2016 a Recap

[FossilDudeCO]

Hello TFF!

 

I just wanted to take a minute to share with everyone some of our finds from 2016. I do most of my digging up in Kemmerer, WY trying my hand at fossil fishes. 2016 was a pretty exceptional year in that along with our standard hundreds of 18" fish and thousands of split fish we pulled 2 VERY LARGE specimens. quite rare really. it averages out to about 1 every 2 or 3 years normally, so 2 in one summer is AMAZING!

 

These panels have all been finished and are ready to hit the market along with the large gar and the croc! Fingers crossed that they sell so we can open up next year!

 

I hope you all enjoy coming along.

 

ALL of these panels feature 100% natural fish with 0% restoration. NO PAINT, a few have been inlaid though.

 

 

 

 

In the last picture, the branch does have around 2% restoration because it was in multiple pieces needing to be glued.

[FossilDudeCO]

The first picture is the gar as found (in the ground). We knew it was almost 6 feet before we even pulled it out!

In the picture is quarry owner Adam.

Adam prepped this entire piece from October - January. The fine detail work was done by microscope master Mike Ecklund. I know some of you will recognize that name!

The best part I feel about this specimen is that his head "floated" just a bit sideways, exposing nearly every bone in the cranium!! Gars tend to have large bony plates covering the top of their heads, it is not uncommon to find one missing or a piece of one.

This Gar ended up measuring 6'1" (1.83m) long and is on the rock he was found in, NO INLAY measuring 8' (2.44m) x 4' (1.22m) He is listed as .5% restoration, (1/2%) Being found in 3 pieces and needing only minor crack infill.

I should also note that Arvid over at Fossil Butte National Monument has this listed as the third largest Gar on record.

 

I am really hoping this piece goes to a museum!

 

 

 

[FossilDudeCO]

Last up was our crocodile, found back in June!

As he lay once we got all 7 pieces home.

This guy was ALMOST pushed over the edge of the cliff while dozing to get down to the 18" pad.

he comes from a SUPER hard layer just above the 18" called capping.

While the fish aren't worth the time or the effort to dig out of this material, a croc certainly is!

We have less that 3% restoration on this piece.

It was prepared by Tom at GeoDecor with the help of his team.

The croc measures 8'2" (2.46m) along the spine and is on his natural rock measuring 4' (1.22m) x 6' (1.83m)

 

 

 

 

[smt126]

Amazing. I hope to make my way out to Wyoming one of these years

[aerogrower]

They are all very impressive, but that croc is incredible!! To think it was almost lost...

[Fossildude19]

Oh My!      

It would appear you had a banner year out there.    

Congratulations on the spectacular finds. 

Regards, 

[Vieira]

Thanks for sharing this wonders.

I'm amazed with this pieces...

Continue the fantastic work.

[ynot]

If only I had a million dollars to spend as I wanted....

Very nice group of finds!!!!

Tony

[Nimravis]

Great Finds and nice pics. Thanks for sharing.

[Max-fossils]

This is a joke, right? All this in one year?! You must have a team of 100 people with you!

Tell us, Blake; what's your secret? 

 

What I mean is, those finds are just too amazing to be real. I can't tell you how jealous I am. 

My most sincere congratulations!

 

Best regards,

 

Max

[Malcolmt]

Simply Amazing

[FossilDudeCO]

Thank you for the kind words everyone!

This was all dug by a team of just 3 people.

Adam - Quarry owner

Dain - Full time Quarry employee

Myself - visited for 22 days over the course of the 4 month digging season

 

Digging the 18" layer goes from Late May until early October, so just 4 months essentially. Then you get about 2 months additional that split fish are able to be dug out (6 months total).

 

It is always a lot of fun, but this is probably the most we have had to prep, it did get a bit stressful trying to finish it all before Tucson!

 

So glad you all enjoyed the pictures.

[Ludwigia]

Just fantastic and a great team effort! You guys sure are dedicated!

[jcbshark]

Wow, those are some amazing pieces! Congrats

[JohnJ]

Life memories, Blake!  As an ol' geezer, you'll be sayin', "I remember the time back in 2016...."    

[FossilDudeCO]

4 hours ago, JohnJ said:

Life memories, Blake!  As an ol' geezer, you'll be sayin', "I remember the time back in 2016...."    

 

The mid to late twenties have been very kind to me in regards to creating memories

 I just hope I can remember it all when I hit 30!

[Ludwigia]

6 hours ago, FossilDudeCO said:

 

The mid to late twenties have been very kind to me in regards to creating memories

 I just hope I can remember it all when I hit 30!

 

Not to worry. They'll all come flooding back when you're over 60.

[minnbuckeye]

All pieces are amazing!!!! I personally love the fish/wood display. It is artistic, so pleasing to the eye from the background stone in multiple shades to the arrangement of the fish around the wood.

[Jeffrey P]

Congratulations on a big year. All of that hard work produced some amazing finds. Someday, I hope to see that gar and that croc in person on the wall of some museum. Thanks for sharing.

[sixgill pete]

13 hours ago, FossilDudeCO said:

 

The mid to late twenties have been very kind to me in regards to creating memories

 I just hope I can remember it all when I hit 30!

 

 

If I could just remember 30!@!!!!!!!!! But really, amazing Blake. The muliti fish plates and the gar are awesome. But that croc, all I can say is holy bat bombs batman.

[FossilDudeCO]

5 hours ago, Jeffrey P said:

Congratulations on a big year. All of that hard work produced some amazing finds. Someday, I hope to see that gar and that croc in person on the wall of some museum. Thanks for sharing.

 

I am really hoping that the croc and gar both go to a museum.

They REALLY need to be, but alas, I don't own the quarry.

I don't know many museums, but I even offered to waive my sellers fee to make sure they were going to a museum!

I will keep trying!

[RandyB]

Thanks for sharing.  Makes me very excited for my first trip this summer.  

[lcordova]

Wow Fossil Dude. Great, great pictures.

Congrats!

 

[DevonianDigger]

Amazing. Makes me feel inadequate! Suddenly my shelves of bugs and brachs doesn't seem as exciting, lol! Great job Blake!

[FossilDudeCO]

23 minutes ago, DevonianDigger said:

Amazing. Makes me feel inadequate! Suddenly my shelves of bugs and brachs doesn't seem as exciting, lol! Great job Blake!

 

Hey I would love to find some of those bugs you have one day!

Closest thing I have is the Wheeler Shale. Flat little bugs they are.