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Cole Hill 1-8-18


Darktooth

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I decided to try my luck at Cole Hill today after seeing  @Calico Jack and @Al Tahan's recent luck. With last night's rain, the roads were a bit slick on the ride out, but not terrible. I arrived around 10 and quickly saw where they had been working. They both said they had only been there for a short time but there sure was fresh rock thrown everywhere. Somebody is fibbing!:P I decided to work a spot close to where I found my last couple, mostly complete Dipleuras. I wish I had something exciting to report but all I found was a lot of the usual suspects. Cephalons, pygidiums, Bembexia, various brachs, bivalves, and nautiloids. None of them were in great condition, but that being said I still had a good time. The weather was pretty nice and I stayed till 1:30. It was nice getting out of the house. Before I left, I heard a car pull in to the side of the road. A lady got out and told me that I needed to get permission to hunt there as her family owned the property. I asked her if she was the daughter of the lady who lives down the road and she said yes. So I explained that I had gotten permission  from her Mother back in 2003 and have been coming there ever since. She said her mom didn't recognize the car. She was very polite about everything and I talked to her for a bit and also explained that I have talked with the mother from time to time and some other family members who hunt the property in the fall.  Then she went on her way. I stayed just a little while longer as my back was starting to hurt. Better luck with the trilos next time.:)

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I got a new phone for Christmas and it takes better pics but of course the size is to big so I can only post one or two pics per post until I get it all worked out

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I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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1 hour ago, Darktooth said:

Bembexia, various brachs, bivalves, and nautiloids.

This sounds good!  Glad to hear you were able to get out and hunt!

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Oh man .. I'd clone myself if I could and go out right now... I just wanna cry the weather is so nice out.  You lucky dog.

 

Cheers,

B

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Though somewhat damaged that isn't a bad cephalon. Most of my trips to Cole Hill I would have been content to find a decent Dipleura cephalon. Glad to see you take advantage getting out to a site that is normally inaccessible this time of year.

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13 minutes ago, Jeffrey P said:

Though somewhat damaged that isn't a bad cephalon. Most of my trips to Cole Hill I would have been content to find a decent Dipleura cephalon. Glad to see you take advantage getting out to a site that is normally inaccessible this time of year.

That cephalon actually fell apart during extraction. As I was working a rather weathered section, a lot of what I found fell apart somewhat. 

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I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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9 minutes ago, Darktooth said:

That cephalon actually fell apart during extraction. As I was working a rather weathered section, a lot of what I found fell apart somewhat. 

Super-Soaker full of consolidant! ;)

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Great trip Dave!! Too bad you couldn’t get that cephalon out.  You would be surprised what I can get done in 2 hours :hammer01: ;). I only got to contribute 6-7 slabs to the pile lol I blame jack for the rest :rofl:. I did move a bunch of overburden which made my work look more impressive ha. We also need to stay on good terms with the owner. I may write a letter and attach my business card or somthing not sure how to go about it. I actually talked to the older lady that owns the roadcut my first time there. I think she thought I was someone else though. She was really nice however. 

 

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1 minute ago, Al Tahan said:

Great trip Dave!! Too bad you couldn’t get that cephalon out.  You would be surprised what I can get done in 2 hours :hammer01: ;). I only got to contribute 6-7 slabs to the pile lol I blame jack for the rest :rofl:. I did move a bunch of overburden which made my work look more impressive ha. We also need to stay on good terms with the owner. I may write a letter and attach my business card or somthing not sure how to go about it. I actually talked to the older lady that owns the roadcut my first time there. I think she thought I was someone else though. She was really nice however. 

 

I have always tried to be on good terms with any landowner who has given me permission to be on their land whether it be fossilhunting or fishing. But she is 93 years old and probably doesn't remember everyone who goes there.  They are nice enough though. Their main concern is that people be safe on the cliff. And Fyi, I really didn't need a other cephalon as I have collected so many of them, I only give them away.;)

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Are those snails Bembexia sulcomarginata? 

Nice finds in any case. There's not much in the way of snow or freezing here this winter but it's much too wet and chilly for me to go out collecting, much as these trip reports make me itch to.

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1 minute ago, Wrangellian said:

Are those snails Bembexia sulcomarginata? 

Nice finds in any case. There's not much in the way of snow or freezing here this winter but it's much too wet and chilly for me to go out collecting, much as these trip reports make me itch to.

Those are Bembexia. This site is full of them. Our weather in New York has been all over the place. Yesterday was freezing, but today was pretty decent  then a couple minutes  after I got home it started pouring out. It is really hit or miss. The temps are supposed to dip into the teens on Friday.  

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Thought so. I've got a couple of these from you (via Monica), plus a Grammisioides, a Ptomatis, a Spyroceras bit and a nice Fenestella bryo. What other common taxa do you find at this site? I should probably revisit some of your older posts but it's easier to ask  ;)

Here this winter has been mostly rain, rain, wind, rain. Awful. Once in a while I'd like a dry, sunny day even if it's -5C or so. Easier to collect in cold/dry than warm/wet.

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Nice report Dave! :)

Glad you had a nice day out.

I too love those Bembexia in particular. 

Life's Good!

Tortoise Friend.

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8 hours ago, Al Tahan said:

@Darktooth wow 93....I wonder if her family will care about hunters should somthing happen someday 

That has been a concern of mine for some time. I do know that this site has been open to hunters for a very long time. Yesterday was the first time meeting the daughter. I had spoke to her husband and son a couple times during deer hunting season. All appeared very nice towards fossilhunters. So that is a plus. But you never know. I think that as long as we respect the property and the owners we could reasonably expect this site to remain open for a long time to come. But I also know that two individuals approached the owner about buying g the property. They wanted to turn it in to a pay dig site but she refused. I imagine should she pass, they will again approach the remaining family members and try again. I believe that they want to keep the land within the family, but you never know. Money has a way of making people  behave in unpredictable ways. Only time will tell on this one.

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3 hours ago, Darktooth said:

That has been a concern of mine for some time. I do know that this site has been open to hunters for a very long time. Yesterday was the first time meeting the daughter. I had spoke to her husband and son a couple times during deer hunting season. All appeared very nice towards fossilhunters. So that is a plus. But you never know. I think that as long as we respect the property and the owners we could reasonably expect this site to remain open for a long time to come. But I also know that two individuals approached the owner about buying g the property. They wanted to turn it in to a pay dig site but she refused. I imagine should she pass, they will again approach the remaining family members and try again. I believe that they want to keep the land within the family, but you never know. Money has a way of making people  behave in unpredictable ways. Only time will tell on this one.

Dave,

Do we ask for permission at the house right before the site, coming from Rte 20? 

    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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Well that's the thing, I asked the Daughter that if it would make them feel better I would stop at the Moms house everytime I come just so she knows I am there and she said not to bother because her mom probably wouldn't answer anyways as she gets nervous about strangers. Honestly I found the situation a little weird as I have been going there as stated before since 2003. The first time that I spoke with the Mom I was there in winter and she drove up to the road cut and just asked me to please be careful on the snow and ice on the cliffs. She stated that she lets hunters there all the time but never said anything  specific about checking in with her first. I have spoke to her a few more times over the years with the last encounter, I believe was last winter or maybe the year before. Again it was winter. Her dog got loose and actually came up the the roadcut and climbed the talus pile to the ledge. I could hear the lady calling to the dog so I climbed down and brought the dog back to her. She was very grateful. But getting to your question yes she lives in the big house right before the cliffs. I think that I may try to speak with her or the daughter the next chance I get and try to get some clarification  on what they would like visitors to do. It appears that I will be out of work at least another week and a half so maybe within that time, weather permitting I can make a trip back up there.

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Thanks, Dave. :) 

    Tim    VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~   ><))))( *>  About Me      

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15 hours ago, Wrangellian said:

Thought so. I've got a couple of these from you (via Monica), plus a Grammisioides, a Ptomatis, a Spyroceras bit and a nice Fenestella bryo. What other common taxa do you find at this site? I should probably revisit some of your older posts but it's easier to ask  ;)

Here this winter has been mostly rain, rain, wind, rain. Awful. Once in a while I'd like a dry, sunny day even if it's -5C or so. Easier to collect in cold/dry than warm/wet.

As you already know Dipleura specimens are very abundant at least partials can be found every trip with little effort. The only other trilo that I have found there are Greenops which are not that common. Bembexia are the most common gastropod with the Ptomatis coming in second and the only other Gastropod I recall finding there. There is I decent amount of Brachiopods and Bivalves which unfortunately I  don't recall the names. Certain layers produce some fine examples of all fossils found at this site. If you hit the right layers they will pop right out of the matrix in very good detail. I recently put up my Devonian fossil ID book up for auction with the intent of getting another when I got the chance. Otherwise I could give you the names of the other stuff. Also Spyroceras is fairly common, at least partials. There is at least one other nautiloid that is found occassionally. Yesterday I did find what appeared to be Devonian wood similar to what is found d at the Deep Springs site. But was not preserved  well so I didn't bother keeping it.

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Sounds like you'd better take advantage of that site while it's still accessible! (Without abusing it, of course, but do pick up some of everything for spares!) - Seeing how things are going elsewhere, it's only a matter of time...  

I just checked my labels again and the bryo is from Deeps Springs Rd and the Grammysioides might be also (you weren't sure, apparently), and I do have those Dipleura pieces from you (roller and pygidium). I guess all I need is some of those brachs and any other bivalves and I'll have a basically representative x-section of that site, won't I?  ;)

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3 minutes ago, Wrangellian said:

Sounds like you'd better take advantage of that site while it's still accessible! (Without abusing it, of course, but do pick up some of everything for spares!) - Seeing how things are going elsewhere, it's only a matter of time...  

I just checked my labels again and the bryo is from Deeps Springs Rd and the Grammysioides might be also (you weren't sure, apparently), and I do have those Dipleura pieces from you (roller and pygidium). I guess all I need is some of those brachs and any other bivalves and I'll have a basically representative x-section of that site, won't I?  ;)

I will see what I can do to get you items that you don't already have.

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I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie.

 

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