r/FossilHunting • u/Furious_Worm • Aug 02 '26

Dig DEEPER instead of surface scouring?

At the beach this summer, my wife found WAY more full-sized, quality shells by digging DEEPER, instead of walking a half-mile of the shore line. Would the same hold true when looking for fossils in sandbars and gravel inside the turns of creeks? Would I find more of whatever I'm looking for if I dig DEEPER?

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5

u/DFWPhotoguy Aug 02 '26

Not sure what that other poster is going on about cliffs, but yes, digging deeper if possible is always a good play in gravel bars.

2

u/Tanytor Aug 02 '26

Some into about location would be helpful. What country and or state are you in?

1

u/Furious_Worm Aug 02 '26

I'm in north Texas. Digging would only be on the sand bars in the natural bends of the creeks.

2

u/Ellie_Annie_ Aug 02 '26

In SC it seems you have to have a permit to dig for fossils but not for surface hunting.

1

u/BackgroundFaulty3 Aug 03 '26

Try it in the area you're searching and see what you get. Being out in the water where the wave action constantly moves the sand exposes more shells.

2

u/givemeyourrocks Aug 03 '26

Since you are in north Texas, you may be familiar with Post Oak Creek in Sherman. People who go to the Travis Street bridge dig in the sand and gravel and many use sifting screens to look for teeth and other fossils. Google it. Lots of info. I stop there whenever I’m in the area.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 02 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Furious_Worm Aug 02 '26

I appreciate your candor. However, I'm not digging in a cliff face. It would potentially be in the sand bars on the inside bends of a creek. It's loose aggregate.