End Of Year Peace River Trip

[digit]

My wife and I managed to make one last trip to the Peace River on the last weekend of 2013 to see if the river had any belated Christmas presents for us. We worked a bit further upstream from where we normally hunt and were rewarded with some nice finds for our efforts. It was overcast and the temps were in the upper 70s so the conditions were perfect for two long days of shoveling and sifting. I've been in the river in March when the (air) temps barely broke 50 and standing in the water all day took perseverance (and a smidgen of insanity). I've also been hunting toward the end of the dry season in late May or June when you seem to spend most of your time re-applying sunscreen and hydrating yourself so you won't pass out and risk becoming part of the fossil fauna in the future. This weekend, though, was quite pleasant (I did get sprinkled upon several times on Sunday but as I was half submerged it really didn't matter much).

The largest find of the day was huge vertebra which I'm thinking might be proboscidean rather than cetacean. At roughly 5"x4.5" by about 3" thick all I know is that it came from something bigger than a bread box. We found lots of small fragments of mammoth tooth in the area but I hesitate to say that any of that is associated in any way with the vertebra. I'm hoping some experts here on the forum might steer me in the appropriate direction for a possible ID on this monster paper weight.

One of the things I love about spending a weekend wading through the Peace River sifting through the gravel is that you never know what you will find. The fact that the sea level has changed through the ages means that the Bone Valley fossil bed region has repeatedly been: a high and dry plain inhabited by large mammals, a swampy wetland with its accompanying gators and turtles, and a shallow marine environment with dugongs and fishes (including many shark species, most notably the megalodon). Because you are sifting through gravel from beds that have mixed fossils from all these different ages means that you can pull a smorgasbord assortment of fossils from all these time periods in a single sifting screen. This unpredictability is a major part of the charm for me and a large part of the reason the river calls to me in the dry season when conditions are right.

We scored pretty well on the mammal front this time. In addition to the huge vertebra we found what appears to be a deer astragalus (ankle bone) as well as some pieces of what look like deer antler. We had many fragments of different species of horse molar but as I have a few nice specimens already in my collection I tend to leave these behind. We did find one molar that was mostly intact which I kept mainly for this trip report. We scored nicely on horse incisors this time adding a few nice specimens to my collection. Another small fragment we kept just to see if we could identify it is likely part of a bison or camel molar but we may never get a confirmed ID on such a small piece. The mammal tooth of the day though was a sloth molar (the first identifiable sloth fossil we've ever found). This was found a few minutes after the giant vertebra and soon eclipsed that find (bigger is not always better).

In addition to the mammals we scored some nice gator teeth including a large stout one measuring about 1.25" in length. There were lots of pieces of turtle carapace that came up in our sifting screen but I've only kept in my collection a few distinctive pieces that you can show to somebody and they can immediately identify as turtle shell. The ones we turned up are still in the river for others to try to find--catch-and-release fossil style.

We did pretty good on the marine fossil front as well. In addition to the usual assortment of small (even tiny) shark teeth I did turn-up one of the smallest meg teeth I've ever found. This little guy is around 1.3" long but is a perfect little gem with nice coloration which will join the few larger teeth that I've pulled from the Peace in a place of honor among its larger kin. I've long since stopped collecting ray tooth plates and tail barbs (unless they are nicely preserved intact specimens) but I have a fondness for the dermal scutes/denticles (spines or thorns). We found two interestingly shaped ones on this trip. I saved a couple of pufferfish mouth plates as they were reasonably intact as well as a nice fish bone and (sadly) a partial fish vertebra. I also kept what appears to be a partial sawfish rostral tooth as I don't have many of these in my collection yet. Something (hopefully) new for me on the marine front is what appears to me to be part of a crab claw tip. It has a rough surface and a slightly hooked tip but as I haven't seen one up close before this may be the result of an overactive imagination.

All in all a great way to end 2013 and though the year is almost over the fossil hunting season is just getting underway on the Peace River. I've been lurking on this forum for some time, drooling over the trip reports of others and trying to learn about fossils from the posts on this forum and I thought it high time I joined the fray and posted something of my own.

Cheers.

-Ken

[digit]

Here is a bit more detail on the large vertebra I found in case this helps anybody make a better ID. Unfortunately, as with most vertebrae found tumbled in the river, the processes have been broken off. Hopefully, there is enough here to make an educated guess as to the original owner.

Attached is an image with scale and from 4 angles.

Cheers.

-Ken

[digit]

Here is a more detailed close-up of the deer bits. An ankle (astragalus) bone and what seem to be some antler tine tips.

-Ken

[busyeagle]

Nice report and greats finds - love the variety. Also I like the coloration on that little meg, with the tan root and dark enamel.

[digit]

When I'm hunting in the Peace River I prefer to see my gator teeth this way (instead of attached to a living gator). I enjoy seeing the gators when they are sunning themselves along the banks of the Peace River but I have a healthy respect for this apex predator and would definitely vacate the area if I found one trying to share my gravel bed. We found many partial gator teeth but only kept these three reasonably intact ones. My wife spotted the big 1.25" tooth in the screen first and claimed her prize. We usually work together with me digging and her sifting out the sand from the screen. As a result she sometimes gets the jump on me and is able to cherry pick some of the bigger finds.

-Ken

[digit]

Here's my marine assortment in detail:

A couple of pufferfish mouth plates and a (sadly) broken fish vertebra on the top row. My dainty little meg tooth starts the second row. (The words "meg" and "dainty" rarely found in the same sentence.) The meg is followed by two interestingly shaped ray dermal denticles/scutes, a fish "rib" bone and a what looks to be a partial rostral tooth from a sawfish. The object at the right side of the bottom row is what I'm taking for a crab claw tip due to its rough surface texture and hooked end. I could be dreaming here but that's my best guess at the moment.

-Ken

[digit]

Finally, my equine collection from the trip. Most of a molar on the left and what I think are 3 horse incisors. The one in the middle of the photo seems to have a different chewing surface pattern and may in fact be something else. Maybe the dentition experts on this forum can chime in on this one?

-Ken

[Nettuno]

Ok you've inspired me, my new year resolution is to spend the day on the peace river on Thursday. Thank you.

[digit]

Ok you've inspired me, my new year resolution is to spend the day on the peace river on Thursday. Thank you.

Then my work here is done. For me it is a 3-hour drive to get to the Peace River so while it is too far away to run to on the spur of the moment it is really a short trip (relatively speaking) for those of us in southern/central Florida. If I didn't have so many other activities/passions in my life I could easily turn obsessive, buy my own canoe and become a river hermit. Though I am a bit OCD I thankfully have too many other interests to keep me from getting carried away on the Peace. On the way back home yesterday evening I was able to indulge one of my other favorite passtimes--bird photography. We usually spot Crested Caracaras (a really cool looking bird--look it up) and Sandhill Cranes along the side of the road on state road 70 heading east from Arcadia. I only had my little point-and-shoot camera but with a little stealth (and a lot of good luck, thank you Karma) I was able to approach a mated pair of Sandhills and even got to see them do some courtship displays. A perfect end to a great weekend in south central Florida (with appologies to TFF readers in northern climes).

Cheers.

-Ken

[hokiehunter]

Nice haul. Gorgeous little meg. Love the jet black color with the brown root.

[jcbshark]

WOW Ken!Nice haul for sure.That Meg alone would have made my day and many other hunters as well I'm sure.I'm partial to the sloth tooth as well,That one's still on my list.Looks like I'm gonna have to start rubbing a rabbit foot on my shovel a little early if all the competition will be so stiff in 2 weeks lol.Way to go!

[digit]

Thought it might be mildly interesting and a wee bit informative to show/explain the simple equipment that I use while screening for fossils on the Peace River. With the exception of the spade shovel I use which needs no explanation and is not photo worthy, the three other pieces of equipment I use are my gravel probe, sifting screen and goodie belt.

Instead of using a heavier metal probe to search for gravel in murky water or under a layer of sand I constructed a sturdy lightweight probe from miscellaneous parts picked-up at one of the big box home improvement stores. The 48" fiberglass shaft has a strip of white reflective tape on the top and was intended to be used as a driveway marker. I cut this down to a more manageable length (probably around 2' in length). I used a grinding wheel to put a tapered point on the working end though this shape has been refined to a rather parabolic curve with use. The handle was constructed from a neat little piece of 1/2" PVC I found in the plumbing section. This odd V-shaped piece is called a running trap and it is closed up on both ends by matching end caps. Once again I used my grinding wheel to flatten the pointed middle of the trap till a hole was exposed giving access to the inside. I glued on both end caps and mixed up some epoxy glue which I used to fill the handle. With the handle inverted I dropped in the probe shaft and braced the whole thing till the glue set. Took me maybe an hour to design and construct and I've used it for years.

My sifting screen constructions have gone through a number of versions but this design has remained my standard for the last couple of years. It starts with a wooden frame made from 1x3" lumber cut to length and fastened into a square with drywall screws. The inside of the screen is approximately 16" square (though I've seen and made larger and smaller versions). I use 1/4" mesh screening which is cut to size from a larger roll and stapled generously to the bottom of the wooden frame. I use heavy duty galvanized square staples and a construction grade staplegun (we're not talking the kind you use to join sheets of paper). I usually hammer the staples good and flat to make sure they are well seated and to reduce rough edges on the bottom of the sifter. For buoyancy (a must for one-person operation) I've found that pool noodles work well. If you don't have a pool or know what these are a quick google search will show what these sturdy polyethylene foam tubes look like. I've found that the thinner solid noodles will fit inside the larger hollow noodles with a little coaxing (and some lubrication with liquid soap or spray-on cooking oil). I cut the stuffed noodles to length and attach to two sides of the sifter with large cable ties. I've tried putting the noodles on all four sides of the sifter before for maximum buoyancy but I've found that (for me) two sides provide enough buoyancy for three or four shovels full of sand and gravel. The pool noodles just a bit too large to provide a comfortable grip while shaking the screen to sift out the sand. For the remaining two sides (where I grip the sifter for shaking to remove the sand and fine gravel) I've found it more comfortable to use pipe insulation (again in the plumbing department of the big box store). The pipe insulation is usually partially slit down its length to allow it to be easily wrapped around pipes. I stretch this insulation on the two noodle-free sides and staple it in place. This provides a nice padded grip where it is easy to handle the sifter for shaking. When you do this many many times throughout a long day comfort becomes an important factor.

The final element in my low-tech fossil hunting arsenal is a cheap (usually less than $1) nail belt which you can easily tie around your waist to place your goodies as they pop-up in your sifting screen. It beats pockets or zip-top plastic bags but make sure you tie it on securely as you don't want to make an involuntary donation back to the fossil gods that live in the river.

Hope you enjoyed (or at least weren't too annoyed) by this little sifting tools primer. If anybody has any questions on the construction of any of this gear just drop me a PM and I'll elaborate further.

Cheers.

-Ken

[jcbshark]

Nice work on the sifter as well,I'm sure some newer hunters can use this to get started on their own.

[Plantguy]

Hey Ken, nice to see the recent finds and the great bird pictures. We certainly get spoiled living here in Florida sometimes! Regards, Chris

[Auspex]

Great post, digit! An easy to follow what, why, and how that I am sure many will find very helpful.

I am long a fan of nail aprons for surface/sift collecting; I did add velcro to keep the pockets closed and eliminate spillage in the event of a slip. My probe was an old, headless golf club with a cord wrist strap through the grip. The basic screen is a classic.

[MikeDOTB]

Nice meg! Are those unusual colors for the peace river?

[digit]

I'd say they are not typical as most fossils pulled from the Peace River are entirely black. The blades of shark teeth are usually a dark gray while the root is almost always black. During fossilization bones and teeth, which are composed of calcium phosphate in a mineral form known as apatite, are stained by chemicals in the sediments in which they are buried. Fossils pulled from the matrix in quarries in Florida often show a wide variety of color patterns with a lovely range of reds, oranges and tans in addition to the gray and black usually found in the river. Occasionally I will pull a few teeth from the river that have a brown root and a nice tan/cream colored blade and those are always special due to the rarity of their color.

I have yet to find definitive information on why river teeth and bone (and for that matter the phosphate pebbles) are almost always black in the river. It would be great if someone with a chemistry background would chime in and provide some input on this mystery which has perplexed me since I started pulling fossils from the Peace River. I don't believe the phosphate mined from the extensive deposits in Florida is generally black but virtually all the fossil bearing gravel found in the Peace River is black (which is why it is so easy to spot). Is there a chemical process happening in the river water that does this? Will all river fossils eventually end up black? Inquiring minds (well, me anyway) want to know.

I've always found it interesting that in bi-colored specimens like my new tiny meg tooth that the root should remain lighter colored while the blade turns dark. You might assume that the root would look to be more porous than the material composing the enamel of the blade but I've seen many fossil teeth online where the blade is always the first part to darken. There is some science going on here that I do not understand.

Any enlightenment by the elders of this forum would be welcome.

Cheers (and Happy New Years).

-Ken

[dirtdauber]

Here's my marine assortment in detail:

A couple of pufferfish mouth plates and a (sadly) broken fish vertebra on the top row. My dainty little meg tooth starts the second row. (The words "meg" and "dainty" rarely found in the same sentence.) The meg is followed by two interestingly shaped ray dermal denticles/scutes, a fish "rib" bone and a what looks to be a partial rostral tooth from a sawfish. The object at the right side of the bottom row is what I'm taking for a crab claw tip due to its rough surface texture and hooked end. I could be dreaming here but that's my best guess at the moment.

-Ken

Nice finds! I really enjoy the variety. The fish "rib" bone appears to be a spine (catfish, maybe) and the 'crab claw' appears to be a water-worn ray tooth-plate. I agree with the ID on the partial sawfish rostral. Love the little meg.

George

[digit]

Nice finds! I really enjoy the variety. The fish "rib" bone appears to be a spine (catfish, maybe) and the 'crab claw' appears to be a water-worn ray tooth-plate. I agree with the ID on the partial sawfish rostral. Love the little meg.

Could very well be a spine. I'll have to see how lithified this bone is. If it is recent it might be from the exotic Suckermouth Armored Catfish (Pterygoplichthys sp.) that are found in the Peace River. These exotics from Central/South America have invaded many of the water systems in South Florida over the last 20 years. The cold spell we had a few years back knocked the populations down significantly but they are coming back. Any fossil hunters on the Peace River who have seen burrows along the banks of the river and wondered what critter made them can wonder no more--it's the nesting burrows of these exotic catfish.

The "crab claw" may simply be the fossil equivalent of seeing animal shapes in the clouds--it may be nothing more than evocative shaped matrix. The textured surface initially made me think this was nothing more than sandstone-like matrix but the break on one side shows this to be just a surface texture. The hooked end is really what leads me to the SWAG that it might be a crab claw. It does share some similarities to claw fossils I've seen in various fossil ID books. I've seen a whole lot of water-worn ray tooth-plates and I don't think this has the hallmark of others I've seen which usually have a "comblike" striation pattern to them.

I too am quite fond of this tiny little meg. I'd like to think that the individual that dropped this as youngster went on to drop a whole lot of larger prize teeth later in life. If it weren't for the sloth tooth (a first for me) then this would have been my favorite fossil of the trip. It comes in a close second though.

Here is a more detailed photo of the suspect "fossil".

-Ken

[RichW9090]

looks like the root of a mammal tooth, ken.

[Shellseeker]

looks like the root of a mammal tooth, ken.

Agree with Rich.. These broken Mammoth root ends are the ones that confuse me most from the peace River.

Digit, the Peace River is a "Black Water River" filled with tannic acid. The teeth did not all start in the river -- Some were fossilized in Bone valley with those lovely colors and washed into the river basin by rain and floods. If the fossils are not "protected" from the river (rocks, water erosion, discoloration), everything turns black -- the standard colors of the Peace River. Your blue meg with a light root , crisp serrations and tip was protected in sand or more likely clay (in or out of the river) over most of the last 2 myas. Quite a prize. Such teeth are rare, maybe 1 in 100

The Peace River is a magic place. It makes me happy, surrounding me in beauty, nature and history that spans eons. I was there Friday, Monday, today. Maybe I should purchase a place on the river, but then I would never get any rest, and never see my family.

Thanks for the value in this thread -- you seem like a great addition to Fossil Hunters of the Peace RIver.

Sloth is my favorite mammal tooth. I had not found one this season,, until today. I just posted a thread about it .. SS.