siteseer Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I spoke with Mary Ernst the other day and she informed me that she has seen a lot of evidence of people digging on the property. She had been checking on it over the past two years with little or no evidence of any disturbance, but over the past few weeks, people have been going out there and not only digging but leaving trash and that's not the worst of it. She sees broken bits of whalebone all over at least one quarry. In their frantic search for teeth it appears they busted up at least part of a whale skeleton and that doesn't count the baby whale skeleton stolen sometime early last month. I don't understand respecting the family for over the past two years and then suddenly going nuts in the quarries in recent weeks. Is it really worth stomping on the memory of man who was generous to his community and harassing his still-grieving widow for handfuls of shark teeth? The Ernsts have friends in law enforcement and on properties surrounding. I would suggest going back to respecting the family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Sorry to hear about that, it's terrible to learn of such things. It's probably some people who have no idea who's land it is and no respect for anyone. Bad enough to leave trash but to destroy something just to get to another is just plain wrong. -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bowen Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 What part of the country is this taking place? Not sure where the Ernst property is. Dave Bowen Collin County, Texas. Paleontology: The next best thing to time travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 What part of the country is this taking place? Not sure where the Ernst property is. The legendary Shark Tooth Hill, Bakersfield, CA. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Bowen Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Ahh. I didn't know the name of the owners. Very sad that someone would do that. Hopefully they can catch them and bring them to justice, and not ruin it for those who are not poachers. Dave Bowen Collin County, Texas. Paleontology: The next best thing to time travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommabetts Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 It seems that there is always someone that has no respect for others, that spoils things for everyone else. To me, a thief is a thief, even if you find something on or in the ground, if you didn't have permission to be there, it is still stealing and should be prosecuted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossilcollector Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Very sad and annoying for all of us when something like this happen. Alot of times it's careless collectors who have no respect for property. I've got a friend with a quarry out west and every week he catches people poaching in his quarry. Usually the people will say they heard about the place from a local and that it's BLM land so they can collect (even though it's privately owned land). Other times they say that they were the ones who discovered the quarry and owned it (what kind of ego makes someone even think to say this?). Then there's the people who pretend they own the quarry and threaten to call the cops... Ya... I think there's a variety of reasons people poach on private land, but there's really no excuse, poaching is poaching. -YvW Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilForKids Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 I agree with what everybody has already stated. I know Bob's land as well as anybody but instead of poaching it I busted my a$$ on the Hart's Park side with two to four hours work for every couple of teeth. We won't even talk about Valley Fever. If I had to guess some of the regulars at Hart's Park got tired of earning their teeth and went for easy pickins. If only my teeth are so prized a million years from now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gatorman Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 It would be nice if you could get the army core of engineers to set up a mine field there that would keep people out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Menser Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Basically it sucks. While it is cool to find so many tha5t share an interest in Paleo, the other side of the coin is it attracts ignorant low lifes and those who see it as a way to make a few extra bucks without even considering learning about what they are collecting or even a bit about courtesy and ethics. Be true to the reality you create. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Desire is a sword with two edges; joy and misery. It is a human failing with which we all struggle, and sometimes we succumb, for joy is transient and misery is the keener edge. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cloudyhere Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Seems like this is happening all over the country because I read similar reports on the black river fossil forums where sites were getting shut down to the public in South Carolina because of people who were digging gigantic holes near rivers and generally destroying property. It's even more unfortunate that this is on private land... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grampa dino Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 It's people like that, who give us all a bad name. I have seen the same thing happen on this side of the boarder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicholas Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Unfortunately it is this sort of behavior which makes laws and regulations stricter and makes people who own private property weary of letting collectors poke around. It really is unfortunate to hear about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkdentist Posted July 10, 2009 Share Posted July 10, 2009 Seems like this is happening all over the country because I read similar reports on the black river fossil forums where sites were getting shut down to the public in South Carolina because of people who were digging gigantic holes near rivers and generally destroying property. It's even more unfortunate that this is on private land... your right and that guy was caught by his own maddness he posted pics of himself with a newspaper of him in the holes he was digging. But we still have some who dont want to play by the rules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
siteseer Posted July 12, 2009 Author Share Posted July 12, 2009 I agree with what everybody has already stated. I know Bob's land as well as anybody but instead of poaching it I busted my a$$ on the Hart's Park side with two to four hours work for every couple of teeth. We won't even talk about Valley Fever. If I had to guess some of the regulars at Hart's Park got tired of earning their teeth and went for easy pickins. I don't think I know "the Hart Park regulars." I think it's equally possible that it was a group of inexperienced diggers perhaps hired by someone who gave them directions but provided no expertise. I would think anyone who digs regularly would have recognized a decent whale specimen and at least dug out individual bones. Broken bits all over the place is evidence that it was amateur hour all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FossilForKids Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 I don't think I know "the Hart Park regulars." I think it's equally possible that it was a group of inexperienced diggers perhaps hired by someone who gave them directions but provided no expertise. I would think anyone who digs regularly would have recognized a decent whale specimen and at least dug out individual bones. Broken bits all over the place is evidence that it was amateur hour all the way. I know of a couple of regulars who really suplement their income via e-bay selling shark teeth. To them the bones are simply in the way. However you may be right about the amateurs. If only my teeth are so prized a million years from now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boesse Posted July 12, 2009 Share Posted July 12, 2009 This really pisses me off, considering that 1) it is more difficult to find and collect whale fossils and skeletons than shark teeth and 2) much of the shark record from STH has already been published, and the marine mammal record still needs to be completely studied. New important STH marine mammals are being found all the time; this is pretty aggravating. Bobby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dare2Dream Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I agree with what everybody has already stated. I know Bob's land as well as anybody but instead of poaching it I busted my a$$ on the Hart's Park side with two to four hours work for every couple of teeth. We won't even talk about Valley Fever. If I had to guess some of the regulars at Hart's Park got tired of earning their teeth and went for easy pickins. I'd doubt it that those Hart's Park area regulars are the culprits, depending on how we are defining regulars and who we have in mind. The real regulars are usually quite methodical. But you are right, I've seen less regular shady characters appear every now and then who only show up to destroy and pillage other people's hard worked spots for some quick teeth and destroy locations with tunneling and other unsafe practices. This article mentions the stolen baby whate fossil and the sale of STH: Scientists fear boneyard sale will stop research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverphoenix Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Sounds like they need to get one of these No Trespassing signs! http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthread...027#Post1267027 maybe scatter a bunch of spent 7.62x39 casings all over the place too--they're steel and can't be reloaded, so most gun ranges just leave them lay--would probably give you as many as you wanted for free Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest solius symbiosus Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Researchers at Temple University are experimenting with a process that will "match chemical signatures of naturally occurring elements that seep into bones during fossilization with surrounding soil". The hope is to produce a system that will resemble a "fingerprint" that researchers can then use to match a fossil with its locality. Hopefully, if successful, the process will deter future thefts, and provide evidence in the prosecution of the thieves and vandals when they are discovered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Smilodon Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 So what is the status of the site - was it auctioned off and if so who bought it. Back in February, Anthony L. said he was representing Ernst, but he says a lot of things. Just curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makoken Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 They should hire someone with a bulldozer to cover it all back up again. Until it can be excavated properly. I would hope that whomever it is gets caught and prosecuted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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