Oklahoma, Oklahoma, Oklahoma! Trilos and MORE

[JamieLynn]

FINALLY getting around to posting about my first time ever fossil hunting in Oklahoma! Went on an extended weekend with the Paleontological Society of Austin to a variety of locales in Central OK - places I have heard about, read about and dreamed about going! I finally made it! And it was so very worth the drive, even if I did end up with a stupid cold the last two days (the drive home was a little....weird. Cold "fugue" makes for interesting driving- I really don't remember much of it, which is either good or bad....) 

 

But the FOSSILS! I've never hunted the Ordovician and Silurian so it was a real treat to find some new fauna. Of course I also brought home some micro matrix to extend my "hunting" fun.  I was happy to find what I most wanted - a decent flat trilo and some good rollers. The rollers still need to be prepped a bit, but that is not my forte, so I have to find someone to get it done for me. But I also found some great stuff I wasn't expecting to find! 

 

I got there a day early and had scouted out some places to check - a lovely creek which supposedly had lots of species of trilobites, but all I found were some brachiopods and such. It was HOT.  98 degrees and humid, just like I had left behind in Central Texas. It was much greener though! Beautiful rolling hills and a lovely creek, but I didn't stay there long. I had another spot which I was pretty sure would be a winner. And yep, it was. Turned out some of the Society was there also, so I joined a half dozen of them already hunting. 

 

I was hoping to find an echinoderm called Oklahomacystis.  The group had already found a half dozen or so, so I asked to see what they looked like. I had seen pictures, but it's always good to see something in the field to know what you are looking for.  I was super happy to find a nice big one, fairly well preserved.

 

 

 

I wasn't there very long, so I didn't find a lot, but I found a few nice things. Some cool Bryozoans and  lovely Brachiopod with nice color:

 

A Gastropod:

 

The next morning was our first "official" PSoA site - Yellow Bluff.  The weather took a dramatic turn overnight and we woke up to cold and drizzle! We hoped the drizzle would stay just that or quit altogether. It turned out perfect...the occasional drizzle but a wonderfully cool mid 60's day!! Apparently last time the Society had been out there it was in the 90s and miserable. So we lucked out. 

 

Yellow Bluff is on private land and we had made arrangements ahead of time. What I was NOT expecting was the scramble up a creek bank ravine followed by having to hop a barbed wire fence (which other members assured me had NOT been there before) and then found out the other group had found a much easier way up..... ah well. It was an adventure. 

This place is BIG...I didn't even really get to explore the Silurian stuff up above. I stayed mostly in the flat area and found wonderful crinoid parts, the occasional trilo bit, some great brachiopods and bryozoans. And FINALLY, after getting a little frustrated because all around me I hear "I found a Trilo!" (not everyone, but it seemed like it...) I finally found a whole trilobite and I have to say, it's pretty nice.

 

 

cleaned up as much as I could

 

A few more finds: 

A desegmented crinoid cup:

 

a really neat little curled crinoid arm

 

a little floating crinoid

 

We were all looking for a newly described species of starfish that one of the PSoA members had found last time they were there - about 3 years ago. Alas, none were found. His is still the only one.  I was hoping maybe this was one, but I think it's crinoid. 

 

 

A Gastropod Platyceras

 

and some cool little tiny things from my micro matrix

 

 

 

 

We finished out the day with some good food and conversation and got ready for the next day which I was most excited about -

Black Cat Mountain! I had made arrangements to go to this amazing site and boy did it exceed my expectations. I found 49 Trilos -some just bits, but most whole! 

 

 

 

The place is enormous. Some of the group went off to hammer away at the stone to get the fossils- I prefer surface collecting. I just put my nose to the ground and found all kinds of great finds! Granted, they may not be the best finds, but I was super happy with what I found. I wasn't looking for the fancy stuff, I just wanted a couple of good rollers. 

 

 

I love the eyes!! And these aren't even cleaned up....just washed

 

 

a nice big pygidium

 

A Huntoniatonia impression with the part of the tail visible

And of course there were some other really cool finds, like these button bryozoans:

 

 

 

and of course a plethora of brachiopods:

 

 

 

plus some nice size Cephalopods

Oh, and last but not least, this cute tarantula and his little house:

 

I was warned about rattlesnakes and was all prepared with my snake shin guards, but I think the temp was too cool for them so no sign of them this trip! Which was just fine with me. I'll stick with bugs and spiders, thanks so much!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hadrosauridae]

Amazing finds!  I'm super jealous of your trilos.  I live in OK and I havent been able to get contact with Blackcat mountain.  The DPS went there recently but only let something like 6 members attend.

[JohnJ]

Great finds and report, Jamie!

[JamieLynn]

thanks y'all!

 

[jpc]

Thanks for sharing with us.  Looks like a great trip

[deutscheben]

Very nice, thank you for the report. That trilobite site is legendary of course, but you found all kinds of great stuff.

[Euhoplites]

What a haul! Some very nice trillos. That taranta would be the moment I'd return home haha.

[minnbuckeye]

Excellent trip report!!! I hope this will be your valentines day gift to your husband!!

 

[Misha]

16 hours ago, JamieLynn said:

and of course a plethora of brachiopods:

Beautiful fossils!

This Dicoelosia especially, such an interesting little brachiopod

[JamieLynn]

@Misha Thank you for the ID! I have yet to figure out what most of these are. It's a lovely little brach. I found quite a few of them in my micro material. Tiny little things. 

[ColombianFossils]

Wow what an amazing haul. I'll have to add Oklahoma to the list for when I'm next in the US. Those trilobites are beautiful

[Ironhead42]

Really nice trip! I live in OK and am hoping to get to Black Cat Mountain myself!!