Caleb Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Two weeks ago I had visited this site with very little luck, but on Sunday I decided to try again. A friend of mine who has never been collecting showed some interest that she would like to go. While loading up the car I quickly realized that all of my gear was in the trunk of my fathers car since he drove on the last collecting trip. While disappointing, that was not going to hinder my resolve to go collecting and show a newbie what it's all about. After scrambling for some suitable gear, I loaded up my wooden handled hammer (I miss my Estwing) and a solitary knee-pad and headed out. We arrived at site M6 (that's right, I'm using alpha-numeric site names now) and hiked up to the top of the quarry to begin the hunt. I showed her around the site, pointed out some common fossils, and gave a brief geology lesson about the site and formation. Once the education was over the collecting started. Almost immediately I broke out a rolled Anataphrus vigilans. While not the most uncommon trilobite, it was certainly a good start. Not long after that came a Cupulocrinus angustatus and then I decided to go up a little bit more. When I got to the very top of the exposure, I grabbed the first rock and split it. Lo and behold, there were two rolled trilobite side by side. A short time after that I broke out what should be a nice big prone Flexicalymene sp. which are not common around here. As the day wound down I decided to take some photos of the site since I had forgotten my camera last time. She wanted to take a picture of me collecting, so I gave her the camera and saw a rock that looked tempting. I picked it up and inside was unexpected; a very nice inflated Cupulocrinus angustatus. It was a very successful day at M6 with 4 trilobites and 2 crinoids, and ending the day with Mexican food and Margaritas made it a great day all together. Quarry Wall of site M6 (Maquoketa Fm. Site 6) Top of the quarry Double bugs Prone Flexi Me looking at the crinoid I found The crinoid I was looking at Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Caleb, Great report and Pics! Thanks for sharing those with us! I appreciate being able to see your quarry! I'm continually impressed with your ability to see what lies beneath the rocks! Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Thanks, I very much enjoy "hunting" with you . "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 Great report and thanks for the detailed pictures. I always love learning a bit more about the geology of where others hunt. -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimB88 Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 cool stuff! Do you ever hunt the Galena in southern Wis. or northern Ill? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caleb Posted June 28, 2011 Author Share Posted June 28, 2011 Thanks all. I'm going to try my hand at prepping that crinoid this weekend. I'll post my progress... unless I do a terrible job cool stuff! Do you ever hunt the Galena in southern Wis. or northern Ill? All of the Galena collecting I do is in Northern IA and Southern MN. The Galena Fm. exposed where I collect in Southeast WI is fairly dolomitic, so I stick with collecting the Platteville Fm. when I'm down there. And Illinois is a bit far to drive unless I'm getting into a really good site. Caleb Midwestpaleo.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nandomas Posted June 28, 2011 Share Posted June 28, 2011 Thanks Caleb for the nice reoport. The photos are awesome Nando Erosion... will be my epitaph! http://www.paleonature.org/ https://fossilnews.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trilobiteruss Posted August 11, 2011 Share Posted August 11, 2011 Another cool trip Caleb. Nice crinoid. I used to love looking for crinoids in the Fort Atkinson Mb of the Maquoketa, found a starfish in it as well once. Love your pics, makes me feel like I was back home in Iowa russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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