MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Apr 2, 2009 11:42:51 GMT -5
Hi all I'm planning a trip to Montana this spring/summer to collect some Montana moss agate (I live in Wyoming). I have never collected Montana moss agate personally myself...all the raw material in my posession was collected by my Grandfather, who is no longer with us. I know the agate is found in the Yellowstone River drainage between the park and Billings, but we are talking about a pretty vast area there. I was hoping that some of you Montana folks could give me a tip on a good location to hunt for them. I'd like to find an area that is on public land that allows camping, and hasn't already been picked too clean so I can come back with ample material of decent quality to make the trip worthwhile. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated, and I'd be more than willing to give directions to anybody wanting to collect some of Woming's unique goodies like jade or sweetwater agates... Thanks Mike
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rallyrocks
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Member since November 2005
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Post by rallyrocks on Apr 3, 2009 2:19:17 GMT -5
I lived in Bozeman long ago, there are quite a few montanans on the board here, but I think most of them are in the western side of the state. From what I've heard the agate collecting is better even farther downstream, way out like Forsythe, Miles City, Glendive and Sidney, but I'd have to imagine there are good stones to be had along the entire river.
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mirkaba
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 321
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Post by mirkaba on Apr 3, 2009 9:56:38 GMT -5
Howdy.........rallyrocks is right. The best Montana agate is down toward Sidney. I live in Western Montanaand have only been over there a couple times with less than spectacular results. Good Luck!!! Bob
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Apr 3, 2009 10:40:37 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips!
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Post by drocknut on Apr 5, 2009 13:44:34 GMT -5
Rally, there are actually some of us from Central Montana although I'd like to move to Western. I've never been to Eastern Montana but have heard the huntin's better down toward Sidney.
Mikes, if you go to that area in July, I believe, there is going to be a biggggg rock show in Billings. July 30 to August 2. It is the AFMS/NFMS show and convention so promises to be a good one, according to some of the members of the mineral society here.
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Apr 5, 2009 13:58:49 GMT -5
thanks again! looks like I'll plan my trip near Sidney...
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Fossilman
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Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,681
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 9, 2009 7:47:48 GMT -5
Having spent most of my time in Roundup,MT before the Dakota move,central montana is a fossil haven(Melstone area) with eastern Montana a agate haven. The whole line from Billings to Sidney,MT on the Yellowstone river is a hot spot for agates and a few extras......... Forthye is really a great place to hunt agates,expecially when the river is down......
PS: check out the rockshop in Terry,MT,that old timer is a "kick".Most rockshops in that area want your money,but this guy will help a fellow hunter out and yak with you..........Good luck
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Apr 9, 2009 11:44:24 GMT -5
Thanks! I'm not sure what route I'll take into Montana yet, I can either go through Sheridan towards Billings or go through Gillette towards Miles City...Sheridan to Billings is the most direct route for me, but it sounds like the better agate hunting is east of there....
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nick1970
off to a rocking start
Member since December 2008
Posts: 22
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Post by nick1970 on Apr 26, 2009 20:41:12 GMT -5
Hi Mikes, I collect at the Seven Sisters public area at Crane,Mont. It's a large area along the river, agate and pet. wood are in that spot. Best time of course is after the spring run-off. Let me know if you come thru Billings, I'll give you a few agates. Nick70
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grayfingers
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Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Apr 28, 2009 7:20:30 GMT -5
I am in S.W. Montana. Though there is agate along the entire Yellowstone river, my experience has been that there is very little moss agate upstream from Forsyth. Harmon's Agate shop in Savage is a good place to see some great agates. They have a 25 lb. Montana Moss agate there, and it is a good place to view agates in the rough as well as finished jewelry. www.harmons.net/I would try to make it there as soon as one can after spring high water, as the pro hunters have all the best stuff found soon after. Many use drift boats and can get to all the good spots that there is no other access to by road. The public accesses are somewhat limited so they get hunted extensively. This site will give you a list of places you can get to the river by car. fwp.mt.gov/lands/sitesbyllid.aspx
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Apr 28, 2009 21:20:27 GMT -5
Drift boats- of course! That's how to do it! put in at Forsyth and work your way to North Dakota, brilliant!
You'd want "ground support" with like a one-ton pickup to unload the booty every few miles before the boats get overloaded.
I can't do it this year but maybe if I start planning now -next spring...might just have to do that!
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Apr 30, 2009 13:09:13 GMT -5
thanks again everybody! I hope to be able to make the trip next month sometime, but it will of course depend on the rest of my crazy schedule
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rallyrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since November 2005
Posts: 1,507
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Post by rallyrocks on Jun 9, 2009 19:22:36 GMT -5
Don't know if you made your trip yet mikes, but I was up in Bozeman last weekend, and the rivers are all still running really high, probably another few weeks or even into next month before the gravel bars downriver will be accessible.
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MikeS
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2009
Posts: 1,081
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Post by MikeS on Jun 18, 2009 20:55:11 GMT -5
yeah, it probably won't be til fall now.....
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Post by petrifiedwoodfarm on Jul 28, 2014 19:18:06 GMT -5
I am in S.W. Montana. Though there is agate along the entire Yellowstone river, my experience has been that there is very little moss agate upstream from Forsyth. Harmon's Agate shop in Savage is a good place to see some great agates. They have a 25 lb. Montana Moss agate there, and it is a good place to view agates in the rough as well as finished jewelry. www.harmons.net/I would try to make it there as soon as one can after spring high water, as the pro hunters have all the best stuff found soon after. Many use drift boats and can get to all the good spots that there is no other access to by road. The public accesses are somewhat limited so they get hunted extensively. This site will give you a list of places you can get to the river by car. fwp.mt.gov/lands/sitesbyllid.aspxSadly, yet another URL is down... fwp.mt.gov page is no longer active.
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Post by jakesrocks on Jul 28, 2014 19:28:54 GMT -5
Try to get hold of montanamadman (Bob). He's from Billings, and always has piles of agate from the Yellowstone. He's a heavy haul trucker and hard to get hold of, but a hell of a nice guy who can turn you on to some of his hot hunting places.
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Post by nowyo on Jul 28, 2014 21:49:32 GMT -5
I am in S.W. Montana. Though there is agate along the entire Yellowstone river, my experience has been that there is very little moss agate upstream from Forsyth. Harmon's Agate shop in Savage is a good place to see some great agates. They have a 25 lb. Montana Moss agate there, and it is a good place to view agates in the rough as well as finished jewelry. www.harmons.net/I would try to make it there as soon as one can after spring high water, as the pro hunters have all the best stuff found soon after. Many use drift boats and can get to all the good spots that there is no other access to by road. The public accesses are somewhat limited so they get hunted extensively. This site will give you a list of places you can get to the river by car. fwp.mt.gov/lands/sitesbyllid.aspxSadly, yet another URL is down... fwp.mt.gov page is no longer active. Dude, you're pulling up threads from five years ago all over the place. Makes no sense. Russ
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Post by petrifiedwoodfarm on Jul 29, 2014 0:03:40 GMT -5
Unfortunately I disagree, Russ. Maybe someone may have an updated URLs, which would help others.
Michael
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grayfingers
Cave Dweller
Member since November 2007
Posts: 4,575
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Post by grayfingers on Jul 29, 2014 6:30:27 GMT -5
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Post by petrifiedwoodfarm on Jul 29, 2014 21:04:36 GMT -5
Thanks GrayFingers for your update! I never realized there were so many places to camp along the river. Nice indeed. We are heading off on a weeks journey tomorrow afternoon. Just sucks that from where we live, we have to waste more than 600km just to get to Yellowstone & Misssouri junctions (vice a more direct route to the park itself).
Just a quick follow up question, Has anyone been to the Yellowstone River lately? I'm just wondering if the sandbars are peeking out of the waters yet?
Thanks again Gray for the locations.
Michael
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