For many years, a small group of Dry Dredgers has volunteered for the annual Dig with the Experts at the Penn Dixie site. This year was no exception. For those not familiar with the site, the Penn Dixie Paleontological park is located in Hamburg, NY. (Visit www.penndixie.org for more information.) The Hamburg Natural History
A new collecting season is here! And I’ve already returned to my all-time favorite site: the Silurian Massie Shale of New Point Stone in Ripley County, Indiana. [I’ve reported on this locality in previous Dry Dredger blogs, for example: http://www.drydredgers.org/blog/wp/2016/03/collaboration-between-amateur-and-professional-paleontologists-4/] The collectable Silurian shale is on the spoil piles. While there are no
Tom Bantel and I recently returned from the MAPS (Mid-America Paleontology Society) Show in Iowa City, Iowa. A great opportunity to get re-acquainted with friends, meet new ones, and pick up some new rocks for the collection. The MAPS Show is held annually — this was the 38th. It is the world’s largest fossils-only
In the fossil community, there has been much discussion about the connection between amateur and professional paleontologists, especially in light of new legislation that may restrict amateur collecting opportunities on government land. This blog post will not venture into the debate about that, but rather will focus on a recent example of collaboration between
In the fossil community, there has been much discussion about the connection between amateur and professional paleontologists, especially in light of new legislation that may restrict amateur collecting opportunities on government land. This blog post will not venture into the debate about that, but rather will focus on a recent example of collaboration between
While outdoor field trips this time of year can be iffy because of the roller coaster weather, a dry place to collect is the basement (or garage, or shed, or….). Periodically, I mine my basement and garage, especially prior to a show, as I decide which specimens to take with me. My current focus
In the fossil community, there has been much discussion about the connection between amateur and professional paleontologists, especially in light of new legislation that may restrict amateur collecting opportunities on government land. This blog post will not venture into the debate about that, but rather will focus on a recent example of collaboration between amateurs
In the fossil community, there has been much discussion about the connection between amateur and professional paleontologists, especially in light of new legislation that may restrict amateur collecting opportunities on government land. This blog post will not venture into the debate about that, but rather will focus on a recent example of collaboration between amateurs
In a previous blog, I introduced the vast array of fossils that are available at the Tucson Show (late January-February). I thought it might be of interest to share the new specimens added to my collection as a result of the 2016 show. In that previous blog, I mentioned a room full of Russian
While the cold weather, ice, and snow in the Midwest may limit outdoor fossil hunting opportunities, the determined collector can still find new material to fight off the winter blues. It’s called retail therapy. To that end, I journey to the Tucson Show. It is actually many overlapping events running for several weeks in
