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Where are you from? I lived right down the road until 2 years ago myself. I lived in and around Waco my whole life. I know several archaeologists in that region and they do use volunteers, although most of the time they are archeology students from various Universities. If you wanted to get a chance to dig there, and are one of the local Bell/Coryell county arrowhead hunters (of which I know several), your best bet is to join the Texas Archaeological Society and go to their field-school for a week. That field-school (or next summer any other university sponsored field-schools) should be going on in the next few weeks and it is a prerequisite to being on any official digs with any groups that do this sort of thing. Go to a field-school, write a good resume, join yahoogroups/shovelbums or facebook/shovelbums, get the daily announcements for job postings, submit your resume every day to whichever job suits you, and you too can be paid to do what I do. Without one field-school under your belt, you don't have a chance. Seriously, though, the TAS field-school is next week or so. Disregard anything, or anyone that says it's too late to go, call the TAS secretary in charge of it personally. They fit me in the first time that way. (Had to sleep in the front seat of my truck for a week though,lol). Don't forget to take a long extension cord, a 6way outlet, a TV, video games, beer for conversational starters, and something positive to add to the festivities. Don't worry about archaeologists being out of touch with normal people, most of them got their start by wanting to get involved in some way, just like you. Personally, I spent 15 years being a contractor in Central Texas(mainly framing custom homes)Since a few years ago when I went through all of that, life's been a dream. I spent 4 months in Puerto Rico, One month walking shorelines in north Alabama collecting transitional-paleo points, one month walking shorelines in southern TN collecting pottery and points, and now I'm recording new sites in northern TN in overhangs and creek bottoms. That is just in the last 6 months. Oh yeah, hotel, mileage, and food is covered, AND someone actually pays me to do this for a living. BTW, I just got my first permanent position about a week ago with free medical/dental benefits..wooohoooo! If you are a local looter (kinda hate that stigma myself), it's not in your best interest to inform anyone of that once you get involved in it as sometimes there are those that consider picking up a piece of ceramic white-ware from your grandmothers backyard akin to raping and murdering children. Most aren't like that, but there are some...trust me. If I can be of any further help, just let me know.