Mushroom hunting, mushrooming, mushroom picking, mushroom foraging, and similar terms describe the activity of gathering in the wild. This is typically done for Edible mushroom, although medicinal and psychotropic uses are also known. Expert analysis is required to distinguish between useful and poisonous species.
The practice is popular throughout most of Eurasia and Australia, as well as in temperate regions of North America.
Seasons
Mushrooms generally begin to fruit when it is both warm and moist in their region.
In the North American Pacific Northwest, species shortly occur from spring to summer, but are most common in autumn. In the Southwestern United States, mushrooms can be found during the winter rains and spring. In the Midwest and Northeast U.S., they can be found from late April until the frosts of autumn. In the Colorado Rockies, they are best collected in July and August. They can be found through winter on the Gulf Coast.
Location
Particular mushrooms are associated with certain conditions such as proximity to certain types of trees and habitat.
Mycologist
David Arora provides an exhaustive list.
By tree
By habitat
Identification
Numerous
on mushrooms are available to help distinguish between safe,
(or medicinal or psychotropic fungi) and the many poisonous or inedible species. Morphological characteristics of the caps, gills, and stems of mushrooms are often essential for correct visual mushroom identification. Microscopy is sometimes needed to eliminate lookalikes.
A common identification technique is the spore print, in which a mushroom is placed on a surface and are allowed to fall underneath. This technique is often used by and mushroom hunters to identify the genus or species of a specimen and differentiate between similar-looking taxa.
Difficult-to-distinguish species
The term
little brown mushroom (LBM) refers to any of a large number of small, dull-coloured
agaric species, with few uniquely distinguishing characteristics.
As a result, LBMs typically range from difficult to impossible for mushroom hunters to identify. Experienced mushroom hunters may discern more subtle identifying traits that help narrow the mushroom down to a particular genus or group of species, but exact identification of LBMs often requires close examination of microscopic characteristics plus a certain degree of familiarity or specialization in that particular group.
Additionally, boring ubiquitous mushroom (BUM) describes groups of difficult to identify larger agarics, many of which are in the genus Hebeloma.
Collection
Although some individual species do not preserve well, many do with proper care. David Arora recommends the use of a firm container such as a
basket, with lighter specimens stored above heavier ones and species being separated using
waxed paper (not
, which trap moisture and cause rot); as the negative
gravitropism of fungi tends to orient the gills downward, taller mushrooms must be stored upright.
Regional importance
Mushroom hunting is popular throughout most of Europe, Asia and Australia, as well as in temperate regions of Canada and the U.S.
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British enthusiasts enjoy an extended average picking season of 75 days compared to just 33 in the 1950s.
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In Japan, particular mushroom types are hunted, with particular importance given to delicacies such as the Matsutake mushroom.
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In Slavs countries and Baltic States countries, mushroom picking is a common family activity.
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In the U.S., mushroom picking is popular in the Appalachian area and on the west coast from San Francisco Bay northward, in northern California, Oregon and Washington, and in many other regions.
Radiation
Nuclear fallout from the Chernobyl disaster is an important issue concerning mushroom picking in Europe. Due to the wide spread of their
mycelium, mushrooms tend to accumulate more radioactive caesium-137 than surrounding soil and other organisms. State agencies (e.g.
Bellesrad in Belarus) monitor and analyze the degree of
radionuclide accumulation in various wild species of plants and animals. In particular, Bellesrad claims that Svinushka (
Paxillus ssp.), Maslenok (
Suillus ssp.), Mohovik (
Xerocomus ssp.), and Horkushka (
Lactarius rufus) are the worst ones in this respect. The safest one is Opyonok Osyenniy (
Armillaria mellea). This is an issue not only in
Poland,
Belarus,
Ukraine and
Russia: the fallout also reached western Europe, and until recently the German government discouraged people gathering certain mushrooms.
See also
Sources
Further reading
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100 Edible Mushrooms: With Tested Recipes(2007)
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All That the Rain Promises, and More (1991)
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Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada (2009) (1-55643-795-1)
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Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-to-kitchen Guide (1992)
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How to Identify Edible Mushrooms (2007)
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Mushrooming Without Fear (2007)
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Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (1986)
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Mushrooms of Northeastern North America (1997)
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North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi (2006)
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The Mushroom Rainbow: Only the most delicious or deadly mushrooms sorted by color (2011) (0986940909)
