Any good (mushroom) finds lately?

[Deitz Dittrich]

you sound dissapointed by Oysters.. they are one of my faves!!!

[Stick in Mud]

I don't mind oysters, but they're not my favorite. I'd put them after chickens, hens, lobsters, chants, hedgehogs, black trumpets, morels, a few boletes, and hericium. I do eat A LOT of them, though.

Plus, they're kind of like largemouth....ANYONE can find them. I prefer to chase the more challenging varieties!

[Deitz Dittrich]

ouch...ohh... ahhh.. can anyone reach that knife in my back?

[jerkin'm]

I haven't been out for a couple weeks before today...found a petrified tennis ball sized hen and one nice barely started chicken...Stick a fork in me...I may be done for the year..

[hartner62]

Is this a chicken? It was growing on a elm.

[Stick in Mud]

That kind of does look like a chicken, I guess, but I've never seen one quite like that. Might've someone beat you to it and trimmed off the outer edges? I've just never seen one that rounded/bulbous before...

To my eye, the third photo looks more like a traditional chicken...a bit shelf like.

Like a one-legged man...I'm stumped.

[hartner62]

Nobody beat me there, I'm sure of that. Could it be that it isn't fully developed yet?

[Deitz Dittrich]

thats a strange one for sure.. looks more like a brain than anything.. LOL

[hartner62]

I decided to give it a try and it didn't taste bad at all. In fact, my father in-law wants to try and find more. I've never had chicken of the woods before but I'm 99% sure that's what it was. I'm still here typing so what ever it is it isn't deadly.

[JP Z]

Yeah, it def. looked like a chicken......at least based on the color pattern. Glad you're alive, although I don't generally recommend the "let's try it out and see if I die" plan.

[Deitz Dittrich]

Im with JPZ on this one.. if I am not 100% sure of what it is.. I dont eat it.

[Stick in Mud]

Once in a while I'll find chickens that didn't "develop" quite right...I usually guess that some environmental variable was present that allowed it to begin fruiting but not right to allow it to complete that development. I dunno...no mycologist here.

In looking at it again, it might be one of those COW's that looks like a brain and never "shelfs out," but then someone trimmed off the outer edges. I dunno.

They do (to my nose, anyways) have a distinctive smell, but if you haven't identified them a few times before, that wouldn't be any help in identifying one.

[Matt Breuer]

That "brain" is a chicken. They are clumpy before they fan out. It's just not fully developed yet. I bet it tasted amazing. PIcking them when they are just nubbins or before they fan is a risk, as they will quadruple in size if you let them. Tough to pass on them nubbin sized ones though, as they are the tastiest...

I've been out a tiny bit, chickens are still a cluckin'...

LOVED the oyster and bass comparison. Spot on! Sorry, Dietz!

[Deitz Dittrich]

[hartner62]

It was very good! We just had our 4 child last week so I was lucky that I even got out to the bow stand and it was growing on a tree near by. The pic doesn't do the size justice. It was about 10 inches tall and 8-9" wide along with about 6 other "brains" that I picked off the tree. What is the best way to save them for later? Fry and freeze?

[pushbutton]

Too funny. Yeah DD, don't let them wet sock lovers bring you down....everyone is a bass expert in the spring. Take away their kids snoopy pole, oversized red/white bobber, and nub of a crawler; and send them out on the lake in august and see what happens

As far as the other topic I see the "brains" and "nubs" in the fall and suspect they a separate subspecies since they never develop beyond a brain or a nub into anything resembling the more traditional shelf. This is complete non scientific guesstimatitification though.

[Stick in Mud]

Holy meadow mushrooms, Batman!

Before this year, I'd never taken the time to get a positive ID on them...but after three meals in the last two days, I'm wondering why I hadn't. They're fantastic.

They're also EVERYWHERE. Peek into most any lawn that isn't in the middle of the city, and I'm guessing you'll see at least one fairy ring of these beauties. Note: The lawns that aren't perfectly weedless are probably better for pickin' eaters than are those where herbicide is used.

[Stick in Mud]

Am I the only one getting out? This thread has been pretty quiet lately...

Anyways, I spent a good portion of this afternoon's absolutely gorgeous weather hunting chickens. Found a ton of them....and for the first time in my life, after feeding a bunch of folks at the neighbors' bonfire, I could've sold some mushrooms for money. I didn't have much left after giving away 10 or 15 pounds to my parents and friends before sharing with the neighbors, but it was nice to be offered anyways.

Oh yeah, and Deitz, I did find a few oysters. Tossed them on as a trailer on a swim jig through some cabbage beds, and caught some nice largies. Got bored with that, used 'em on a weedless 3/0 hook up on some inside weedlines, and that worked, too. Maybe they thought it was Gulp (sure smells like it). Those fish WILL bite anything, it seems.

[pushbutton]

Had a big family foraging kind of day....today. The Mrs. Pushbutton, Jr. and I started off, not exactly foraging, but with some picking and processing of garden stuff. Next we hit up the semi wild grapes scattered about the property and made some jelly. Next up were some apples. Similarly, have some really old standards that are found around the property. Undergrowth is starting to choke them out, the fruit is not big, definitely not pretty having to cut out some worm holes, nor supermarket sweet, but add some sugar and spice and the fresh pies sure do taste nice. Lastly we hit up some walking distance oak stands..... and yeah.....the chickens were everywhere. Did also find a decent hen, but the little black bug dudes beat us to it. Finished the night freezing and canning the chickens. Still have to say they are towards the bottom of my list......well behind the oysters Think a springtime 12 inch bass might might even agree more with my palate

[toughguy]

The woods were thick with fungus on Friday. It was like a smurf village in the Aitkin area. Found lots of chicken of the woods and oysters.

[Stick in Mud]

Finished the night freezing and canning the chickens. Still have to say they are towards the bottom of my list......well behind the oysters Think a springtime 12 inch bass might might even agree more with my palate

Hm. Well you can have the oysters I find next spring.

[JP Z]

I HAVE to get out now it seems. Might have to take a drive to walk my hunting land....mmmmmm.

[iland99]

Here's my most interesting find to date: indigo milk caps! Thanks Matt for the ID. I found them right next to my mailbox, go figure! The taste and texture was very similar to lobsters.

And yes JP, you need to get out there now! The woods are just packed with fungi.

[pushbutton]

Wow, that is insanely cool !!!

[jerkin'm]

That is cool ! Wasn't planning on getting out but the shrooms were out in force up at my cabin- I believe I stumbled on a pile of meadow mushrooms- going to research further as I have never picked them before- Any ID help or hints on the meadows would be welcome-