i love natural history in all forms. Ive been watching a show called time team, its a bunch of Scottish archeologists, who spend three days digging sites. they aren't very good at it due to the time line they work in and spend most of the time drunk i think but they are funny to watch and do dig up some good information and history about Ireland, Scotland and Briton.
There are several places here in Wyoming that you can go and dig for dino bones and fossils, Fossils of invertebrates or fish can be kept but bones and such are illegal. I have found fossil bones, fish scales, leaves etc. I find many on the surface lol. When i was a boy my dad had an archeologist friend down in the four corners region. His house was full of pottery and bones that he was working on. the coolest thing i ever saw was a 1000+ year old baby he found, still in the papoose and still very much mummified. The hair skin and clothing was all still remarkably well preserved as well as the body. That was in the 70s and laws have changed now the native tribes wont allow their ancestors remains to be dug. I'm sure his life's work has all been reburied.