FOSSIL COLLECTING REGULATIONS – On Public & Protected Lands in Oregon

Please, know the kind of lands on which you are collecting. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is managed by the National Park Service.

Lands adjacent to the monument may be posted, or designated, with different regulations. There may be no postings. 

Before collecting, check with the local agency office to assure compliance, and to check for any local fossil regulations specific to an area (sometimes restrictions are imposed on a site due to sensitive fossil resources, or to prevent excessive digging).  For private lands you need to contact the landowner.

Fossil collecting for commercial reasons is strictly prohibited on most federal lands, and regulations vary from site to site. Check with the agency managing the land in question before collecting.

Agency Key:

NPS= National Park Service      

BLM= Bureau of Land Management

USFS= United States Forest Service   

OR= Oregon State lands

Collecting on Private Lands:    Requires permission from landowner; they own the fossils.

Collecting Vertebrate (back-boned animal) Fossils:

NPS Lands - Requires a research permit.

BLM Lands - Requires a research permit.

USFS Lands - Requires a research permit.

OR Lands -   Requires a research permit

Collecting Petrified Wood:

NPS Lands - Requires a research permit.

BLM Lands - No permit required. Maximum of 25 pounds and 1 museum piece may be collected per day, up to 250 pounds per calendar year. Fossils may be collected for personal use only.

USFS Lands - No permit required. Maximums are being determined, check with local office. Fossils may be collected for personal use only.

OR Lands -   Check with the local office.

Collecting Invertebrate (non-backboned animals) and Botanical (plant) Fossils:                  

NPS Lands - Requires a research permit.

BLM Lands - No permit required except on developed sites. Maximum per day is a reasonable amount, generally what you can carry.  Fossil may be collected for personal use only.

USFS Lands - No permit required. Maximums are not yet determined, check with local office. Fossils may be collected for personal use only.

OR Lands -   Check with the local office.