Others should be along shortly to give some tips. On the day I found more than 100. There were a dozen or so others that were really nice. All depends on where you choose to dig. Lots of wild life from smaller gators 4-5 foot guys. Lot of beautiful birds. One camel partial. Lots of facilities, easy access. Get hyperlocal forecasts, radar and weather alerts. The earliest that Summer rainstorms come was 2010 on Memorial day weekend, washed out all my hunting for 3 months. I had a blast and nobody stopped digging for lunch or water until it was time to go!! I generally paddle 40 minutes at a minimum against the current, which is about a mile. California Consumer Do Not Sell My Personal Information, The Peace River is ideal for finding fossils, Fred Mazza is a tour guide that helps clients find the good stuff, He's been in love with natural history since the age of 5. You could know a LOT about the Peace River before you get here. shark teeth florida carolina fossil identification hunting peace chart river aurora tooth fossils north island beach google sharks 1000 yahoo Couldn't ask for a better guide. Take lunch once you start its difficult to stop. I continue to believe that given the size of Florida and the size of the Peace River, the vast majority of Florida fossils are safely buried away beyond my reach. Now, he's helping others find their own pieces of history, taking adventurers out seven days a week in search of the next great find. Richard asked me to collect more material from this site so they have a better idea of the faunal diversity at this point in the river. Learn More. Powered by Invision Community, Connecticut, United States. Get out anywhere the water is reasonably shallow and probe for gravel. My wife and I had a fantastic time on the river and surely Fred put us on the fossils. Download our new app. I call this version the Probulator-3000 (patent pending ) and it's been great for "feeling around" listening for the crunch of gravel hidden under a layer of sand. I've heard from Richard Hulbert that new fossil permit applications have been running over twice the normal rate (folks just fed-up with being sequestered at home). If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. We had very few finds from this spot (just a few complete smaller shark teeth) and the only notable find was a Equus proximal phalanx (aka "long pastern" in horsey parlance). Today, teeth can still be found on the beaches, but they are not as plentiful as they once were; most of the real finds are made by people snorkeling or scuba diving just off the beach. Look for a graded dirt road on the right signposted with the boat ramp symbol. The memories we made that day will last a lifetime. Tammy and I were out a few weeks back trying to gather additional specimens from the well-known gravel bed downstream as I donated some mammal teeth for the Peace River Paleo Project (PRiPP): https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/vertpaleo/amateur-collector/pripp/. Very enjoyable time, would recommend to anyone interested in fossils. I went yesterday and found less than 20 teeth like these and no Megs. He got right back to me when I called. Once I have some distance from the access points, I just want to find some likely gravel. He also offered identification help with some of the other fossils that were found. Look on gravel bars at bends in the creek or in pebbly areas. The canoe trip was great. I had seen Fred Mazza out and he must have had 30 clients in a single tour. April 17, 2021 in Fossil Hunting Trips. That might be thanks to the guide they have along for the ride. So once I launch at the boat launch is it better to head up stream or down? At first we were a little concerned about alligators, but after a while, we felt very safe and we never even saw one all day. Bring a screen, something to dig with, and bags to put your finds in. Sign up for a new account in our community. Here's what the probe looks like fully constructed: http://www.thefossilforum.com/index.php?/topic/42992-end-of-year-peace-river-trip/&do=findComment&comment=467550. megladon tooth and an approximately 12 piece of mastadon bone. However in the 1990s Venice began a beach renourishment program, and the beaches were fortified with a million cubic yards of sand dredged from offshore, which to some extent covered the original fossil rich sand. I am trying to get away from that area around the access point that is easily accessible for those without kayaks. The adventurous can rent scuba gear and dive down to the deposit to get first pick or, you can snorkel parallel to the shore about ten feet from the edge of the water and look for fossils on the bottom. I have only primarly hunted shark teeth from the beach, Saint Augustine and Venice beach. Deer tooth, dolphin tooth, and two barracuda teeth. 
1) Brownsville is an outstanding base camp. Can't wait to go back! We dug for several hours and weren't even finding tiny shark teeth. I've added a handle made out of a condensate V-trap and it's been working well for several years. (Look for small and large black shiny objects, or take a strong colander and sift through the sand). I highly recommend this tour, which lasted about 6 hours. 
Hogtown Creek and Possum creek are popular sites, especially where they cross 8th Avenue. We have kayaks and sifters, shovels and our permit already. Just offshore from Venice beach is a Pleistocene boneyard, a huge deposit of fossil bones and teeth from ancient mammals and giant sharks. By If I find few/none, I assume this is discard from previous hunters and move on. Megalodon Myth: The Megalodon And Great White Shark Are Closely Related. Fred is a very nice man with excellent customer service. It is likely a while ago, but @digit used to hunt that general area. Driving on highway 17 south from Bartow there are access points at Bowling Green, Wauchula, Zolfo Springs, Arcadia and Nocatee. A small snake vertebra. I have not hunted the area between Arcadia and Gardner near the Brownsville boat launch during the last 7 years, so I have no knowledge of current conditions or likely fossil containing locations. Nearby Caspersen Beach, just south of the Venice Municipal Airport is sometimes better than Venice Beach. Download it here. Legal to park a vehicle anywhere within 25 feet of the bridge. fossil finder extraordinaire Fred Mazza exclaimed. Megalodon Size: How Big Was The Megalodon Shark. Peace River Formation, Bone Valley Member, We guarantee the authenticity of all of our, 4.5" Fossil Clam with Fluorescent Calcite Crystals - Ruck's Pit, FL, Huge, 5.78" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina, 2.84" Fossil Broad-Toothed "Mako" Tooth - South Carolina, 2.21" Fossil Broad-Toothed "Mako" Tooth - South Carolina, Rare, 2.84" Fossil Benedini Shark Tooth - North Carolina, 2.94" Fossil Broad-Toothed "Mako" Tooth - South Carolina. I was also seeing a significant up_tik in both the number of tours and the number of clients in guided Fossil Hunting tours further upstream also. I will focus on the other information that might be helpful. Venice beach is known as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World. The boat ramp at Gardner is one of the best places for fossil hunting if you dont have a boat. fossil hunting peace river bu niece sieves nephew working right Wave action and storms constantly wash shark teeth and other fossils out of the sands and onto the shore. 4 Meg teeth and huge great white tooth. Fossilguy, Manager at Paleo Discoveries, responded to this review, This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC, Boat Tours, Sightseeing Tours, Private Tours, Photography Tours, Boat Tours, Private Tours, Nature & Wildlife Tours, Dolphin & Whale Watching, Day Trips. Search for "Peace". Thanks Fred. i highly recommend booking a trip with Paleo Discoveries. A huge whale ear bone. It was like the whole gravel bed had been cleaned-out. I am looking at taking my boys 8 and 15 and girlfriend to the peace river for some fossil and shark tooth hunting. The pair first found this hobby three months ago, when they moved from Michigan to the sunshine state for an extended work trip. I've made a really useful probe out of a fiberglass driveway marker. 
Blackish lumps are quite likely to be fossilized bones of dugong, whales, tortoise and alligator. shark teeth reef fossils tooth sharks carib Thanks for the information. We found lots of shark teeth and fossils and just had an overall blast. Now we go at least once a week when we have time off from work, but its our last week here, and we head back to Michigan so definitely trying to fit as much in as we can," Prawdzik said. The most productive time to search is at low tide, or after a big storm. shark teeth fossils sharks tooth peace river found fossil florida fossilized slideshow More time porting == less time hunting. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Thank you so much Fred! The Peace River flows through a large area rich in fossils. There is a fish camp and a boat ramp near the bridge on Highway 17, or turn east on 764 loop just south of the Shell creek 764 loops around and rejoins 17 just north of Shell Creek. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. It was great! Depending on the water conditions, snorkeling just off-shore can be quite rewarding. My girl and I found about 250 shark teeth, lemon, bull, mako, sand, and tiger. It exposes areas of the river that are not accessible any other time of the year. 
Follow the course of the Peace River from the satellite view on Google Maps and look for spots where roads cross over the river. For this reason it is probably not a good idea to bring a dog along on the trip as dogs tend to look like dinner to alligators. The most productive area is south of Jacksonville Beach at Mickler Landing (photo below), just north of Guana River State Park. This was a trip we've been wanting to do for a long time . He also offered identification help with some of the other fossils that were found.Be prepared to be wet all day. Found about 15 hemi and pieces of hemi. 3) Every road that crosses the Peace River is an access point. What a great trip. Lots of times I'll paddle further, because I have already hunted/prospected the area. To get there go south on Highway 17 south of Zolfo springs until you reach the small town of Gardner. The town holds an annual Shark tooth festival in early April each year, where fossil collectors from around the southeastern US come to sell and display their wares. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. We spent a day with Fred Mazza of Paleo Discoveries on a creek sifting sand for fossilized sharks' teeth. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Fred has had a love of natural history since the age of five, so it's no wonder he made trekking through the Peace River in search of fossils his career. My son and I came home with dozens of shark teeth, including a few nice Megladons. Apparently, they've been crowding the boat ramp and they've made arrangements to keep it clear. You have kayaks. He supplied everything we needed, except lunch, which we brought in a cooler. The bad part is that you may be porting those kayaks over sand bars. WAUCHULA, Fla. Along the idyllic Peace River, you can find great spots to camp and incredible wildlife, but one thing that goes mostly unnoticed is what lies beneath the surface of the river. The best time to go is before the rainy season so if you'd like to try your hand at digging for fossils Fred recommends you come out sometime before the end of June. There may be other TFF members who do. Only , if I have a specific location that is more easily accessible downstream do I start that way in the morning. Paleo Discoveries currently offers tours seven days a week as this is their busy season. 6) You have some time. I can usually prospect around a bit and click-into a good spot where interesting finds are turning up but we struggled to find any fossiliferous gravel. My wife and I just spent a Sunday with Fred on the Peace River. The tour was 
That is good and bad. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. This is the Peace River , any place can produce fossils, but your payoff (effort per good fossil) will not be worth it anywhere where you can walk to the gravel. We've found a lot of fossils out here!" The Fossil Forum He cant wait to take them to school to show his science class. The shaft of a golf club with the head cut off works. Many members including me, post summaries & finds on Peace River Hunting trips. Shark teeth, fossilized shells, Paleo-Indian arrowheads and spear points this creek can turn up anything. A tributary of the Peace River, Shell Creek has it all. How far should I go before I start looking? Usually, I try to dig a "probe" hole down to the bedrock/clay to determine if there are fossils down on the base layers. They now have an activity they plan to continue exploring. In general, I always launch going upstream as my energy is higher in the morning for paddling against the current and I prefer a leisurely paddle downstream after a day of digging gravel. Already looking forward to next time. Few dugum bones.10 meg frags. Fred visited with everyone on the trip and offered advise and encouragement throughout the day. I also found a horse tooth and other assorted fossils. Home improvement centers usually have these for less than 2 bucks each. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Because there is lots of discard piles out there, I force myself to move at least 30 feet. Beach stores sell and rent special Florida snow shovels long handled devices with a basket at the end used to sift fossils from the sand. Also when you are walking, you can feel the gravel under your feet. We found a bag full of shark teeth and other assorted fossils thanks to Freds knowledge and guidance. When I find gravel, I prospect 2 sieves looking for fossils (usually small shark teeth). 5) Once I find gravel, I keep digging until I hit bedrock or clay/mud. 2022, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. I went to the Peace a week ago and did well (photo below). Look in the riverbank as well as in the gravel. The deep holes are not quite as deep, and if you find gravel, it is not as likely to have been dug by other hunters. Whether it is scuba or snorkel, diving for fossils and shark teeth in this area is better in spring and early summer when the water is clear. read more, Last weekend was our first time fossiling so we decided to book with Fred at Paleo Discoveries, and The highlight was a 2.5 inch megalodon tooth in pretty good shape. Fred mazza was great. megalodon teeth fossilera bone valley 4) In general, the water depth above Zolfo Springs is greater than below Zolfo Springs. The big (well-known) gravel bed just a few minutes paddle downstream from the Brownville Park boat ramp has seemingly been hit hard recently. I have a surveyors pole I use. Wanted everyone to find treasure and we did. more. All were hooked and had fun. 2) May is normally extremely low water depth. There are alligators on the Peace River, so stay alert. This a Megalodon tooth from the Peace River in Florida. There were a dozen or so others that were really nice. Hello everyone and just wanted to say that I love the website. No issue they don't mind you. In this week's Florida on a Tankful, we explore the art of sifting and searching for the bones of animals from a bygone era. Beringseadoc, Note. We are camping at Brownville park and will be hunting mid May. As Jack mentioned most of these areas have areas where you can park and launch watercraft from. No fumbling with plastic bags or stuffing fossils into pants pockets. calvert cliffs fossil hunting maryland teeth potomac sharks bay mallows along river kayak fossilguy Lower Jurassic, Shuttle Meadow & East Berlin FMs, MotM March - 2015 * VFOTM - February 2015, 5/15 MOTM; 6/14 VFOTM; 12/14 IPFOTM; 5/15 VFOTM. For more information, visit www.sharkstoothfestival.com or call 941-412-0402. read more. Canoe rentals are available in Arcadia. Walk upstream to Charlie Creek, a good place for shark teeth. I'd go upstream so the end of the day is flowing back with the current. Listen to "To The Point Already" for conversations with people across the Bay area. It was awesome. The highlight was a 2.5 inch megalodon tooth in pretty good shape. Note: It is rumored that Caspersen Beach is clothing-optional, but the County does not recognize it as a nude beach and clothing is officially required. It is best to have a small boat or rent a canoe that way you can access the shallow areas and banks. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. There are several access points where you can put a boat in or just wade if the water is not too high. Don't forget to pick up the really inexpensive tool apron while you are at the home improvement store as they are fabulous for tucking away your finds while standing in the river. Go to the TFF Home page, hit the Search button in upper right. My son found a 3 in. Major Atlantic storms regularly turn up fossilized tiger shark teeth, as well as the fossilized bones of horses and giant ground sloths. Fred is a great guide, fun, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. Until quite recently small, fossilized shark teeth used to be so common on Venice Beach that you could count on finding them everywhere. If I had watercraft (kayaks or canoes) I'd ignore the Brownville to Arcadia stretch (heavily traveled by Canoe Outpost renters) and focus on areas further upstream. Just as I accepted the fact that, unlike the 1980s, there were no Mammoth teeth laying on the sand bars after the summer rains, there seems to be sufficient hunting going on to remove most /all fossils from gravel beds closest to easy human access. Teeth from the Bone Valley Formation are highly prized by collectors due to the unique coloration and great preservation. Discovering everything from mammal bones and vertebra to shark teeth, even a Megalodon tooth or two if you're lucky. Fred made it very enjoyable. InGainesville, you can find fossil sharks teeth by sifting through the sand of the small creeks that run through the city. We canoed up the Peace River and Fred found us a very productive spot to sift the gravel. I worked at an eroded bank in the creek in waist deep water most of the day. The tour was Last weekend was our first time fossiling so we decided to book with Fred at Paleo Discoveries, and We spent a day with Fred Mazza of Paleo Discoveries on a creek sifting sand for fossilized sharks' teeth. 2020 Prehistoric Florida | Powered by Pangaea Biosciences, Even Earths largest-ever sharks needed nurseries for their babies, This Ancient Giant Armadillo Is Responsible For Giving Us The Avocado, Great whites may have wiped out the biggest shark that ever lived, Meet the Antarctic king, an unlikely fossil from 250 million years ago, Fossil turtle didnt have a shell yet, but had the first toothless turtle beak, Newly discovered armored dinosaur from Utah reveals intriguing family history, Ancient skull shows early baleen whale had teeth. We were in the water about waist deep. The third option, for non-swimmers, is to simply keep your eyes open while walking on the beach near the waterline. I know that I will be sore from the fossil hunting come tomorrow, but I would do it all again. HERE ARE SOME OTHER SIMILAR FOSSILS FOR SALE, Serrated, 4.99" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina, Serrated, 4.51" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina, Huge, 5.6" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina. I am looking for any advice on locations and any other information that might be helpful. As you have indicated in your hunting areas, more and more of the hunting grounds that I cover seem to have had intensive hunting activity. 
My 12 year old son and I joined Fred for a canoe fossil hunting trip on March 21, 2018. Do an internet search for "tool apron" and you'll find lots of sources for these. Copyright 2022 FossilEra, All Rights Reserved. It's a day of roughing it in the wild with a guide that's made it his mission to preserve and discover the history that lies below the waters of Peace River. Found a ton of beautiful shark teeth and other mammal parts! In 2007, the festival was held Friday, April 20 Sunday, April 22, 2007. This link will take you tophotosof some of the fossils that have been found on the Peace River. On the day I found more than 100. Lots of stingray plates. Since moving here, they've tried a few different rivers, but none have yielded quite the haul they've found here. Go to the end of the dirt road quite a way the boat ramp is at the end. In the winter dry season November to June the river is usually shallow and clear, and the sand and gravel bottom is easy to search by wading or snorkeling. Out along the calm waters of Peace River, Kathryn and her fianc Alex are in search of fossils. Use them. My wife and I had a fantastic time on the river and surely Fred put us on the fossils. looking closely through rocks, sand and dirt. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in New Zealand. With more than 30 years of fossil hunting experience all along the east coast, he's amassed quite the collection of fossils, and made significant contributions to both the New Jersey State Museum, and the Florida Museum of Natural History. In the dry season, (Dec-May) the water is shallow and clear and you can walk in at the ramp and wade up stream and hunt as you walk. Most people bring a floating sifter a screen kept afloat by floating noodles and a shovel and simply shovel the gravel into the screen, then pick through the larger pieces left on the screen. It's easy! 
The gravel on the river bottom contains many well-preserved teeth and bones; the deep holes sometimes produce large bones and mammoth teeth. At this time of year, the River is low, I jump out of the kayak and walk probing my way forward. Excellent choice on your part joining this forum before going to the Peace River. I guess that the isolation caused by the pandemic has increased the number of people interested in outdoor activities. I would endorse your guidance, adding 'Dig deep'. This is a wonderful river to canoe, snorkel, and wade. In shallow water, it is possible to see surface gravel on the river bed. My adult son and I booked a fossil tour with Fred Mazza this past weekend. Fred visited with everyone on the trip and offered advise and encouragement throughout the day. Kathryn Prawdzik is in search of something you won't find in just any river. Welcome to TFF. Found everything we wanted. Wade into the water and dredge through anywhere that looks to have dark gravel or pebbles. There have been a bunch of new fossil guides (from what I've heard) using the Brownville Park boat ramp as a starting point that they've created a specific parking area (well away from the ramp) for these guides to park. Do not hunt in the huge area of gravel at the bottom of the boat ramp.
1) Brownsville is an outstanding base camp. Can't wait to go back! We dug for several hours and weren't even finding tiny shark teeth. I've added a handle made out of a condensate V-trap and it's been working well for several years. (Look for small and large black shiny objects, or take a strong colander and sift through the sand). I highly recommend this tour, which lasted about 6 hours. Hogtown Creek and Possum creek are popular sites, especially where they cross 8th Avenue. We have kayaks and sifters, shovels and our permit already. Just offshore from Venice beach is a Pleistocene boneyard, a huge deposit of fossil bones and teeth from ancient mammals and giant sharks. By If I find few/none, I assume this is discard from previous hunters and move on. Megalodon Myth: The Megalodon And Great White Shark Are Closely Related. Fred is a very nice man with excellent customer service. It is likely a while ago, but @digit used to hunt that general area. Driving on highway 17 south from Bartow there are access points at Bowling Green, Wauchula, Zolfo Springs, Arcadia and Nocatee. A small snake vertebra. I have not hunted the area between Arcadia and Gardner near the Brownsville boat launch during the last 7 years, so I have no knowledge of current conditions or likely fossil containing locations. Nearby Caspersen Beach, just south of the Venice Municipal Airport is sometimes better than Venice Beach. Download it here. Legal to park a vehicle anywhere within 25 feet of the bridge. fossil finder extraordinaire Fred Mazza exclaimed. Megalodon Size: How Big Was The Megalodon Shark. Peace River Formation, Bone Valley Member, We guarantee the authenticity of all of our, 4.5" Fossil Clam with Fluorescent Calcite Crystals - Ruck's Pit, FL, Huge, 5.78" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina, 2.84" Fossil Broad-Toothed "Mako" Tooth - South Carolina, 2.21" Fossil Broad-Toothed "Mako" Tooth - South Carolina, Rare, 2.84" Fossil Benedini Shark Tooth - North Carolina, 2.94" Fossil Broad-Toothed "Mako" Tooth - South Carolina. I was also seeing a significant up_tik in both the number of tours and the number of clients in guided Fossil Hunting tours further upstream also. I will focus on the other information that might be helpful. Venice beach is known as the Shark Tooth Capital of the World. The boat ramp at Gardner is one of the best places for fossil hunting if you dont have a boat. fossil hunting peace river bu niece sieves nephew working right Wave action and storms constantly wash shark teeth and other fossils out of the sands and onto the shore. 4 Meg teeth and huge great white tooth. Fossilguy, Manager at Paleo Discoveries, responded to this review, This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC, Boat Tours, Sightseeing Tours, Private Tours, Photography Tours, Boat Tours, Private Tours, Nature & Wildlife Tours, Dolphin & Whale Watching, Day Trips. Search for "Peace". Thanks Fred. i highly recommend booking a trip with Paleo Discoveries. A huge whale ear bone. It was like the whole gravel bed had been cleaned-out. I am looking at taking my boys 8 and 15 and girlfriend to the peace river for some fossil and shark tooth hunting. The pair first found this hobby three months ago, when they moved from Michigan to the sunshine state for an extended work trip. I've made a really useful probe out of a fiberglass driveway marker. Blackish lumps are quite likely to be fossilized bones of dugong, whales, tortoise and alligator. shark teeth reef fossils tooth sharks carib Thanks for the information. We found lots of shark teeth and fossils and just had an overall blast. Now we go at least once a week when we have time off from work, but its our last week here, and we head back to Michigan so definitely trying to fit as much in as we can," Prawdzik said. The most productive time to search is at low tide, or after a big storm. shark teeth fossils sharks tooth peace river found fossil florida fossilized slideshow More time porting == less time hunting. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Thank you so much Fred! The Peace River flows through a large area rich in fossils. There is a fish camp and a boat ramp near the bridge on Highway 17, or turn east on 764 loop just south of the Shell creek 764 loops around and rejoins 17 just north of Shell Creek. Get notified on your phone in the morning with the latest forecast and news to start your day. It was great! Depending on the water conditions, snorkeling just off-shore can be quite rewarding. My girl and I found about 250 shark teeth, lemon, bull, mako, sand, and tiger. It exposes areas of the river that are not accessible any other time of the year. Follow the course of the Peace River from the satellite view on Google Maps and look for spots where roads cross over the river. For this reason it is probably not a good idea to bring a dog along on the trip as dogs tend to look like dinner to alligators. The most productive area is south of Jacksonville Beach at Mickler Landing (photo below), just north of Guana River State Park. This was a trip we've been wanting to do for a long time . He also offered identification help with some of the other fossils that were found.Be prepared to be wet all day. Found about 15 hemi and pieces of hemi. 3) Every road that crosses the Peace River is an access point. What a great trip. Lots of times I'll paddle further, because I have already hunted/prospected the area. To get there go south on Highway 17 south of Zolfo springs until you reach the small town of Gardner. The town holds an annual Shark tooth festival in early April each year, where fossil collectors from around the southeastern US come to sell and display their wares. Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. We spent a day with Fred Mazza of Paleo Discoveries on a creek sifting sand for fossilized sharks' teeth. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Fred has had a love of natural history since the age of five, so it's no wonder he made trekking through the Peace River in search of fossils his career. My son and I came home with dozens of shark teeth, including a few nice Megladons. Apparently, they've been crowding the boat ramp and they've made arrangements to keep it clear. You have kayaks. He supplied everything we needed, except lunch, which we brought in a cooler. The bad part is that you may be porting those kayaks over sand bars. WAUCHULA, Fla. Along the idyllic Peace River, you can find great spots to camp and incredible wildlife, but one thing that goes mostly unnoticed is what lies beneath the surface of the river. The best time to go is before the rainy season so if you'd like to try your hand at digging for fossils Fred recommends you come out sometime before the end of June. There may be other TFF members who do. Only , if I have a specific location that is more easily accessible downstream do I start that way in the morning. Paleo Discoveries currently offers tours seven days a week as this is their busy season. 6) You have some time. I can usually prospect around a bit and click-into a good spot where interesting finds are turning up but we struggled to find any fossiliferous gravel. My wife and I just spent a Sunday with Fred on the Peace River. The tour was That is good and bad. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. This is the Peace River , any place can produce fossils, but your payoff (effort per good fossil) will not be worth it anywhere where you can walk to the gravel. We've found a lot of fossils out here!" The Fossil Forum He cant wait to take them to school to show his science class. The shaft of a golf club with the head cut off works. Many members including me, post summaries & finds on Peace River Hunting trips. Shark teeth, fossilized shells, Paleo-Indian arrowheads and spear points this creek can turn up anything. A tributary of the Peace River, Shell Creek has it all. How far should I go before I start looking? Usually, I try to dig a "probe" hole down to the bedrock/clay to determine if there are fossils down on the base layers. They now have an activity they plan to continue exploring. In general, I always launch going upstream as my energy is higher in the morning for paddling against the current and I prefer a leisurely paddle downstream after a day of digging gravel. Already looking forward to next time. Few dugum bones.10 meg frags. Fred visited with everyone on the trip and offered advise and encouragement throughout the day. I also found a horse tooth and other assorted fossils. Home improvement centers usually have these for less than 2 bucks each. Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Because there is lots of discard piles out there, I force myself to move at least 30 feet. Beach stores sell and rent special Florida snow shovels long handled devices with a basket at the end used to sift fossils from the sand. Also when you are walking, you can feel the gravel under your feet. We found a bag full of shark teeth and other assorted fossils thanks to Freds knowledge and guidance. When I find gravel, I prospect 2 sieves looking for fossils (usually small shark teeth). 5) Once I find gravel, I keep digging until I hit bedrock or clay/mud. 2022, Charter Communications, all rights reserved. I went to the Peace a week ago and did well (photo below). Look in the riverbank as well as in the gravel. The deep holes are not quite as deep, and if you find gravel, it is not as likely to have been dug by other hunters. Whether it is scuba or snorkel, diving for fossils and shark teeth in this area is better in spring and early summer when the water is clear. read more, Last weekend was our first time fossiling so we decided to book with Fred at Paleo Discoveries, and The highlight was a 2.5 inch megalodon tooth in pretty good shape. Fred mazza was great. megalodon teeth fossilera bone valley 4) In general, the water depth above Zolfo Springs is greater than below Zolfo Springs. The big (well-known) gravel bed just a few minutes paddle downstream from the Brownville Park boat ramp has seemingly been hit hard recently. I have a surveyors pole I use. Wanted everyone to find treasure and we did. more. All were hooked and had fun. 2) May is normally extremely low water depth. There are alligators on the Peace River, so stay alert. This a Megalodon tooth from the Peace River in Florida. There were a dozen or so others that were really nice. Hello everyone and just wanted to say that I love the website. No issue they don't mind you. In this week's Florida on a Tankful, we explore the art of sifting and searching for the bones of animals from a bygone era. Beringseadoc, Note. We are camping at Brownville park and will be hunting mid May. As Jack mentioned most of these areas have areas where you can park and launch watercraft from. No fumbling with plastic bags or stuffing fossils into pants pockets. calvert cliffs fossil hunting maryland teeth potomac sharks bay mallows along river kayak fossilguy Lower Jurassic, Shuttle Meadow & East Berlin FMs, MotM March - 2015 * VFOTM - February 2015, 5/15 MOTM; 6/14 VFOTM; 12/14 IPFOTM; 5/15 VFOTM. For more information, visit www.sharkstoothfestival.com or call 941-412-0402. read more. Canoe rentals are available in Arcadia. Walk upstream to Charlie Creek, a good place for shark teeth. I'd go upstream so the end of the day is flowing back with the current. Listen to "To The Point Already" for conversations with people across the Bay area. It was awesome. The highlight was a 2.5 inch megalodon tooth in pretty good shape. Note: It is rumored that Caspersen Beach is clothing-optional, but the County does not recognize it as a nude beach and clothing is officially required. It is best to have a small boat or rent a canoe that way you can access the shallow areas and banks. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. There are several access points where you can put a boat in or just wade if the water is not too high. Don't forget to pick up the really inexpensive tool apron while you are at the home improvement store as they are fabulous for tucking away your finds while standing in the river. Go to the TFF Home page, hit the Search button in upper right. My son found a 3 in. Major Atlantic storms regularly turn up fossilized tiger shark teeth, as well as the fossilized bones of horses and giant ground sloths. Fred is a great guide, fun, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. Until quite recently small, fossilized shark teeth used to be so common on Venice Beach that you could count on finding them everywhere. If I had watercraft (kayaks or canoes) I'd ignore the Brownville to Arcadia stretch (heavily traveled by Canoe Outpost renters) and focus on areas further upstream. Just as I accepted the fact that, unlike the 1980s, there were no Mammoth teeth laying on the sand bars after the summer rains, there seems to be sufficient hunting going on to remove most /all fossils from gravel beds closest to easy human access. Teeth from the Bone Valley Formation are highly prized by collectors due to the unique coloration and great preservation. Discovering everything from mammal bones and vertebra to shark teeth, even a Megalodon tooth or two if you're lucky. Fred made it very enjoyable. InGainesville, you can find fossil sharks teeth by sifting through the sand of the small creeks that run through the city. We canoed up the Peace River and Fred found us a very productive spot to sift the gravel. I worked at an eroded bank in the creek in waist deep water most of the day. The tour was Last weekend was our first time fossiling so we decided to book with Fred at Paleo Discoveries, and We spent a day with Fred Mazza of Paleo Discoveries on a creek sifting sand for fossilized sharks' teeth. 2020 Prehistoric Florida | Powered by Pangaea Biosciences, Even Earths largest-ever sharks needed nurseries for their babies, This Ancient Giant Armadillo Is Responsible For Giving Us The Avocado, Great whites may have wiped out the biggest shark that ever lived, Meet the Antarctic king, an unlikely fossil from 250 million years ago, Fossil turtle didnt have a shell yet, but had the first toothless turtle beak, Newly discovered armored dinosaur from Utah reveals intriguing family history, Ancient skull shows early baleen whale had teeth. We were in the water about waist deep. The third option, for non-swimmers, is to simply keep your eyes open while walking on the beach near the waterline. I know that I will be sore from the fossil hunting come tomorrow, but I would do it all again. HERE ARE SOME OTHER SIMILAR FOSSILS FOR SALE, Serrated, 4.99" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina, Serrated, 4.51" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina, Huge, 5.6" Fossil Megalodon Tooth - North Carolina. I am looking for any advice on locations and any other information that might be helpful. As you have indicated in your hunting areas, more and more of the hunting grounds that I cover seem to have had intensive hunting activity. My 12 year old son and I joined Fred for a canoe fossil hunting trip on March 21, 2018. Do an internet search for "tool apron" and you'll find lots of sources for these. Copyright 2022 FossilEra, All Rights Reserved. It's a day of roughing it in the wild with a guide that's made it his mission to preserve and discover the history that lies below the waters of Peace River. Found a ton of beautiful shark teeth and other mammal parts! In 2007, the festival was held Friday, April 20 Sunday, April 22, 2007. This link will take you tophotosof some of the fossils that have been found on the Peace River. On the day I found more than 100. Lots of stingray plates. Since moving here, they've tried a few different rivers, but none have yielded quite the haul they've found here. Go to the end of the dirt road quite a way the boat ramp is at the end. In the winter dry season November to June the river is usually shallow and clear, and the sand and gravel bottom is easy to search by wading or snorkeling. Out along the calm waters of Peace River, Kathryn and her fianc Alex are in search of fossils. Use them. My wife and I had a fantastic time on the river and surely Fred put us on the fossils. looking closely through rocks, sand and dirt. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in New Zealand. With more than 30 years of fossil hunting experience all along the east coast, he's amassed quite the collection of fossils, and made significant contributions to both the New Jersey State Museum, and the Florida Museum of Natural History. In the dry season, (Dec-May) the water is shallow and clear and you can walk in at the ramp and wade up stream and hunt as you walk. Most people bring a floating sifter a screen kept afloat by floating noodles and a shovel and simply shovel the gravel into the screen, then pick through the larger pieces left on the screen. It's easy! The gravel on the river bottom contains many well-preserved teeth and bones; the deep holes sometimes produce large bones and mammoth teeth. At this time of year, the River is low, I jump out of the kayak and walk probing my way forward. Excellent choice on your part joining this forum before going to the Peace River. I guess that the isolation caused by the pandemic has increased the number of people interested in outdoor activities. I would endorse your guidance, adding 'Dig deep'. This is a wonderful river to canoe, snorkel, and wade. In shallow water, it is possible to see surface gravel on the river bed. My adult son and I booked a fossil tour with Fred Mazza this past weekend. Fred visited with everyone on the trip and offered advise and encouragement throughout the day. Kathryn Prawdzik is in search of something you won't find in just any river. Welcome to TFF. Found everything we wanted. Wade into the water and dredge through anywhere that looks to have dark gravel or pebbles. There have been a bunch of new fossil guides (from what I've heard) using the Brownville Park boat ramp as a starting point that they've created a specific parking area (well away from the ramp) for these guides to park. Do not hunt in the huge area of gravel at the bottom of the boat ramp.