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Amateur Looking for Some Tips


Mr. San-ito

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Hey everyone! I'm extremely new to the game (well I grew up digging in my backyard after watching Jurassic Park, but that got nowhere), and I'm looking for some tips or even possible sites to dig along I-10 West. I'm headed back home, San Antonio to El Paso, and was trying to look into possible dig stops along the way.

 

Thanks to some amazing guides and tips (Uncle Siphuncle, all thanks to you) I've reignited my childhood passion to start hunting again. Unfortunately I won't have the opportunity to go further north for bigger finds, but I quite happy with just stumbling across the small ones as it is so I'm not looking for the big ones, yet. Currently I don't have much, variety of species that is, and I'm not even close to being able to identify what I have in my collection, so even the small stuff is a huge find to me.

 

So thus rises my question: does anyone have good tips, or, if so generous, a decent site along the route that would be a worthwhile stop? Or even more so, any papers or guides that would help me find these spots? I plan to stop in a few places anyways for some entomology hunting as well, so if I could plan to hit everything in advance it'll turn a long drive into an adventure.

 

My deepest gratitude's in advance!

 

(Oh and if anyone knows a good way to safely get a large fragile shell out of rock, some tips on that would be great, although I'll probably have to post elsewhere on that!)

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Welcome to the forum!

 

your post resonated with me as I did exactly the same thing as a kid!

it was pre-Jurassic Park, but I just wanted to see what was there. Think I got a 3 m deep pit and hit hard gravels.

 

Cant help with sites in that area, but just thought I would say Hi.

 

Probably best to post another thread in the fossil prep tools and techniques section of the forum. Photos will help. There are many ways to expose a fossil and it depends on what the shell and the rock are made of, and how hard the rock is.

 

Welcome aboard my friend.

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Welcome to the forum. I also can't help out directly with sites, but I'd suggest you browse the Fossil Hunting Trips rubrick and Texas under Fossil Sites-USA if you haven't done so already.

 

Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger

http://www.steinkern.de/

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I dont know if there are some local geology clubs in your area, If so, this would be a great way to start :)

 

growing old is mandatory but growing up is optional.

 

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PM sent

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

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8 hours ago, Mr. San-ito said:

Hey everyone! I'm extremely new to the game (well I grew up digging in my backyard after watching Jurassic Park, but that got nowhere), and I'm looking for some tips or even possible sites to dig along I-10 West. I'm headed back home, San Antonio to El Paso, and was trying to look into possible dig stops along the way.

 

Thanks to some amazing guides and tips (Uncle Siphuncle, all thanks to you) I've reignited my childhood passion to start hunting again. Unfortunately I won't have the opportunity to go further north for bigger finds, but I quite happy with just stumbling across the small ones as it is so I'm not looking for the big ones, yet. Currently I don't have much, variety of species that is, and I'm not even close to being able to identify what I have in my collection, so even the small stuff is a huge find to me.

 

So thus rises my question: does anyone have good tips, or, if so generous, a decent site along the route that would be a worthwhile stop? Or even more so, any papers or guides that would help me find these spots? I plan to stop in a few places anyways for some entomology hunting as well, so if I could plan to hit everything in advance it'll turn a long drive into an adventure.

 

My deepest gratitude's in advance!

 

(Oh and if anyone knows a good way to safely get a large fragile shell out of rock, some tips on that would be great, although I'll probably have to post elsewhere on that!)

Have you been to Shell Canyon yet? Fossil scallops the size of your hand! It is a well known site, so a Google search will give you the location. I'm also an insect collector. A white gold umbrella and a IN flashlight are great for summer desert collecting!

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8 hours ago, Doctor Mud said:

Welcome to the forum!

 

your post resonated with me as I did exactly the same thing as a kid!

it was pre-Jurassic Park, but I just wanted to see what was there. Think I got a 3 m deep pit and hit hard gravels.

 

Cant help with sites in that area, but just thought I would say Hi.

 

Probably best to post another thread in the fossil prep tools and techniques section of the forum. Photos will help. There are many ways to expose a fossil and it depends on what the shell and the rock are made of, and how hard the rock is.

 

Welcome aboard my friend.

Thank you for the tip, not use to all the sub forums yet, so I'll be sure to give those a look and post as well!

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7 hours ago, Ludwigia said:

Welcome to the forum. I also can't help out directly with sites, but I'd suggest you browse the Fossil Hunting Trips rubrick and Texas under Fossil Sites-USA if you haven't done so already.

Ah, I didnt't even think of that, thank you! I'll be sure to give it a look.

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Some great road cuts along I-10. If you cross reference the Texas Geo Map with Google Satellite you will probably find some decent locations. Of course, the farther you go off the beaten trail (other roads besides I-10) the better the results are likely to be...

 

While it's always nice when someone shares locations with you, this is a rarity. Additionally, there is nothing quite like the thrill of enjoying the fruits of your own investigative efforts.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Manticocerasman said:

I dont know if there are some local geology clubs in your area, If so, this would be a great way to start :)

 

I've actually tried looking for some here in the SA area but to no avail. I believe back in the EP area my old teacher has a group so I will most likely join that.

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5 minutes ago, facehugger said:

Some great road cuts along I-10. If you cross reference the Texas Geo Map with Google Satellite you will probably find some decent locations. Of course, the farther you go off the beaten trail (other roads besides I-10) the better the results are likely to be...

 

While it's always nice when someone shares locations with you, this is a rarity. Additionally, there is nothing quite like the thrill of enjoying the fruits of your own investigative efforts.

 

 

Thank you, I'll look into that. 

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Some of the formations can be hit or miss. So if you stop at one cut and don't find anything go to the next one and so on. Eventually you'll hit a winner. 

 

Also, a word of caution on those I-10 road cuts.  Don't stop along the interstate itself, get over onto the frontage roads. It is illegal to stop along an interstate highway for any reason other than a breakdown or emergency. 

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I agree with erose! Always, if hunting by any roadway wear safety colors and if near any road cuts with highwalls wear a hardhat...and don't forget and be aware of the "critters" under and in between the rocks, especially during the spring and summer months!

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WELCOME TO ALL THE NEW MEMBERS!

If history repeats itself, I'm SO getting a dinosaur. ~unknown

www.rockinric81.wixsite.com/fossils

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