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What fossils/geological things can be found in Northern Illinois?


ilovethebeatles

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Hello! I'm new to this website and I'm wondering what interesting geological things and fossils I can find in Northern Illinois. I'm new to geology and fossils so any tips/education would be welcome! Thanks! :D

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Welcome to TFF from Maryland! I wish you luck in your fossil-hunting endeavors!

“...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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5 minutes ago, WhodamanHD said:

Welcome to TFF from Maryland! I wish you luck in your fossil-hunting endeavors!

Thanks!! :D

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Do you live in Northern Illinois? I'd suggest joining ESCONI(Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois)

 

Their website can be found here. http://www.esconi.org They take several field trips to the areas hard rock quarries. These quarries are middle to upper ordovician in age: Decorah, Galena and Maquoketa formation. Two times a year they take a trip to a private spoil pile in the mazon creek area to hunt concretions that contain fossils from the carboniferous. Some examples are; ferns, jelly fish(theres a lot of those lol), insects other plant material including wood. Im not too familiar with all the finds there, but you won't get bored there! In early spring and late fall we go to St.Paul, Indiana and hunt the Waldron shale (silurian) and a quarry. We also have yearly rock and fossil shows, monthly general meetings with geology, fossil and archeology on seperate days. 

There are other spots as in road cuts, river cuts and RR cuts too, but im typically reluctant to hand the locations out as they take time in research to find and or they're given to me by friends on the condition of I tell no living soul of its location.

 

Good luck in your endeavors!

 

Best regards,

Paul

 

 

EDIT: Permian to Carboniferous

...I'm back.

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Welcome to the Forum. :)

 

For examples of what ages of fossils you can find, you can have a look at this Bedrock Geologic Map for the age of the outcrops in Northern Illinois. 

 

bedgeob.jpg.843303c09a7c747ae76f3f07c1bd5646.jpg

 

 

Fossil sites in Illinois (Very old information, but a good place to start your research)  :) 

 

Depending on how far north you are, you could also look in Southern Wisconsin.

 

M067.jpg

 

Fossil sites in Wisconsin

 

 

Paul's suggestion of ESCONI is a great idea, as well. 

 

Good luck with starting out. :)

 

 

 

 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

   MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png      PaleoPartner.png.30c01982e09b0cc0b7d9d6a7a21f56c6.png.a600039856933851eeea617ca3f2d15f.png     Postmaster1.jpg.900efa599049929531fa81981f028e24.jpg    VFOTM.png.f1b09c78bf88298b009b0da14ef44cf0.png  VFOTM  --- APRIL - 2015  

__________________________________________________
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

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Just now, Raggedy Man said:

Do you live in Northern Illinois? I'd suggest joining ESCONI(Earth Science Club of Northern Illinois)

 

Their website can be found here. http://www.esconi.org They take several field trips to the areas hard rock quarries. These quarries are middle to upper ordovician in age: Decorah, Galena and Maquoketa formation. Two times a year they take a trip to a private spoil pile in the mazon creek area to hunt concretions that contain fossils from the permian. Some examples are; ferns, jelly fish(theres a lot of those lol), insects other plant material including wood. Im not too familiar with all the finds there, but you won't get bored there! In early spring and late fall we go to St.Paul, Indiana and hunt the Waldron shale (silurian) and a quarry. We also have yearly rock and fossil shows, monthly general meetings with geology, fossil and archeology on seperate days. 

There are other spots as in road cuts, river cuts and RR cuts too, but im typically reluctant to hand the locations out as they take time in research to find and or they're given to me by friends on the condition of I tell no living soul of its location.

 

Good luck in your endeavors!

 

Best regards,

Paul

The Mazon Creek specimens are Upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) in age. 

I have a few specimens from there myself, gorgeous! :wub:

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160-1.png.60b8b8c07f6fa194511f8b7cfb7cc190.png

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46 minutes ago, Tidgy's Dad said:

The Mazon Creek specimens are Upper Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) in age. 

I have a few specimens from there myself, gorgeous! :wub:

Rofl wow! Im a noob. Thanks for catching that. No clue why I put the perm. Making steak on the grill will do that I suppose. Ill correct my post

...I'm back.

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6 minutes ago, Raggedy Man said:

. Making steak on the grill

Steak?!? I thought you were more of a fish fingers and custard kinda guy:P

“...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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1 minute ago, WhodamanHD said:

Steak?!? I thought you were more of a fish fingers and custard kinda guy:P

ROFL!!!:rofl:

...I'm back.

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Fish fingers and CUSTARD?????  What the heck are 'fish fingers and custard'?????  I mean...fish don't even have HANDS, let alone fingers...and who would mix fish with custard anyway?

 

Oh...WAIT a minute!  NOW I remember!  Dr. Who...right?

 

As far as fossils in Illinois are concerned...you might find a link to an article or two of interest in my pdf library here on The Fossil Forum.  Here's a LINK.  Just scroll down to the section on Illinois.

 

-Joe

Illigitimati non carborundum

Fruitbat's PDF Library

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You have areas around Braidwood (Mazon Creek) and a couple areas near Starved Rock. If you check posts that I did for those areas under the “Fossil Hunting” section you will find locations and examples of fossils found.

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9 hours ago, Fruitbat said:

Fish fingers and CUSTARD?????  What the heck are 'fish fingers and custard'?????  I mean...fish don't even have HANDS, let alone fingers...and who would mix fish with custard anyway?

 

Oh...WAIT a minute!  NOW I remember!  Dr. Who...right?

 

-Joe

Here is an explanation for the origin of fish fingers and custard and a recipe: http://www.sugarednerd.com/recipes-and-how-tos/2015/7/8/fish-fingers-and-custard-1

My goal is to leave no stone or fossil unturned.   

See my Arizona Paleontology Guide    link  The best single resource for Arizona paleontology anywhere.       

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We had fish fingers and custard at our wedding party with a dalek cake. I was actually fantastic and yummy. Who knew....Who knew....

...I'm back.

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