How to Find Ammonite

Browse their habitats. To find an ammonite for yourself, browse their former homes where the oceans of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods once were. Locations are generally along coastal lines and the middle of the United States from Texas up through the western Rockies. Visit the Paleontology Portal website to see a map of each, and find a location close to where you live to start your search and look along streams, bluffs, sea cliffs and other exposed rocks.

Look closely. It's easier to find fossils when you're on your hands and knees, advises Boy's Life. A magnifying glass can help fossil hunters get an even better look. Large fossils of ammonites do exist. According to Cochise College, the largest ammonite fossil ever discovered was more than 6 feet in diameter. However, the spiral shapes of ammonite shells found are often small, as the creature started out as tiny as just about 1 mm in diameter. Use your tools to help loosen found fossils from rocks, and wrap them to keep them from getting damaged.

Consider if you can keep your find. Although federal laws are strict regarding ownership of vertebrate fossils, they do allow for the fossil collecting hobbyist to keep a "reasonable" amount of the invertebrate ammonite fossils. However, the finds must be for personal use only and be discovered on public land. If searching on private property, the ownership of any finds belongs to the landowner. For local laws regarding fossils, check with its state-level Bureau of Land Management.