How to Select a “Probable Area” to Begin Digging

[Megalodoodle]

Many Needmore formation sites are located where I live. I was wondering how does one go about selecting a “probable spot” to begin digging/splitting shale. Is there some trade secret that I am unaware of or is it pure luck?

[connorp]

Well, you won’t know until you try.

[Kane]

There are no "trade secrets," per se, but developing the knowledge and experience in being able to read the layers. Understanding the different lithofacies of any geologic unit can be very helpful to maximize one's opportunities when searching for particular types of fossils. Understanding the depositional conditions plays a good role in determining what would be most probable to appear in the layer, whether it was near shore, subaerial, below or above storm wave base, reefal, lagoonal, etc. The ability to read lithologic and stratigraphic descriptions can also be key to narrowing one's focus, and reading the literature that may identify faunal associations by unit or facies can also be invaluable as it may also function to "orient" oneself. For instance, if you are looking for trilobites that are said to appear more frequently in a mudstone mix immediately above a dense encrinal layer, you would seek out that encrinal layer and dig just above it. 

 

I would say that about half of successful fossil hunting is spent with one's nose in the literature, in addition to poring over maps, as the time spent in the actual field.

 

[jpc]

and I would add that doing that research is half the fun,  

[FossilNerd]

I agree with @Kane. Knowledge is power when it comes to fossil hunting. Study and research go hand in hand with field work. 
 

I don’t get to go out in the field as much as some. If I get 4-5 hunts in over the course of the season I consider it a success. Most of those hunts will be a couple of free hours in the morning and not an all day event so I need to have a good idea of what I am looking for before heading out.

 

Even though I get very little time actually hunting for fossils, I can still name most of my local formations by sight, and can tell you what layers (if any) will have a chance for finding fossils.

 

My wife gets annoyed when we drive by the many road cuts here and I start naming the exposed formations. She gets really aggravated when she finally says in exasperation “Well, do you want me to just pull over?” and I say “No” then start explaining how the exposure doesn’t have the right layers showing. Something like “Nah, you can keep going. The fossiliferous shale layer is still buried. Only the overlying limestone and dolomite layers are exposed and have very little fossils. Mainly random pockets that you can hunt all day for and not find.” 

 

I inevitably get a “You are obsessed!” followed by a shoulder smack or at least an exaggerated eye roll!  

[Ludwigia]

8 hours ago, Megalodoodle said:

Is there some trade secret that I am unaware of or is it pure luck?

 

It's no secret at all (see above), but even though you may be well-versed in the literature and field work, luck does play a subordinate role, since even though you may be digging in the right layers and even at the right spot, you never know exactly what's going to come out, so finding something rare or unique is sometimes a lifelong quest. And splitting shale is only one of many means. There are many other types of sedimentary stone which deliver fossils.

[RuMert]

One sure way to know where to dig is actually learning where the others do As was suggested, for:

1. the exact layer with needed fossils - reading papers/books/forums and learning how it looks, in what succession with others, typical look of its fossils, etc.

2. sites where this layer is present  - again finding out from papers, books, forums and maps. Papers have to mention where the given fossils were found. Resources like https://paleobiodb.org show the sites on map. Here on TFF there are detailed guides for working with maps and information. 

3. the exact place where to start digging in these sites - 1st searching for clues on forums/asking people, then actually getting there and seeing for oneself. Frequented sites will have dug holes and other traces of fossil hunters activity. People actually digging when you arrive. Some experience and common sense. Most sites will require 3-4 visits to fully understand them

15 hours ago, FossilNerd said:

I inevitably get a “You are obsessed!” followed by a shoulder smack or at least an exaggerated eye roll!

Not very supportive taking into consideration you only spend fossil hunting 10 hrs a season

Edited February 3, 2022 by RuMert

[FossilNerd]

1 hour ago, RuMert said:

Not very supportive taking into consideration you only spend fossil hunting 10 hrs a season

She doesn’t really get that annoyed and is amused more than anything. The shoulder smack and eye roll are all in good fun. Just her way of teasing me.  

On the contrary, she is very supportive, and often suggests that I take downtime to go hunting. My lack of field time is usually due to work and family obligations. I have a regular job, side jobs/projects, and young kids that take up most of my spare time.

 

Family first, then fossils.