I found some sort of long-bone in the hell creek formation, but can't tell if its old or even fossilized?

[WestonBarter]

Found in the hell creek formation in a tiny gully. Any help with ID would be awesome. Also generally, how does one tell if a bone is old/ not just a recently dead animal that washed into the lower strata?

 

 

[jpc]

modern humerus.  Looks like a coyote. 

[Mark Kmiecik]

The specific gravity of bone is about 2.0 -- specific gravity of rock is about 2.6 to 3.1 depending on the minerals involved. VERY OLD or fossilized bone should be significantly higher than 2.

[val horn]

I use a burn test to see if a bone is fossilized.  I have a gas stove so i use a burner, a fossil will not burn and a scorch marks on a recent bone is no loss.  

[jpc]

No need to burn it.  It is a mammal humerus and if it is from the Hell Creek, there are no mammals nearly this big in the late Cretaceous.  It is modern.  I am willing to bet all of Elon Musk's money on it.   

[Troodon]

Ha ha

 

I like using a hot pin to test other questionable bones.