One lucky hunter went out for his regular hunt when he made one of the best discoveries of his life. This hunter stumbled upon the tusk of a mammoth in the ranch’s private rugged terrain of Brewster and Presidio counties.
O2 Ranch in West Texas
The O2 Ranch, where the tusk was found, is a sprawling 272,000-acre property in the Chihuahuan Desert near Big Bend National Park. This area, once a cattle ranch, is now leased for hunting, providing a unique opportunity for discoveries like this.
A Hunter’s Surprise
The hunter, whose name has not been disclosed, initially thought he had found something unusual but was unsure what it was. Upon closer inspection, he realized it could be a fossil and shared his findings with the ranch manager, Will Juett. “I was skeptical when a deer hunter showed me a picture of what he thought was a fossil,” said Will Juett, the manager of O2 Ranch, where the tusk was found. “I figured it was likely just an old stump, but imagined how great it would be if he were right,” Newsnation recalled.
Initial Skepticism and Verification
The mix of skepticism and curiosity led him to contact archaeologists at Sul Ross State University’s Center for Big Bend Studies (CBBS) to verify the discovery. They were happily surprised that they had found more than a tree stump and that it was most likely a mammoth tusk.
Expert Involvement in the Finding
A team was quickly assembled to investigate the finding and discovered that the tusk belonged to a Columbian mammoth (Mammuthus columbi). “The tusk was located in the drainage area of a creek bed,” CBBS Director Dr. Byron Schroeder said. “We realized pretty quickly there was not more to the skeleton; it was just an isolated tusk that had been separated from the rest of the remains.”
The Excavation
It took the CBBS two days to excavate the tusk and cover it in plaster-covered burlap to protect it from the environment while it gets moved for further study. It’s crucial to handle this tusk as carefully as possible to preserve it so that carbon dating can be done in the coming months.
Significance of the Find
Mammoth tusks are rare in West Texas, making this discovery significant for the region’s paleontological history. The last recorded find of mammoth remains in West Texas was in the 1960s in Fort Stockton.
Uncovering the Past Through Carbon Dating
Researchers are now using carbon dating to determine exactly how old this tusk could have been to gain further insights into this discovery. The results can take a few months to come back, but with them, researchers will be able to piece together the region’s prehistoric inhabitants.
Mammoths in Texas
Columbian mammoths were widespread in North America, including Texas, during the Pleistocene Epoch. These magnificent creatures are believed to have gone extinct around 11,700 years ago. There are many theories about how these animals went extinct, but one way or another, we only have their remains left to keep us in awe.
Waco Mammoth National Monument
Texas is also home to the Waco Mammoth National Monument, famous for its concentration of Columbian mammoth fossils. Discovered in 1978, this site contains the remains of at least 24 mammoths, believed to have died in a catastrophic event. Unlike the Waco site, the finding at the O2 ranch was only an isolated tusk without any other remains. This gives researchers a different angle on how these animals lived and roamed the land.
Preservation Efforts
Preserving this tusk is a delicate process that takes time and effort. It needed to be protected from sun, rain, and any other damaging conditions that could worsen its quality. The team’s use of plaster and burlap to encase the tusk is a common method to ensure its integrity during transport and storage.
The Impact on Local Imagination
The discovery has sparked vivid imaginations among those involved. “Seeing that mammoth tusk just brings the ancient world to life,” Juett said. “Now, I can’t help but imagine that huge animal wandering around the hills on the O2 Ranch. My next thought is always about those who faced those huge tusks with only a stone tool in their hand!”
The Excitement of Being Able To Look Into The Past
The discovery of this Mammoth tusk can open a whole new world into understanding these magnificent creatures and how they roamed the earth.
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