Pterygotus Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Hello everyone. I am possibly going on yet another trip to Charmouth to try my luck again but every time I go, I am never able to find any marine reptile bone. Has anyone got any tips for finding bone? I usually hunt in the boulders nearer to the Charmouth side of Black Ven in the caught up pyrite patches. Am I looking in the right spot? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamL Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 I think the key is luck and recognising the bone structure, and patterns that the bones often appear in. For example the bow tie. If you learn the different type of bones it makes it easier to spot them when looking though the thousands of rocks on the beach. 2 Yorkshire Coast Fossil Hunter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fossil_sea_urchin Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 If your looking for bone at charmouth it's usually moderately common, I find some bone about a third of the time I go there. I have never been to Black Ven so cannot comment on that, but I believe if you walk further along stonebarrow you will have a good chance. Lots of bone is rolled and fragmentary, but finding any means you're in the right place. Here's my best example of fragmented bone from stonebarrow. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dinoguy89 Posted December 29, 2019 Share Posted December 29, 2019 Don't worry, you're not the only one. Over the past few years, Lyme and Charmouth have been hammered in the summertime by visitors and fossil hunters hoping to try their luck, and it's become increasingly more difficult to find material. With that being said there are things you can do to increase your chances. Between October and January and the best times to go as hides are strong and tend tho leave more material loose on the beach. Golden cap and black ven are good for this time of year. Ichthyosaur material will be between rocks. Try heading out just as the tide is going out, this will increase your chance the most. Sand sieves are something that I found helped as well. This allows you to take away the top layers, and if you're hitting pyrite this will also tell you that you're in the right area to find pyrite ammonites. Most of the time though it comes down to luck on the day. A good set of eyes and strong seas will increase your chances the most. Good luck and be careful of the cliffs at this time of year! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pterygotus Posted December 29, 2019 Author Share Posted December 29, 2019 Thanks @LiamL, @fossil_sea_urchin and @Dinoguy89 for your replies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Kmiecik Posted January 1, 2020 Share Posted January 1, 2020 Being the first person out to look after a big storm has pounded the shoreline will improve your odds dramatically. 1 Mark. Fossil hunting is easy -- they don't run away when you shoot at them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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