All of our fossils are collected from private land in Wyoming and Montana. We are always looking for new places to collect. Ranchers get a percentage of our final sales. Without their cooperation, collecting would be next to impossible for the commercial fossil dealers.
The Cretaceous fossils are primarily from the Pierre and Cody shale of central Wyoming; a few are from the Frontier formation. We also have collecting sites in Northeastern Wyoming and Southeastern Montana. These fossils include, but are not limited to Placenticeras, Dunveganoceras, Metioceras and Prinoclynus ammonites. We also collect several species of nautiloids and Baculites. Inoceramas clams and Pinna clams are also collected. We have also found snails, crab claws, Beleminites and Scaphites.
The mosasaur that Jim found in 1998 has since been donated to the Tate Museum in Casper, and as of January 2008, about 80 percent of it has been prepared.
Our fossil fish come from the Thompson Quarry operated by Warfield Fossil Safari northwest of Kemmerer, Wyoming. We collect and prepare fish from both the split fish quarry and the 18″ quarry.
We have Knightia, Diplomytus, Mioplosus, Phareodus, Priscacara and Amphiplagia.
Our leaves are from the Fort Union formation near Broadus, Montana. We also have Turritella, Stromatolite, Callenia Stromatolite and petrified wood.
Rocks
We do collect a few of our rock specimens, but we also purchase rock from other commercial dealers and trade for other specimens. We have several varieties of obsidian, many different kinds of agates, youngite, geodes, dahlite, lysite, drusy quartz, quartz crystals, calcite, small limb casts and oolite.
Minerals
We lived in Arizona for a few years, where we collected fluorite, chalcedony and wulfinite.
Preparation
Initially, Linda prepped our fish with dental tools and Jim prepped the Cretaceous fossils with a flat sander. Both methods were too time-consuming and too crude. We now use air scribes, micro blasters and a dremil. Linda’s science background has helped our business grow immensely. Linda has become the head preparer of the fossil fish. We also have rock saws, slab polishers, tumblers and even an old dentist drill. We are continuously looking for ways to prepare our fossils.