Research the area by going to the local museum and looking at its collection, studying geology maps at the library, and talking to local fossil collectors.
Step2
Get permission to hunt a site once you locate one.
Step3
Pack the correct equipment. See "eHow to Create a Fossil Collectors Kit" under the Related eHows.
Step4
Tell someone where you will be searching and, if you are searching the beach, check to see when high tide will be.
Step5
Make a note or take a photograph of the fossil before you remove it from its location.
Step6
Wear safety glasses when chipping at a rock surface.
Step7
Remove larger pieces of rock encasing the fossil with larger tools such as a pick or shovel, if needed.
Step8
Use smaller tools such as trowels, small hammers, brushes and dental tools to remove the last 2-3 inches of rock around the fossil. You can do more detailed cleanup at home.
Step9
Brush on or spray on clear glue if the fossil is crumbling as you try to remove it.
Step10
Label the fossil with the location and how it was located in the rock bed or beach.
Step11
Wrap the fossil in burlap or paper towels and pack in a box or bag to transport it home.
Tips & Warnings
Good fossil-hunting places are old quarries, the beach at low tide, cliffs along a stream or the sea, plowed fields and where a road was cut through the side of a hill.
Search safely - if a place looks dangerous or gives you a bad feeling, search somewhere else.