Hayley Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 Hello! I am moving to Huntsville, Alabama from Daytona Beach, Florida, and I'm wondering if anyone knows of some good areas to fossil hunt in Alabama and the surrounding area. I am used to taking trips to the Peace River on the weekends and hunting there. I know of one place with research so far that is fairly comparable to the peace river in Alabama, but does anyone know of anywhere else? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tidgy's Dad Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I've no idea whatsoever, but this might provide some help if you've not found it already. http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/forum/90-alabama/ Life's Good! Tortoise Friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aplomado Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 I know a great place in Montgomery, send me a PM if you want to know where. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 You might want to join a local club, as I have heard that the laws on Fossil Collecting in Alabama are fairly restrictive. @FossilDAWG Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilDAWG Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 The suggestion to join a club is spot on, as they can get you permission to enter quarries and private land, plus you'll meet up with like-minded people which is always fun. I once belonged to the Birmingham Paleontological Society (and plan on re-joining), and the Alabama Paleontological Society is also very active. There may well be a club in the Huntsville area. The laws in Alabama turn out to be a bit more restrictive than I had previously thought, but there are still many many opportunities to collect. The main restriction is that the rules regarding collecting from the banks and bed of navigable rivers are challenging. In theory permits should be obtained from the Army Corps of Engineers. I have however never heard of anyone being challenged, which is not to say it won't happen. On the other hand there are an abundance of exposures on smaller streams, roadcuts, construction sites, etc that yield a remarkable diversity of fossils. If you search the Forum for "Alabama" you should get lots of hits. The site aplomado is talking about is excellent. Point A Dam is a famous site for shark teeth. Both are kind of far from Huntsville, but worth the drive. The Huntsville area is famous for Mississippian and Pennsylvanian fossils, including fantastic crinoids and many other things including primitive shark teeth. Just south (between Huntsville and Birmingham) are great sites for Pennsylvanian plant fossils. Don 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNCollector Posted March 16, 2018 Share Posted March 16, 2018 The Birmingham Paleontological Society does some really awesome field trips all over the state and other surrounding states. The Huntsville area definitely has primitive shark teeth from the Mississippian. Many of the same formations that I collect also run through that area. They are not common, and do not look anything like what you are used to finding in the Peace River. Cladodus, petalodus, psephodus, etc. Look up pictures of them to get an idea of what they look like. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayley Posted March 24, 2018 Author Share Posted March 24, 2018 Thanks everybody! I’ll do some research into local groups and sites! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALABAMAHEADHUNTER Posted May 25, 2018 Share Posted May 25, 2018 (edited) I am familiar with some really good Cretaceous sites just West of Tuscaloosa . I am planning to take a few people to a creek in a few weeks to collect sharks teeth . You usually can find 50 or 60 in a few hours . If you are lucky you might get a Mosasaur tooth or vertebra or even some Pleistocene fossils . On occasion we find an arrowhead too . Cliff . Edited May 25, 2018 by ALABAMAHEADHUNTER removed phone number Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knighthammer Posted September 26, 2018 Share Posted September 26, 2018 Hi, I live in Luverne and was wondering what I could possibly find and where I should look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramajama Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Hi all, Any updates on good fossil spots west Alabama or local clubs? Went to school back in 2010 and didn't realize Cretacous deposits were close by.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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