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good rocks?

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Papa Matt:
I couldn't really say anything about Montana, and I only know about Idaho because my uncle is a wildlife biologist there. He is in Idaho Falls, I don't know how far that is from the Montana border, but I would have to believe that if there is obsidian in Idaho, there's be something surely knappable in neighboring states. When you are down there, just ask somebody. Probably anybody would know if they've ever seen black, shiny rocks. The thing with flint, chert, obsidian, etc. is that a state in general may have a boatload, but it could vary from county to county or even from one mile to the next. The creek bed you looked in might not have a single one, but a creek a half mile down the road might be loaded. I'd just ask around. Farmers or ranchers would be ideal people to ask because they know every rock on their land, from having seen them a million times. Try to find one of them.

~~Papa Matt

Wolf Watcher:
Montana is famous for its agates.  They are mostly found in the Forsyth/Rosebud area.  Also lots of jaspers and some poor quality obsidian in Yellowstone.  Opals in the Bitterroots.  You can find jaspers in the Clark Fork close to where you will be.  Most ranchers know more about the arrowheads they have found than what rocks can be knapped.  That could be misleading as spalls were brought in from a long ways off and jaspers can change colors when heated so the rocks you see don't necessarily look like the arrowheads you find.  There are rocks shops along the freeway and they will have native stones so you can find out from them what types of stones are native.  The you have to get lucky with the Montana moss agates as they almost always have hidden fractures.  Good luck!  Watcher

stickbender:

     Papa Matt, thanks, I will keep looking.  Wolf Watcher thanks also.  I am located in the Bitter Root Valley.  I have the Bitter Roots behind me, and the Cabinets in front of me.  I didn't know they had opals in Mt.  I will definitely be on the look out for them the next time I go back out there.  Also the Clark Fork runs right by my property.  I am about a little over a 1/4 mi from it.  As for the Jasper, is it covered in an outer skin, or is it plain?  In other words do I have to take a rock hammer with me to check for them?
Dang, now when I am hunting, I will be constantly wondering what that particular rock is, and wether or not to start smacking it......
Thompson Falls is about 11 miles from the boarder of Idaho, and the town of Murray.
Thanks guys, this is definitely the place to find answers to your questions.
                                                                         
                                                                                     Stick Bender

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