Known in some circles
as the “dinosaur
cowboy,” rancher
Clayton Phipps (at top)
explores part of the
Hell Creek formation
near his home in
Jordan, Montana,
with his son Luke. The
layers of fossil-rich
rock date to the end of
the Cretaceous period
and contain a valuable
record of the world just
before the dinosaurs
became extinct.
Many scientifically
important fossils have
been found here,
including the world’s
first identified T. r e x ,
in 1902. In the United
States, fossils found
on private property
usually belong to
the landowner, and
collectors may strike
deals with owners
to dig on their land.
Phipps says fossils
generate the bulk of
his income, so when
he’s not tending to
ranch duties, he works
his land in a more
lucrative way—scouring
it for dinosaur bones.IN THE
AMERICAN WEST,
COMMERCIAL
COLLECTORS
TODAY ARE
MORE CAREFUL
THAN MANY OF
THOSE WHO
EXCAVATED
FOSSILS DURING
THE LATE 1980S
AND 1990S.
132 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC