jnicholes Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Hello, So, I'm going to be going on a fossil hunting trip with my dad to Kemmerer Wyoming in August. It's basically a fossil Safari. We found it on the website fishdig.com. my dad has a co-worker who went, and he had a great time and found many fish fossils! So, me and my dad are going to be going in August! I will keep you all updated on what happens on the Safari when the time comes. I will post pictures when the time comes also. Jared 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Good luck, Jared. Have fun and make memories. 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...
caldigger Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Make sure you have a reservation for an 18 wheeler truck to bring back all the stuff you get! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randyw Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Good luck! And we can’t wait to see the pics! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilNerd Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Sounds like fun! Can’t wait to see what you find! Good luck! The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Everyone you will ever meet knows something you don't. -Bill Nye (The Science Guy) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pemphix Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 Have a good time - there are a lot of Threads here in the forum where you can get impressions of what you can expect.... Looking forward to see the results... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 Thank you so much for wishing me good luck! I appreciate it! So far, the trip looks like it's going to be between August 10th and August 17th. Exact date is to be announced. My dad's co-worker who went to this place said that he can show me the fossils he found, and give me some tips. I'll let you all know what he says! Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Siphuncle Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 You'll find this venue to be a slam dunk. Have fun. Grüße, Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas "To the motivated go the spoils." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossilis Willis Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 21 hours ago, jnicholes said: Hello, So, I'm going to be going on a fossil hunting trip with my dad to Kemmerer Wyoming in August. It's basically a fossil Safari. We found it on the website fishdig.com. my dad has a co-worker who went, and he had a great time and found many fish fossils! So, me and my dad are going to be going in August! I will keep you all updated on what happens on the Safari when the time comes. I will post pictures when the time comes also. Jared In an attempt to prevent any confusion I would like to point out that fishdig.Com is the website of American Fossil, a quarry near Kemmerer WY. It is located directly adjacent to another quarry called Fossil Safari. I hope this is helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 thank you for pointing that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 10, 2019 Author Share Posted July 10, 2019 The Dig has been set up for August 12th between 9 and 1. I talked to the guy. He said they found Turtles, and birds this last year! One guy found a crocodilian! He actually guaranteed me that I'll find some fossils. Maybe not rare ones like I mentioned, but still cool fossils! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted37 Posted July 10, 2019 Share Posted July 10, 2019 Excellent, look forward to pictures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 29, 2019 Author Share Posted July 29, 2019 2 weeks. I am so excited! I'll be sure and get lots of pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossilis Willis Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 1 hour ago, jnicholes said: 2 weeks. I am so excited! I'll be sure and get lots of pictures. I would like to offer a couple bits of advice for your trip. The first is fairly obvious, but protect yourself from the sun. At over 7000 feet, the UV is a killer and the breeze makes you forget how warm it is. Make yourself take drink breaks often. They set up a rack to store your finds on while you "dig". I kept my water (a gallon) on my rack and made myself take a big drink every time I put a fish on the shelf. My other piece of advice is to ask for a second chisel when you're getting your tools. Even if it costs you a couple more bucks, it can be very helpful for splitting bigger, harder slabs. That's about as deep as this wisdom well goes. Maybe some other, more "seasoned" forum members will have more insight that will help you maximize your time at the quarry. Happy hunting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 29, 2019 Author Share Posted July 29, 2019 Thank you for the advice. I already planned on bringing water and sunscreen. Thanks for the advice on getting a second chisel. I appreciate it. Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted July 29, 2019 Share Posted July 29, 2019 On 7/8/2019 at 5:59 PM, jnicholes said: Hello, So, I'm going to be going on a fossil hunting trip with my dad to Kemmerer Wyoming in August. It's basically a fossil Safari. We found it on the website fishdig.com. my dad has a co-worker who went, and he had a great time and found many fish fossils! So, me and my dad are going to be going in August! I will keep you all updated on what happens on the Safari when the time comes. I will post pictures when the time comes also. Jared I just got back from there! It was a most excellent way to spend a day. You will get your money's worth for sure. For me It became a personal challenge to NOT find fish in the rock. A few tips: Make sure you call ahead and talk to them to get a free reservation...this way they have enough dried rock ready for you when you arrive. The fresh rock does not split well when damp. Also, make sure you wear lightweight long pants and a long sleeved shirt, plus a wide brimmed hat. Keeping the sun off your skin is paramount and sunscreen only makes a handy glue to stick all the quarry dust to your skin. Finally, make sure you take bubble wrap and cardboard to haul your finds home. The Green River Formation rock is super fragile laterally. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 29, 2019 Author Share Posted July 29, 2019 @LabRatKing, thank you for all that advice! I appreciate it! If you don't mind my asking, what kind of fossils do you usually find there? Is it mostly fish? I know he told me that they found Birds, crocodilians, and stingrays on occasion, but what's the most common thing you usually find? Thanks a bunch! Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 6 hours ago, jnicholes said: @LabRatKing, thank you for all that advice! I appreciate it! If you don't mind my asking, what kind of fossils do you usually find there? Is it mostly fish? I know he told me that they found Birds, crocodilians, and stingrays on occasion, but what's the most common thing you usually find? Thanks a bunch! Jared You will find 80% Knightia. Odds are you will get at least part of a Diplomystus. You will also get scales of a large predatory fish I cannot remember the name of. Everything else is rare to extremely rare. Patrick and the claim owner have an agreement that you can keep anything valued under 100k$, but those sorts of finds are extremely rare. Also their quarry does not have the fabled 13 inch layer, so does are slim of anything over six inches long. However, I paid for a half day and actually left over fifty specimens behind. (There were a few little kids there when I was there and it made me happy to seed the plot...trust me on that!) I can confirm Patrick's claims. You WILL get your money's worth and you WILL have an amazing time. I only got one "perfect break" Knightia, but I left with nearly 100lbs of fossils that just need a bit.of prep work. to take stuff home, they ask you split.to 2 inches thick or less, and that the rock obviously has fossils. they also have tile.saws.on site so you can trim off the excess rock. the other queries n the area are less.expensive, but they limit you to a.dozen fish and only the common stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 good information. Thank you so much! I will post pictures when I get there in 2 weeks. Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 5 minutes ago, jnicholes said: good information. Thank you so much! I will post pictures when I get there in 2 weeks. Jared Sorry for.poor typing. Am on mobile.I'm a remote.site.I'm Nebraska right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted July 30, 2019 Author Share Posted July 30, 2019 Hey, I completely understand. Sometimes when I go birding, I have very poor cell coverage so I can't text my pictures until I get back! I know how it is! Have a good one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Don't ignore the plant fossils if you come across any. They are very nice from that area. Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossilis Willis Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 Make sure you check out Fossil Butte National Monument while you're in that neck of the woods. The visitor center has some awesome stuff on display. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRatKing Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 2 hours ago, Fossilis Willis said: Make sure you check out Fossil Butte National Monument while you're in that neck of the woods. The visitor center has some awesome stuff on display. Absolutely. It was the first stop on my trip. It is actually even better than Dinosaur National Monument. FBNM will truly wet your whistle for some rock breaking! Also check out the shops and museums in Kemmerer. (Note they say it Kem-ur . A local told me jokingly they don't know where the extra er came from either! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnicholes Posted August 4, 2019 Author Share Posted August 4, 2019 Well, one week until I leave. I am excited, needless to say. I will be sure to post pictures of the trip and what I find. Pictures will be posted on the 13th of august when I am back home. That way I can get them on my computer, resize them, then upload them. So far, I got a lot of advice from you guys. Is there anything else I need to know that is not mentioned here? Jared Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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