Mosasaur dig in Ovilla, Tx.
April-June 2007

This was a dig by the Dallas Museum of Natural History with help from members of the Dallas Paleo Society.   

Dallas Museum members were:  Ron Tykoski, Toni Fiorello.  

DPS Volunteers were:  Alex Shahan, Bill Johnson, Carla Griffin, Chris Griffin, Jack Robertson, Karen Meinstein, Kathy Hoover, Kathy Martinez, Lance Hall, Larry Shindell, Lisa Ward, Loraine Davidoff, Polly Mullinex, Richard Ward, RJ Taylor, Wayne Furstenwerth, Richard Zack, Michele Kashough, Bob Atkinson, Roz Morgan, Phillip Scoggins and others....

Pictures are from: Jack Robertson, Wayne Furstenwerth, Karen Meinstein, Roz Morgan, Rocky Manning, and Bill Johnson.    The photographer is in the picture name.

The oldest pics are at the bottom.  Unfortunately the time stamps attached to a few of the original pictures appear to have been incorrect and there may be some date discrepancies.

Tuesday June 12, 2007

The final largest block is lightened

Friday June 8, 2007

Thursday June 7, 2007

The jacketed blocks are ready to remove

Wednesday June 6, 2007

Ron and Polly.

Friday May 18, 2007
Ron undercuts the block
Richard, Rocky and Ron apply plaster jackets

Thursday May 17, 2007
Run begins the undercutting	Ron in action splitting the block
Ron, Polly, ?

Tuesday May 15, 2007
Jack, Ron, and Carla	Wayne, Chris, Carla, Karen

Sunday May 6, 2007
Roz pics 1, 2, 3, 4
Roz pics 5, 6, 7, 8
Roz pics 9, 10, 12, 13
Roz pics 15, 16, 17
RJ and Ron apply a light plaster  coat for protection	Ron and RJ
Ron and Wayne
A tooth that popped loose	"Xiphactinus sp." fish tail found upstream
	Roz, Jack, Lance

Saturday May 5, 2007
Hard to see but there ARE bones inside   [full]
Lance and Roz	Karen, Lance, Roz
Lance and Rocky	Karen, Lance, Jack

Saturday April 28, 2007
Friday April 27, 2007
[full]
Ron talks with the land owners	Karen, Rocky, Ron, and Bill

Sunday April 22, 2007
This Mosasaur (possible Tylosaur) is estimated about 20+ feet long.  It was found along a creek near Ovilla, Texas.  The geological formation is Austin Chalk about 80 million years old. It's difficult to see but there are parts of a jaw, a couple vertebra, and a rib showing.  Not only was this Mosasaur removed but also a large rib and "Xiphactinus sp." fish tail that was found upstream
	Illustration by Robert F. Walters

• 2007-04-18 "Mosasaur Dig Volunteers, I haven't got an update yet on the dig. It may start this weekend. There are 27 people interested; so we may have more people than slots available at times. I would like to mix experienced persons with inexperienced ones. Please reply with your experience level. I know some of you have already told me, but please reply again. It will be easier for me to get the information together. Thanks, Rocky"
  
  
• 2007-04-21 "Mosasaur Dig Volunteers, Ron and Tony, at the museum, were sick last week; so nothing has been set up to start the dig. I am going to check it out tomorrow. I hope to have more info early next week. Thanks, Rocky"
  
  
• 2007-04-23 - "We checked the Mosasaur Site on Sunday. A photo by Bill Johnson is attached. We will only be able to have or three or four people working at a time. We will probably start Wednesday or Thursday and work at least through Sunday. I am thinking to have two shifts each day from early (9:00 - 2:00) and late (2:00 - 7:00). This is tentative and flexible. Please reply with days and times you are available. Thanks, Rocky"
  
  
• 2007-04-25 - "Current plans are for the dig to start tomorrow (Thursday).  More details later."
  
  
• 2007-05-01 - "Because of the predictions of rain, the dig will be delayed until at least Friday. More info later."
  
  
• 2007-05-16  - "Ron from the museum will be out at the dig tomorrow and maybe Friday. If you're interested in going, let me know. Thanks, Rocky"
  
  
• 2007-05-17 - "The dig continues. Ron will be out again on Friday. Others coming are:  Richard Zack, Wayne Furstenwerth, Jack Robertson ??, Rocky Manning.  Many thanks to Wayne for providing a heavy duty Hilti hammer drill and bits. I haven't seen them yet, but Ron said they work great. If you want to come tomorrow, email before 8 am or call my cell (469) 879-2421 later in the morning. The Dig will probably be off this weekend. Tentatively, the next day will be Tuesday. Thanks, Rocky"
  
  
• 2007-05-20 - "Mosasaur Dig Volunteers, The next day for the dig is Tuesday. There is a plaster jacket on the skull portion of the specimen. We hope to finish undercutting it and take it out. Things haven't progressed as fast as we have hoped so far; so we may or may not achieve that. If you want to come out on Tuesday, let me know.  Thanks, Rocky "
  
  
• 2007-05-21 - "Mosasaur Dig Volunteers, The dig has been postponed due to expected rain. It will probably be several days before we go out again. We need dry weather to get the plaster to set up well.  Thanks, Rocky"
  
  
• 2007-06-03 - "The fields are still too wet and more rain is in the forecast. We hope to get back to the site this week. Wednesday will be the earliest."
  
  
• 2007-06-05 - "The Mosasaur Dig is on tomorrow. Those going so far are: Ron Tykoski, Polly Mullinex. If you want to help, let me know.  Thanks, Rocky"
  
  
• 2007-06-06 - "Dig Volunteers, We plan to go back to the site tomorrow morning.  In the morning, jackets will be plastered, then we'll work on the fish. In the afternoon, after the plaster is dry we'll start working to flip the jackets.  Those coming in the morning are:  Ron Tykoski, Polly Mullinex, Jack Robertson, Michele Kashough, Richard Zack (tentative)  We will need more muscle power to turn jackets about 1:00. After turning the jackets, we'll chisel away the bottom (now on top) to reduce the thickness of the blocks.  Those coming are:  Rocky Manning.  Please confirm, if you are listed and reply to let me know, if you can come in the afternnoon for a couple of hours. Thanks, Rocky.
  
  
• 2007-06-07 - "If you reply to help tomorrow, please include a phone contact number (preferably cell). There is a chance it may be delayed to shortage of people and I may need to make last minute contacts. I will be leaving town about 10 am. Thanks, Rocky.
  
  
• 2007-06-11 - "1. The dig will start at 9:00 am tomorrow. Those coming are: Ron Tykoski, Karen Meinstein, Alex Shahan (tentative), Rocky Manning (may be a little late) If there's anyone else, please let me know.  2. We need more help (muscle for Wednesday morning). Please let me know, if you can make it. Thanks, Rocky
  
  2007-06-11 "Plans are to go out to the site tomorrow to pare down the last jacket and plaster the open side. It's hard to estimate, but it is expected to complete this a little past noon. If this goes well, the jacket will be taken out Wednesday morning. Please let me know, if you can help either day. Wednesday we mainly need muscle for a short time to haul the jacket out.
  Thanks, Rocky
  
  
• 2007-06-12 " Dig Volunteers, The plan is to finish the jacket and haul it out by noon tomorrow (Wednesday). Ron will get there shortly after 9:00 am with plaster to cap the last jacket. It will need an hour or more to dry before it is ready to be hauled out. We have a heavy duty wagon, provided by Wayne Furstenwerth, that we will use to bring it out. We plan to start hauling it out about 11:00 am.
  
  Those coming so far are: about 9:00 am Ron Tykoski, Karen Meinstein
  about 10:00 am, Richard Zack, Rocky Manning
  By 11:00 am, Wayne Furstenwerth
  
  We also hope to finish the fish tail, Xiphactinus rib and fill in the hole where the Mosasaur was; so additional help could be used. Let me know, if you are interested. Attached photos are by Jack Robertson. Thanks, Rocky