. My assessment is that right now, the site is picked clean.  We REALLY NEED SOME RAIN...for a LOT of reasons!  ALSO, @JamieLynn I did have the time to walk back to those cliffs beyond the pond. The rock is NOT the same as the fossil-bearing Harpersville Formation.  It has an abundance of clay and basically NOTHING in the way of fossils. I would not bother going to THAT area again. Let's PRAY for RAIN!!!   Here in Midland, we have had LESS THAN 1/2 inch since AUGUST!!  It is scary.