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Need Help, In Eastern South Dakota, Where To Look


tj102569

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I am getting into this, and wanted to since I was a kid. Can someone help me to where to look in the eastern / central part of South Dakota. i am looking to do this as a hobby and hopefully get my son into it also. He loves Dino's so this should be easy to get a father / son thing going.

Please help,\

Trevor jackson

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Welcome to the Forum, Trevor.

Here is a Web site to checkout,... to begin your research as to where to go.

****Please keep in mind, that info is old and likely no longer accurate. ****

I would think you would need to find likely outcrops and then get permission to access the area from the land owners.

Finding places to fossil hunt can be a challenge, but if you work hard at it, you can be well rewarded.

Perhaps we have some members form the area who may be willing to help out.

Also, look into joining a rock/mineral/fossil club in your area. Here are two I found in a quick search. (Check under South Dakota ;) )

Some google searches might help out with that.

Also look HERE and HERE for some site prospecting tips.

Hope this helps some. :)

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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please, there has to be some people out there who live in my area to hunt fossils? where are you

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I realize it's far, but if you ever get the chance to drive due north into southern manitoba, check out the Canada Fossil Discovery Centre and go on one of their tours & supervised digs at mosasaur and plesiosaur sites along an escarpment near the town of morden. http://www.discoverfossils.com/adventuretours.html A great way to introduce a youngster into the hobby as well.

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please, there has to be some people out there who live in my area to hunt fossils? where are you

Unfortunately it appears there is not a huge faction from SD on the forum, and the few who are have not really been active in a while.

I still think a local club would be the best way to get started.

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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please, there has to be some people out there who live in my area to hunt fossils? where are you

Trevor, please keep in mind that fossil sites are like great fishing holes... except that when a fossil site is plundered it takes a LONG time for it to recover. People spend a lifetime trying to find great sites, and do not give them up freely. Tim (Fossildude19) gave you some GREAT pointers and a really good head-start on your fossil adventure. Start out at the public places, become a valued member of this forum, and people will begin to throw some good places your way. Finding a new fossil site takes a LOT of patience and is not an easy task.

Happy Hunting,

John

History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.

~Sir Winston Churchill

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thanks im finding that out. I was unaware the craziness about this. i will be going to get some rock from a quarry in a week or so. should be a good start.

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My goodness, I thought Kansas was flat! I was surfing around eastern and central South Dakota looking for road cuts and such on google earth and it goes on forever without a hill in sight! Not a road cut to be found in an hour of searching! I guess I would be searching out the stream, creek and river cuts and bluffs. I don't know how close you are to the Missouri river but maybe you could find some areas around the river that are exposed or hunt some sandbars along the river. I have never found any but have heard of a lot of bison bones and such being found on the sandbars. Short of packing a shovel and literally 'digging' for fossils, I am not familiar enough with the area to offer any other advice! :( sorry. I would be all over that 'joining a local fossil club" option that fossildude spoke of and surely someone here will have some suggestions for you soon!

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

Charles Darwin

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Yes there is some effort and expense that goes into site prospecting, and even experienced collectors may only bat 250 in finding new sites of any value while exploring. Not all sites have huge repeat potential, but the ones that do are most likely to be well known and shared freely. Texas where I live has several world renowned sites which will continue to produce for the forseeable future, and these are great training grounds for new collectors as well as new to area collectors.

The craziness you speak of actually seems quite just and logical (to me at least) once you have personally put in the effort to acquire references, educate yourself on local geology, track down landowners, establish good landowner relations, spend some amount of money on fuel, dedicate many days to exploring, find a few small sites for your efforts that give up a small handful of nice fossils each time it rains, then have people ask for your best sites. Its a lot of work, and the adventure and education are quite fulfilling for those who have blazed their own trail. Its the law of sowing and reaping at work. Patient perseverence will serve you well. People don't go out of their way to be stingy, but since most sites have limited repeat potential, quite often that potential is shared first with family and other collectors who have proven helpful sitewise in the past, then that limited potential runs out until some major factor shakes things up (construction, flood, etc.)

Sharing is good for the soul, and I try to keep some producing sites in queue for traveling collectors, but as a general rule, establishing trust and friendship over time will best grease the wheels of long term reciprocity. You can place yourself in position to be a guest at some good sites if you are prepared to share the good sites you are bound to find with other helpful collectors. But I'd advise you before sharing to make an abundantly clear understanding of desired future use of the sites you and your buddies and acquaintances share with each other. When in doubt, treat invitations as one day passes where you don't try to bring others along or return to the site unless invited again. You simply can't go wrong by respecting people and their sites in this fashion.

As stated by others, clubs are a great place to begin making personal connections and see some sites you might not have access to as an individual.

Best of luck!

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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Again, thanks for the information. There isn't a club here in my area. It is all western SD. There were lots of good pointers handed out there, I was simply looking for someone who is in my area, so that I might tag along (supplying all the expenses) to see what I should be looking for. I have red several books, and bought several maps to try and learn what I can. I didn't mean to upset anyone, just looking for a starting point to help get my son interested so we can have that awesome , father son experience. We found a few gems about 2 yrs ago and he found a skull (just a wild bison, not a fossil) and I think he is hooked. But on the east side of the state here is not the best. So I didn't again want to upset anyone and seem like I am just running in blind and need someone to give up the goods so I can just benifit without putting in the work.

Thanks for the advice, I will be putting in some time out there to see what I see.

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Yes there is some effort and expense that goes into site prospecting, and even experienced collectors may only bat 250 in finding new sites of any value while exploring. Not all sites have huge repeat potential, but the ones that do are most likely to be well known and shared freely. Texas where I live has several world renowned sites which will continue to produce for the forseeable future, and these are great training grounds for new collectors as well as new to area collectors.

The craziness you speak of actually seems quite just and logical (to me at least) once you have personally put in the effort to acquire references, educate yourself on local geology, track down landowners, establish good landowner relations, spend some amount of money on fuel, dedicate many days to exploring, find a few small sites for your efforts that give up a small handful of nice fossils each time it rains, then have people ask for your best sites. Its a lot of work, and the adventure and education are quite fulfilling for those who have blazed their own trail. Its the law of sowing and reaping at work. Patient perseverence will serve you well. People don't go out of their way to be stingy, but since most sites have limited repeat potential, quite often that potential is shared first with family and other collectors who have proven helpful sitewise in the past, then that limited potential runs out until some major factor shakes things up (construction, flood, etc.)

Sharing is good for the soul, and I try to keep some producing sites in queue for traveling collectors, but as a general rule, establishing trust and friendship over time will best grease the wheels of long term reciprocity. You can place yourself in position to be a guest at some good sites if you are prepared to share the good sites you are bound to find with other helpful collectors. But I'd advise you before sharing to make an abundantly clear understanding of desired future use of the sites you and your buddies and acquaintances share with each other. When in doubt, treat invitations as one day passes where you don't try to bring others along or return to the site unless invited again. You simply can't go wrong by respecting people and their sites in this fashion.

As stated by others, clubs are a great place to begin making personal connections and see some sites you might not have access to as an individual.

Best of luck!

Dan--It didn't take me long to come into total agreement with you on this point. Scouting is hard work, and one can't afford to give away secrets to all and sundry. I am also very grateful that Texas does have some great sites that are open to the public and not apt to be hunted out anytime soon.

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Again, thanks for the information. There isn't a club here in my area. It is all western SD. There were lots of good pointers handed out there, I was simply looking for someone who is in my area, so that I might tag along (supplying all the expenses) to see what I should be looking for. I have red several books, and bought several maps to try and learn what I can. I didn't mean to upset anyone, just looking for a starting point to help get my son interested so we can have that awesome , father son experience. We found a few gems about 2 yrs ago and he found a skull (just a wild bison, not a fossil) and I think he is hooked. But on the east side of the state here is not the best. So I didn't again want to upset anyone and seem like I am just running in blind and need someone to give up the goods so I can just benifit without putting in the work.

Thanks for the advice, I will be putting in some time out there to see what I see.

I don't think you upset anyone at all! :) especially me :) I think everyone here is more than willing to help in just about any way they can short of giving up the goods on their own personal 'honey holes', heck, I am a newbie and have a couple spots I found that I am hesitant to share with anyone ;) Just ask some of the guys that live here close to me :) I assure you all the advice and info you have read here is given in the interest of making your fossil hunting more productive and enjoyable! :) My uncle is a professor of archeology and anthropology at the University in Vermillion and might have a few tips for that part of the country, I will email him and see if he can help us! :)

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

Charles Darwin

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Thanks. If I find anything or any area that produces, I will be sure to share the information.

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There is a club right in Sioux Falls... Here is the LINK.

Regards,

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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I called and they said they are strickly for rocks and gems, they didn't know of anyone who did fossils.

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i'm not offended either. i do feel that knowing how to respect people and sites comes naturally through hard work and experience. but on the flip side, i can fully relate to the feeling of being lost at ground zero. to bridge that gap, present yourself in earnest as someone who won't strip or abuse sites or pressure other collectors and you may feel the locals lighten up.

there is often a difference in mindset between invested and uninvested collectors that it will serve you well to recognize. sharing places the invested collector in a position of irreversible vulnerability, so they'll sometimes assess risks in sharing with people, the conservative approach being sharing of low personal value sites. with trust comes higher stakes sharing.

newbies often would like to see all site info in the public domain. probably the worst thing a new collector can do is overwork or share private sites he or she is shown...bad for reputation as well as future invite potential. i consider sharing someone else's private sites akin to spending someone else's money, which you didn't earn...either situation takes away something not worked for.

your gas money proposal could open doors for you, but more importantly, if you are shown anything in confidence, you cant go wrong in honoring that, no matter how long it has been since the benevolent collector helped you out.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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i hope i've shed some light onto the usually unspoken reasons why sharing of personally valuable sites is not a more automatic thing. my words are just my opinion; feel free to consider or ignore them.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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one other newbie faux pas i've noticed online...finding a good site and blurting it out online. i know of closed lipped collectors who have lost some good sites to the human stampede that often follows....

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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Again I appreciate the help. I understand that people would be careful of not allow someone who just joined this week all of someones sites. That is by far from what i was asking for. Simply looking for a starting point. I have an in with someone who owns and runs a quarry that has major fossil potential and proven finds. I am getting with that person next weekend to dig. I will be armed with all my books for identification. I am really looking for others in my area who enjoy this to become friends with. I am a musician and it is always fun to talk guitar stuff with other guitar players. I respect anyones private sites and would not ever impose on them. Just wanting an activity to do with my son that is more educational than playing the Wii.

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collecting with family is great! since i dont know your area, the best i could offer was to distill some pointers out of my 9 years experience that might fast track your success (take them with a grain of salt as they came through the "dan filter"). those site prospecting threads lay out a few tools that may be of use in getting started.

my problem is the opposite of yours...i can't find time to spend with my fender jazzmaster till i prep all these dang fossils!

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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Very sound advice from danwoehr. I am still new myself, and now I am trying to look back on my short time here to see if I have done any of the "not to do" things. I hope I haven't I will admit though that my excitement tends to cause slippage in thought though.

It is hard being new and wanting to share your new interest (or in my case a returning interest from childhood) without hurting it as well if one is not careful I suppose. Thank you danwoehr for the good advice, it has caused a pause for thought at least in me if no others. Most of all I want to learn and get an understanding of this that I never got a chance to do as a kid.

Robert

Robert
Southeast, MO

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I am a strat guy... just got a new one... been playing for years... now only at church so I have some time.

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There is a club right in Sioux Falls... Here is the LINK.

Regards,

Good find!

I hope they're still 'in business'; the posted meeting schedule is for 2011...

"There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley

>Paleontology is an evolving science.

>May your wonders never cease!

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Just wanting an activity to do with my son that is more educational than playing the Wii.

Look what the wii has though...watch the video when you get to this page ;)http://www.amazon.co...34268818&sr=1-1

and then there is this one!.... http://nintendo.wiki...Fossil_Fighters

and you can find fossils here.. ;)http://www.thehdroom...sils_Guide/4027

Just kiddin ;) but that first one does look neat!

It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.

Charles Darwin

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