FLMNH News Flashes

[Shellseeker]

While searching for Information today,  I came across these news flashes on the University of Florida Museum of Natural History website.

I found this additional info related to the 2nd item,

Quote

This website is designed to provide basic information about each of these species, images of fossils in the Florida Museum collection, and citations to the primary scientific literature to provide a guide to those seeking further information. The species accounts are linked with the Vertebrate Fossil Sites of Florida, which provide information on the localities which have produced these fossils. The intended audiences are students and educators, amateur and professional paleontologists, and any others interested in paleontology.

I am posting to give @digit an opportunity to comment on both...

I had recently heard 2nd hand from a Sheriff deputy in Polk county that there is an effort to pass a similar ban on all Peace River feeder creeks in Polk county.  I am sure it will be a contentious topic but easily passable since I think most people, not fossil hunters or land owners adjacent to creeks do not consider it a priority either way.

[digit]

The first story about fossil collecting in the creeks in Gainesville is completely factual. There have been laws on the books prohibiting such fossil collection for decades though they have not been stringently enforced. Within the last few years with the help of social media and what seems like a mania for megs has created a perfect storm. Guides who for some time brought fossil hunters to Gainesville in search of shark teeth have more and more advertised that hunters could get megs. Of course, Gainesville creeks like most other fossil sites that have megs are not loaded with that species--they are a comparatively rare taxon.

 

The story that I've heard is that one such guide was "going the extra mile" to try to ensure his paying customers got their megs as advertised. This required massive amounts of sifting and resulted in the wholesale destruction of some of the creek banks. As virtually all of these creeks run through people's properties, the owner of one such property was nonplussed when they discovered a section of their yard dug up. It's the "one bad apple" syndrome which resulted in a much stricter crack down of laws already on the books.

 

As it stands now creeks in Gainesville that run through private property may only be hunted for fossils with the express permission of the property owner. Even then the Alachua County EPA regulates actions on the creeks and monitors water quality so digging in the banks is still a no-no and only limited digging for fossil hunting is allowed. This has effectively stopped all (legal) fossil hunting in the Gainesville creeks--unless you know a land owner or happen to have a creek on your property (as I am lucky to have). There is one commercial pay-dig operation in Gainesville. He is doing it legally on private property with permission. He uses small scoops as shovels and will not tolerate any abuse of the creeks. If you are found digging in the banks or doing any behaviors prohibited when signing up, the owner states that he will alert the authorities himself. He's operating within the rules and wishes to provide this as a means for future generations to legally enjoy the thrill of finding shark teeth in the Gainesville creeks. I had no qualms about recommending him to visitors who were visiting the Fantastic Fossils exhibit last year. Families with kids who were too young to join the dig at Montbrook were able to have an enjoyable experience fossil hunting in town.

 

It's a shame that it can't be more open like it used to be decades in the past but with the increased notoriety in these social media days, the hunting pressure (and abuses) were getting too high to allow unsupervised creek hunting in town any longer. It's similar to stories we've heard from many other fossil hunting localities.

 

 

As far as the FLMNH's list of Florida sites producing vertebrate fossils, the museum has a short write-up on many of the more important sites in Florida. Virtually all of these sites are either no longer available or are well known sites like the Peace River or are sites where supervised volunteer digs are available through the FLMNH (Thomas Farm & Montbrook).

 

Hope this clears things up. Willing to answer any additional questions that arise.

 

 

Cheers.

 

-Ken

[Shellseeker]

3 hours ago, digit said:

Hope this clears things up. Willing to answer any additional questions that arise.

Thanks, Ken.... Very informative as usual.

 

I recall hunting a Gainesville creek in 2011,  when I was visiting for some other reason. This was without incident, and there were obviously some homes nearby. Never saw any no trespassing signs. 

As you indicate , there was an unprecedented increase in hunting pressure on the Peace River during the Covid years. I think that has backed off a lot in the the last 18 months.

 

Because I love communing with nature, I generally try to reach those places where I spot more Alligators than people and seeing a house definitely removes that location from my bucket list. Florida is a big State and I hope the next generations can enjoy the fossil hunting hobby as I have.. They will just have to drive farther than the 125 miles I do currently...