Jacksboro, Tx Trip On The Way Back From Ok

[silverphoenix]

I decided to stop by the Jacksboro locality on the way back from Oklahoma a couple weeks back.

The exposure is about 3/4 to 1 mile away from where you park. Although this may not sound like a lot, IT IS A DEATH MARCH when it's hot and you're carrying 8 gallons of matrix like I was. I had broken my backpack in OK carrying matrix, so I just got a new 30 liter backpack. When I Finally got to the exposure, I filled it up to the top and promptly started marching back towards my car waaaaaaay off in the distance. I collected about half from an orangish layer and half from a gray layer since each seemed to contain different fossils. It took me about an hour to get back since I had to take a few breaks.

After I got my matrix home, I promptly soaked and washed it over 1/2 screen onto 2mm screen to get out all the big rocks and sediment. I then graded it into 1/4" to 1/2" matrix, which I sorted, 1/8" to 1/4" and 2mm to 1/8".

Below are some site pictures from the hike back.

Hey I work on pads like this^ Too bad there's no fossils near me here.....

Here's after sorting the larger matrix. You can see the ratio of rocks (left) to fossils (right)

And my vertebrate finds

[BobWill]

Great assortment. Such a diversity of fauna at Jacksboro. The close-up of the top center fossils shows a gastropod look-alike on the top right. It's really an umbilical mold from a cephalopod. Also the center vertebrate looks like a nautiloid septum. What's the one on the left?

[RyanNREMTP]

I think someone is going to be jealous when they see this thread.

[MikeD]

The exposure is about 3/4 to 1 mile away from where you park. Although this may not sound like a lot, IT IS A DEATH MARCH when it's hot and you're carrying 8 gallons of matrix like I was. I had broken my backpack in OK carrying matrix, so I just got a new 30 liter backpack. When I Finally got to the exposure, I filled it up to the top and promptly started marching back towards my car waaaaaaay off in the distance. I collected about half from an orangish layer and half from a gray layer since each seemed to contain different fossils. It took me about an hour to get back since I had to take a few breaks.

Haha! Try it in the summer when it is 120 in the shade out there. The car just keeps moving further away, the closer you get. I've got to get back out there.

[RyanNREMTP]

That's why you take a kid and a cart for them to pull.

[JustPlainPetrified]

Why is everything so much bigger in Texas! Nice haul. from -2C Alberta.

[erose]

Great assortment. Such a diversity of fauna at Jacksboro. The close-up of the top center fossils shows a gastropod look-alike on the top right. It's really an umbilical mold from a cephalopod. Also the center vertebrate looks like a nautiloid septum. What's the one on the left?

I agree with Bob on that center item between the teeth being a segment from a coiled nautiloid. The two teeth fragments are real nice.

Also amongst the straight nautiloids there is one which comes to a point. That is a gastropod who's name eludes me.

[Jeffrey P]

Great finds! Those gastropods are among the finest Paleozoic ones I've seen, and the other stuff, especially the nautiloids are cool too. If I ever make it to Texas, Jacksboro would be very high on my list of places to see. Definitely worth braving the heat and the long walk. Big congratulations.