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Fossiling in Florida
A Guide for Diggers and Divers
With boundless enthusiasm, Mark Renz stumbles onto the skeletal remains of fierce saber-toothed cats, gentle sea cows, massive mammoths and mastodons, Volkswagen-size armadillos, and an ancient 5-ton giant ground sloth, and then shares these experiences in a humorous, illustrated book for beginning fossil collectors.
Want to look for fossils yourself but not sure how to get started? Renz tells how and where to hunt and how to preserve your finds for another million years, and he provides more than 250 photographs that help you to identify those bones and teeth and distinguish a prehistoric bison from a farmer's lost cow. He also provides information about what’s there to be found, the hurdles and hazards to be overcome, and the legalities to be observed.
Guided by an appreciation for the professional paleontologist and also for the laws that regulate his hobby, Renz explains, for example, why it is okay to dig for fossils in a state-owned creek bed (providing one possesses a state permit and does not dig in a state park), and why it is illegal to engage in the same activity in search of artifacts. With writing that's free of technical jargon but full of love for fossiling, this illustrated book will inspire you to explore the huge number of rich fossil deposits in Florida that can be found with just a shovel and a keen eye.
With boundless enthusiasm, Mark Renz stumbles onto the skeletal remains of fierce saber-toothed cats, gentle sea cows, massive mammoths and mastodons, Volkswagen-size armadillos, and an ancient 5-ton giant ground sloth, and then shares these experiences in a humorous, illustrated book for beginning fossil collectors.
Want to look for fossils yourself but not sure how to get started? Renz tells how and where to hunt and how to preserve your finds for another million years, and he provides more than 250 photographs that help you to identify those bones and teeth and distinguish a prehistoric bison from a farmer's lost cow. He also provides information about what’s there to be found, the hurdles and hazards to be overcome, and the legalities to be observed.
Guided by an appreciation for the professional paleontologist and also for the laws that regulate his hobby, Renz explains, for example, why it is okay to dig for fossils in a state-owned creek bed (providing one possesses a state permit and does not dig in a state park), and why it is illegal to engage in the same activity in search of artifacts. With writing that's free of technical jargon but full of love for fossiling, this illustrated book will inspire you to explore the huge number of rich fossil deposits in Florida that can be found with just a shovel and a keen eye.
- GenresNonfiction
216 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 1999
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45 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 10, 2017
Easy to read and good intro into the hobby. I wish the pictures were in color and had better definition especially the identification ones in the back. I also wish the author was more specific on areas to hunt. the general gist is jump into water and look for black gravel. Which I guess is helpful but honestly it's a huge state and there's gotta be better pockets than others.
September 22, 2020
Fossiling in Florida by Mark Renz. Really neat book. I reached out to the author and he still does fossiling tours which is super cool. I learned a lot about early organisms of Florida that I had not known about before. For those that want an educational read, it’s about 200 pages and very accessible.
January 6, 2016
Great book for beginners and experts alike! Great information in a readable format. We were lucky enough to go on a fossil hunt with him and it was very enjoyable!
June 24, 2012
GREAT BOOK FOR FOSSIL LOVERS! KEEPS YOUR INTEREST FROM BEGINNING TO END.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews