Guidance for collecting fossils in the Peace River.

[Rooster-J-Cogburn]

I'm interested in collecting in the Peace River and my kids are finally old enough. I've been lurking around the forums for a little bit and I've seen a few do's and don'ts, are there rules somewhere? For instance I have read you can't use a 2 handed shovel but seen numerous pictures with normal spade shovels in them. Digging/ looking for fossils in the bank? Collecting on state land(I thought the river bed up to the high water was OK) I'm looking for a little guidance, I don't want to run into any trouble or afoul of any laws. Any tips for a newbie are also appreciated. 

[Uncle Siphuncle]

Wait till the current is down enough for your kids to handle, and dig/screen the bottom, but not the banks. No power tools for digging/hydraulic mining.

[digit]

Glad you thought to seek guidance before attempting--always nice to follow the rules and stay out of trouble.

 

First of all you'll need a permit for vertebrate fossils from the FLMNH:

 

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/vertpaleo/amateur-collector/fossil-permit

 

Technically, you can collect all of the (vertebrate) shark teeth you'd like from the Peace River but you'll be finding other vertebrate fossils as well (turtle shell frags, dugong bones, horse teeth, etc.) and those can only be legally collected on permit. The price of the annual permit ($5) really just covers postage and time to process and is inexpensive by any measure. There is a fossil report you have to fill out and mail back with your permit renewal that gives the FLMNH an idea of what types of fossils you are finding where. It is a helpful reporting tool for them to gather data on what is being found. It is true that the FLMNH has first right of refusal on any item you've found that would be of interest to them for their collection. In practice, this is rarely used--Dr. Hulbert said they've requested less than a dozen fossils in the last 20 years or so. In many cases when a fossil hunter finds an interesting or exceptional piece and gets the ID confirmed by Dr. Hulbert (usually photos via email but sometimes dropping off the specimen in Gainesville) they offer to have it join the collection at the FLMNH. I've donated hundreds of specimens to the museum (and hundreds more are in their fossil database with my name as a collector from my volunteer digs hosted by the FLMNH).

 

Uncle is correct (above) that the fossil permit does not allow fossils to be collected from public lands with power tools (suction dredges, power hoses to erode formations, or other high-volume tools). I've heard the rule about 2-handed shovels versus small single handed garden shovels. Apparently, further north some of the FWC monitoring waterways tend to be a bit more strict and the rule for no large shovels seems to be in play. The difference is that nobody is going to dig a substantial hole with a small garden spade. During the season the bed of the Peace River can tend to resemble a bit of a bombing range pockmarked with holes and their accompanying spoil pile mountains. Frequently visited spots can sometimes pose a navigation challenge to people in canoes who must thread the maze of obstacles. During the summer flood season these piles and holes are erased with the efficiency of an Etch-a-sketch. I'd be more cautious with larger shovels in the North Florida rivers and waterways.

 

Additional rules on the Peace River. Though the river is a public waterway and thus open for fossil hunting, the waters adjacent to Paynes Creek Historic State Park are off limits to fossil hunting (as is access to the river for fossil hunting). In practice this is not an issue as there is a lot of the river beyond this tiny stretch and it is not known for having exceptional gravel deposits anyway. Don't even consider digging into the banks hunting for fossils, it is illegal to dig into the banks and will only invite trouble if you do. I've seen evidence of hunters doing so on rare occasions and only hope someone caught them adding to the erosion of the banks. The river works hard to concentrate the fossil material into nice dense gravel beds winnowing away the tons of associated sand. Why would you want to dig through a mountain of sand when you could dig in highly concentrated gravel beds? Some think they get access to more pristine fossils that others will not have access to by going to the banks--I think it is stupidly inefficient (and illegal). That being said, if you see a nice honker of a meg tooth poking out from an eroding bank--fair game (just don't be stupidly aggressive in excavating looking for the rest of the shark). On occasion, professional fossil guides (like Mark Renz) have spotted significant finds eroding out of the banks (several mammoth skulls over the years). He's marked the location with GPS and let the FLMNH excavate what is likely a scientifically important find.

 

If you are in the Peace River hunting for fossils you are fine. Don't follow tiny creeks/brooks that are not navigable by watercraft back up onto someone's private land. That's where the public waterway transitions to private land and everybody will be served by not trespassing. There are plenty of spots on the Peace to hunt so don't go pushing the rules invading someone's property while looking for fossils. That being said, some houses back up right onto the Peace and it is always a bit weird to be hunting right off someone's deck overlooking the river. As long as you stick to the river you are legal--I tend to be more quiet and respectful if someone is out on their deck enjoying the river that day (or I'll skip that spot this time and move on down the river).

 

While this would normally be peak fossil hunting season in the Peace River, this year is (once again) problematic with high water levels. The caution to give it a miss for a while is well founded, the river is still too high and dangerous in most places. If the river is up to your chest with only your shoulders and head above water, it is mighty difficult to bend over to shovel a scoop into your sifting screen. The high water level also comes with a stronger flow and it is hard to keep gravel on your shovel when the river is running. I'd consult this page and only attempt going into the Peace when the river is 1-2 foot below Canoe Outpost's "normal" level. When they indicate fossil hunting is "GOOD" then head out and find some fossils.

 

http://www.canoeoutpost.com/peace/showpage.asp?page=waterlevel

 

Let us know if you have other questions and don't forget to post pictures of your trip (and finds) when you do finally get out.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

 

[Rooster-J-Cogburn]

1 hour ago, digit said:

Glad you thought to seek guidance before attempting--always nice to follow the rules and stay out of trouble.

 

First of all you'll need a permit for vertebrate fossils from the FLMNH:

 

https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/vertpaleo/amateur-collector/fossil-permit

 

Technically, you can collect all of the (vertebrate) shark teeth you'd like from the Peace River but you'll be finding other vertebrate fossils as well (turtle shell frags, dugong bones, horse teeth, etc.) and those can only be legally collected on permit. The price of the annual permit ($5) really just covers postage and time to process and is inexpensive by any measure. There is a fossil report you have to fill out and mail back with your permit renewal that gives the FLMNH an idea of what types of fossils you are finding where. It is a helpful reporting tool for them to gather data on what is being found. It is true that the FLMNH has first right of refusal on any item you've found that would be of interest to them for their collection. In practice, this is rarely used--Dr. Hulbert said they've requested less than a dozen fossils in the last 20 years or so. In many cases when a fossil hunter finds an interesting or exceptional piece and gets the ID confirmed by Dr. Hulbert (usually photos via email but sometimes dropping off the specimen in Gainesville) they offer to have it join the collection at the FLMNH. I've donated hundreds of specimens to the museum (and hundreds more are in their fossil database with my name as a collector from my volunteer digs hosted by the FLMNH).

 

Uncle is correct (above) that the fossil permit does not allow fossils to be collected from public lands with power tools (suction dredges, power hoses to erode formations, or other high-volume tools). I've heard the rule about 2-handed shovels versus small single handed garden shovels. Apparently, further north some of the FWC monitoring waterways tend to be a bit more strict and the rule for no large shovels seems to be in play. The difference is that nobody is going to dig a substantial hole with a small garden spade. During the season the bed of the Peace River can tend to resemble a bit of a bombing range pockmarked with holes and their accompanying spoil pile mountains. Frequently visited spots can sometimes pose a navigation challenge to people in canoes who must thread the maze of obstacles. During the summer flood season these piles and holes are erased with the efficiency of an Etch-a-sketch. I'd be more cautious with larger shovels in the North Florida rivers and waterways.

 

Additional rules on the Peace River. Though the river is a public waterway and thus open for fossil hunting, the waters adjacent to Paynes Creek Historic State Park are off limits to fossil hunting (as is access to the river for fossil hunting). In practice this is not an issue as there is a lot of the river beyond this tiny stretch and it is not known for having exceptional gravel deposits anyway. Don't even consider digging into the banks hunting for fossils, it is illegal to dig into the banks and will only invite trouble if you do. I've seen evidence of hunters doing so on rare occasions and only hope someone caught them adding to the erosion of the banks. The river works hard to concentrate the fossil material into nice dense gravel beds winnowing away the tons of associated sand. Why would you want to dig through a mountain of sand when you could dig in highly concentrated gravel beds? Some think they get access to more pristine fossils that others will not have access to by going to the banks--I think it is stupidly inefficient (and illegal). That being said, if you see a nice honker of a meg tooth poking out from an eroding bank--fair game (just don't be stupidly aggressive in excavating looking for the rest of the shark). On occasion, professional fossil guides (like Mark Renz) have spotted significant finds eroding out of the banks (several mammoth skulls over the years). He's marked the location with GPS and let the FLMNH excavate what is likely a scientifically important find.

 

If you are in the Peace River hunting for fossils you are fine. Don't follow tiny creeks/brooks that are not navigable by watercraft back up onto someone's private land. That's where the public waterway transitions to private land and everybody will be served by not trespassing. There are plenty of spots on the Peace to hunt so don't go pushing the rules invading someone's property while looking for fossils. That being said, some houses back up right onto the Peace and it is always a bit weird to be hunting right off someone's deck overlooking the river. As long as you stick to the river you are legal--I tend to be more quiet and respectful if someone is out on their deck enjoying the river that day (or I'll skip that spot this time and move on down the river).

 

While this would normally be peak fossil hunting season in the Peace River, this year is (once again) problematic with high water levels. The caution to give it a miss for a while is well founded, the river is still too high and dangerous in most places. If the river is up to your chest with only your shoulders and head above water, it is mighty difficult to bend over to shovel a scoop into your sifting screen. The high water level also comes with a stronger flow and it is hard to keep gravel on your shovel when the river is running. I'd consult this page and only attempt going into the Peace when the river is 1-2 foot below Canoe Outpost's "normal" level. When they indicate fossil hunting is "GOOD" then head out and find some fossils.

 

http://www.canoeoutpost.com/peace/showpage.asp?page=waterlevel

 

Let us know if you have other questions and don't forget to post pictures of your trip (and finds) when you do finally get out.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

 

 

Thanks for the help and advice. I have my fossil permits and I have been eyeing the water levels. My kids are bugging me every day to go. 

[digit]

Good then you are set and ready to go. Now all we ALL need is for the river to cooperate. Pouring down rain in Boca Raton this morning. Still looks dry across the coast but northern Florida seems to be under heavy cloud cover/rain again. I miss the dry season.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken