Remember To Keep Your Eyes And Ears Open For Possible Dangers When Collecting.

[Ridgehiker]

We have grizzlies and cougars in the mountains. Rattlesnakes in the badlands. No concern about them. Enjoy seeing them now and then.

But ticks!....yuck.

I was driving towards Riverton, Wyoming late April about 15 years ago. Stopped and found one of my the best Vertebrate sites ever. There were 12 articulated croc vertebrae, teeth, micro fish jaws, turtle bones, etc. A bag full of stuff in a few minutes. I was like a kid in a candy shop. It was a loose sandy type layer and specimens were coming up as I sieved through the sand with the back of my hand.

Then! Ugh, about a dozen ticks running up my arms...must have been a tick convention and I was their buffet. Got out of there in a flash. Spent time stripped down pulling the monsters off. Found a few later. Yuck. Going through the Canadian customs at Wildhorse, the custom agent used to like to chat as it's a remote crossing. He asked if I was bringing anything into the country and I told him a few stowaway ticks. He just waved me through.

Anyways, never driven back on that road but I know exactly where it is. Needless to say will visit it in Fall if ever again.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Ridgehiker

[mikecable]

Yes I left off ticks and leeches. Especially seed ticks. I was about 12, and we were at Enchanted Rock. I decided to take a short cut through some tall, marshy grass. I saw my first and only blue racer in the field. And picked up about 100 seed ticks everywhere including my genitalia.

Dear Dad refused to help. So there I was in a 14foot Scotty trailer buck naked as my mother held extinguished match heads to all parts of my body including my special private parts.

I hate a seed tick as much as I hate chiggers.

[Raistlin]

If ticks and chiggers are a problem you might want to try this...

http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/56329-the-best-insect-repellent-i-have-ever-used/

I spend all day out and don't have a problem with either.

[Mike Pocock]

Hi,

Had a very close call with the tide in Robin Hoods Bay once, I was so engrossed in looking at the shale that I did not notice the tide had cut me off as I was in a small cove, when I did notice it I had to swim out from shore to get to a part of the beach that was safe, while swimming I got caught in a cross tide and ended up in more trouble. I finally managed to get to the beach, minus my hammer rucksack, one shoe and of course i lost all the fossils I had collected.

I was not to bad at the time but when I was safe on the beach it hit me how stupid I had been, a a bit of shock set in, as well as a bit of vomiting as I had swallowed a lot of water, it took me an hour to calm down.

On top of this, when I got back to my car I had a parking ticket and had to pay a fine.

Always check on tide times when collecting near the sea, I should mention that I had checked but was so engrossed in what I was doing that I lost track of time.

So a tip is to set the alarm on your mobile so that it lets you know when to check on the tide.

Happy hunting

Regards

Mike

[Raistlin]

I would have been in a serious problem as I cannot swim. Well maybe just enough to save my life in still waters. Then you top it off with a ticket as well... Sounds like someone made the fossil gods mad. All joking aside though that sounds terrible. Lucky for me no oceans to drown in here. Though in the spring and this year for instance summer, you need to be aware of possible flash floods or just flood waters. I like to boast about my car/battlewagon Fossil 1 being able to go through things even several inches of water. But you definitely do not want to just drive through any water. It might not even look like it is flowing that fast or is that deep, but things can quickly go sour in situations.

[Runner64]

A cottonmouth snake has been found in my subdivision. My neighborhood is full of tons of little kids and you know how the curiosity can get the best of them. Since I do live in the Chicago suburbs, there are no antidotes to a bite. Sometimes you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Just be careful where you're at, I guess anything is possible.

[JimTh]

I had an eye opener regarding water a few years ago. I drive across a tiny bridge on the way to work each day. It was flooded once and completely underwater, maybe 5-6" or so. There are markers or rails on it, so I could see where to drive and went on over. The next day the water was gone, and so was about 2 feet of asphalt from one end of the concrete bridge. If I had hit that hole, I probably would have been there indefinitely. It had never occurred to me that the water might wash the road out (especially a paved road) and I wouldn't even be able to tell.

But you definitely do not want to just drive through any water. It might not even look like it is flowing that fast or is that deep, but things can quickly go sour in situations.

[erose]

A cottonmouth snake has been found in my subdivision. My neighborhood is full of tons of little kids and you know how the curiosity can get the best of them. Since I do live in the Chicago suburbs, there are no antidotes to a bite. Sometimes you have to be prepared for the unexpected. Just be careful where you're at, I guess anything is possible.

Runner if that was Chicago then it had to have been an escapee because Cottonmouths never range that far north. Where I grew up in SW Ohio everyone was convinced that every dark snake they found along a stream or lake was a Cottonmouth. Nada, even SW Ohio is still too far north for them. Without even being there I would bet money it was just a fat and mean ol' Northern Water Snake.

[erose]

I had an eye opener regarding water a few years ago. I drive across a tiny bridge on the way to work each day. It was flooded once and completely underwater, maybe 5-6" or so. There are markers or rails on it, so I could see where to drive and went on over. The next day the water was gone, and so was about 2 feet of asphalt from one end of the concrete bridge. If I had hit that hole, I probably would have been there indefinitely. It had never occurred to me that the water might wash the road out (especially a paved road) and I wouldn't even be able to tell.

If that water is moving fast six inches against the wheels can push a small car off the road. I've lived here in Texas now 10 years and every year people drown in their cars trying to cross flooded bridges they are convinced can be done safely. Even in there honking big SUVs and Pick ups. As the PSA says: Turn around, don't drown.

[Auspex]

Runner if that was Chicago then it had to have been an escapee because Cottonmouths never range that far north....

I was surprised, but the range of the Western Cottonmouth is expanding:

[JimTh]

I don't doubt that it can, but in my case I was driving a Tacoma (fairly heavy and the body is well above any water) and the water was not going fast at all. The bridge is only 10-15 feet long.

I completely agree with not driving through fast moving water.

If that water is moving fast six inches against the wheels can push a small car off the road. I've lived here in Texas now 10 years and every year people drown in their cars trying to cross flooded bridges they are convinced can be done safely. Even in there honking big SUVs and Pick ups. As the PSA says: Turn around, don't drown.

[erose]

I was surprised, but the range of the Western Cottonmouth is expanding:

Very interesting. Where is this range map found? Global warming? Reduction of natural predators? Surprising to me.