What Are The Parameters Of Your Collecting?

[Missourian]

We would love to collect anything and everything, but that is not possible. How have you limited yourself? I.e. what are the parameters of your 'serious' collecting?

In my case, I've limited myself to Pennsylvanian and Pleistocene material found in and around Kansas City that can be 'comfortably' collected during a day trip. KC just happens to lie directly in the middle of the 150-mile-wide Penn. outcrop belt.

[Fossildude19]

Neat topic. I think many collect what is readily available to them.

Locally, I can only collect Early Jurassic fish, plants, and sometimes dino-prints, But primarily I focus on the fish and plants.

I do manage to collect in upstate NY (Devonian) every summer, so I try to keep it to Trilos and gastropods with occasional cephalopods and brachiopods from there.

Regards,

[Missourian]

Neat topic. I think many collect what is readily available to them.

In my case, by "serious", I mean "trying to obtain a fine example of every genus (or even species) that can be found". There is Ordovician, Mississippian and Permian material to be had within a two-hour drive, but I'm afraid I'd go crazy with collecting in it. In any case, though, I won't turn my nose up at a nice blastoid or receptaculid.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Missourian

[Cris]

I've limited my collecting to Florida vertebrates in the past, but I'm looking forward to expanding my range to include Georgia and Alabama pretty soon. I went to a fossil show and saw some insane Alabama cretaceous material yesterday, so I'm fired up about traveling a bit.

[Herb]

I collect any thing that doesn't walk on dry land.

[Uncle Siphuncle]

quality, variety, self found

[old dead things]

No boundaries.

Having a business, one must find what the public wants. Originally started Old Dead Things selling cretaceous fossil from the Pierre and Cody shale. Now fossils from around the world, rocks, gems and minerals. I collect as much as I can collecting it myself, but alas age is catching up to desire. I've found as I have expanded so have my experiences. I never thought I'd become a spelunker, manager of fish quarry, find a mosasaur or collect dinosaur material.

I'm always wondering what experience is going to be next and many of these experiences would never have happened if I had limited myself to one collection.

Jim

Old Dead Things

[JimB88]

I have goals to collect in a wider variety of ages. So Im looking forward to ranging out more. I dont want to limit myself to a single period or type of fossil. The exploration is part of the draw for me!

[cowsharks]

I have a couple of main locations and formations that I routinely collect. I have a couple of others that I'm holding onto in "reserve". These will take a bit more work to collect - someday.

For the last 17 years I've essentially been a hoarder, just collecting, no cataloging or anything, just sorting to keep it all straight. I don't take home everything I find - I leave some for others and try to only take home better quality stuff. After I sort it at home, I set aside the 2nds and usually give them away to kids, coworkers, etc. When I first started I thought I would be content to have one nice specimen of each of of shark tooth that I could find from the Miocene of Calvert Cliffs; who was I kidding - I had no idea how hooked I would become on collecting. In the beginning it was all about finding new specimens and more of them. Now its more about the actual hunt, the fresh air, and being content with more meager finds these days. Even on bad days all I have to do is think about the awesome stuff I have at home and how blessed I've been to find the stuff I have.

Daryl.

[masonboro37]

This is an interesting topic! I have limited myself to the areas which are near to me to collect. So, Cretaceous, Eocene, Miocene, Plicoene and Pleistocene North Carolina/South Carolina marine specimens have been my normal enthusiastic desire. I have been so enveloped in echinoids and gastropods and that I have not taken the time to "stop and smell the fossil's", instead of the normal "roses". I have turned my craft room into a fossil room to some sorts and keep adding on to it. In the last few days I have decided to add other fossils to my collection from other part's of the world. I am so excited to stray from my norm. Yep, I am one of the fossil hunter's which sometimes toss and turn before a hunt, so anticipating the next day. I bet there are other's which do the same!

Edited February 25, 2013 by masonboro37

[xonenine]

there are two types of places I go to collect here in Buffalo.One is "creek cobble" and Lake Erie shore, along with the silica fossils for the mineralization, (agatized, geodized etc) for lapidary fun.

then there are the many local sites for Mid Devonian invertebrates, which I am pretty much done bringing any home by now, 'cept trilobites, and fresh ones to trade, or something I never found

[PRK]

I enthusiastically agree with danwoehr !

[Missourian]

Having found much of the low-hanging fruit, I seek out the rare, the tiny, and the obscure to round out my collection. I still take the common stuff home, though. Most end up in the pile, but occasionally a few replace specimens in the top drawer.

[BobWill]

Having found much of the low-hanging fruit, I seek out the rare, the tiny, and the obscure to round out my collection. I still take the common stuff home, though. Most end up in the pile, but occasionally a few replace specimens in the top drawer.

Yes, "top drawer" says it all. The real joy is adding a new species to what I display but I also enjoy replacing old ones with better preserved ones. Otherwise for me it's what I can find locally, mostly marine, mostly inverts except teeth and occasional vertebra. Being in North Central Texas that's still a wide variety of formations and even eras so it's not a very narrow focus, but I'm planning on adding a room on the house

[jpc]

quality, variety, self found

Ditto.

I consider my fossiling grounds to be Wyoming and the world. I like to collect different things when I leave the state, hence my European vacation a few years ago. My main areas here are late Cretaceous (ammonites and dinosaurs etc) , Eocene, (crocs, turtles, mammals etc) and White River Fm mammals.

[Terry Dactyll]

Quality specimens of lower jurassic ammonites... and upper carb plants & critters...

[Ludwigia]

Like Tim and others have noted, my serious collecting takes place close to home in particular Middle Jurassic layers. Ammonites have become a specialty simply due to their abundance and also due to the fact that they have fascinated me from day one. As with Missourian and BobWill, the more time you spend poking around your back yard, the more interesting rarities come to light, so I also always keep my eyes open for the out of the ordinary and take the time to inspect things more closely. And like Dan & jpc, "quality, variety and self found" are principles which are dear to me. The quality of the "top drawers" increase with time and the former best finds find their way eventually to other owners as gift, trade or sale. As far as variety is concerned, I'm interested in just about everything from the Ediacara through to the Dodo, so if a chance shows itself to collect or trade for something outside of my normal hunting grounds, then I'll jump at it, as long as the first principal fits. But the third principle is almost a golden rule for me. Finding it yourself is in my opinion really the icing on the cake and you learn a heck of a lot in a short time sometimes in order to bring yourself into a position to be able to do that. I think I've only bought one fossil in 20 years of collecting and that was only because I wasn't able to find one of them even after 10 years of searching. Funnily enough, I found one only one year later. I've nothing against trading, but I normally don't go out looking for it unless there's an action going on when I get together with other collectors.

Edited February 25, 2013 by Ludwigia

[siteseer]

I haven't really thought about limiting myself. I have collected around California mostly (Bakersfield, Scotts Valley, Carmel, Orange County, etc.) but sometimes I have managed to check out a site while away on business or on roadtrips (Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Florida). If I find myself in some other state or country on business or vacation, I will look where I am allowed.

Jess

We would love to collect anything and everything, but that is not possible. How have you limited yourself? I.e. what are the parameters of your 'serious' collecting?

In my case, I've limited myself to Pennsylvanian and Pleistocene material found in and around Kansas City that can be 'comfortably' collected during a day trip. KC just happens to lie directly in the middle of the 150-mile-wide Penn. outcrop belt.

[Missourian]

To be more specific, I have different 'levels' of collecting:

1. 'Serious' collecting - This involves systematically obtaining the Pennsylvanian and Pleistocene material of the area. I'll do extensive research on promising sites and strata, and then make my way there to see what comes up. By now, I've found all the easy stuff in the local-most Missourian rocks, and am now trying to figure out where to find good exposures of Desmoinesian and Virgilian rocks further out. So many strip coal mines, so much distance to cover....

2. 'Casual' collecting - Occasionally, I'll plan collecting trips out to western Kansas, or I'll serendipitously find fossils during a trip, as I did in New Mexico last year. Once in a while, I may buy or trade for fossils, such as some Nummulites from a fellow forum member.

Edited February 26, 2013 by Missourian

[stonesnbones]

My job is my greatest limitation to collecting. Since I don't get much vacation time, I have to make the most of each and every opportunity I get. When I do collect, I end up with a lot of extra fossils, most of which I give away to children. I tend to keep fossils that are extremely unusual or tell a very interesting story. I never go to a site looking for a particular creature, because I generally don't find what I truly desire. For me, fossil collecting is like being a child on Christmas morning, I like being surprised. Most I the time, I am......

[Missourian]

I never go to a site looking for a particular creature, because I generally don't find what I truly desire.

Indeed. This guarantees that you will not find the desired fossil. Only when you're walking back to the car at the end of the day will it turn up.

[KansasFossilHunter]

If comes from the Smoky Hill Chalk- I collect it

[smokeriderdon]

I consider all collecting I do to be serious. No matter what, I am looking for the best and coolest stuff I can find. I am sure that applies to everyone here, whether they said that or not.

I do not limit myself. If I have an opportunity to collect, I do so. It matters not the age or fossils. I know a lot of people are vert snobs or slimer lovers or specialize in certain formations or families or the like. Not me. If it is a fossil, I will collect it.

[Bullsnake]

Ah, is this what you were alluding to when you asked me the other day?

I guess variety is a better answer than my 'flavor of the month' response. Not that I lose interest, though.

Having said that, being amateur I've felt that a varied interest is inhibiting a grasp of any one thing. It's all just fascinating to me.

I do love finding things in the microscope, too, when I can't be out in the field.

[siteseer]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Wherever I hunt, I hope for the best. If I can find examples of what's common and something uncommon, whatever it is, that's cool. Finding one decent/interesting specimen is a bonus especially at some sites. I have a collection of fossil invertebrates from different parts of California that way.

I'm mostly interested in shark teeth but if a friend says, "Hey Jess, you want to go with us and prospect some sites," I will go if I can. Prospecting often means scouting sites that turn out to be unproductive but it's great when you find a few decent things just lying on the surface because no one else has been there in years. When we strike out, we settle for finding some decent pizza in the area.

I consider all collecting I do to be serious. No matter what, I am looking for the best and coolest stuff I can find. I am sure that applies to everyone here, whether they said that or not.

I do not limit myself. If I have an opportunity to collect, I do so. It matters not the age or fossils. I know a lot of people are vert snobs or slimer lovers or specialize in certain formations or families or the like. Not me. If it is a fossil, I will collect it.