garyc Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 (edited) Man, it was great day on the Brazos today! Not too hot, but the gnats didn't seem to mind my bug spray. That's my only complaint, but I'd gladly endure gnats for a day like today. First thrill of the day was when I spotted a 5 foot gator hanging out near the shore. I stayed in the area a few minutes and tried to get a good picture, but he eluded me. So, I paddled on to a spot where I'd had success last year. Alas, arriived to the ever annoying scene of gravel with foot prints all around it. I was still able to snag a decent horse tooth and a very large bos/bison tooth. So I started back up river, having passed up a couple of spots I wanted to save for the upriver struggle. I had never found anything at these spots, but it's always good to check. A short stroll and I came up to what I figured was a horse or cow jaw. No! The tell tale tapir teeth were popping out of this thing everywhere. I was able to get an in situ shot while dancing around it. I had not picked the best area to put my kayak in, so getting out without flipping over was a little difficult. I was careful to find a spot on the bank to place the tapir jaw on first, in case I swamped the boat. Made it back to the car successfully. ( I'm sure I'm not the only one who is happy to see my car still parked in the middle of no where when returning from a fossil hunt. I always fear getting towed/vandalized.) I was quite happy with my finds, but had the feeling that the day could get even better if I made one more stop on the way home. I put in again, did a short up river paddle; nothing.... Went down river a ways and started a methodical search in a good patch of gravel. Bingo! The large limb of a mammoth/mastodon just sitting there. I have found a similar piece before and I think it is a proximal radius. It was quite heavy, so I took it straight to the kayak. I wanted to continue my search where I'd left off, so I cut back to the spot heading straight out from where I'd parked. Maybe 20 feet later I couldn't believe I was staring down at the 2nd huge proboscidean vertebra I'd found in the last 2 weeks. This one is an atlas vert in pretty good condition. A little more searching and I found this clay bowl fragment. I really have no experience with native pottery. I'm not sure if it is modern or a true artifact. I will post more pics in the artifact section. So here is my haul for the day!!! Edited September 23, 2015 by garyc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 A few more pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 COOOOOL!!!! Wish I could do some river hunting around here but California is all dried up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossilized6s Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Awesome finds! Yes, I am ALWAYS happy to see my car just fine when I get back from a hunt or hike. ~Charlie~ "There are those that look at things the way they are, and ask why.....i dream of things that never were, and ask why not?" ~RFK ->Get your Mosasaur print ->How to spot a fake Trilobite ->How to identify a CONCRETION from a DINOSAUR EGG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 COOOOOL!!!! Wish I could do some river hunting around here but California is all dried up. All dried up is the best time to go. Everything is exposed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZiggieCie Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaleoWilliam Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Nice finds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted September 22, 2015 Author Share Posted September 22, 2015 Couple more in situ shots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PFOOLEY Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 You are killing it this year! Your instincts have served you well. "I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in. Of what avail are forty freedoms without a blank spot on the map?" ~Aldo Leopold (1887-1948) New Mexico Museum of Natural History Bulletins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcbshark Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Man, AWESOME finds Gary!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That jaw is sweeeeeet Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnJ Posted September 22, 2015 Share Posted September 22, 2015 Decisions, decisions.... Way to go, Gary! I'm glad you're making finds before the river reclaims them. The human mind has the ability to believe anything is true. - JJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyc Posted September 23, 2015 Author Share Posted September 23, 2015 Thanks everyone! I told my wife while the river was still too high to hunt that when it recedes I am going as much as possible. So far, it's paying off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velociraptor99 Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Nice job gary! I couldn't really imagine trying to fossil hunt whilst kayaking (I'm afraid to even try kayaking). Excellent stuff, don't forget to check that spot every now and then. So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and door will be opened for you. -Jesus Christ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 COOOOOL!!!! Wish I could do some river hunting around here but California is all dried up. The best time to hunt is when you can find what lies on the bottom of the river Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khyssa Posted September 23, 2015 Share Posted September 23, 2015 Fantastic finds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddesilets Posted September 24, 2015 Share Posted September 24, 2015 WOW!!! Those are freaking AH-MAZING! Thanks so much for sharing! "Direct observation of the testimony of the earth ... is a matter of the laboratory, of the field naturalist, of indefatigable digging among the ancient archives of the earth's history." — Henry Fairfield Osborn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPlainPetrified Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 Just had to wipe the drool off the keypad...NICE finds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimlock Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 All of your finds are fantastic, but that tapir jaw is simply unbelievable. Awesome job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foshunter Posted September 25, 2015 Share Posted September 25, 2015 That Tapir jaw with teeth is an incredible find that will hard match, just awesome Tom Grow Old Kicking And Screaming !!"Don't Tread On Me" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpevahouse Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Couple more in situ shots Nice tapir manible, probably dates mid Pleistocene. Along a river fossils of all ages will be mixed. Dateable sites where tapir bones have been found tend to date mid Pleistocene, ie Port Kennedy, PA and Cumberland Cave, MD. There are a few other sites which meet this criteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amour 25 Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 Nice dang finds there, I remember when here was good all about gone now. Again nice finds. Jeff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamus Peek Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 On 9/22/2015 at 6:51 PM, Foshunter said: The best time to hunt is when you can find what lies on the bottom of the river Tom True but a lot of eyes may have been searching before you. I like to get wet and walk through the creek right after a big rain. I always walk upstream so the the muddy waters I create flow behind me. Yes the water may be cold but the early bird gets the worm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDudeCO Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Great finds! As others have said, absolutely love that tapir jaw! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNCollector Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Nice! I wish I could do stuff like that around here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CBOB Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Sweet finds!!!! Congrats on finding the good stuff!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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