Nebraskaland

42 Nebraskaland • March 2024 ver 35 years of searching Nebraska for rocks, minerals, fossils and artifacts, Charles Wooldridge's biggest fi nd wasn't even his. It was his dog's. Wooldridge — who goes by "Wooly" and lives in Lincoln — was in the north-central Sandhills, trying unsuccessfully to relocate an earlier fi nd. And then his dog Hank, a 7-year- old Plott hound, began barking and wouldn't stop. Hank was standing on a stump sticking out of the creek — later determined to be the largest petrifi ed stump ever found in Nebraska. The 3.73-ton specimen will be on display at Ashfall Fossil Beds State Historical Park starting this spring. That's part of the addiction of his hobby, Wooldridge said. Big fi nds don't happen all the time, but just often enough to convince rockhounds across the state to spend hours, even days, searching for something special. The Pull of Rockhounding Rockhounding — or the act of searching for rocks, minerals, artifacts and fossils — has many appeals, Wooldridge said. There's the chance to be out in nature, to enjoy searching for something big, much as anglers, hunters or mushroom hunters do. Rockhounding also has an element of competition to it. "It's kind of like fi shing," Wooldridge said. "Fishing is an activity that you do together, but it's an individual competition. You're trying to catch the best fi sh you can; you're trying to fi nd the most beautiful agate you can." It also has social benefi ts, making it a great family activity. It's easier to open up and talk freely while working side-by-side, Wooldridge said. Rockhounding is also a relatively inexpensive hobby, and one that's open to all ages. "You can be 8 or 80," Wooldridge said, adding, "When somebody fi nds something really neat, everybody shares in that celebration. Everybody's excited for what was found. So it's a really cooperative, competitive sport." Rockhounding in Nebraska Wooldridge often hears skepticism about the idea of rockhounding in Nebraska — people doubtful that the state has anything to off er. "In general, in some places in Nebraska, that's true," he said. However, there are plenty of opportunities if you know where to look, he added. There's petrifi ed wood all over the state, and Nebraska is rich in Ice Age fossils. Rivers and streams are known to be great spots for rockhounding, and Nebraska has nearly 80,000 miles of them. "Virtually there are things to fi nd Story and photos by Renae Blum Rockhounding in Nebraska Charles Wooldridge of Lincoln snapped this photo of his dog, Hank, discovering the largest petrifi ed stump ever found in Nebraska. Wooldridge was rockhounding in the north-central Sandhills at the time. O Unearthing Treasures 42 Ne Nebr bras aska kala land nd • March 2024 at Ashfall Fossil Beds State to be ou searchin much a mushro Rock an ele to it. fi shin "Fish that but Cha Lin ph dis pe fo W r n S

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