silverphoenix Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Well I really want to go to post oak creek this month and I had a few questions: First of all, is there anyone that would meet me and a friend there to show us where to look? Second of all, how deep is the creek where you look, and can you find fossils in good quantities on the banks? Third of all, does everyone just shovel up gravel and sift it on a floating sifter? And lastly, is there any specific equipment I will need and any tips/tricks/hints so I wont go home skunked? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreekCrawler Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 PM sent! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Im sure barry covered it all for you, but for others. Sifting is the main mode of finding teeth. Crawling the gravel beds works well too Not a lot of teeth found in the banks Take a shovel, 1/4in screen sifter, chair, knee pads, water, food. The warter is about knee deep in most places. We usally go in old shoes will warm weather is here, and knee high to waders it the cold weather. I would say a good cross between sifting and surface searching, you should get a fair amount of teeth. As with all hunting, theres the chance to get skunked. Side note: this is a pretty dirty creek. There is a ton of broken glass everywhere. If you are taking kids, keep this in mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreekCrawler Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 Also need to add to watch where you put your hands/feet in that area.This is the home range of the Canebrake Rattlesnake and Possibly Water Moccasins although the Moccasins occur in greater numbers to the East. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bowen Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 When you get to the southbound bridge, just park on the far side, and walk down into the creek. When you get down there, you will be on a large gravel bar. You will be standing on teeth. Go upstream from the bridge, as there are lots of gravel bars that way, and you'll find teeth in there. We were having good luck digging down about a foot, right at the base of the gravel where it meets the water. That's where the bigger teeth are. The shallower gravel will contain better quality teeth, but much smaller. I suggest you sift into a bucket and keep the tailings if you want to find really small ones. They will be plentiful in the gravel that falls through the screen. After sifting one batch, I found 3 or 4 sitting on my leg. I'm sure many many more fell through to the ground. Here's a picture of where we were digging. And as already said, bring ALOT of water. You can't have too much. There is almost no wind down here, and it gets hot hot. Dave Bowen Collin County, Texas. Paleontology: The next best thing to time travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 4, 2009 Share Posted August 4, 2009 It's a shorter walk than the one down to the Brazos. You will enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted August 5, 2009 Author Share Posted August 5, 2009 Thanks for all the info--and the picture is very helpful because I now know what to expect at the site. It's a very long drive like I said, so I just want to have every advantage possible before I go. When I go is the question---having problems with the girlfriend not wanting me to leave her by herself for a couple days haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oh-Man Posted August 5, 2009 Share Posted August 5, 2009 Chase, I'm sure Barry hit it well for you in the PM. Another word of warning from the safety guy: wear long pants and longsleeved shirt since my last trip to that particular access point produced a nasty case of poison ivy and an equally nasty spider bite! I'd wear mudboots or something that you don't mind getting wet. THere is about 150 years accumulation of washed in garbage, metal, broken bottles, etc. so plan accordingly to protect your feet. 1/4" sifter would be best. Also, there are a few more access points down stream that we've had fun at, too. If I was you I'd haul out a couple of 5 gallon buckets of sifted sand so that you can find the small stuff! Owen What is geology? "Rocks for Jocks!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Definitely bringing rubber boots because I keep hearing about broken glass lol Yeah I'm really excited about getting out there and seeing if the microfossil matrix there is pretty good. From what I hear, the smaller gravel is packed with lots of small vertebrate fossils. The new sifter I invented should work perfectly--I can't wait to test it out on the site. It's a 3 part sifter all contained in a light 5 gallon bucket--1/2", 1/4", and a bugscreen bottom compartment where the microfossil matrix collects after each sifting. I just need GPS coordinates for the site and Lake Texoma now...sheesh why can't I just read maps and follow directions like normal people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kknight Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 What bridge are you mentioning? I just started to go there and I was wondering about the easier to access spots. Amateur Nature Photographer / Fossil Hunter www.naturesstage.com Kevin Knight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traviscounty Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Definitely bringing rubber boots because I keep hearing about broken glass lolYeah I'm really excited about getting out there and seeing if the microfossil matrix there is pretty good. From what I hear, the smaller gravel is packed with lots of small vertebrate fossils. The new sifter I invented should work perfectly--I can't wait to test it out on the site. It's a 3 part sifter all contained in a light 5 gallon bucket--1/2", 1/4", and a bugscreen bottom compartment where the microfossil matrix collects after each sifting. I just need GPS coordinates for the site and Lake Texoma now...sheesh why can't I just read maps and follow directions like normal people? Take hwy 91 North after you get through Denison. That will take you to the L. Texoma Dam. It's funny, I can't seem to use a GPS very well, but I love maps. I guess it comes from my driving around with my dad looking for places to go metal detecting. I was his co-pilot, a title I was very proud of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racevw112 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I have not been since January of this year with Snakekeeper and Jimmy1971. We met at the 75 bridge, but needed a rope to get in and out. They say you can park on the South side of the bridge and walk down. I went to the Travis Street location last year once and at the time you were able to walk down fairly easily. Did find a couple of old bottles and an old red marble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmy1971 Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 Definitely bringing rubber boots because I keep hearing about broken glass lolYeah I'm really excited about getting out there and seeing if the microfossil matrix there is pretty good. From what I hear, the smaller gravel is packed with lots of small vertebrate fossils. The new sifter I invented should work perfectly--I can't wait to test it out on the site. It's a 3 part sifter all contained in a light 5 gallon bucket--1/2", 1/4", and a bugscreen bottom compartment where the microfossil matrix collects after each sifting. I just need GPS coordinates for the site and Lake Texoma now...sheesh why can't I just read maps and follow directions like normal people? don't forget to bring home a 5 gallon bucket full of gravel......it comes in handy when you can't get out to hunt. I sit at my kitchen table with a tray full of gravel and a clip on light over it looking for the small teeth. I have found some good teeth that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted August 6, 2009 Author Share Posted August 6, 2009 Thanks for all the info! I finally have an exact fix on the location. I'll definitely bring back some gravel to go through because I know I won't be able to make the trip that often--gas is too expensive Is the hwy 75 bridge or the travis street bridge more productive? Just walking down is nice, but I have full scale climbing equipment for fossil hunting too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I was thinking of taking a pulley, and a long rope. Tie the pulley onto the bridge, and pull the buckets up with the rope! But I think you have to dodge traffic. I dont remember how much of a shoulder is on the bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CreekCrawler Posted August 6, 2009 Share Posted August 6, 2009 I was thinking of taking a pulley, and a long rope. Tie the pulley onto the bridge, and pull the buckets up with the rope! But I think you have to dodge traffic. I dont remember how much of a shoulder is on the bridge There is not much of a shoulder there.The drivers in that area are not courteous either.Just ask Dave Bowen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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