Tributary of the Peace River Watershed- A two week trip- Calling all Fossil Enthusiasts

[DirtyHippie]

Ladies and Gentlemen I do believe I have found the most productive fossil site I've ever found to date. We'll call it Hemi Heaven for now.

This was an amazing one in a lifetime trip. I'd never been to this area to fossil hunt, and I really had no experience with alligators.

I've been told the water level was too high and the area is super picked over. But as a surfer, I suspected the hurricane would open up new options.

I packed up my kayak, tools, wetsuits, snorkel & mask, and camping gear. Couldn't convince anyone to go with, so I headed out solo to the Peace River Campground.

They had just reopened after the Hurricane recovery and I had primitive camping all to myself. I set up camp next to the owners house at the boat ramp.

First stop was Joshua Creek after setting up my tent @ 8am (I was waiting on the office to open). Went to SR 17 bout 10 mins from camp.

Found a spot to park at a big paved gravel lot adjacent to the bridge. Think it comes up as Uling Oil on maps. They were letting semi trucks park for 6.00 and had a small food truck until they could rebuild a convienence store. I got some food even though I wasn't hungry, made some new friends, and paid to park and tipped em.

I had read on your lovely forum that I could only head upstream to the Nocatee Ramp and off I went.

Big gravel bed right away. Sifted here for the afternoon and the whole next day. Finds were decent but mostly worn and not colorful. These finds are not pictured.

I tried going to Brownville for a day and attempted to kayak upstream after I saw an older gentlemen canoe that way. Did a complete about face after seeing a few gators, the water level was still rather high a 3.23 feet. Met a very nice German couple, and went back and poked around at the Peace at the campsite finding nothing interesting. Was cool to seethe Tamiami Formation and the Peace River Formation exposed in situ on the banks due to the Hurricane.

The next day after hours of searching, and nearing dark I found the Hemi Heaven site.

I returned by myself, daily in almost a frenzy for the next week or so, stopping midway through to drive my finds home and drop them off and then drove right back.

Despite being exhausted, I actually lost track of time this place is so incredible.

I think this might be the virgin Bone Valley Formation material. I have yet to find Clay at this site. Mostly sand with a 1 layer of gravel,mud balls, and clay balls on top. It's not bedded properly. I simply rake it up with my sand flea rake and drop it on the sifter. The next day i return, and more gravel has rinsed out of the sand in the same spot.

However further exploration upstream is hindered by a large 8 foot Alligator. He chills on his bank all day about 50 yards away and watches me sift.

Pictured on the table is the first half of my finds..more to come soon and also need pointers on how to process the micro material.

I will be returning to the area in a few days at least until the 22-23 of Feb. I would love to share this site with others.. Anyone want to join me?

NOTE.. Its about a mile walk form where I park. I use waders and yes there are large gators here. I'm in excellent shape and consider myself a woodsy person and this place scares me.

Always had a great deal of respect for Shellseeker..wanna go??

 

[Fin Lover]

You've got a lot of nice teeth there!

[Meganeura]

Welcome to the Peace, where to be perfectly honest - most spots are like this! Though seems like you’ve got some nice threshers and that posty Meg is beautiful! I’m not Jack - but I’m always looking for new fellow Florida fossil hunters to join if you’d like some company!

[DirtyHippie]

Whew. After 12 hours of sorting here are the photos of the total haul..
Absolutely Meganeura.. I'm leaving on Thursday morning for either Brownville Park or the Campground again to camp for at least another day. Lemme know what dates you have free and we'll go for it...

[Meganeura]

8 minutes ago, DirtyHippie said:

Whew. After 12 hours of sorting here are the photos of the total haul..
Absolutely Meganeura.. I'm leaving on Thursday morning for either Brownville Park or the Campground again to camp for at least another day. Lemme know what dates you have free and we'll go for it...

What an absolute haul that is, that’s crazy! And I should be good for Saturday or Sunday!

Edited February 8, 2023 by Meganeura

[Shellseeker]

23 hours ago, DirtyHippie said:

NOTE.. Its about a mile walk form where I park. I use waders and yes there are large gators here. I'm in excellent shape and consider myself a woodsy person and this place scares me.

Always had a great deal of respect for Shellseeker..wanna go??

Thanks for the compliment...

You seem to have the Midas touch. Most new hunters to Bone Valley find this hard, but it may come natural... In order to flag one of your posts to my (or any members attention)... @Shellseeker.. you type the @ sign first and a list shows up as you type . You have to select Shellseeker out of the list to have it work.

I am not sure when we'll get out, but I'll make a vow ...I will never reveal your spot to anyone and I will never return to your spot without you. It makes my life simpler and it is also just the right thing to do.

It turns out my son has a place  just below St Augustine, I have an interest in finding a location worth hunting in your home hunting grounds. 

 

I love marine mammal..The pointy tooth is likely Goniodelphis hudsoni.

 

Enough for now 5 am, comes too soon, and I have to go kayak by some 10 foot gators...

 

[fossilhunter21]

Wow, that is a crazy haul! And those hemis... 

 

Thank you for sharing! 

 

Cheers and Shalom,

 

-Micah

Edited February 8, 2023 by fossilhunter21

[hokietech96]

Amazing!  That is more teeth than I have found in my lifetime!

[jcbshark]

Wow that’s quite the haul, congrats 

[digit]

Some nice colors on those roots (and some of the crowns). A lot of those teeth look like they very recently came out of the clay in order to maintain colors like that and not turn black.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Prg84]

Great finds! I know the area pretty well but am new to fossil hunting! I eat at that food truck quite often as well. I am curious as to why you had said you could only head North from Nocatee? I have a large property just south of the ramp and see people fossil hunting there all the time as well as allow them to camp overnight on our property on the river banks. I will be up there this weekend as well looking for fossils. If you ever see a grey and black Polaris Ranger on the river usually with a couple of dogs stop and say Hi! That goes for any of you Peace River guys. We have about 3 miles of river frontage as well as knowing all of my neighbors I have pretty unique access to the area. I look forward to seeing you guys out there and learning from all of you. If you have any questions about the area feel free to pm me.

[bocaciega]

On 2/9/2023 at 6:58 AM, Prg84 said:

Great finds! I know the area pretty well but am new to fossil hunting! I eat at that food truck quite often as well. I am curious as to why you had said you could only head North from Nocatee? I have a large property just south of the ramp and see people fossil hunting there all the time as well as allow them to camp overnight on our property on the river banks. I will be up there this weekend as well looking for fossils. If you ever see a grey and black Polaris Ranger on the river usually with a couple of dogs stop and say Hi! That goes for any of you Peace River guys. We have about 3 miles of river frontage as well as knowing all of my neighbors I have pretty unique access to the area. I look forward to seeing you guys out there and learning from all of you. If you have any questions about the area feel free to pm me.

woah! id love to come  pay and camp at your spot dude!

 

And OP ill come meet you up for fossiling anytime as well dude! You should come surf the gulf sometime as well. Its not JAX but we have good quality and lots of geography!

 

[Meganeura]

On 2/9/2023 at 6:58 AM, Prg84 said:

Great finds! I know the area pretty well but am new to fossil hunting! I eat at that food truck quite often as well. I am curious as to why you had said you could only head North from Nocatee? I have a large property just south of the ramp and see people fossil hunting there all the time as well as allow them to camp overnight on our property on the river banks. I will be up there this weekend as well looking for fossils. If you ever see a grey and black Polaris Ranger on the river usually with a couple of dogs stop and say Hi! That goes for any of you Peace River guys. We have about 3 miles of river frontage as well as knowing all of my neighbors I have pretty unique access to the area. I look forward to seeing you guys out there and learning from all of you. If you have any questions about the area feel free to pm me.

Count me in for that - that sounds awesome! Would definitely enjoy camping if that ends up being okay!

[JBkansas]

Can't help but be a little jealous of all you Florida guys.  Looking forward to seeing all the finds for a vicarious fossil hunt.

[Shellseeker]

On 2/7/2023 at 5:43 AM, Meganeura said:

Welcome to the Peace, where to be perfectly honest - most spots are like this! Though seems like you’ve got some nice threshers and that posty Meg is beautiful! I’m not Jack - but I’m always looking for new fellow Florida fossil hunters to join if you’d like some company!

Hmmm... It might be that many locations have huge number of "small" shark teeth...  but what about the distributions at this specific location.. It seems that there are more Snaggletooth, Lemons, and Tigers here than can be expected in most other areas of Bone Valley. I would say that Bull and Dusky shark teeth are almost missing from this location..   Threshers   ???  why so many in 1 day... Thresher are rare in almost all locations.

 

You can drastically reduce the quantity,  quality, and size of small shark teeth by over hunting. Many hunters choose the "easy" fossils to find.  Peace River , close to access points,  safe places where everyone else goes.. 

@DirtyHippie Chose the path NOT taken !!!!... My kind of guy! Zero water transportation  !!!  Go into creeks where there are lots more and larger gators and snakes.  Hike long distances carrying lots of equipment into the back woods and rocky creeks of rural Florida where it is easy to get lost. This is strenuous in the heat and bugs.

The teeth he finds, shared with Daniel and myself are protected.  This is not easy... If it were any more difficult,  I could not participate or enjoy the time I had with the Hippie.

[Shellseeker]

On 2/9/2023 at 6:58 AM, Prg84 said:

Great finds! I know the area pretty well but am new to fossil hunting! I eat at that food truck quite often as well. I am curious as to why you had said you could only head North from Nocatee? I have a large property just south of the ramp and see people fossil hunting there all the time as well as allow them to camp overnight on our property on the river banks. I will be up there this weekend as well looking for fossils. If you ever see a grey and black Polaris Ranger on the river usually with a couple of dogs stop and say Hi! That goes for any of you Peace River guys. We have about 3 miles of river frontage as well as knowing all of my neighbors I have pretty unique access to the area. I look forward to seeing you guys out there and learning from all of you. If you have any questions about the area feel free to pm me.

 

I think it is because Dirtyhippie has chosen tributary creeks, not the Peace River.  Joshua Creek flows into the Peace River,  and so the only way from the Peace River into Joshua is north..

 

A key is to have more land owners like yourself be accommodating to potential fossil hunters. You are truly a breadth of Fresh Air... and I believe , as you say , there are many other owners like you.  I am a very successful hunter and much of that success is due to the access granted by land owner to the banks of the Peace River  at a location that would take me 2 hours to kayak each way. If I can establish such a relationship,  it is one for me to appreciate,  value,  and nurture.

[Meganeura]

45 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

Hmmm... It might be that many locations have huge number of "small" shark teeth...  but what about the distributions at this specific location.. It seems that there are more Snaggletooth, Lemons, and Tigers here than can be expected in most other areas of Bone Valley. I would say that Bull and Dusky shark teeth are almost missing from this location..   Threshers   ???  why so many in 1 day... Thresher are rare in almost all locations.

 

You can drastically reduce the quantity,  quality, and size of small shark teeth by over hunting. Many hunters choose the "easy" fossils to find.  Peace River , close to access points,  safe places where everyone else goes.. 

@DirtyHippie Chose the path NOT taken !!!!... My kind of guy! Zero water transportation  !!!  Go into creeks where there are lots more and larger gators and snakes.  Hike long distances carrying lots of equipment into the back woods and rocky creeks of rural Florida where it is easy to get lost. This is strenuous in the heat and bugs.

The teeth he finds, shared with Daniel and myself are protected.  This is not easy... If it were any more difficult,  I could not participate or enjoy the time I had with the Hippie.

Did @DirtyHippie tell you about the Cottonmouth that him and I very nearly stepped on? If only @Done Drillin had gotten a pic or two... 

Agreed, though - the lack of bulls, the fact that all the lemons were huge and the bulls/duskies were small... quite the strange location, I'd say. Hadn't realized how unique it was when I made the comment, but having now hunted it, yeah, it's QUITE the strange location. 

[Meganeura]

3 hours ago, JBkansas said:

Can't help but be a little jealous of all you Florida guys.  Looking forward to seeing all the finds for a vicarious fossil hunt.

Coming soon!

[Shellseeker]

11 minutes ago, Meganeura said:

Did @DirtyHippie tell you about the Cottonmouth that him and I very nearly stepped on? If only @Done Drillin had gotten a pic or two... 

Agreed, though - the lack of bulls, the fact that all the lemons were huge and the bulls/duskies were small... quite the strange location, I'd say. Hadn't realized how unique it was when I made the comment, but having now hunted it, yeah, it's QUITE the strange location. 

I was VERY pleased that @DirtyHippie tested the reaction time to poisonous snakes with you two,  so that when I went hunting,  he pointed out the location and spot to avoid the Cottonmouth..  Very considerate  !!!

I think the high concentrations of Hemipristis and Contortus  may give up hints on the age of the location..

[Meganeura]

4 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

I was VERY pleased that @DirtyHippie tested the reaction time to poisonous snakes with you two,  so that when I went hunting,  he pointed out the location and spot to avoid the Cottonmouth..  Very considerate  !!!

I think the high concentrations of Hemipristis and Contortus  may give up hints on the age of the location..

We were.... veryyyyyyyyyyyy lucky that it was as cool as it was, honestly. Any warmer and it wouldn't have been so lethargic and one of us would've ended up bitten... 

What age is that? Highest concentration of Hemis is I believe late Miocene, early Pliocene, if I remember correctly?

[Shellseeker]

18 minutes ago, Meganeura said:

We were.... veryyyyyyyyyyyy lucky that it was as cool as it was, honestly. Any warmer and it wouldn't have been so lethargic and one of us would've ended up bitten... 

What age is that? Highest concentration of Hemis is I believe late Miocene, early Pliocene, if I remember correctly?

Yes, not a humorous situation...

 

I think possibly Miocene is an initial hypothesis.  Physogaleus contortus is Eocene to Miocene.  and Eurhinodelphis (Miocene) has been IDed from a Bulla...

[Meganeura]

19 minutes ago, Shellseeker said:

Yes, not a humorous situation...

 

I think possibly Miocene is an initial hypothesis.  Physogaleus contortus is Eocene to Miocene.  and Eurhinodelphis (Miocene) has been IDed from a Bulla...

Oh I should get Bobby to ID my dolphin tooth I found there- it's a tiny one, I was thinking Pomatodelphis. 
 

Edited February 15, 2023 by Meganeura

[digit]

1 hour ago, Meganeura said:

the lack of bulls, the fact that all the lemons were huge and the bulls/duskies were small... quite the strange location,

Could have been a mangrove type paleo-environment which could account for the abundance of Lemon Shark teeth. Lemons use mangrove bays as nurseries for their pups. Best place to see a Lemon Shark today in Florida would be in the Ten Thousand Islands area:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Thousand_Islands

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Shellseeker]

8 hours ago, digit said:

Could have been a mangrove type paleo-environment which could account for the abundance of Lemon Shark teeth. Lemons use mangrove bays as nurseries for their pups. Best place to see a Lemon Shark today in Florida would be in the Ten Thousand Islands area:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten_Thousand_Islands

 

Cheers. -Ken

Interesting.  I am aware of sites where where there is a very large population of Sand Tigers relative to the "norm". Once I found 21 in a single day of hunting.

And one of my favorite locations that happens to be Blancan Land Mammal age,  also has the largest G. cuvier, Dusky, and Bull of any location I have ever hunted, has a few smaller GW and Mako teeth, but not a single Meg.

I have speculated that without dominate bigger predators, the Tigers/Bulls/Dusky were able to survive longer, eat more and grow larger....

[Shellseeker]

9 hours ago, Meganeura said:

Oh I should get Bobby to ID my dolphin tooth I found there- it's a tiny one, I was thinking Pomatodelphis. 

Very easily could be Pomatodelphis.  but I think as a practical matter , it would be impossible to differentiate Pomatodelphis teeth from Eurhinodelphis teeth (below)...

 

@DirtyHippie had a photo that shows multiple different dolphin teeth.  Maybe he'll share closeups.