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2018 Dinosaur Safari Dig & Keep Real Dinosaur Bones

Now Booking 2018 Field Season

Dinosaur Fossil Safari Dig & Keep Real Dinosaur Bones

Would You Like To Dig Dinosaurs?

Would You Like To Keep What You Find?

You Can!

Here's How

Join Dr. Steve Nicklas and his staff of expert dinosaur hunters on weeklong expeditions to the dinosaur fossil country of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana or Nebraska.

Most of us can only dream of going on a dinosaur dig, of finding real dinosaur bones, of having real dinosaur bones in our collections. Can you imagine finding and keeping a real dinosaur tooth claw or bone? Now you can, thanks to a unique partnership between PaleoBarn, Prehistoric Planet, PaleoClones, Paleo Prospectors and our network of private landowners.

Now you can join our summer, weekly, field expeditions of Paleontological survey, preservation, excavation and recover. We're talking Dinosaurs here. Expeditions generally run from the last of May to mid August. Our expeditions take place in the prime dinosaur territories of South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Nebraska. The 160,000 plus acres (11 privately owned ranches) that we have under lease have many excellent exposures that range in age from the mid to late Cretaceous (90-65 million years ago) to the Oligocene (25 million years ago). The majority of our ranches are in the Hell Creek Formation located in North and South Dakota and Montana. Our Montana ranches also contain mid Cretaceous marine fossil beds from the Bearpaw Shale. The Nebraska ranches have exposures from the Pierre Shale and many prime acres of Oligocene age beds. One of our Nebraska ranches also has numerous outcrops of giant septarian nodules, which contain calcite crystals in great abundance.

Unlike other expeditions on the market today, you will be able to keep almost everything that you find (up to a maximum of $4000). Only individual bones valued at over $1500 and articulated bones are excluded. In all cases, however, if you cannot keep your find, you will receive a finders fee of 3% after the final sale of the specimen. In most cases, each participant finds several hundred bone fragments; ten or so mostly complete bones and an occasional tooth or claw in any weeklong expedition. Extremely rare and scientifically important specimens are generally appraised and donated to appropriate museums for study. Since 1999, we have donated over $600,000 worth of specimens to museums. Standard fees for weeklong expeditions are $2320 per adult. Some discounts programs are available so please ask. The fee pays for nearly everything including: insurance, 3 meals a day for 6 days, lodging for 6 nights (double occupancy) daily landowner fees, daily guide fees, daily transportation to and from the motel to the dig sites, hand tool usage, field instruction and assistance. All resulting in your very own dinosaur fossil collection.

Make no mistake the goal is DINOSAURS. You will find dinosaurs, you will take home real dinosaur bones, and we guarantee it!

SEE WWW.PALEOPROSPECTORS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION

2016 Excavation Dates:

•Session #1. The week of Sun Jun 19 to Sat Jun 25 - Wyoming

•Session #2. The week of Sun Jun 26 to Sat Jul 2 - Wyoming

•Session #3. The week of Sun Jul 3 to Sat Jul 9 - Wyoming

•Session #4. The week of Sun Jul 10 to Sat Jul 16 - (Students and participants) South Dakota

•Session #5. The week of Sun Jul 17 to Sat Jul 23 - (Students and participants) South Dakota/ North Dakota

•Session #6. The week of Sun Jul 24 to Sat Jul 30 - Montana

(See detailed descriptions below)

Each session will be limited to the first 15 applicants (except for the final session, in Montana, which will be limited to 12). Sessions will be booked upon our receipt of your confirmation and deposit. The ranches will be divided into collecting zones, one for each session so that everyone will have the opportunity to collect fossils from prime areas. Please note that ALL participants who fly in for their trip will be required to rent a vehicle and get themselves back and forth from the airport. Individuals that use their vehicle to get back and forth from the collecting areas will receive a $300.00 discount. After arrival and check in on Sunday, collection will begin on the first Monday morning of each session and end each Friday evening. Wake up call will be at 6:30, breakfast at 8:00 and we will leave for the field by 9:15 AM. Lunch will be provided in the field and we will return each evening in time for dinner at 7:00pm. All meals are mandatory unless discussed with Steve.

2016 Detailed Session Information:

Session #1. The week of Sun Jun 19 to Sat Jun 25 - Wyoming

This year we will be collecting on a new ranch in Wyoming. The ranch is brand new, and has never had fossil hunters on it before. During a preliminary survey we found bone and petrified wood in 3 separate locations in less than 2 hours. The ranch is 30,000+ acres. 20% of the ranch is good exposure (fossil hunting area).

Session #2. The week of Sun Jun 26 to Sat Jul 2 - Wyoming

Same ranch as Session #1.

Session #3. The week of Sun Jul 3 to Sat Jul 9 - Wyoming

We will be collecting outside of Newcastle, WY. The ranch contains Lance Formation dinosaur material, superb plant fossils and a large amount of petrified wood. It is also a good ranch for isolated artifacts.

Session #4. The week of Sun Jul 10 to Sat Jul 16 - (Students and participants) South Dakota

We will be collecting on two Hell Creek Formation ranches in Harding County, SD. Both ranches produce fossils typical of the Hell Creek Formation: dinosaur material, plant fossils and petrified wood.

Session #5. The week of Sun Jul 17 to Sat Jul 23 - (Students and participants) South Dakota/ North Dakota

We will be collecting on the, above mentioned, Hell Creek Formation ranches in Harding County, SD, as well as an additional Hell Creek ranch in North Dakota. The North Dakota ranch is very good for both fossils and artifacts.

Session #6. The week of Sun Jul 24 to Sat Jul 30 - Montana

We will be collecting on a fantastic ranch in the Judith River and Bear Paw Formations, north of Glasgow, Montana. The ranch is very good for fossils and contains both Dinosaur and Cretaceous Marine material. This ranch is physically demanding, especially if you want to collect the Judith River.
Earn College Credit!

Dr. Steve Nicklas, the founder of PaleoProspectors, will be offering a college-credit field course for select participants through the University of North Georgia. Participants will get hands-on experience excavating two sites in Wyoming and South Dakota. Be the first to see these bones come from the ground before they get to the museum! For more information, please click on the "College Credit" menu tab on the left of this page. This requires advance registration for the two week course (Sessions #2 and 3).

Each session will be limited to the first 15 applicants. Sessions will be booked upon our receipt of your confirmation, waiver and deposit. The ranches will be divided into collecting zones, one for each session so that everyone will have the opportunity to collect fossils from prime areas.

Please note that ALL participants who fly in for their trip are required to rent a vehicle and get themselves back and forth from the airport, with the exception of students enrolled for college credit. Individuals who use their vehicle to get back and forth from the collecting areas will receive a $300.00 discount. After arrival and check in on Sunday, collection will begin on the first Monday morning of each session and end each Friday evening. Wake up call will be at 6:30, breakfast at 7:00 and we will leave for the field by 8:15 AM. Lunch will be provided in the field and we will return each evening in time for dinner.

Earn College Credit!

Dr. Steve Nicklas, the founder of PaleoProspectors, will be offering a college-credit field course for select participants through the University of North Georgia. Participants will get hands-on experience excavating two sites in Wyoming and South Dakota. Be the first to see these bones come from the ground before they get to the museum! For more information, please click on the "College Credit" menu tab on the left of this page. This requires advance registration for the two week course (Sessions #4 and 5).

Excavation Prices

The standard trip fee is $2,550.00 which covers the following:

Insurance
Meals
Room for 6 nights (for 2)
Landowner fees
Guide fees
Daily land transportation to and from the collection sites
Hand Tool usage
Field Instruction
Your fossil collection
All supplies necessary for fossil removal
In order to pay the up front costs of this project, we require that 25 percent of the fee be paid as a deposit with your confirmation and waiver. An additional 25 percent is due by February 28, 2015. The balance is due on April 30, 2015.

IMPORTANT CHANGE FOR 2015 SEASON: If any payments deadlines are missed, you will lose your place and your paid fees are forfeited.

Special rates apply to the following categories:

Students - $2,200.00
Repeat Participants - $2,200.00
Groups (each Participant) - $2,200.00
Children under 17-$1300.00
Four Wheel Drive Vehicle Discount - If you drive into the field each day, take $300.00 off (per vehicle).