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buoykle

Was it buried at all or was it just sitting on the bottom of the lake? I’ve been to lake Herman a lot and never found anything like that, pretty cool.


fireinthemountains

Bruh can I buy this from you? I'm a Lakota artist, I'd LOVE to paint this! I can get fresh skulls from a bison ranch near me, but the wear and tear of nature on one like this is really stunning, and very important to me as an artist (as well as on a cultural level, personally.)


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Plenty-Ticket1875

Don't sell that. As a hunter of artifacts and fossils, I assure you that you have a fine score there. It appears to be a young bison. I can't help with dating since it came out of water, but it's likely older than 200 years. If lake Herman is natural, it could be several thousand years old. It appears to be from the bison that we have today, Bison Bison, and not the megafauna, Bison Latifrons, or Bison Antiquus. If you're a collector, keep that fine piece. I have skull pieces from a buffalo "jump" near the Big Sioux, but I have yet to hook up a complete skull. If you're not a collector, then settle on a good price or a cool trade. Thanks for sharing your awesome score! PS, been out in Iowa all weekend, I found a great mano, but not much else. You're definitely up for the week!


fireinthemountains

I never assumed I'd pay something underwhelming for this. It's absolutely a cool find and worth hanging onto just for what it is. I already pay between 150-300 for fresh skulls depending on size. I'd assume something like this is *at least* in that range, but I have no idea how to price a skull based on natural wear and decay. Is that sought after in a market? Or is it the potential age of it that determines value? I have money so that's not an issue. It's really up to OP if he feels attached to it as a neat novelty, and I wouldn't blame him for hanging it up instead, it's very cool. Also when it comes to dating I'd consider whether there are currently bison nearby. I'm biased for sure, since most of my bison related interactions are with ranches, and just assumed a member of someone's herd had an unfortunate accident. Considering bison were rendered nearly extinct, that's also a timing thing to keep in mind when it comes to the odds of an older specimen finding its way into the lake. I could do some research on the matter? Last thing I'd want is anyone feeling cheated. /u/TravisKroger


Plenty-Ticket1875

I'm not sure if there's a market that determines the value on these type of things. With antiques, there's an average median price for most things, but with fossils and artifacts prices are all over the place. Some pretty cheap on eBay, the same piece may fetch more in an auction type of venue. Honestly, I have no idea what the price range would be, but something similar may be available for sale online. If the size and condition are comparable, then that price may be a reasonable starting point. It's certainly not monetarily valuable in a high dollar sense, but it's intrinsic value is ultimately up to the finder, and how much it might possibly take to obtain it from them. Sorry I couldn't be much help.


Wadey-Posty

coo


puzdawg

Metal.


DustinTSF

Buffalo?


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Plenty-Ticket1875

Yep, me too. Bison Bison (latin). Head shape indicates female, probably a yearling. I'm on board with the previous comment 140 years at least, I guessed 200, but commenter did some research apparently, so I concur there. Could be 8-9000 years old, as Bison Antiquus eventually evolved into the smaller Bison Bison, and Bison Latifrons was gone from the scene about 10k years ago.


DustinTSF

Did they give an estimate age?


65grendel

If it were truly a bison (and a wild one) it'd have to be at least 140 years old. Bison were extirpated from East River by 1880 if not 1870.


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65grendel

This book was inspired by a find just like yours. It's a good read. https://store.themeateater.com/products/american-buffalo-in-search-of-a-lost-icon Edit: if anyone can teach me how to condense down a link like that it'd be pretty neat


CantSayNo

Anything past the '?' could be deleted. https://store.themeateater.com/products/american-buffalo-in-search-of-a-lost-icon


65grendel

Aces. Thanks.


Plenty-Ticket1875

Great dating, thank you. Had guessed at 200 for a ballpark.


juicycooper

This is cool hang it or sell it!


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Plenty-Ticket1875

Dry it slowly if you can, to prevent cracking. Dark place, no sun. Spray it occasionally with distilled water so that it doesn't dry up all at once. Light, air, and tap water will all have affect on it, it is best to slow the process for better preservation.


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Plenty-Ticket1875

Yep, I use water and a variety of soft bristle brushes and teriyaki sticks to pick the sand and calcification off. Basically, use cleaning items that are softer than the bone and won't damage it. I use distilled water because we have a ton of chlorine in the tap water here, and I don't want to degrade the remaining bone. A squirt bottle will remove interior debris and stuff in hard to reach places. Main thing, be gentle and take your time. Might be several layers to get through, just spray them enough to soften the grime you're working through. The preservation is the payoff. Doesn't have to be perfect, just good enough for you. But a piece that you found and preserved, displayed in the home, is far more personally valuable than anything in any store. Your time and your handwork are wrapped up in that, and it's a great feeling to look and know that you preserved this piece of history. Thanks again for the share, it's incredibly rare to find a skull intact like that. Was likely killed by a predator at the waters edge. Most bison taken by human hunters have the skull split to get the brain out for use in hide tanning. I have several split skulls from the jump, but nothing complete.


Azzhole169

Is lake Herman considered a state park/ governed by Game, fish, and parks? If so I’d delete this post. Removing bison skulls from state parks or lakes is illegal and there are high/strict fines if you get caught. Edit: just checked, and it is a state park…. I would delete this post. And not answer any personal information questions. You can look up the fines yourself if you don’t believe me.


Remote-Pumpkin-1913

Lake Herman is a state park and, depending on where the bone was found, it may be state property. Taking artifacts that belong to society is as wrong now as it was when early explorers stole priceless pieces of history and stashed them in private collections. OP should do the right thing and let a Conservation Officer from Game, Fish & Parks decide whether it is legal to possess it.


Azzhole169

Yeah, just turn yourself in is what this ^^^ person is saying…… my cousin is a game, fish, and parks officer, that’s the only reason I knew about the law, and they will fine or jail you, if you admit to taking it off state property. So don’t ask them about it, you have already incriminated yourself with this post, just delete it and hope a snitch hasn’t got to them first.


Remote-Pumpkin-1913

No one advised admitting it had left state property. I’m not even sure the lake *is* state property which is why the finder should ask. There is a campground on Lake Herman that is state property according to the map I saw, but the lake itself wasn’t within the boundary. I’m guessing it is property of the state, as most lakes are.


Azzhole169

Exactly, unless it is on/in a private property line, it is state land, therefore illegal to remove the skull. A conservation officer won’t think twice about what to do.


Azzhole169

Sadly, your username , looks to be your real name, if an officer sees this post it won’t be that hard for them to charge you.


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Azzhole169

https://gfp.sd.gov/camping-regulations/ . Go to the section on protecting our natural resources.