Mushroom hunting

Mushroom hunting, mushrooming, mushroom picking, mushroom foraging, and similar terms describe the activity of gathering mushrooms in the wild. This is typically done for culinary purposes, although medicinal, psychotropic, and dyeing^[1] uses are also known. Expert analysis is often required to distinguish between useful and poisonous species.

The practice is popular throughout most of Eurasia and Australia, as well as in West Africa,^[2] and temperate regions of North America.

Numerous field guides on mushrooms are available to help distinguish between safe, edible mushrooms (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.^[3]

A common identification technique is the spore print, in which a mushroom is placed on a surface and spores are allowed to fall underneath. This technique is often used by mycologists and mushroom hunters to identify the genus or species of a specimen and differentiate between similar-looking taxa.^[4]

Mushrooms generally begin to fruit when it is both warm and moist in their region.^[5] 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.^[5]

Many species of mushrooms are highly prized. Chanterelles, for example, are popular in both Europe and the United States. On the West Coast of the United States, they are harvested commercially.^[6] Hedgehog mushrooms are also popular, and get their name from the spines on the underside of the cap.^[7] Morels are another popular edible mushroom, and are extremely popular.^[8] Lobster mushrooms are edible as well, and have a shellfish-like flavor. They also have no look-alikes.^[9] The porcini is also edible and very highly regarded. It is very popular in Italy, and prized for its nutty flavor.^[10]

The Caesar's mushroom is another edible mushroom. However, it is in the Amanita genus, and therefore one must be very careful when identifying it.^[11] It gets its name because it was popular among Roman emperors.^[12] The matsutake, another edible mushroom, is popular in Japan. It also occurs in the Pacific Northwest.^[13] There are actually multiple species of matsutakes, and the Japanese species does not occur in North America.^[14] The matsutake has a spicy aroma, which David Arora has likened to "Red Hots and dirty socks".^[15] Care must be taken to not confuse the matsutake with the extremely poisonous Smith's amanita.^[16]

The term little brown mushroom (LBM) refers to any of a large number of small, dull-coloured agaric species, with few uniquely distinguishing macromorphological characteristics.^[17] 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.^[18]

Additionally, boring ubiquitous mushroom (BUM) describes groups of difficult to identify larger agarics, many of which are in the genus Hebeloma.^[19][20] Just another Russula (JAR) can refer to any species of Russula that is common or difficult to identify.^[21][22] Yet another Mycena (YAM) describes any of the many Mycena species that are common, nondescript, or difficult to identify.^[23]

Particular mushrooms are associated with certain conditions such as proximity to certain types of trees and habitat.^[24][25] Mycologist David Arora provides an exhaustive list.^[26]

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 plastic bags, which trap moisture and cause rot); as the negative gravitropism of fungi tends to orient the gills downward, taller mushrooms must be stored upright.^[27]

Mushroom hunting can be dangerous if one is not careful due to the fact that certain edible and poisonous species look alike. While some poisonous mushrooms simply cause digestive upset, others can cause organ failure or even death.^[28] Certain species in the genus Amanita, such as the death cap (A. phalloides) and destroying angel (A. ocreata), are the cause of most fatal mushroom poisonings.^[1] The deadly Amanita species contain amatoxins, which can cause kidney failure. Death caps can be mistaken for edible paddy straw mushrooms.^[29] However, paddy straw mushrooms do not occur in the United States, and are instead found in Asia.^[30] When young, death caps can also be confused with edible puffball mushrooms due to their similar shape. However, they can be differentiated if cut open. While a puffball is solid white inside, a young death cap has a mushroom shape visible.^[29] Amanita bisporagera, another amatoxin-containing Amanita species, also known as destroying angel, can be mistaken for edible meadow mushrooms.^[31] Galerina marginata and Pholiotina rugosa also contain amatoxins.^[32] While Galerina marginata is rarely eaten^[32] because it is so small,^[1] it can sometimes be confused with hallucinogenic Psilocybe species.^[32] Cortinarius rubellus and Cortinarius orellanus contain a deadly toxin called orellanine, which can destroy the liver and kidneys.^[33] The jack o' lantern mushroom (Omphalatus olearius), which causes gastrointestinal distress, can sometimes be confused with edible chanterelle mushrooms.^[34]

Some poisonous species, such as Amanita muscaria,^[35] Paxillus involutus,^[36] and Gyromitra esculenta,^[37] are eaten in some places if parboiled in a certain way. However, Paxillus involutus has some toxins which cannot be removed by cooking, and accumulate in the body over time and can kill the person who ate the mushroom later on.^[36] While Gyromitra esculenta is eaten, parboiling doesn't always remove the toxins, and consumption of this mushroom is also not recommended.^[37]

Mushroom hunting is popular throughout most of Europe, Asia and Australia, as well as in temperate regions of Canada and the U.S.^{[38][39][40][41]}

• British enthusiasts enjoy an extended average picking season of 75 days compared to just 33 in the 1950s.^[42]
• In Japan, particular mushroom types are hunted, with particular importance given to delicacies such as the Matsutake mushroom.
• In Slavic countries and Baltic countries, mushroom picking is a common family activity.^[43] According to David Arora, "The Russians go absolutely bananas for fungus. Mushrooming is a commonplace tradition there, not the hallowed turf of the academic or connoisseur."^[44] After a heavy rain during the mushroom season whole families often venture into the nearest forest, picking bucketfuls of mushrooms, which are cooked and eaten for dinner upon return (most often in omelettes with eggs or fried in butter) or alternatively dried or marinated for later consumption. In Southern Lithuania mushroom hunting is considered a "national sport". They even host a Mushroom Festival ("Grybų šventė") in Varėna including a mushroom hunting championship.
• 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.
• In Nigeria, the sclerotia of Pleurotus tuber-regium are reportedly added to soups and used medicinally to treat mumps.^[2]
• In Cameroon, Flamulina velutipes is considered a delicacy, and gathered by women and children in rural areas.^[45]

The popularity of mushroom picking in some parts of the world has led to mushroom festivals. The festivals are usually between September and October, depending on the mushrooms available in a particular region. Festivals in the United States include:

• Boyne City, Michigan – Annual National Morel Mushroom Festival^[46]
• Mount Pisgah, Oregon – Mushroom Festival^[47]
• Madisonville, Texas – Texas Mushroom Festival^[48]
• Telluride, Colorado – Telluride Mushroom Festival^[49]

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.

• List of mushroom dishes
• Mushroom diet
• Mushroom poisoning
• Edible mushroom

• Arora, David (1986) [1979]. Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press. ISBN 978-0-89815-170-1.

• 100 Edible Mushrooms: With Tested Recipes(2007) ISBN 0-472-03126-0
• All That the Rain Promises, and More (1991) ISBN 0-89815-388-3
• Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada (2009) ISBN 978-1-55643-795-3 (1-55643-795-1)
• Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-to-kitchen Guide (1992) ISBN 978-0-292-72080-0
• How to Identify Edible Mushrooms (2007) ISBN 0-00-725961-1
• Mushrooming Without Fear (2007) ISBN 1-60239-160-2
• Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi (1986) ISBN 0-89815-169-4
• Mushrooms of Northeastern North America (1997) ISBN 0-8156-0388-6
• North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi (2006) ISBN 0-7627-3109-5
• The Mushroom Rainbow: Only the most delicious or deadly mushrooms sorted by color (2011) ISBN 978-0-9869409-0-3 (0986940909)