Fossil Shark Teeth-2016-2017

[Kray Gelder]

A little over a year ago, I decided to find some shark teeth. I heard this area ( Summerville, SC ) was supposed to be good. After much labor, research, sweat, water and mud, these are most of my finds. I actually found other fossils while hunting, nothing spectacular, I may post them later. [/ATTACH]

 

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[jadocs]

Very nice. Love the Megs.

 

[Perico]

Great finds!

 

[CaptEsteban]

That is a great area to find fossils. Be careful NOT to use any digging tools !

 

[Kray Gelder]

Yes, the city of Summerville has an ordinance, hand collecting only. Outside city limits however, hand tools are allowed. They were forced to implement the restrictions because some senseless collectors were excavating the banks of drainage ditches, causing serious damage. In the streams and ditches I would use a shovel to scoop up the gravel out of the streambed, and wash in a 1/4 mesh screen. Now, I only hunt in new construction or subdivision sites, that happen to cut into the hot zone, the Chandler Bridge Formation, a layer of marine sediment, appx. 24 to 28 million years old. Most of this area has developed to the point that these newly exposed areas are more rare by the day.

It's very competitive, and after a good rain, the more dedicated hunters are out slogging through the gumbo, collecting newly exposed teeth. No joke, I was out during Hurricane Matthew, in the torrential rain and wind the day before and just after the eye passed us. And I was not the only one. The pickings were good.

 

[Relicific]

Wow what a cool display

 

[CaptEsteban]

OK, Just wanted to make sure you knew those rules. I haven't been there in awhile , but may be back in that area in April or May. Will need to bring my boots ! LOL.
Best of luck !

 

[jadocs]

You guys ever hit the Aurora NC Fossil festival in May? Great fun for the family. They truck in dirt from the mines and you can find lots of teeth. I'm partial to the auction they have every year.

 

[IAMZIM]

I wish I could just go "decide" to find fossil shark teeth! LOL! Awesome finds! One day I hope to come to SC in order to do that very thing!

 

[Kray Gelder]

Seriously decent Megs! Finding that bigger one would be a heart stopper! I hadn't heard of that festival, but was aware of the Aurora fossils.

 

[Kray Gelder]

I had never stumbled upon a fossil shark tooth in 13 years down here. So for me, it was a mission oriented thing. Trying to find out where they are is the hardest part. I can't count the number of creeks and ditches I visited, 99 percent duds. In a nutshell, there are a couple of keys to the mystery, not that difficult, it just took me a lot of exploring to figure out.

 

[jadocs]

Kray you should go. I think you would like it. The museum is great and they also have seminars with experts in their field, parade, lawn mower races, etc. They even have a bus that takes you on a tour of the mine.

 

[SweepNbeep]

Too cool.

 

[SnakemanBill]

Had the pleasure of hunting the Aurora mine several times before the owners closed it to collecting. I have a nice big meg tooth from there as well as many other fossils. Found a complete marlin rostrum which I foolishly donated to the museum. My next trip down I found that someone mishandled it and pretty much destroyed it.

 

[Kray Gelder]

That's a pity, Bill. You know it survived in the dirt for 24 million years or so, hand it to an expert and look what happened. What's that fish in your avatar? Tarpon, cobia? Nice!

 

[SnakemanBill]

Thats a big Chesapeake Bay Striper that I'm proud to say was released back into the water.

 

[Kray Gelder]

That's an impressive striper! Strip some line, did it? I've heard they are powerful fish.

 

[SnakemanBill]

That's an impressive striper! Strip some line, did it? I've heard they are powerful fish.

Yes she did! Had me running around the boat a couple of times before she rolled on her side.

At 50 inches that was an 18-20 year old fish.