Tips for collecting and identifying edible Wild mushrooms

There is a lot to learn depending on how involved you want to get. You might want to focus on the easy to identify edible wild mushrooms when you first start out. A few I would suggest would be, the Morel, Oyster mushroom, Chanterelle and the Shaggy Mane. These all have fairly easy to identify characteristics. Several good books on identifying wild mushrooms is a must have. When you are choosing a book the colored pictures of the mushroom is as important as the information it provides. You want the pictures to be as true to the actual mushroom as possible to help with accurate identification.

For collecting your mushrooms carry a sharp pocket knife. Cut them off close to the ground, but high enough to leave the dirt behind. If you are collecting a mushroom for identification- take the whole mushroom. Make sure you get all of the stem. Do not put them in plastic. A plastic bag will destroy the mushrooms before you can even get them home. Use paper or a basket with a flat bottom. Do not mix varieties of mushrooms and never mix poisonous or mushrooms you are unsure of in the same bag. I like to carry paper lunch bags with me for collecting specimens I want to take home to identify. I package each of these separately.

Pay attention to the time of year it is. Chances are you won’t find a Shaggy Mane in the middle of the summer.

Is the mushroom growing in a wooded area or a field? In clusters, fairy rings, singly or on a tree? All characteristics of different genera’s. Know the characteristics of the Wild mushroom genera you are searching for.

Note the cap color, size and texture. Smooth or sticky, fibrous or scaled. How long is the stem? The color of the stem can be different then the color of the cap and many times will aid you in a positive identification of the mushroom such as the Chrome-footed Bolete.

Is the flesh soft brittle or rubbery? What does the mushroom smell like. I love the smell of the Chanterelle. It is as close to the smell of fresh apricots as you can get. Another one I can think of off hand is the Almond scented Russula. Smells exactly like almonds. But although this Wild mushroom smells great this Russula is a poisonous mushroom.

I hope this article was some help to you if you are new at hunting Wild mushrooms and has provided some helpful tips for you on mushroom hunting. If you cant positively identify the mushroom don’t eat it. Consult an expert to aid you in the mushroom identification.

Tags: mushrooms, wild mushrooms, how to hunt wild mushrooms