EDITED: Artifacts found while hunting / hiking?
- Thread starter Sytes
- Start date
Bambistew
Well-known member
My FIL's brother has an absolutely amazing collection of native artifacts from Missouri that he found over the years.
Gut Shot
Well-known member
MThuntr
Well-known member
I'm aware that it's not a diamond but that's what they're called locally. As far as I can find, they are double terminated smoky quartz crystals...I'm not a geologist or gemologist but that's what all sources I've read state.
Pondera
Active member
Ok trying to make a long story short. Feel free to pm me to discuss any of this or I can elaborate more if appropriate. This is how I became interested in the subject: My great grandfather and his brother operated a small coal mine in north central Montana in the early 1930's. They supplied coal to residents and businesses in the surrounding area and sometimes as far as 50 miles away, most via truck and in the winter by horse drawn sleigh. Later oil discoveries led to the closure of the mine as heating systems were converted to oil/electricity. Interesting history so far. In 1985 the Department of State Lands (now DNRC) conducted an evaluation of select abandoned coal and hard rock mines for cultural and historical resources. I stumbled upon this report in recent years and it contains a wealth of local cultural and geological info (much sourced from previous studies). Specifically mentioned are prehistoric buffalo kill sites and human created stone lanes, buffalo jump type features etc. Since this is practically my back yard I keep my eyes open while hunting-I would really enjoy finding some sort of hunting artifact...stone chips...arrowheads...here is what I have found so far-
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Gut Shot
Well-known member
It could be a doubly terminated quartz but there is something about the crystal habit, the surface being smooth and the fracture in the side that say otherwise. I've seen crystals like this before but I can't remember where or what they were.
MThuntr
Well-known member
Here is the exact location if you make it up here...http://wheretofindrocks.com/montana-diamonds-quartz-crystals-for-rockhounds/
LuketheDog
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Gut Shot
Well-known member
Cool, I learned something new today. It must be quartz.
Straight Arrow
Well-known member
Several years ago while hiking through the Museum of the Rockies with grandson Bode, examining many of the historical exhibits and dinosaur fossils mentioned by Sytes, we spotted Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House and wannabe dinosaur aficionado, accompanied by his entourage and led by the famed dinosaur archeologist (who appeared completely bored at the tour task). I pointed at the group and said, "Do you know who that is?! (referring to the politically famous Republican Speaker) Five-year old Bode quickly responded, "That's Jack Horner, the dinosaur doctor!" Realizing that Bode, young dinosaur fan, had his priorities right, I marched him over and introduced him to Dr. Horner, who engaged in a very pleasant conversation with Bode. 'Made my day!
That was much more exciting than finding the small, perfectly shaped arrowhead in an "ambush" saddle between two hills about twenty miles north of Lavina, MT.
That was much more exciting than finding the small, perfectly shaped arrowhead in an "ambush" saddle between two hills about twenty miles north of Lavina, MT.
This is great. Being a 6 year old in Montana when Jurassic Park came out, Jack Horner might as well have been Michael Jordan to my generation.
Working for the Forest Service we were told that anything 50 years or older was protected under the antiquities act and had to be left in the woods. So after I turned 50 all the youngsters on my crew would remind me to be extra careful because If I broke a leg they would have to just leave me there.
Paul in Idaho
Well-known member
I found a stone point from an atlatl dart. It's posted at https://www.hunttalk.com/threads/i-was-not-the-first-to-hunt-this-mountain.271959
glass eye
Well-known member
Not really an artifact but an ancient Hawaiian burial cave. It is now sealed up. Most likely an Ali'i burial cave ( Royalty)
While elk hunting I looked in to a creek and saw something white in the water sticking up out of the sand. I took off my boots and after digging for a while I unearthed a complete buffalo skull. I am the type of guy that has someone push to the side so someone else can pick up something under my foot.
Found some remnants of a sawyer massey steam tractor. It is the predecessor of the massey fergeson of todays world. What appears to be the drive gear, and part of the boiler assembly is all that left. Found it while on horseback in the rockies of southern alberta. The area had been logged in the early 1900's, and will most likely be from that operation.
The Hedgehog
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I'd have one of those on my mantle, sporting a MAGA hat.
Brian in Montana
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For me, just a handful of arrowheads and points. One of my best ones, I let my daughter take to school for a project... Yep, it got broke. She felt terrible and cried and cried, it was hard to be too mad about it.
The area I found it was an old outcrop where the New Perce and Salish historically came to quarry out flint and start napping the pieces on sight. The good ones, I understand were taken back to camp and competed there and fixed onto projectiles. I promised my daughter we'd go out there this comming summer and see if we could find more.
The area I found it was an old outcrop where the New Perce and Salish historically came to quarry out flint and start napping the pieces on sight. The good ones, I understand were taken back to camp and competed there and fixed onto projectiles. I promised my daughter we'd go out there this comming summer and see if we could find more.
Brian in Montana
Well-known member
Montana seems to have old cabins rotting and falling apart along just about every Forest Service trail, most of them are pretty picked over, but I always wanted to take a metal detector to some.
antlerradar
Well-known member
Better than having the best arrowhead you ever found stolen. Ninety % sure it was one of my mothers back east friends teen aged sons. Would love to have a back ally talk with him but it is unlikely I will ever get the chance.
