[Blair16146]

Can anyone lend a newbie mushroom hunter a few tips to LIVE by. How do you tell the difference between edible mushrooms and poisonous ones? When is the best time to hunt the infamous morel mushroom and where are good places to look...are mushrooms growing on stumps poisonous? Where and when can I find "sheepshead" mushrooms? I got a million questions. thanks in advance!

 

[Woodywoodduck]

Oyster mushrooms, sheeps heads and some others that are ediable are found growing on old stumps...and also there is some that are poisonous that will grow either on an old stump or beside them...


I'll tell you the Favorite saying that has been posted on here MANY Times over by a few....and I hate to hear it because I do not want to join another club, just want to learn more wild mushrooms that are ediable and those who teach can also have much of what we find were I know there is alot of mushrooms growing....

Either Join

a mushroom hunting club, or get a book that shows all the ediable mushrooms that grow around in PA and also has the look alike poisonous mushroms listed and shown!

 

[Zeke]

Some of your questions would be nearly impossible to answer because both types of mushrooms can grow in the same area. You might find edible and inedible mushrooms on stumps. That's why it's important to be able to positively identify them. Spore printing is the best way to be certain. I recommend a book by Bill Russell entitled "Field Guide to Wild Mushrooms of Pennylvania and the Mid-Atlantic. It is a good book for the beginner. The last time I looked they were available on Amazon.com for about $16. Morels are up in April-May, so it's getting a little late for them this year. Summer mushrooms are appearing now, so if you get a mushroom id book you may be able to harvest some of them. Good Luck!