Collecting Ethics And Science?

[Auspex]

The act of posting a picture of a rare find could be meaningful to science in my opinion. A researcher can easily "google" your find and contact you if they so desire.

This does happen. I received an email last year from a gentleman at the AMNH about a specimen I'd posted.

I provided all the information I had about it, and he thanked me.

[Guest solius symbiosus]

Great post crinus!

I loaned/donated many years ago, and today, find myself back at the same institution. There seems to be a lot of hostility directed at those that publish, but as some recent publications reveal, amateures can, and do, make their presence known(inebriation fogs the brain, but some know what I reference) in technical journals.

Fortunately, I guess, I have never "dealt" with the SVP, but in my ignornce, I can only assume that their intentions are entirely nobile, and their goals are for the further of the the science paleontology; for those reasons, they have my support.

If not for the scientific inquiry of Hutton, we would be left with the vaccous inanity of Ussher....

Oh, BTW, Happy 6000 birthday, MOM.

[Frank Menser]

When I introduce myself i say, "Hi," or "Aloha," as the mood hits.

I defintely consider myself an amatuer. While I enjoy collecting on familiar turf, I would also have to say there are places I would strongly hesitate to collect in because I don't have the skills and experience to hunt without damaging-possibly destroying something I don't recognise as valuable (in a scientific sense).

To that effect I would have to say I am dependant on pro's who can do the collecting and prep work I have never learned to do. So if I want a rare species I have to go through the market. Where I do rankle is when a site I know is devistated by over zealous and greedy Harvestors - Or in the case of Florida - herds of college students working a site for a Prof and summarily trashing it so the landowner forbids anyone from collecting.

[paleobarbie]

To my understanding, these vertebrate fossils we are researching and then submitting a paper to the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology of, must be available for study by any researcher who requests to do so. This is why they go into the state repository.

I don't mean that the fossils are "junk"--everyone knows I got my butt jumped on for defending those who collect the less appreciated, less valuable specimen. I was referring to the fact that if someone for instance dug up a piece of turtle shell as I have, they would probably think it was extremely unimpressive and probably chunk it. I've seen it done with other fossils.

"Scientist" is a broadly used term--her to describe someone who performs research in scientific/paleontological matters. Perhaps I should have used researcher?

Listen, I'm not the enemy here and obviously there is a lack/non-existence of communication between those who base their career on researching paleontology/paleobiology, and those who simple collect. I know some of you very much dislike these people, but those dino shows you see on discovery, those geology textbooks your children use, our entire understanding of the ancient would be very sparse and very erroneous if it wasn't for these people and if it wasn't for collectors donating/sharing their finds with them.

Everyone can do as they see right--I only presented a question in hopes of gaining an answer and a better understanding of the way others in this hobby think. I am clearly right in the middle of the two side, but bridging the two looks like it's easier said than done.

I'd love to discuss this with you sometime.