Hunting the Miocene

[Shellseeker]

I frequently return to interesting locations to hunt, so I have a history over time of what is available. and I note differences between the locations on the Peace River.  I was out Sunday,

We started at one location and spent 2 hours hunting... Always find shark teeth but that is quite a bit of time for so few teeth. I like the small bit of coral... likely could be Identified from the corallites. Note the number of Hemipristis serra and G. mayumbensis. I always wonder about the age of the fossils I find, even though I realize the Peace River is a  washing machine of different aged fossils. 

So I think about just how old is the location that contains these teeth. I always have a lot of time to think while digging for fossils...  Here is an interesting thread from TFF experts on G. mayumbensis.. 

Giving the low number of finds,  we decide to move about 100 yards down stream... Definitely better, more finds but note the number of H. serra and G. mayumbensis.  That is a LOT of Mayunbensis !!! more than I have found in any Peace River location in a day of hunting over 15 years... 

Note the whitish roots and colored blades right out  of the Peace River. There is a single small P. contortus directly above the row of Mayumbensis. 

Above the shark teeth are 5 broken pieces of Stingray mouth plate, a possible broken Crocodile tooth, and a fish Vertebra.

 

Top row on the left....

Some Sea Urchin spines, Sawfish Rostral teeth and one of my favorites

I found this piece last spring, 50 feet away

 

and finally a couple of fossils that might not be marine based...

Likely Giant Armadillo or Glyptodon, but unrecognizable...   and finally

 

Unsure here, I usually associate this texture of bone with marine mammal,  but the underside make it look like turtle,  maybe sea turtle.

 

Lots of questions,  some hints,  few answers...  Enjoy

[Fossildude19]

Great report and finds, Jack!

Always enjoy your posts. 

Thanks for the vicarious ride-along. 

[Shellseeker]

17 minutes ago, Fossildude19 said:

Great report and finds, Jack!

Always enjoy your posts. 

Thanks for the vicarious ride-along. 

Thanks, Tim... I enjoy the finds, trips, and fossils described by members across the world:   Texas, New York, Alaska, Morocco, South Africa, Australia, Ireland, France, Germany,  Ukraine,  Russia, and I like to share the story from Florida for current and future members.

[Balance]

I don’t like when the master hunter doesn’t have the best day. However, in positives,  the weather has been most enjoyable, the water isn’t “pea soup”, and it’s better than walking a treadmill!  So I guess I’ll let you find just sharks teeth once in a while.  
 

hoping to go out again Sunday. 
 

Have you ever hunted the Alifia, Jack? Drove over it on a backroad this weekend. Got out to look around the bridge. Saw some gravel banks downstream and got to dreaming…

 

Thank you!

 

Jp

[Shellseeker]

22 hours ago, Balance said:

Have you ever hunted the Alifia, Jack? Drove over it on a backroad this weekend. Got out to look around the bridge. Saw some gravel banks downstream and got to dreaming…

I was forced to make choices.  2015-2017 I was retired and hunting 4-5 times every week. I wanted to learn thru hunting experience,  which fauna and fossils occur at which locations, In early 2016, I checked out the Alifia River launching from John Anderson park 2-3 times. I recall finding a very nice Hemiauchenia tooth and many small shark teeth,  I was overloaded mapping out the Peace River and had just discovered a Blancan site, both of which were delivering higher levels of fossil hunting success.  I never returned to the Alifia.

 

Sorry for delay,  out hunting today,  another gorgeous day weather wise. 

[Balance]

Words I had to look up in order to understand Jack’s causal response?  Two. 
 

Words in the definitions of those words I need to look up? All of the words. 
 

 

Blancan site
Hemiauchenia  

 

Thank you for teaching me something. Maybe the Alifia runs low when the peace runs high? Different watershed completely. I’m gonna do some research on the best water levels to canoe at because Balance can run anything a canoe can. That’s a river I’d rather park downstream and put in at Alderman’s Ford or something. Rather than do a round trip. 
 

Have a great night! 
 

Jp

[Rock Hound]

Those are some really nice Tigers!!!

[Shellseeker]

13 hours ago, Rock Hound said:

Those are some really nice Tigers!!!

I have become more interested because they may help me better date a hunting location...

 

My hunting area, Bone Valley Florida, as far as I know does not have any Eaglesomi or Articus. I find the other 4 (Mayumbensis, Aduncus, Contortus, and Cuvier) and some are outstanding. The 1st 3 went extinct in the Miocene, while Cuvier started in the Miocene and exists today.   It is possible to find all 4 in the Peace River, but that never happened in all my hunting trips.

 

 

[Shellseeker]

19 hours ago, Balance said:

Words I had to look up in order to understand Jack’s causal response?  Two. 

Words in the definitions of those words I need to look up? All of the words. 
Blancan site
Hemiauchenia  

I went thru 60 years and never knew those words plus thousands of others. I have had an education in earth's history, geology, paleontology  over these last 10 years,  helped immensely by the members on this forum. I have read at least 10 research papers a year and dive deeply into questions about fauna that went out of existence millions of years ago.  It has been a great ride and it continues.  Jack

[Fin Lover]

22 hours ago, Balance said:

Words I had to look up in order to understand Jack’s causal response?  Two. 

Yeah, I still have that problem on this forum. 

[Bone Daddy]

Good to see us river rats getting back out on the water. Which, by the way, how does the water look? I assume all traces of that horrid algae bloom are now gone?

 

I've been keeping an eye on the gauges and am waiting for the current to slack off just a little more. I like it lower than you do. 

 

[Shellseeker]

9 hours ago, Bone Daddy said:

Good to see us river rats getting back out on the water. Which, by the way, how does the water look? I assume all traces of that horrid algae bloom are now gone?

 

I've been keeping an eye on the gauges and am waiting for the current to slack off just a little more. I like it lower than you do. 

 

I caught some type of virus and a little languid these last couple of days..

 

The Pea soup is gone , the water is clear.

 

My frequent hunting friend likes knee deep water and I want it slightly over my waist.. Has to do which degenerative cervical disks are aging fastest.  The more I bend my head looking down into a sieve , the greater the pain.. He issues are more in the lower back.. 

 

When I am sure there are no gators around, I like to float hanging down into the deeper pools. 

[AK hiker]

On 11/12/2023 at 8:57 PM, Shellseeker said:

 

 

When I am sure there are no gators around, I like to float hanging down into the deeper pools. 

 

So, how do you know if gators are around? Seems could get your heart level up to come nose to nose with all those teeth while in the water. I keep and eye open for brown bears when out exploring here in Alaska  packing a side arm and pepper spray for deterrent. Sure enjoy seeing your finds too, Thanks.

[Shellseeker]

3 hours ago, AK hiker said:

So, how do you know if gators are around? Seems could get your heart level up to come nose to nose with all those teeth while in the water. I keep and eye open for brown bears when out exploring here in Alaska  packing a side arm and pepper spray for deterrent. Sure enjoy seeing your finds too, Thanks.

Thanks for the question.... As with everything related to our hobby, I seriously investigate the facts about a reptile fully capable of killing me..... like your brown bears in Alaska.. I imagine you have strategies beyond your side arm and pepper spray that might help you avoid or survive  an encounter. My philosophy is if you do not want to be eaten,  do not act like prey.

 

In the best of conditions ,  Alligators seem to prefer hunting at dusk and dawn.. So, I do not fossil hunt at dusk and dawn as an example....

Here is a pretty well known fact in Florida at least

"American Alligators are cold-blooded animals, and their body temperature is based off the temperature of the environment surrounding them. When temperatures in Florida drop below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, alligators lose their appetite, and they stop feeding altogether when temperatures hit 73 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, which is why most alligators live in the southern part of the United States, near Wild Florida airboat rides. Due to their low body temperature from the weather, alligators’ metabolism slows down, allowing them to go without food for months."

 

I used to carry a dual (air and water) Thermometer, but it broke and I have not replaced it yet.  When I am wearing a 5 mm wetsuit, Alligators will not be interested in me and the wetsuit makes me bouyant.

 

When the Temperature goes above 73 degrees, I hunt with a companion,  we both have weapons,  I choose the time of day, the location, clear and relatively shallow water. AND I stay out of deeper pools.  Alligators are an ambush predator,  they want an advantage... I do not give them any...

 

As you know,  nothing is sure except death and taxes. but when it comes to entering the Alligator's home,  I try to make death less likely...

[Coco]

Hi,

 

Very wise behavior !

 

Coco

[Rock Hound]

On 11/9/2023 at 12:16 AM, Rock Hound said:

Those are some really nice Tigers!!!

Yes sir, they are!!!