2017 public fossil digs - north dakota...we are excited to announce another year of public fossil...

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We are excited to announce another year of public fossil digs, which provide opportunies for people to join us in the field to help dis- cover North Dakota’s past. Budget constraints have resulted in cutbacks to the number of public fossil digs we will offer in the summer of 2017, but there are sll three excing locaons from which to choose. All fossil digs are free, though a fully refundable deposit of $10 per person is required to hold your spot. A quick note, while dinosaurs may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think “fossil dig,” most of our digs are not dinosaur oriented. Only the Bismarck Area dig may contain dinosaurs. For more informaon on these digs please visit hps://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndfossil/digs/. Dickinson Area, June 26-30: This dig focuses on 30- to 40-million- year-old mammal sites and involves prospecng for new fossils, so bring your hiking boots. We meet in Bismarck each day, then cara- van to the site south of Dickinson. Alternavely, if you are already in the Dickinson area, you can meet us there. If the weather does not cooperate, we will have spaces for people back in our paleontology lab in Bismarck to work on fossil preparaon and cleaning. Maxi- mum of 10 parcipants per day. Minimum age is 12 years; parci- pants under 18 must have an accompanying adult. You must provide your own transportaon, food, and lodging (if needed), but all tools for the day will be provided. Medora, July 13-16: Aſter non-avian dinosaurs went exnct, crocodiles became the dominant predator in North Dakota, and the environment turned swampy. In Medora, we will be digging in Sennel Bue Formaon rocks, 55-60 million years old. This North Dakota everglades environment includes a variety of swamp deni- zens, including crocodiles, champsosaurs, giant salamanders, fish, clams, snails, birds, mammals, and more. The rugged badlands in the nearby Theodore Roosevelt Naonal Park may also be a draw for those not interested in digging in the dirt. You will be staying in one spot working at an established fossil quarry. Maximum of 14 parcipants per day. Minimum age is 12 years; parcipants under 18 must have an accompanying adult. There will also be a family dig day on July 15th when children 10 and older can aend. Fam- ily day is divided into a morning and an aſternoon session, so you can sign up for which ever best fits your schedule, or both if you would like to join us all day. Transportaon from and to Medora will be provided. You must provide your own water and lunches. A shade tent, port-a-poy, and all tools needed for the day will be provided. Bismarck Area, July 24-28: We will be working at a handful of sites on the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River that preserve a plethora of Hell Creek creatures. Teeth from Tyrannosaurus, bones from Triceratops and Edmontosaurus, plus crocodiles and other creatures abound. This experience will include a combi- naon of hiking around to discover new fossils and sing and working to excavate at known sites depending on how the week goes. If the weather does not cooperate, we will have spaces for people back in our paleontology lab in Bismarck to work on fossil preparaon and cleaning. Maximum of 10 parcipants per day. Minimum age is 12 years; parcipants under 18 must have an accompanying adult. You must provide your own transporta- on, food, and lodging (if needed), but all tools for the day will be provided. 2017 Public Fossil Digs 16 GEO NEWS

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Page 1: 2017 Public Fossil Digs - North Dakota...We are excited to announce another year of public fossil digs, which provide opportunitiesfor people to join us in the fieldto help dis-cover

Weareexcitedtoannounceanotheryearofpublicfossildigs,whichprovideopportunitiesforpeopletojoinusinthefieldtohelpdis-coverNorthDakota’spast.Budgetconstraintshaveresultedincutbackstothenumberofpublicfossildigswewillofferinthesummerof2017,buttherearestillthreeexcitinglocationsfromwhichtochoose.Allfossildigsarefree,thoughafullyrefundabledepositof$10perpersonisrequiredtoholdyourspot.Aquicknote,whiledinosaursmaybethefirstthingthatcomestomindwhenyouthink“fossil dig,”mostofourdigsarenotdinosauroriented. Only theBismarckAreadigmaycontaindinosaurs.Formoreinformationonthesedigspleasevisithttps://www.dmr.nd.gov/ndfossil/digs/.

Dickinson Area, June 26-30: Thisdigfocuseson30-to40-million-year-oldmammalsitesandinvolvesprospectingfornewfossils,sobringyourhikingboots.WemeetinBismarckeachday,thencara-vantothesitesouthofDickinson.Alternatively,ifyouarealreadyintheDickinsonarea,youcanmeetusthere.Iftheweatherdoesnotcooperate,wewillhavespacesforpeoplebackinourpaleontologylab inBismarck toworkon fossilpreparationandcleaning. Maxi-mumof10participantsperday.Minimumageis12years;partici-pantsunder18musthaveanaccompanyingadult.Youmustprovideyourowntransportation,food,andlodging(ifneeded),butalltoolsforthedaywillbeprovided.

Medora, July 13-16: Afternon-aviandinosaurswentextinct,crocodilesbecamethedominantpredator inNorthDakota,and theenvironmentturnedswampy.InMedora,wewillbedigginginSentinelButteFormationrocks,55-60millionyearsold.ThisNorth

Dakotaevergladesenvironmentincludesavarietyofswampdeni-zens,includingcrocodiles,champsosaurs,giantsalamanders,fish,clams,snails,birds,mammals,andmore.TheruggedbadlandsinthenearbyTheodoreRooseveltNationalParkmayalsobeadrawforthosenotinterestedindigginginthedirt.Youwillbestayinginonespotworkingatanestablishedfossilquarry.Maximumof14participantsperday.Minimumageis12years;participantsunder18musthaveanaccompanyingadult.TherewillalsobeafamilydigdayonJuly15thwhenchildren10andoldercanattend.Fam-ilydayisdividedintoamorningandanafternoonsession,soyoucansignupforwhicheverbestfitsyourschedule,orbothifyouwouldliketojoinusallday.TransportationfromandtoMedorawillbeprovided.Youmustprovideyourownwaterandlunches.Ashadetent,port-a-potty,andalltoolsneededforthedaywillbeprovided.

Bismarck Area, July 24-28:WewillbeworkingatahandfulofsitesonthebluffsoverlookingtheMissouriRiverthatpreserveaplethoraofHellCreekcreatures. TeethfromTyrannosaurus,bones from Triceratops and Edmontosaurus,pluscrocodilesandothercreaturesabound. Thisexperiencewill includeacombi-nationofhikingaroundtodiscovernewfossilsandsittingandworkingtoexcavateatknownsitesdependingonhowtheweekgoes. If theweatherdoesnotcooperate,wewillhavespacesfor people back in our paleontology lab in Bismarck to work on fossilpreparationandcleaning.Maximumof10participantsperday.Minimumageis12years;participantsunder18musthaveanaccompanyingadult.Youmustprovideyourowntransporta-tion,food,andlodging(ifneeded),butalltoolsforthedaywillbeprovided.

2017 Public Fossil Digs

16 GEO NEWS