Ammonites! - How to use geologic maps to find Mancos Shale fossil locations in New Mexico
3,496
Published 2021-04-07
Many species of ammonites are found in various locations in New Mexico - Fence Lake, Galisteo Dam, Cabezon, La Ventana and many other areas of the San Juan Basin in northwestern New Mexico. I use maps and published paleontologic scientific papers to help me find places where I can look for these beautiful fossils, and you can too! I look for outcrops of the Mancos Shale and its various fossiliferous members such as the Carlile Shale, the Juana Lopez Member and the Blue Hill Shale to help me find promising locations for hunting.
Please remember to check the land ownership records on the county websites before you hound to make sure you are on BLM or Forest Service locations where marine fossil collection is allowed, or get permission from private land owners if possible.
Happy rockhounding!
Useful Links:
Geologic Quadrangle Maps Available from the NMBGMR:
geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/maps/geologic/home.cf…
Interactive Map of New Mexico:
maps.nmt.edu/
Ammonites in Fence Lake Area:
geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/monographs/memoirs/41…
USGS paper on ammonites of the Western Interior Seaway:
pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1192/report.pdf
USGS paper on ammonites in the Mancos Shale and Dakota Sandstone of West-Central NM:
pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1009/report.pdf
All Comments (21)
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I love putting together puzzle pieces like that. You wish you found them whole of course, but there's something very satisfying about it. Imagine the glee in the later 90's when suddenly all the maps you had to send away for and buy via snail mail each way or go to a local library or town clerk's office or bookstore to get were suddenly available to download and print for free. I had to convince myself that I should NOT print out the entire state of Washington.
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4:19 very impressive that you got the big Ammonite put back together, very well done👏 Great Video
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wow!! my momma had a huge collection! she lived in south texas where i grew up, it was along the US/Mexico border. when she passed away,,. everything was removed by her husband and his family when i had gotten there for her funeral.. but i got phots of her ammonites! they were beautiful ~dor
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That one that you reconstructed is HUGE!!!!! I didn’t even know they got that big! 😳😳
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I love the suture patterns! Very few ammonites in Missouri. They’re all south of my location I think. Also they’re smaller like palm size
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What a wonderfully informative video! It's so exciting to see that coming out of the ground, being the first ones to see them since it rested on the ocean floor. That puzzle was well worth putting together. The suture patterns really are beautiful. I could watch you do this for hours. Thanks so much for sharing!
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I hope you get to find a large more complete ammonite one day soon. I too didn't realize they got so big. Your videos are fun to watch and very informative! Good stuff, thanks for sharing 👍
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Love your videos! I have probably watched the Pecos Diamonds video 10 times 😂❤❤❤
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Great finds, awesome video! I want to dig deep where you were... find a piece not as weathered... Your videos are improving so much, they are the the best described and science based content I know. Keep it up!
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Excellent video! I love imagining the ancient past... Missouri is absolutely INSANE if you pay attention to what the rocks say! I’ve seen several things here that aren’t officially scientifically recognized but... I’m convinced.
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Awsome!! Thanks from Rio rancho!
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Fabulous video and resources! The one you pieced together was a monster! Imagine what it looked like swimming...Thank you!
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Oooo, super cool! I need to do some fossil hunting some day
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So interesting!!! Awesome video and so helpful!
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Fossils are so incredible! It blows my mind how different they can be from each other, depending on where they are and under what circumstances/chemistries of mineralization are available to fossilize a thing. Excellent video! Thank You!👏
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Good info you shared with us. Your sound is much better also. I do wish you had put a link to the source of your search data. Havagudun gal.
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Video so nice I love your video Mg
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Video so nice I love Tg
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Awesome!! thank you very much!! I learned something today....I cant tell how appreciative I am for all the information you present. Are fish and mammal bones legal to collect in the areas you mention?
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Wow that’s huge compared to the ones I’m finding such a variety of them none with the pattern you have got some long tapered ones been lucky to have some beautiful colours to them and here I stress out fitting the little ones back together lol and you do that one beautiful it is thank you
