Sharktooth Hill Dig!

[FossilForKids]

I just received word from a forum member that the Ernst family is allowing a dig on the property in Oct. I am going for all 3 days. If any forum members want to meet up in Bakersfield let me know. If this is like the past digs it will be well worth the travel and the dig fee. I've pasted the first notice I received. For my friends...........Yes I will wear a mask......at least initially

Shark Tooth Hill Paleo Digs

Buena Vista Museum of Natural History (BVMNH)

is pleased to announce that a Paleo dig at

Shark Tooth Hill Ernst Quarries will be conducted on

Friday Oct 22nd, Saturday Oct 23rd, and Sunday Oct 24th

Prices listed are for each individual. All attendees must be museum members*

3 Options available

Option # 1 One day Dig, Museum Members $75 per day.

Non-members $100 (includes museum individual membership)

Museum Members only.

Option # 2 (2) day dig, Saturday and Sunday $145.00

Option # 3 (3) day dig, Fri, Sat and Sun (limited space available) $220.00

All Diggers will be allowed to keep fossils found, with the exception of all scientifically significant fossils are the property of the land owners.

Children attending must be 12 years or older and accompanied by a Parent of family member.

* BVMNH one year membership: Individual $25, Senior $20, or Family$75.

For more information call 661-324-6350

[Boesse]

That's fantastic news! Any idea of the future status of the ownership of the locality? Or any update on the BVMNH? Bobby

[Dare2Dream]

I just received word from a forum member that the Ernst family is allowing a dig on the property in Oct. I am going for all 3 days. If any forum members want to meet up in Bakersfield let me know. If this is like the past digs it will be well worth the travel and the dig fee. I've pasted the first notice I received. For my friends...........Yes I will wear a mask......at least initially

I've been to several of these digs at STH over the years. Sadly, the last dig (around the time of Bob's passing) was a HUGE disappointment. The museum decided to have 100 people show up (instead of the usual 30-40) for the dig with only one spot made available and most of that spot was already dug out and the little new area was occupied by club members from the east coast who had arrived earlier in the week. New area had not been prepared and the holes from areas previously dug were filled back in so there was no way of knowing which areas were already dug out. Bob used to personally make sure the area was ready for the digs (with his hand picked backhoe operator) but seems like no one took care of this after his passing. Needly to say that with 100 people, there very little space for each person, and most of us digging were just digging into previously dug areas without any other available areas to move around. To top it off, one person who found a meg had it taken away which was sad and unnecessary.

Without Bob, I wouldn't raise hopes of this being a fruitful dig in fresh area as opposed to already thoroughly plundered areas. And I wish they would ONLY take away scientifically important specimens, a Bakersfield Meg while less common certainly doesn't qualify.

[FossilForKids]

I too have my doubts about how fruitful it might be but I'm going as much for nostalgia as much as anything else. At the worse I'm taking my sifter and will go through some of the large spoil mounds pushed up by the dozers. It also depends on which quarry or quarries we dig. Anyway hope you make it out there.

John

[Auspex]

Just the fact that there still seems to be a pulse is outstanding news!

[FossilForKids]

I was that poster who had contracted a dissemenated version of Valley Fever. There's also the belief that once exposed to it you should no longer have problems but my physicians are not so sure about in my case they believe it is Chronic. The mask statement was an inside joke. At Bob's quarries you're not going through the top soil so I believe the risk is mrginal and one I'm willing to take. I have loved your virtual tours for years and at least part of the area you describe is still open but not very productive. There is a hill about 1/2 mile south of the "big trench" that is still accessible and fairly productive if you're willing to remove the over burden and that's what I must avoid.

John

[Nicholas]

Now that sounds like a party, and as far as "pay to dig" sites go the pricing seems rather reasonable to me. I wish I was closer or I'd jump all over this.

[siteseer]

John,

This info is not on the BVMNH site (or is it about to be posted?). If it is about to be officially announced, you'd think the museum would give more time for out-of-the-area members to make cost-effective travel plans.

I just received word from a forum member that the Ernst family is allowing a dig on the property in Oct. I am going for all 3 days. If any forum members want to meet up in Bakersfield let me know. If this is like the past digs it will be well worth the travel and the dig fee. I've pasted the first notice I received. For my friends...........Yes I will wear a mask......at least initially

Shark Tooth Hill Paleo Digs

Buena Vista Museum of Natural History (BVMNH)

is pleased to announce that a Paleo dig at

Shark Tooth Hill Ernst Quarries will be conducted on

Friday Oct 22nd, Saturday Oct 23rd, and Sunday Oct 24th

Prices listed are for each individual. All attendees must be museum members*

3 Options available

Option # 1 One day Dig, Museum Members $75 per day.

Non-members $100 (includes museum individual membership)

Museum Members only.

Option # 2 (2) day dig, Saturday and Sunday $145.00

Option # 3 (3) day dig, Fri, Sat and Sun (limited space available) $220.00

All Diggers will be allowed to keep fossils found, with the exception of all scientifically significant fossils are the property of the land owners.

Children attending must be 12 years or older and accompanied by a Parent of family member.

* BVMNH one year membership: Individual $25, Senior $20, or Family$75.

For more information call 661-324-6350

[Sundancer73]

Sounds neat John! If I still lived in Phoenix, I'd certainly be there.

~Mike

[FossilForKids]

John,

This info is not on the BVMNH site (or is it about to be posted?). If it is about to be officially announced, you'd think the museum would give more time for out-of-the-area members to make cost-effective travel plans.

They never do Jess. But I called today and the spots are rapidly filling up. It's for real alright. I am concerned that they are going to have 100 people at only 1 quarry that has been well worked and not re-cleared. I'm going anyway because it will do my heart good just to walk the land again. Hope to see you there.

John

[siteseer]

What happened with the last dig (the day after the public memorial) was that it had been planned several weeks (months?) in advance - the last one planned by Bob. I believe either Bob himself on his deathbed requested that it take place or Mary decided to ahead with it because she knew he would've wanted it to go as scheduled.

Yes, Bob always cleared an area for a public dig at considerable personal expense (loader rental, fuel, operator's time for at least two days). I think he would've widened that quarry by his shed (or another quarry) so there would be enough flat area for several cars to park nearby. He wasn't there to "salt" the area with extra teeth for the kids as he had also done before.

I'm sorry that dig was a disappointment for you. Mary or a family friend probably tried to contact the loader operator but even Bob had trouble finding him and sometimes it would be over a year between earthmoving operations. However, had they found him, he still would've needed some expert guidance on where to go and how deep.

As for megalodon finds being turned over to the museum at public digs, this was always spelled out in writing in advance. I believe any land mammal fossil, or any skull, or any skeleton, or any meg over four inches (I'm not sure of the cut-off size) was to be turned over to the museum (collectors were allowed to keep just about everything else that could be found). And every single time someone found one over that size, the collector whined that he didn't know about the restriction. A meg isn't just "less common." It's quite rare. If you collected every day for a month, you still might not find more than a broken tip or root lobe.

However, Bob was sympathetic because he still knew the thrill of finding a big tooth even after digging up so many. I know of at least one instance when he quietly negotiated with the collector to keep the tooth if he made an extra donation to the museum (a donation below the going-rate of such a tooth at the time).

I've been to several of these digs at STH over the years. Sadly, the last dig (around the time of Bob's passing) was a HUGE disappointment. The museum decided to have 100 people show up (instead of the usual 30-40) for the dig with only one spot made available and most of that spot was already dug out and the little new area was occupied by club members from the east coast who had arrived earlier in the week. New area had not been prepared and the holes from areas previously dug were filled back in so there was no way of knowing which areas were already dug out. Bob used to personally make sure the area was ready for the digs (with his hand picked backhoe operator) but seems like no one took care of this after his passing. Needly to say that with 100 people, there very little space for each person, and most of us digging were just digging into previously dug areas without any other available areas to move around. To top it off, one person who found a meg had it taken away which was sad and unnecessary.

Without Bob, I wouldn't raise hopes of this being a fruitful dig in fresh area as opposed to already thoroughly plundered areas. And I wish they would ONLY take away scientifically important specimens, a Bakersfield Meg while less common certainly doesn't qualify.

[siteseer]

Wow, I was wondering because I talked to Mary a couple of weeks ago and she said was holding off on making any decision about a public dig for some time.

I don't think anyone has been able to contact, "L.D.", the loader operator, since Bob last hired him in late March/early April 2007. Bob was unable to find anyone else who could do the work (and he tried several times) so he always had to wait until he found him and then wait until he had some free time. I hope there's already a plan to clear an area because those dates are only a month away now.

I'll try to make it for that.

They never do Jess. But I called today and the spots are rapidly filling up. It's for real alright. I am concerned that they are going to have 100 people at only 1 quarry that has been well worked and not re-cleared. I'm going anyway because it will do my heart good just to walk the land again. Hope to see you there.

John

[Uncle Siphuncle]

WWI trenches full of collectors.....2 words for your guys.....MUSTARD GAS! Hahaha

[jason longboard]

Hey guys.

Good to see people interested. Fossilforkids, Im very sorry you had to go through what you did. I have dug by those shell beds for months and never got sick. Then, I got a good mask several weeks ago, right after that, I spent about 2 weeks feeling all the symptoms similar to valley fever. The problem is, I had also stopped taking a medication around the same time that has similar withdrawal symptoms. Either way I always thought of you and so I panicked, had blood work done and everything is normal. Plus I started feeling good again so Im almost sure it was the medication halt or maybe even some other bug I may have had. I work at schools so you know kids carry everything. Though I am very happy it was not valley fever, I shared symptoms of it and never want anyone to go through what you did. I hope and pray for something to happen in the medical field to get a handle on this. Well, thats that.

I did not get an email from them which is kind of strange, I need to return a couple tools to Chuck and check on one of my pieces so Im going in tomorrow. They have been trying to get this together for a while now, nice to see they worked something out.

I hope some of you can come down, if someone here makes the trip, and its a long trip, maybe I could show you a few of the legal spots we go to regularly.

As far as them keeping megs and such, its their house. Sure we might let trick or treaters pick the candy they want, but this is so unique, such a special thing for someone to do by letting the public in on their land and keep such finds of any kind.

As far as the megs being rare. Ive dug those hills for months daily, not the past couple weeks, however, not one meg find yet, or even a sliver of one.

Thanks for posting this. Thanks for caring. Good evening guys.

[Roz]

I sure hope all of you take plenty of pics..

Good Luck to all who go!

[jason longboard]

Im going over to the museum right now, gonna ask them if any heavy equipment is in the plan. I may go dig after as well, wish I had a dozer lol, need to hire a helper to dig the top stuff off lol. I think that would certainly make me feel like Im in an Indiana Jones movie. Need a little monkey too. Dont eat the dates.

[FossilForKids]

Im going over to the museum right now, gonna ask them if any heavy equipment is in the plan. I may go dig after as well, wish I had a dozer lol, need to hire a helper to dig the top stuff off lol. I think that would certainly make me feel like Im in an Indiana Jones movie. Need a little monkey too. Dont eat the dates.

I've long thought about getting 3-4 day laborers from outside of home depot to clear the overburden

[jason longboard]

I've long thought about getting 3-4 day laborers from outside of home depot to clear the overburden

lol Im tellin you they wouldn't give a hoot. I would at least check with some local neighbor teens first. Well, I went to the museum for a few hours today, looks like a lot of ppl saved a place for their names but have " 10 days " before they have to pay or they get dropped. Something like that, the ppl who know for certain what they are doing were not in today. Still very nice ppl. You know what I mean though.

However, I payed and placed my name for Sunday. Supposedly only 9 spots left for Sunday. Slim for Friday and Sat as well. Unless something changes like how I was speaking of the placed names without payment. I will try to get more info if possible.

I ended up going digging in spots today I dont go, only a couple small teeth as I was going for something bigger, I will make a thread. Take care all.

Jason

[coral daddy]

what kind of teeth do they find if not megs? any pics or is there a previous thread of this place?

[FossilForKids]

Usually a meg or two is found at each dig. In the past no meg over 5" could be kept but that was specifically written on the "rules". That was not written this year. Large Beautiful Isurus Hastalis and the uniquely Californian, Isurus Planus (Hooked Tooth Mako) are what is mostly found along with whale, sea lion, tiger shark and a few other species. Theteeth tend to be cream colored to orange and the blades are very sharp.

[siteseer]

The weekend dig starts tomorrow (or today depending on your time zone). Last weekend, I heard there were still spaces open so anyone who still wants to go might still be able to get in. I also heard that the digging will be in Bob's "west quarry." Very colorful teeth (mostly blues, grays, browns, mixed colors)and well-mineralized brown bone came out of there.

A patient and hard working digger should be able to find around 10 complete makos per hour (plus other smaller teeth) but don't get discouraged if it seems like an hour between nice teeth. You can suddenly find 2-3 nice teeth in one matrix chunk. Take some matrix home for screening later.

I talked to isurus90064 the other day and he was planning to be there tomorrow. He will be signing autographs.

Good luck to everyone going. I have family stuff happening this weekend so I can't go but hope to hear about (and see) some great finds.

However, I payed and placed my name for Sunday. Supposedly only 9 spots left for Sunday. Slim for Friday and Sat as well. Unless something changes like how I was speaking of the placed names without payment. I will try to get more info if possible.

I ended up going digging in spots today I dont go, only a couple small teeth as I was going for something bigger, I will make a thread. Take care all.

Jason

Edited October 22, 2010 by siteseer