Spring Break Gomphethere

[Bozark]

Finally got a chance to take a break from school check out some land I got permission to collect on back in December. The site was pretty well documented in the Caprock member of the Ash Hollow formation, basically on the contact with the Valentine formation, and was known to produce Gomphothere. We made it out there and had found some bone within a few minutes of digging!

[goatinformationist]

Wow!  That lighter must be HUGE.

[Bozark]

After reassuring ourselves that this wasn't just stained modern bone, we continued pushing back into the hill. We were handsomely rewarded with a good bit of a massive scapula- I don't know of any other animal it could be other than Gomphothere, as this quarry had produced Gomphothere back around the turn of the century. The only other animal that large around this time was mastodon; if anyone knows how to distinguish their scapulas let me know! We also got a bonus the next morning as we entrenched the scapula- a nice little bit of rib!

[Bozark]

[Bozark]

We didn't have enough plaster on hand for a jacket, so we covered it and waited till the next day when a buddy would arrive with some. Thankfully, it was a beautiful if slightly windy and misty day to go prospecting. I stumbled on a "rock" that caught my eye and picked it up. It was a big hunk of a gomphothere lower jaw! I'm more confident calling this gomphy, in the underside of the jaw another tooth ran clear through longways! It's a little bit mossy, but with some gentle prep I think it'll turn out nice- and is certainly unique!

 

The next day we got caught up in a blizzard and spent our time helping the ranchers get their cows under cover. We got up and jacketed it, but it was too cold, windy, and messy to take photos. 

[Bozark]

[Innocentx]

Must have been exciting to find these.  A very successful hunt... congratulations.

[ynot]

Wow, don't find things like that every day!

Congratulations.

[Bozark]

On 3/8/2018 at 8:26 PM, Innocentx said:

Must have been exciting to find these.  A very successful hunt... congratulations.

 

On 3/9/2018 at 7:50 AM, ynot said:

Wow, don't find things like that every day!

Congratulations.

 

Thanks! I'm definitely excited to get back out there! I forgot to mention- we found a chunk of a turtle or tortoise near where the jaw rolled out! There's a chance for another bone bed on the property!

[Bozark]