What does everyone carry their fossils in while hunting?

[Newbie_1971]

Just curious what everyone uses to carry their new found fossils while hunting.

[Tidgy's Dad]

Cargo trousers, and a jacket with lots of pockets if it isn't too hot. 

A fishing tackle box is useful for smaller items, bigger pieces wrapped in newspaper and carried in a sports holdall.

Little plastic tubes for tiny, weeny specimens. 

[FranzBernhard]

Rucksack, nothing else. Specimens wrapped in newspaper.

Franz Bernhard

[Thomas.Dodson]

If specimens are free, more or less uniform in size, and structurally sound, I'll carry them in ziploc bags. If they're fragile and very small I'll use small tackleboxes or separate plastic containers.

 

Big stuff that needs prep work like concretions I just throw in a backpack. If I'm worried about damage or the structural integrity of large things I'll wrap these in aluminum foil usually.

 

Eventually, most things get put in a backpack after all this. If there isn't a lot of material I've been known to just use pockets or carry them in my hands.

 

 

[Elmo]

Little metal boxes with hinged lids for most fossils and my backpack for bigger ones. I always keep a 5 gallon bucket too for bringing back a bit of matrix! 

[FossilDAWG]

Usually I use cloth collecting bags and/or wrap in aluminum foil, all carried in a backpack (some say rucksack).  Sometimes, if I am collecting in a quarry or one of the Florida shell pits, I will strap a 5 gallon pail (or two) to a hand cart that has inflatable tires (they allow a little more flexibility and shock absorbance).

 

Don

[Denis Arcand]

Plastic bag from my local library, if they are suitable for heavy books, they are suitable for fossils. Plus, I can fold them in my pocket when there are empty , not easy to do that with metal boxes 

 

Edited October 5, 2023 by Denis Arcand

[Fossildude19]

I've found  inexpensive box store nail aprons to be handy for carrying small finds while I am collecting. Then I transfer them to bags or containers accordingly.

[Elmo]

22 minutes ago, Denis Arcand said:

Plastic bag from my local library, if they are suitable for heavy books, they are suitable for fossils. Plus, I can fold them in my pocket when there are empty , not easy to do that with metal boxes 

 

It took years of finger exercises to be able to fold them boxes. It’s a seriously rigorous work out that not for the faint of heart. Lol

[Fin Lover]

I got what we used to call a "Fanny pack", but I think they are "Bum bags" now.Same idea that Fossildude has...I Ieave it unzipped while hunting, since I am constantly adding to it.    And zip it up before the hike out.  It has two pockets, so I use one for larger items and one for regular teeth.  But, this wouldn't work with really large fossils.

[SPrice]

All kinds of great answers! I have a retired from work North Face, Surge model, 31 liter backpack. Which also carries my lunch and drinks ( when I remember them ).  If it's a quarry type collecting site, I carry a 5 gal bucket with a foam seat glued to a screw top lid for a seat with 2-3 hammers, various chisels & shims, knee pads, CA, tiny med kit (eyedrops are indispensable in desert climes - always blowing dust) , more snax, a fat pencil,  and whatever else I may need in the bucket. Then an extra empty bucket or milk crate ( with spare milk crates in the car just in case )  with wrapping supplies.  In other scenarios, just the backpack, bucket, two hammers, one wide bit chisel and wrapping supplies. Not too much weight going out since rocks are heavy. My sites are somewhat flat and treeless on the approaches and then slopes, cliffs, ravines, gullies at the collecting sites. 

Edited October 5, 2023 by SPrice

[ScottBlooded]

Backpack and plastic shopping bags, actually. If working with semi delicate material, the bags crinkle up such that, if you do a semi light wrap and your rock isn’t huge, it puffs up enough to provide cushion/shock absorption. Much softer than aluminum foil. Worked for me for years to the degree that I shipped specimens around the world with complete success. You can reuse them, they’re easy to store/light weight. I’m surprised I don’t hear other people using them.

[Newbie_1971]

I used a turkey hunting vest today. Many of pockets and even a pouch on the backside for larger objects.  Would think it would work well for most people. Could pack everything in you would need in most Cases I would think, as well as have a good amount of space to pack things out. Got rained out today, so will find out more later if I  like using it or not. Also ... they make clay shooting/upland game vests that are vented for hot weather which seems that they would be even better for hot/summer fossil hunting.

[biolenvs]

I use an old military surplus backpack and wrap everything in aluminum foil if it needs protection. Very fragile specimens I put in plastic containers.

[Manticocerasman]

most of the time it goes in the back pack wraped in paper or aluminium foil. I also often use a simple bucket when I go fossil hunting to carry the fossils.

 

[FossilNerd]

I have a backpack with all my gear that comes with me. The pack is dropped as a sort of “base of operations”. Larger specimens get wrapped in paper towels for transport in the backpack. Most things go in small cloth bags or old plastic containers (with lids) that I reuse. Like plastic coffee cans, lunch meat containers, small hardware containers, etc. The containers and bags can all be stuffed into the backpack to hike them out to the truck. 
 

Oh… I also have a bucket with extra tools that stays in the truck. It could be used to haul out fossils if needed.

[Mark Kmiecik]

I leave them at home when I go hunting.