Darktooth Posted Sunday at 10:06 PM Share Posted Sunday at 10:06 PM Last weekend I made a trip to western New York in search of Eurypterids. I went to a spot recommended by member @Buffalopterus. He had been telling me about the spot for the past few months. The site is in a creek, which exposes the Phelps, Victor, and Morgantown formations. It is mostly float material though there is solid exposures as well. While Eurypterids are rare here they have been found, usually as partials. I decided to give it a shot. As I had limited time I only spent about 2 hours at the site. For me it was mainly a scouting mission. I spent some time breaking some fresh material straight from the stream bed as well as breaking into the float material. I am sad to say I did not find a single tidbit. But I am not deterred, as I have seen the ones my friend has found there and I know I just have to keep trying. As they say "Better luck next time". Here are some picks of the area and where I worked. I will keep you updated about future trips. 1 4 I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted Sunday at 10:26 PM Author Share Posted Sunday at 10:26 PM (edited) Next up is my trip yesterday to a Eurypterid site in Eastern New York. This site is where I found my October FOTM winner. Now a couple weeks ago I had come here hoping as always to find something nice. I spent a fair amount of time removing fresh material. All that I was finding was bits and pieces. Then towards the end I split open a chunk and exposed a decent partial. There is some body segments, head, paddle, and feeding appendages. That got me a little excited, so I stayed a bit longer. Then I pulled a stupid move like a big dummy. Instead of putting the find immediately in my truck, I set it next to me while I continued to work. You all all know what happened next. I couldn't find it when it was time to leave! Ooohhh was I mad! I should have known better, I am not new to this. After looking for awhile I just gave up. It is not that the find was great, but after busting my but moving slabs I wanted to atleast leave with something. So yesterday I went back and told myself to atleast spend a few minutes trying to find it. And I did! Spent a total of about 3hrs. Split rock, removed a few slabs of fresh material. This time I didn't really find much other then a telson and tiny bits but atleast I found what I misplaced last trip. I am really getting into searching for Eurypterids and starting to learn more about them. Here is a pic of my prize. Edited Monday at 12:07 AM by Darktooth 1 6 I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted Sunday at 11:49 PM Share Posted Sunday at 11:49 PM Glad you've been getting out there, Dave! Great find, as well. I'd be happy with a find like that. 1 Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 IPFOTM -- MAY - 2024 _________________________________________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey P Posted Monday at 02:40 AM Share Posted Monday at 02:40 AM Glad you found your lost eurypterid fossil, a very good find for that difficult site. Love the (chelicera) appendages protruding from the prosoma. Congratulations. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doushantuo Posted Monday at 05:48 AM Share Posted Monday at 05:48 AM excellently documented field trip, good photography. Kudos !!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted Monday at 06:53 AM Share Posted Monday at 06:53 AM Very nice Dave... Just knowing that eurypterids have been found in such a place would keep me coming back many times until I found one. I guess we've all set a fossil down absentmindedly and then lost track of it, when the collecting box/bag/vehicle was right there waiting. It's so annoying - like you say, we're not new at this. At least you found yours again, so all you've lost is a bit of time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minnbuckeye Posted Monday at 11:19 AM Share Posted Monday at 11:19 AM 16 hours ago, Darktooth said: instead of putting the find immediately in my truck, I set it next to me while I continued to work. Just did this last week on a trip back from Washington DC. Eighteen hours of driving mandated taking some breaks as my eyes tired. So what is one to do, pull over at road cuts and look for fossils. At one such site, I split a piece of shale exposing a beautifully preserved prone trilobite. I set it on a large rock so as not to loose or forget it. I did both! Great trip reports! I wish we had eurypterids in my area 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangellian Posted Monday at 12:04 PM Share Posted Monday at 12:04 PM Ouch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted Monday at 02:14 PM Author Share Posted Monday at 02:14 PM 3 hours ago, minnbuckeye said: Just did this last week on a trip back from Washington DC. Eighteen hours of driving mandated taking some breaks as my eyes tired. So what is one to do, pull over at road cuts and look for fossils. At one such site, I split a piece of shale exposing a beautifully preserved prone trilobite. I set it on a large rock so as not to loose or forget it. I did both! Great trip reports! I wish we had eurypterids in my area Well now you need drive drive back and find it! I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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