Peace River Is Open

[Shellseeker]

I have been hunting for the last week. The water depth and current are both down , although the water is still murky and slowly clearing up.

Conditions are not ideal -- you have to make choices because deeper spots are not yet available and the main current can wash gravel off your shovel before it gets to the sieve. There is almost no one on the River during the week, but I saw 3-4 groups last Saturday.

I have been finding mostly smaller teeth, some very nice Hemis, turtle foot pads and spurs, a couple of horse teeth, 4-5 Dillo scutes, etc.

Today had both pluses and minuses. Beautiful day, partly cloudy, breeze. I had a shorty, 3 mm wetsuit which was more than enough. Found a spot but had to deal with the current. On the 3rd sieve, I found a nice small 1.75 Meg, good serrations, nice root, nick on one section of serrations. The day had started very well with one of the better finds!! I placed it on my kayak to avoid getting chipped in the collection bag and to dry in the sun. A little later found a chunk of tusk. Lots of bigger rock right on top of a clay/mud bottom and a lots of brownish rock mixed into the black rock are good indicators. Over a couple of hours, I was just finding smaller teeth, some ray teeth, and one nice lower Hemi.

So, I moved on to other locations trying to find a location with more fossils per screen. I had limited success with mostly 3-4 small teeth per screen. I did find 1/2 of a mammal molar but pickings were slim and I kept thinking about that 1 Meg which had "made" my day. It was about 1:15 pm, my hunting buddy was for calling it a day, but I had another hour to go and decided to go back to the initial location where I had found the Meg.

Once again, in the 3rd sieve, the best Mako I have ever found in the Peace -- 2.5 inches on the longest edge -- a beautiful upper, great root, no dings!!! The River gods smiled.

But then I went back to pick up the Meg and it was not there. The River gods reclaimed a prize and I learned a lesson. . So I left a Meg in the River. If anyone finds it, please send it to me.

[Cris]

Glad to hear conditions are getting better down that way. Beautiful mako....and there's no worse feeling than losing a nice fossil after you've found it (except for damaging one).

Conditions up my way are starting to get better too. Hopefully I'll be able to get a little collecting in soon too.

[jcbshark]

Man that's a beautiful Mako Jack! Sorry to hear about the Meg but if you send my the GPS coordinates I'll do my best to bring you some closure lol

[Plantguy]

Hey Jack, that aint too shabby of a Mako, dang thats nice! Congats. Good luck with the return of the MEG. Regards, Chris

[Fossildude19]

Funny that your season is beginning down there, where way up here, our season for hunting is coming to a close.

Thanks for the report - nice mako, for sure.

Regards,

Edited November 2, 2014 by Fossildude19

[Shellseeker]

Tim,

I was born/raised in Bridgeport but did not pick up the fossil bug until long after I left New England. I still have siblings in Connecticut. Massachusetts, and Vermont and visit a couple of times a year.

Sometimes I think I should stay with them over summers. At least I would be able to continue fossil hunting. Jack

[Search4]

There are few things worse than scraping ice off of your windshield at the crack of dawn. Not for me, never again, and no thanks. Actually I'm dreading my upcoming trip to s.c. for xmas cause I'm going to freeze my butt off lol.

Nice mako too! And thanks for the update.

Edited November 6, 2014 by Search4

[Hemi-God]

SS, so glad to hear the season has started out well for you, (sort of). I too know the feeling of having a nice find, only to have it disappear. At least the Isurus tooth managed to stay with you. And a real beauty it is. Congrats!

I've been on-call at work for the past couple of weeks and been unable to get to the Peace. It's literally been driving me bonkers. I've bought a canoe and a camera this past summer and am chomping at the bit at the chance to get them out on the river.

Hope to run into you out there this year. Until then, have a good Turkey Day and may the River Gods always smile upon you.

[Shellseeker]

Hemi-god,

It is not that I am JUST getting to your message, just that the last week has been pretty crazy -- With the river open I have been out frequently, reloading, cleaning equipment in the evenings and then up at 5am to do it again. My regular responsibilities are interfering with my hobby -- Plus this is holiday season so lots of extra responsibilities on the plate.

Good to hear from you -- it has been a while. I have been hunting Zolfo and points upstream. I even did some prospecting at Bartow, coming down for 2.5 miles -- A very nice trip for a naturalist, lots of wildlife, wading birds and great scenery. But for hunting fossils, I would not go back.

Hope to see you on the river -- good hunting. SS

[gwbh]

Nice mako!