Gatorman Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Post your best finds from this month here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Here are mine, they are actually from the end of July, and they really aren't much to look at, but there is a good story. ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 The story begins in the 1920's. Missouri has some good fossils, but most are paleozoic. Here is the southeast portion, we have unique strata that the rest of the state doesn't have. About the time the Cope and Marsh feud was getting dinos in the limelite, the Missouri state geologists thought that there were probably Cretaceous layers down here, and went through alot of fieldwork to see. Dinosaurs were finally found. We also have Eocene material (which was suspected but unproven at the time), divided into two groups, the Ackerman clay, and the Holly Spring sandstone. Neither of which has any fossils to speak of (Holly Springs has a little poorly preserved petrified wood). Some of this clay was being made into drainage tiles by the Post Brothers Clay company of Commerce MO. The owners noticed that some of the clay has leaf impressions. He contacted Dr. Duckworth, of the local University, who went and sampled the clay, which is near a town called Idalia, MO. The clay pit went out of business in the late 1920's, and was actually completly dismanteled when the samples were taken. Dr. Duckworth collected over 300 specimens, which he sent to the National Museum (Smithsonian), they were identified by Dr. Stephenson and Dr. Barry as correlating with the Fort Union Formation. They then sent back a number of specimens from the Fort Union in exchange for these fossils, which I assume are still at the Smithsonian. Around 1940, Dan Steward wrote an essay describing the Mesozoic and Cenozoic rock of S. E. Mo., He wanted to raise the Idalia clay to its own member, because of the fossils and other characteristics that seperate it from the other Eocene deposit, he states "After being air dried for a few days, these clays split readily under the blows of a hammer along their parting planes. When broken in this manner, beautiful impressins of fossil leaves are almost always found". Soon after, WWII started, Dr. Stewart was transferred to Western Mo., looking at strategic metal deposits. After the war, he went to work for private industry, and his manuscript was never published. Dr. Duckworth died, and with them, the site was lost. Dr. Duckworth amassed a huge collection of fossils, but all of the paperwork was largely gone when his collectins were moved from building to building. I know the lady who was eventually asked to clena it all up. She did the best she could, and some of the material was put into a box for giveaways. I found these specimens in the box, I had reead Dr. Duckworth's reports, and Dr. Stewards manuscript, so I knew what they were. ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 This is the front and back of another specimen. So now I had local directions, if I could only find the pit. ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashcraft Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 For the last 3-4 years I have been looking for the site, asking questions of other collectors, geologists, anybody who I thought might have a clue, but to no luck. I finally finished my thesis in June, and that left me some free time for the summer, so I decided I would try the county goverment. They had no idea how to help me, but I did come across an older gentlman, who was associated with the historical society, and he actually traced down somebody who used to lived in that area in the 1930's, and they figured out where the site was. They called the landowner for me, who graciously gave me permission to go look, although he was sure no clay pit could have been there. This is what the site looked like. We only took two hand picks, so we couldn't get a real good sample, but I did fill up a five gallon bucket with small chunks, with hopes that I would find maybe one impression. About half of the materialhad degraded to soil, so couldn't be split, but the other half worked well. I found pieces to over 25 different leaves in those small chunks, which two of are pictured in the first photos. Nothing truly collectible, but I know that I found the site. The imprints are well preserved, as stated, and maybe someday I'll be able to get back there with a pick and shovel..... ashcraft, brent allen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Well since so many here are shark tooth orriented, I guess my best find this month was this rare Cretodus arcuatus tooth I found at the pond, here in East NC. I found it walking the shore where it was exposed by the weather-as clean and pristine as you would want to find! Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest N.AL.hunter Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Great story. I remember you asking about this stuff earlier on a forum posting. Really neat to hear the outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Owens Posted August 7, 2009 Share Posted August 7, 2009 Most definitely my best find of the month - - - every month! -----"Your Texas Connection!"------ Fossils: Windows to the past Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawooten Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 These were found with pyrite on them. The best days are spent collecting fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Find of the Month... or find of the Year for me !!! Seven years without none of them But I got it PS: this is a PERSONAL find http://www.mbfossilcrabs.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 These were found with pyrite on them. Nice. Are they from Ohio? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron E. Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Most definitely my best find of the month - - - every month! I vote for this guy!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracer Jr. Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 those brachs are way too cool! and MB i love the crab. i'm jealous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jax Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I found this last week. Fossil pearl. second one is a Cretoxyrhina mantelli. One of the biggest I have found to date! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawooten Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Nice. Are they from Ohio? Yes from Ohio The best days are spent collecting fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercurycomet Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Post your best finds from this month here! Mine from Lake Erie waterline. craig amendola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldom Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I am voting for Mike this month and every month unless I find my car keys then I am voting for me Galveston Island 32 miles long 2 miles wide 134 bars 23 liquor stores any questions? Evolution is Chimp Change. Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain! "I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen." Ernest Hemingway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoenixflood Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 These were from my last trip. If you know about the bay Echs are hard to find, I found a nice chunk of one. I also found a close to 2" retroflexus and a 2 3/4' meg The soul of a Fossil Hunter is one that is seeking, always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megateeth Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Mine so far.. Almost 5.75". Megateeth Fossils - Megalodon Teeth, Other Shark Teeth and Info about Megalodon shark tooth collecting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seldom Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Megateeth man that is some nice color in the first pic. Great tooth Galveston Island 32 miles long 2 miles wide 134 bars 23 liquor stores any questions? Evolution is Chimp Change. Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning to dance in the rain! "I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen." Ernest Hemingway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawooten Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Bill I'd vote for yours. The best days are spent collecting fossils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haddy Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Well, the month isn't even half over yet! So hopefully, I'll have more to add later. So far, this is my best find for this month. I was real happy when I found it. It's not a meg -- but this tooth is huge for NJ. I'm including a photo of where I found it (and have to confess walking over it to eat lunch!), as well as some really nice teeth from previous finds to compare the size of this find to normal nice, large teeth. I was stunned when I saw it -- and to think that I nearly didn't find it!! It was in an odd area, never found teeth in that spot before, but will surely check it out in the future! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notorynchus Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Here are my best finds of August : 1) Somniosus microcephalus , Pliocene , Antwerp area ( sorry for the poor photo quality ) 2)Megachasma sp , Pliocene , Antwerp area Frederik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alopias Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 very nice teeth Frederik ! is very difficult to find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notorynchus Posted August 13, 2009 Share Posted August 13, 2009 Thanks Frederik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts