Peg’s Florida Fossil Hunts

[IdahoPeg]

Last month I started to get a bit bored with my usual Snowbird gig of bicycling, paddle boarding, beachcombing, etc, so I decided to check out some creeks and the Peace River about 3 hrs west of me. This area was covered by shallow seas millions of years ago, and more recently saw the Ice Ages....so a cool mix of fossils can be found. Here is one of the creeks I hunted(cue the banjo music from “Deliverance” lol):

So you kayak and/or wade in water of various depths looking for gravels in the bottom, then you dig and sift. All this is done in Gator and snake habitat, so one must stay aware of one’s surrounding while working the gravels:

Here’s some of my favorite finds. A fossilized prehistoric bison tooth and a baby Megalodon shark tooth...the Megs are small here, as these shallow seas were the nursery. The next pic has a fossil tortoise leg spur, a crocodile tooth, and 2 extinct Snaggeltooth Shark teeth.

Here’s fossilized stuff from my last hunt....upper left are turtle shell fragments; upper right turtle nuchal bones, a prehistoric tapir tooth, a broken Meg; then a whole bunch of shark teeth.

I think I’ve discovered a new hobby and passion to enjoy while here in Florida half a year! And as a bonus, it’ll help keep me in gold hunting shape for when I’m back out west!😄

[matt]

Really cool post Peg! That's a lot of shark teeth! How many trips did it take you to find them? What a great way to spend the winter months. My wife and daughter want to look at Florida to escape California...

[IdahoPeg]

7 minutes ago, matt said:

Really cool post Peg! That's a lot of shark teeth! How many trips did it take you to find them? What a great way to spend the winter months. My wife and daughter want to look at Florida to escape California...

I went over twice....2 days in a creek when the river was too high, then 2 more days in the Peace River 3 wks later. The tabletop finds were from that 2nd trip. I really hope to find some bigger Megs next season, as I’m heading back west in a week. 

[Valens Legacy]

Nice finds and quite a lot of them to boot. Please remember about the gators in those creeks and don't get hurt.

A friend of mine was in one of those a couple of years ago and lost an arm to a gator while hunting items in the creeks. We now call him lefty because he lost his right arm, and no I don't think it is funny but true.

Good luck and happy hunting.

[IdahoPeg]

1 hour ago, Valens Legacy said:

Nice finds and quite a lot of them to boot. Please remember about the gators in those creeks and don't get hurt.

A friend of mine was in one of those a couple of years ago and lost an arm to a gator while hunting items in the creeks. We now call him lefty because he lost his right arm, and no I don't think it is funny but true.

Good luck and happy hunting.

Wow, that’s terrible re your friend! The key is to don’t go during mating season(pretty much from now through June or so), and avoid going near the baby ones that are often on the banks...momma will protect them!  I’m around gators quite a bit in a wildlife preserve area where I walk almost daily, so I’ve learned to read their body language etc. But like with any wild animal, definitely need to give them their space and respect them!

[F350Platinum]

That is a real nice floating sifter you have there, did you make it yourself?

Nice finds! A paleology bonanza. 🏆

[IdahoPeg]

1 hour ago, F350Platinum said:

That is a real nice floating sifter you have there, did you make it yourself?

Nice finds! A paleology bonanza. 🏆

Thanks! Yep, made my own sifter: 3/4” pvc, 1/4” wire mesh/hardware cloth, noodles and zip ties. Works great! 

[dogodog]

WOW Peg, Those are some great finds!!! I think I might have to give the fossil hunting thing a go one of these days. Thanks for posting and peaking my interest.

[kac]

Very cool!

[delnorter]

Really nice finds Peg. I’m amazed at how well shark teeth are preserved. Thanks for posting. Good hunting back here out west.

Mike