Fossil hunting ethics/unsung rules

[Emthegem]

Hello!

 

I was wondering if there were any 'unsung' rules that should typically be followed when fossil hunting? Such as don't hammer away at a specimen that you might not take, or only take a certain amount of fossil or whatnot, so that I don't accidentally ruin the hunting experience for the next rockbound that goes to said area.

 

Also if there are any location (aside from private property obviously) that I should avoid/not collect frequently from.

 

-Em

[Fossildude19]

These are some that I adhere to.

 

Follow all rules/laws regarding private and public property.  It is incumbent upon the collector to figure out the laws and rules, and land ownership in their area.

Try to leave the place as clean, if not cleaner, than when you got there. Take out any trash you haul in.

Leave any gates or barriers as you found them upon entering.

Keep in mind that you may find better specimens, so try not to collect everything you see, as space can be an issue. 

Be safe. No one should die or be critically injured just to collect a fossil.

 

See this LINK.

 

PS - Oh, and don't crowd out anyone else who may be collecting the site. 

 

 

 

[Miocene_Mason]

Each place has its own etiquette. Most of it is intuitive, but talk to those who have already hunted there just in case there are some harder to ascertain courtesies. 

[Kane]

If other collectors are in the area, give them room to collect as Tim said above. If someone is working a bench and is leaving rocks out in a conspicuous arrangement to dry, don’t treat them as yours to split. If you encounter tools and buckets hidden away in the bush, it means those collectors are coming back. If people are working above you and you’re passing through, let them know so they can stop and let you pass without getting clobbered by debris. Don’t clog waterways with rock spoils. If you are on a club trip to a quarry and you encounter a rock with flagging tape or spray paint, it’s spoken for.

 

I’m sure there is more if I think about it. 

 

In terms of verboten areas, obviously provincial parks are a no-no, as are most ESAs (environmentally sensitive areas), and those are clearly posted with signs outlining the rules (no removing any rock, flora, or fauna; no cycling; no going off the path).

[ynot]

Don't dig uphill from other collectors. 

[caldigger]

2 hours ago, ynot said:

Don't dig uphill from other collectors. 

Sorry buddy, I didn't know you were down there! 

[Mark Kmiecik]

The most important thing is to use common sense. Also don't hunt downhill from other collectors because they'll have to spend half their time trying not to kill you with debris.

[FossilNerd]

10 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

Keep in mind that you may find better specimens, so try not to collect everything you see, as space can be an issue. 

This one always gets me. When I first get to a site the “fever” takes over and I start picking up every little thing I see. Especially if it’s been a while since I got out to collect. I tend to take a few smaller containers that I can start out with. I will start out putting fossils in them and run out of space fairly quickly. It reminds me to calm down and take only take what I consider to be the better specimens. 

 

Most of the time I hunt by myself so I tend to be very cognizant of safety. Watching where I step, looking for loose or crumbling over head debris, traffic (if I’m at a road cut) not taking unnecessary chances. I’d rather walk the long way around to something than try to take a shortcut and risk injury. 

[Emthegem]

10 hours ago, Fossildude19 said:

These are some that I adhere to.

 

Follow all rules/laws regarding private and public property.  It is incumbent upon the collector to figure out the laws and rules, and land ownership in their area.

Try to leave the place as clean, if not cleaner, than when you got there. Take out any trash you haul in.

Leave any gates or barriers as you found them upon entering.

Keep in mind that you may find better specimens, so try not to collect everything you see, as space can be an issue. 

Be safe. No one should die or be critically injured just to collect a fossil.

 

See this LINK.

 

PS - Oh, and don't crowd out anyone else who may be collecting the site. 

 

 

 

Okay thanks! I follow most of these rules, never actually encountered any other collectors before so I haven't had to use lots of these rules. Almost all of my fossil hunting takes place in creek or river sides so its typically public property (aside from passing though golf courses). I was mostly just checking to see if there were any obscure ones I might not have heard of.

 

9 hours ago, Kane said:

If other collectors are in the area, give them room to collect as Tim said above. If someone is working a bench and is leaving rocks out in a conspicuous arrangement to dry, don’t treat them as yours to split. If you encounter tools and buckets hidden away in the bush, it means those collectors are coming back. If people are working above you and you’re passing through, let them know so they can stop and let you pass without getting clobbered by debris. Don’t clog waterways with rock spoils. If you are on a club trip to a quarry and you encounter a rock with flagging tape or spray paint, it’s spoken for.

 

I’m sure there is more if I think about it. 

 

In terms of verboten areas, obviously provincial parks are a no-no, as are most ESAs (environmentally sensitive areas), and those are clearly posted with signs outlining the rules (no removing any rock, flora, or fauna; no cycling; no going off the path).

Good to know, if I were to come across tools in a bush, I would have probably thought someone forgot them there.

10 hours ago, WhodamanHD said:

Each place has its own etiquette. Most of it is intuitive, but talk to those who have already hunted there just in case there are some harder to ascertain courtesies. 

1 hour ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

The most important thing is to use common sense. Also don't hunt downhill from other collectors because they'll have to spend half their time trying not to kill you with debris.

When you say hunt downhill you mean physically below them right? I haven't actually ever really seen any other collectors while collecting before so I don't usually hear this term.

 

 

Thanks for the info I appreciate it!

 

-Em

[Mark Kmiecik]

18 hours ago, Emthegem said:

20 hours ago, Mark Kmiecik said:

The most important thing is to use common sense. Also don't hunt downhill from other collectors because they'll have to spend half their time trying not to kill you with debris.

When you say hunt downhill you mean physically below them right? I haven't actually ever really seen any other collectors while collecting before so I don't usually hear this term.

Yup, that's exactly what I mean. If you ever go on a group hunt with a paleo club you will inevitably end up either directly above or below someone. Whoever was in position first has right-of-way, unless they don't know. Then it's your responsibility to politely explain why neither is good. The best thing to do in that case is be offset from vertical alignment by at least 10 feet per 10 feet of rise. If you want to know why, Google avalanche or landslide and look at the proportions and distances between the area affected versus untouched. Both tend to fan out more the further they travel unless confined by terrain. If it's an open incline the affected area will increase exponentially. Something as small as a snowball can be a half mile across at the bottom of the hill, and wet ground or rolling rocks can spread pretty far pretty quickly also. Depending on the terrain being hunted, many of the clubs may require that hardhats be worn at all times while on-site.

 

Also be aware when hunting creek/river exposures, or at cliff bases, that animals above you can dislodge rocks and other debris. I got a steep sand bank sent down towards me once in Wisconsin by a cow that leaned against a fence post at the edge of the sand.

[Bob Saunders]

I know that many do not like to tell of their best sites. I live in boating country and as they say leave a float plan, like a flight plan in case you go missing or get hurt. Don't know about cell service where many of you hunt. or satellite type cell service. Here on the lake shore a 911 call may be answered in another state, so tell them exactly where you are at.  I also do not have a hand held GPS. but my cell phone may do it if lost? and can get a signal. Comments welcome. 

[connorp]

9 hours ago, Bob Saunders said:

I know that many do not like to tell of their best sites. I live in boating country and as they say leave a float plan, like a flight plan in case you go missing or get hurt. Don't know about cell service where many of you hunt. or satellite type cell service. Here on the lake shore a 911 call may be answered in another state, so tell them exactly where you are at.  I also do not have a hand held GPS. but my cell phone may do it if lost? and can get a signal. Comments welcome. 

This is a good point. I always tell a close friend of family member at least the general vicinity of where I'm going. If they have an iPhone, I use the "Share My Location" feature so they can know where I am in real time. Obviously this would be useless out in the middle of nowhere, but I never go anywhere without cell reception.

[Jackson g]

One unsung rule I follow is weird, but one of the things I do is leave a decent find behind in an obviously spot when it's a new location I hunt. I like to think of it as a sacrifice for what mother nature has given me, but others could happily find it if they ventured there or perhaps there's always revisiting the site and stumbling upon it days/months/years later.

[Kane]

1 hour ago, Jackson g said:

One unsung rule I follow is weird, but one of the things I do is leave a decent find behind in an obviously spot when it's a new location I hunt. I like to think of it as a sacrifice for what mother nature has given me, but others could happily find it if they ventured there or perhaps there's always revisiting the site and stumbling upon it days/months/years later.

Not weird at all!  I know many of us who collect an area will set aside conspicuous piles of fossils we don't collect for others to find and enjoy. And this is particularly helpful for those who are not as able to excavate or reach certain parts of a site due to mobility issues, age, lack of tools, etc. 

[Malcolmt]

Yep over the years I have left literally tons of fossils in piles for others to enjoy.....

[Uncle Siphuncle]

In the beginning I took everything.  Today, If I know I won’t cherish a fossil enough to prep it, I generally won’t take it, unless I have standing orders for a trade or donation.  

[jpc]

If you decide to discard a fossil, don't discard it in an area where it did not come form.  That is, either take everything home with you, or sort before you leave a site for site Number 2.  In short, do not pollute one fossil area with fossils form another area.  

[FossilNerd]

1 hour ago, jpc said:

In short, do not pollute one fossil area with fossils form another area.  

I second this. It can really throw you for a loop when trying to ID something. It does me anyway. 

[jdp]

If you have reason to believe that a specific locality is being worked on by professional researchers, don't disturb their quarries and don't excavate fossils which may have been flagged or covered to be retrieved in future summers. There are plenty of other things out there.

[siteseer]

If, while digging with other people or having pizza afterward, you overhear others talk about their fossil trade or sale or someone else's deal, do not pass on that information to other people.  It would seem obvious but it isn't to everybody.  As in any personal or business situation, it's always best to mind your own business.

 

 

[erose]

One thing not mentioned is profiting from "public" sites. There are road cuts, municipal parks, and the odd private property that is open to collect from. And from which we should only collect for our personal collections. Or at the most some extras for educational handouts or the rare trade.  There have been collectors in the past who went into places like that, and then cleaned them out and put it all up for sale. I know of this happening both here in Texas and back on the east coast.  

 

If the landowner or manager gets wind of it, there is a good chance it will quickly be closed off to all. 

[Uncle Siphuncle]

2 hours ago, erose said:

One thing not mentioned is profiting from "public" sites. There are road cuts, municipal parks, the odd private property that is open to collect from which we should only collect for our personal collections. Or at the most some extras for educational handouts or the rare trade.  There have been collectors who went into places like that and cleaned them out and then put it all up for sale. I know of this happening both here in Texas and back on the east coast.  

 

If the landowner or manager gets wind of it, there is a good chance it will quickly be closed off to all. 

I’ve had this done to me in Texas, my “reward” for trying to be nice through sharing personal sites.  

[Fossilguy1954]

Does anyone have any good locations including very precise directions for collecting fossils in the Leiper's Formation near White's Creek Tennessee?

[caldigger]

5 hours ago, Fossilguy1954 said:

Does anyone have any good locations including very precise directions for collecting fossils in the Leiper's Formation near White's Creek Tennessee?

Have you checked out Tennessee in the

"Fossil Locations" topic of the Forum?

[Scylla]

Here is one rule. Whenever a cub Scout is trying to extract a trilobite from the rock, he will always hit the trilobite with the hammer and shatter it. If you see this about to happen, it is your sacred responsibility to stop the carnage and teach them how to hit the rock far, far from the fossil. Or bring the rock saw.