Green River Formation - Kemmerer, WY
Miocene
The South Dempsey Quarry is operated by the American Fossil people. We hunted here in the summer of 2017 in conjunction with a trip to see the total eclipse.
At this quarry, you may keep virtually anything you find. Another bonus is that they have rock saws so that you can trim your finds for safer transport.
You will still want to bring packing supplies to wrap the specimens for transport. Lots of newspaper and packing tape will probably suffice.
You can expect to fill a couple of cardboard boxes or a large rubbermaid bin.
Click here for a panoramic view of the quarry - South Dempsey Quarry
Piles of rock ready to split
The quarry operators provide all tools and basic instruction on how to split the rock.
They line up rows of rock from the face so that has some time to dry before offering it up to the customers.
Face of the quarry
If you want, you can remove some fresh rock from the face but be sure to move it away from the face before working on it.
Splitter in Action
It pays to keep splitting the slabs into the thinner and thinner sections. The fish are quite adept at hiding.
An incomplete Phareodotus
It takes time and effort to find good quality and complete specimens. Sometimes the heartbreakers come first like this headless Phareodotus.
Plant Remains
There are also fossils other than fish to be found. This is some sort of plant matter. On the day we were hunting, a person found a nice stingray.
Prep Station
The operator provides a cutting station with several rock saws which allow you to trim your plates on site. This is a significant bonus.
Not only does it reduce the weight and volume but it also makes it far less likely that your fish will be damaged in transit.
Trimmed Fish
We trimmed most all of the smaller fish into suitable shapes.
Splitter in Action
There are also a number of tables where you can wrap and pack your finds in an orderly fashion.
Nothing is worse than having your prized find damaged or destroyed on the way home.
One Day, Two People
Although the fee for hunting is over $100 per person per day, you will find lots of fish.
These ended up going out as Christmas presents pretty much as you see them at a net cost of a few dollars each
Examples of Fish Fossils
Some examples of fish that you will find, after mild prep using dental picks. Diplomystus and Knightia are the two most common species.
Knightia specimen
I use diluted Elmer's Glue to seal the fish when prep is complete.
Double Plate
A nice plate with two fish.
Helpful Staff
The staff at the American Fossil quarry were very helpful in all ways. I recommend this site if you decide to hunt fish fossils in Wyoming.
American Fossil Quarry Website -> American Fossil
[Go to the Warfield Quarry] [To the Kemmerer Page ]
Questions? E-Mail me: tngray@nautiloid.net
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