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Max-fossils

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Hi all,

 

It's a little late, but then again I have been kinda busy lately and am very tired... So writing this took me some time :)

 

Anyways, so on the 26th of December (2017), the day after X-Mas, my family and I met up with @Cris Cris & Kyle from Fossil Voyages (or here), for a long-awaited hunt together. We got the small motorboat and a canoe ready to go to the spot where we would hunt. After having discussed a few things, we set off on the river, and after a short row past many turtle families (these red-eared sliders are apparently very common; but what an exotic sight for me!) we attached our boats to tree stumps on the river bank.

 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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IMG_4309.JPG

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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It didn't take long before we started fossiling! Cris & Kyle told us how to best uncover holes, and recognize the most productive ones. The gravel that was collected was put into the sifter, and then everything was put out on the table for us to sort through. The two guides also explained what the different finds were and how to recognize them, so we quickly started to find some great jewels! 

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Our frying pan quickly started filling up with miscellaneous bone pieces and turtle scutes, the two most commonly found fossils at this location. We then started finding cooler Pleistocene goodies, like nice tortoise spurs and colorful manatee teeth. We were hunting for about an hour when I made an extraordinary find: a partial dire wolf jaw! Cris & Kyle were just as stunned as me... We also found some more stuff, like gator teeth, deer teeth, fish fossils, a few shark teeth, a small giant armadillo scute and other mammal fossils.

 

After a while, starting to see our finds decreasing, we moved over to the other side of the river (which was in the sun B)) to try finding some new stuff there. There we found some more awesome fossils, including tapir teeth (including one great incisor), gator fossils (small part of a jaw, big caudal vert and osteoderm), two white-tailed deer phalanges, some better turtle big turtle shell pieces with great colors, one or two more Eocene shark teeth, and other great fossils. 

 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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The scenery is great too! Very different than what we are used to in the Netherlands. What's really awesome, or weird, are those small tree stumps sticking out of the ground everywhere. Apparently the trees make the end of their roots stick out of the earth in order to increase stability during storms? That is very cool in my opinion. 

 

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Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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After a very successful day of fossil hunting we wrapped up and went back to our meeting point. 

 

We then had long discussions about different fossil subjects, and at some point a couple came to see what we were hiding in our bags. Apparently they were also fossil-hunters (they weren't hunting on the river that day, but do it at other locations), and had a lot of interest in our finds. Cris then brought out a great bag full of fossils, which would even make Santa's bag look meek! There were many incredible finds in it, most from the river and also a few from other locations. Cris & Kyle, in addition to the great hunt, also then gave me a nice amount of great fossils! Thanks again!!! 

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Hunting in the river was an incredible experience, and it wouldn't have been made possible without the two wonderful guides of Fossil Voyages. I would definitely recommend booking a trip with them! For both inexperienced and experienced they are great to hunt with, as they know A LOT about the fossils found, can teach the best techniques and ID tricks to beginners, and also have access to the great locations that even the most experienced don't have access to. One thing is sure: every dollar spent with them is gained back!

 

It was also unexpectedly very different to the Peace River, because well first of all the age is slightly different (mainly Pleistocene with some Eocene, compared to the mostly Miocene and Pleistocene of the Peace River), and the finds made are very different too! The abundance of great mammal fossils is incredible here, but to compensate there are a lot less shark teeth. I personally prefer finding this, because shark teeth are much more common around the world, and can be found abundantly (though not exactly the same species) also in Europe. On the other hand the Pleistocene fauna of Florida is very different to that of the Netherlands, so I was rejoiced here! Of course, hunting in the Peace River was still incredibly fun, because I could never hope to find that many shark teeth and other fossils that easily!!!

 

Now I am back home in the cold and rainy Netherlands. Luckily I came home with bags and bags of fossils (lucky that Customs didn't ask any questions as to why I was carrying kilos of rocks!:P), as well as great memories, from my time in the beautiful, awesome and very fossil-rich region that is Florida! One awesome hunt in the Peace River, and another awesome hunt in the river. I can NOT complain!!!

 

Thanks for reading my lengthy report, I hope you enjoyed it though :)

 

Best regards,

 

Max

 

 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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To finish off, the total haul!

 

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Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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And some of the best finds of the day:

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Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Thats a great report and you really found some beautiful fossils :wub::envy:

Congrats Max !

Many greetings from Germany ! Have a great time with many fossils :)

Regards Sebastian

Belo.gif

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Well done, Max! Thanks for the report with some very nice pictures of the place... And very nice finds, too. :) 

...How to Philosophize with a Hammer

 

 

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Cris is good people.  I’d do a pay hunt with him any time I’m in FL.

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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Thank you for posting, Max, a nice piece of journalism with some great finds too! 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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Awesome finds, Cris and Kyle are some great folks to hunt with:fistbump:

Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there!

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Sounds like You had a great fossiling vacation in Florida!

Glad You and the treasures made it home safely.

Also wonderful report.

Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys."

Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough."

 

My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection

My favorite thread on TFF.

 

 

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Nice finds Max, especially the manatee, armadillo, wolf & gator fossils from what I can make out.. I live roughly half way between Gainesville & some of best spots on the Peace River, but somehow never searched north of Hillsborough or Pinellas county yet so if anyone up there could use a hunting buddy sometime definitely hmu 

 

Edit: when it's not frigid outside of course 

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Awesome stuff Max! Glad you had a good Christmas hunt:D

“...whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been and are being evolved.” ~ Charles Darwin

Happy hunting,

Mason

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@belemniten @Kane @Uncle Siphuncle @Tidgy's Dad @Calvin Jenkins @jcbshark @ynot @old bones @Cam28 @WhodamanHD Thanks all for the nice comments! And yes, the trip was awesome, especially being in company with Cris & Kyle!

 

Calvin Jenkins, thanks for the link. Mother Nature can really do some weird things!

 

Paul, if you ever get bored of the shark teeth (though I doubt that will ever happen, knowing you! :P) I do really recommend that you go hunt in this river once. 

 

And, of course, Happy New Year everyone! :yay-smiley-1: Hopefully this year will be just as fossil-rich as this hunt for all of you!

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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Amazing! Love your report, pictures and specimens. Thank you for sharing! Happy New Year!

 

Libby

Process of identification "mistakes create wisdom".

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On 1/1/2018 at 9:07 AM, Max-fossils said:

@belemniten @Kane @Uncle Siphuncle @Tidgy's Dad @Calvin Jenkins @jcbshark @ynot @old bones @Cam28 @WhodamanHD Thanks all for the nice comments! And yes, the trip was awesome, especially being in company with Cris & Kyle!

 

Calvin Jenkins, thanks for the link. Mother Nature can really do some weird things!

 

Paul, if you ever get bored of the shark teeth (though I doubt that will ever happen, knowing you! :P) I do really recommend that you go hunt in this river once. 

 

And, of course, Happy New Year everyone! :yay-smiley-1: Hopefully this year will be just as fossil-rich as this hunt for all of you!

About a year ago while trying to get a partial vertebrae ID'd & wearing a shark tooth necklace (I made) I was literally told "you'll grow out of shark teeth , they're just simple triangles" :o he sure had another thing coming lol. I'm nearly always down for any vertebrate or pecuiliar invert material, even with sharks as my fav. Happy New Years guys!

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Thanks for sharing such wonderful finds.  If I ever make it to Florida I will be looking up those guys for a hunt.  Glad that you came away with all the different fossils that you found here in America.  Christmas fossil hunting was very productive for you.  Glad you made it back home safe.  But I must say I am :envy:

Happy New Year to you.

 

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@masonboro37 Thanks! And to you too!

 

@Cam28 :rofl: Just like our passion for them, fossils NEVER die!

 

@oldtimer thanks, and to you too :) I did indeed get very lucky to first of all be able to come to the US, then to be able to fossil hunt, and finally even come home with all these treasures!!! 

Max Derème

 

"I feel an echo of the lightning each time I find a fossil. [...] That is why I am a hunter: to feel that bolt of lightning every day."

   - Mary Anning >< Remarkable Creatures, Tracy Chevalier

 

Instagram: @world_of_fossils

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