I’m pretty sure rock and fossil hunters are born looking at the ground. Since I was tiny, stones and prehistoric bones, teeth, and impressed creatures have fascinated me. Fortunately, Western Kansas fits perfectly for someone with such interests.

Recently, friends and I held a “rock” party. We shared our three favorite rock stories over tea and scones. If you’re one of those collectors, you know we couldn’t stop at three. By the end of our visit, I’d dug into my treasure cabinet to reveal my shark tooth collection that began 40 years ago with finds from Ellis, Trego, and Logan Counties.

As fingers sifted through a 100 serrated-edged triangles, I recalled the thrill of finding them under late winter sun rays. While it’s harder to find land owners who allow people to search for shark teeth, I’ve since discovered the Oceans of Kansas website. With study, I’ve a good shot at identifying chompers collected years ago.

Mike Everhart published an award-winning book about seas that once covered our state and the toothy creatures that lived either in those waters or nearby. Soon after, he created an online parallel resource. One of those folks born with eyes glued to the ground, he’s collected fine specimens and contacted others who added to his knowledge. His book and website provide photos, descriptors and locales, making it possible for amateurs to identify teeth, vertebra, and bone collected over time.

My favorite and most productive area, and one he mentions, was in southern Trego County in a Dakota formation. Nearly forty years ago, this was public land accessible to a person who could walk a mile over uneven ground. I hunted it several times before it was privatized. Discoveries were best following heavy rain or soon after deep snow melted. Even if I thought I’d found every possible treasure on a previous visit, the next one revealed new specimens–a bit of nature’s magic that keeps fossil hunters hoping.

At the time, I knew little about ancient Kansas sea creatures and assumed everything I found was from the same species. Despite my ignorance, I collected round discs that clearly weren’t teeth. Now I realize I picked up vertebra. I also kept rounded nubs that I’ve since discovered are either crusher shark or ray teeth. After further study, it’s clear I collected bits from various creatures. Unfortunately, I’ve given some away and may never know exactly what I had.

While the teeth I found in Trego and Ellis counties were typically small, a guided fossil hunt in Logan County offered an opportunity to collect a much larger, heavier tooth. Professional Chuck Bonner identified this find as Cretoxyrhina and provided a protective case. When I discovered a cream-colored, oval-shaped sediment, he laughed when I mentioned it looked like poop. It was. I’d landed a fish coprolite for my box of plunder.

Private property and an aging body may soon limit actual shark tooth hunts, but I’m thrilled to spend hours online figuring out what I’ve already found. This investigation is a never-ending puzzle, nature’s gift that keeps on giving.

Native Kansan Karen Madorin is a local writer and retired teacher who loves sharing stories about places, people, critters, plants, food, and history of the High Plains.