Informal Survey, Texas Field Trips

[erose]

In about two years the American Federation of Mineralogical Societies (AFMS) and the South Central Federation of Mineralogical Societies (SCFMS) will be here in Austin, Texas for the national show. Our local Austin Gem and Mineralogical Society will be hosting this event in conjunction with their annual show, Gem Capers. The Paleontological Society of Austin (PSA) is planning on running a fossil collecting field trip for all interested attendees.

Since we may have a number of out-of-state attendees I would like to get a poll of where in Texas you would like to go? Austin is fairly central and there are some world class sites within 1-3 hours drive if not closer. The trip would probably be on the Sunday of the show weekend (October 25, 2015)

Some of the better known possibilities:

"Whiskey Bridge" Stone City Bluff, Middle Eocene marine specimen locality - 2 hour drive

"The Waco Pit" for Cretaceous pyritized micromorphs and other rare bits - 2 hour drive

Mineral Wells Fossil Park, Pennsylvanian Period marine fauna - 3 hour drive

Jacksboro, TX, Pennsylvanian Period marine fauna - 3-1/2 hour drive

North Sulphur River Upper Cretaceous mixed fauna - 5 hour drive

East Texas Tertiary petrified wood - 4-5 hour drive

And then of course we have plenty of local (1 hour or much less drive) Lower Cretaceous sites that would be pretty cool for those from out of town.

PSA needs to choose the site by this June so the programs and other paperwork can go out.

My plan is to produce a really good field guide for whatever site it is. Some of you may know of the various guides I assembled and wrote when I was with the New York Paleontological Society between 1995-2005. I hope to do even a better job as desk top publishing has come a long way since then.

So please throw in your two cents and also feel free to PM me as you see fit.

Thanks in advance,

Erich Rose

President & Newsletter Editor, Paleontological Society of Austin

[toolbox82]

erose,

I would be more than willing to bring a “Texas Paleocene fossil site” to the individuals in attendance that may not be able to travel out in the field. My thoughts are to load the back my truck bed with the marine shale from the site here and deliver it to the show as a donation to science education.

This could provide a “way cool” means to get kids interested in the sciences and the individuals that may not be able to travel an opportunity for some fossil hunting.

Perhaps, someone may find a new marine invertebrate species. All the shale here has some type of fossil in it, whether it is micro fossils or larger fossils. No one would go home with an empty field sack. Please, just let me know your thoughts on this.

Carl

[RyanNREMTP]

I'm good with which ever. I plan on hitting four of those locations this year. I will definitely put this on my calendar.

[erose]

I'm good with which ever. I plan on hitting four of those locations this year. I will definitely put this on my calendar.

Us locals know all of these are good sites and we visit them often. I'm hoping some of the out of state folks will let us know which ones they find of highest interest.

erose,

I would be more than willing to bring a “Texas Paleocene fossil site” to the individuals in attendance that may not be able to travel out in the field. My thoughts are to load the back my truck bed with the marine shale from the site here and deliver it to the show as a donation to science education.

This could provide a “way cool” means to get kids interested in the sciences and the individuals that may not be able to travel an opportunity for some fossil hunting.

Perhaps, someone may find a new marine invertebrate species. All the shale here has some type of fossil in it, whether it is micro fossils or larger fossils. No one would go home with an empty field sack. Please, just let me know your thoughts on this.

Carl

Carl, That is quite an offer. I can bring the idea up at one of the next planning meetings. The show is still almost two years out so I have no idea where you will be with your excavation by the fall of 2015. The other issue will be that I have no idea where we would dump the material for the show. I don't think the Palmer Events Center will allow us to do it either on the grounds or inside. They have a parking garage, so no big open lot to use. But I certainly wonder if there is a small museum or nature center somewhere that would jump at the chance.

[toolbox82]

erose,

The fossils have been here for millions of years and I have been here for about 42 years. The interest that I have and others in the site, I would bet we will still be studying the fossil finds for years to come. The material can be placed in ice chests or just left in the back of my truck and any spoil material can be placed back in the truck bed to be taken back to the site. I would enjoy attending the show if possible.

A Museum or nature center is a great idea. The only request that I have is the fossils found in the shale will not be sold for monetary gain by the finder. I am not in the business of selling fossils from the site here. My only intentions is to be able to make a small contribution to society that can spark the interest of kids and anyone that may want to gain a better understanding of nature and what is all around us, not just what is on TV or next best video game. Education is major key to success and if this can provide a means, I am more than happy to help.

Carl

[Uncle Siphuncle]

that kind of lead time might let you line up private creek or quarry access with some independent research.

[erose]

that kind of lead time might let you line up private creek or quarry access with some independent research.

Yep, That was one thought. Especially for east Texas petrified wood or marine fossils. But SCFMS went to Jasper last summer for their show so that could be redundant.

The one hitch is that we need to have this nailed down by end of June this year so the planning, programs and brochures can be started. Quarries would be great if it wasn't so far out in advance. We (our club) have had several quarries come and go over the years for two main reasons: the quarry manager, who was happy to have us, moves on and the new guy can't be bothered; and the other is the changing nature of quarries, so the rich spoil piles of one year are replaced or buried with barren material the next. Our field trip chair will call and call and leave messages with no reply. Lately we have had no luck with Clifton where we could get great ammonites, urchins and other Duck Creek goodies.

TXI or one of the other Midlothian quarries could be cool but my experience is that the material can be spotty with maybe a few out of a dozen collectors getting something worthwhile and the rest go home with a couple of teeth and some ratty oysters and phosphate nodules. But it would offer the mineral people a chance at some nice pyrite.

The truth is that for folks from out of town or state I could take them on an all day hunt thru the Walnut Formation between Austin and Harker Heights and folks would go home with amazing collections. But maybe us locals would just be bored with that.