No Chants Yet...... but.....

[B-man715]

The Blackberries are out

 

Went and checked a few of my chant spots with no luck, but found a bunch of blackberries on my way out of the woods along an overgrown trail. 

 

A bear beat me to the best bushes and knocked a lot of them down, but I was still able to pick a couple pounds to make into jam

 

I used an old secret recipe handed down from Google. Berries, sugar, corn starch, cinnamon and allspice.

 

 

 

 

[icehole10]

Nice haul, I managed to find a few lobsters this weekend, but no chants as well. The mosquitos and deer flies were relentless and the 90 degree heat made for a short trip in the woods. Those appear to be black raspberries are they not, I found a bunch of blackberries this weekend, but they are still along ways off. Either way, they will be delicious!! The raspberries where I was searching were all beat down as well, with a pretty good trail coming to and from! Found a few blueberries and dew berries, but not enough to make anything out of. I ended up eating them all before I got back to the cabin!

[JP Z]

Very Cool Icehole, where did you find the Lobsters? (County, etc?)

[icehole10]

Beltrami co, Nw of Bemidji. Slight chance I may get back up there this weekend, and If I do I hope its a little cooler. It was way to hot for jeans and long sleeves!!

[JP Z]

This is the strangest year I've heard of for Shrooms.......of course I'm still batting Zero for chants or anything but for others........

[B-man715]

Yes they are mostly black raspberries, but I picked some normal blackberries and red raspberries as well. I get lazy and lump the names all together

 

Went out for blueberries this weekend up north. Very, very few and far in between in my normal spots

 

With the consistent rains and average temps I thought it would be another banner year like last year? But I have heard they can can alternate up and down naturally just like acorns and other wild crops?

 

2014 was awesome, 2013 was poor, and 2012 was awesome as well. So maybe next year will be good again

 

 

Edited July 14, 2015 by B-man715
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[icehole10]

Last year we had a bumper crop of raspberries and blackberries. This year, the raspberries are not looking to good, but if the bears stay out of the blackberries we should have some good picking to come!! I had seen someone from Ontario post elsewhere, a huge bucket of blueberries, but I only found a few here and there as well.

[Stick in Mud]

I've been busier than normal this year, so apart from portage trails and a few quick trips to the woods, I haven't done much looking.  In Quetico, at least, the chants are *just* starting to appear.  They certainly should be out and about in most of the state by now, especially if the lobsters are crawling around.  After next week, I'm a a free condemned man, so I should be able to get out and see what's available.  Sounds like I'll keep my hopes down, though. 

[NoWiser]

I finally made it out last night in the metro and was not disappointed.  I was able to pretty much pick chants at will.  The only problem was that the couple of downpours we got recently had dirt splashed up on many of them.  I had to leave a lot of prime mushrooms because it would have just been too hard to clean them.  I still ended up with a heaping grocery bag full of beauties in about an hour and a half of picking.  I also found my first metro lobster, but it was too far gone to pick. It was hotter than heck and the mosquitoes were vicious, but it was worth it.

Poor, poor Stick.  The noose is getting tighter...

[icehole10]

I finally made it out last night in the metro and was not disappointed.  I was able to pretty much pick chants at will.  The only problem was that the couple of downpours we got recently had dirt splashed up on many of them.  I had to leave a lot of prime mushrooms because it would have just been too hard to clean them.  I still ended up with a heaping grocery bag full of beauties in about an hour and a half of picking.  I also found my first metro lobster, but it was too far gone to pick. It was hotter than heck and the mosquitoes were vicious, but it was worth it.

Poor, poor Stick.  The noose is getting tighter...

​If you don't mind sharing, what sort of environment are you finding them in. I have read to look for them around white oaks in the southern part of the state and around conifers in the northern half. The under growth in the area I was looking last weekend was pretty thick, would have been tough to see them for the most part. I did search for them around the edges of swampy area, but no luck!

[pushbutton]

ALways get excited about the early reports, but my spots usually never produce until august. Suppose will have to take a peek now though. Guess the lobsters too. Raspberries grow wild in my yard, so got that checked off already.

Icehole, my best spots are upland sandy grassy/light open shrubby areas near oaks. Curious as well as to what others say. Never have picked in evergreen.

 

[NoWiser]

You definitely want to concentrate on white oaks if you are in the south part of the state.  Where I find them, the under growth is very light.  I can see them from 100 feet away.  Best are small openings under a thick canopy where some light comes through and wispy grasses are growing.  Even better if it's on a hill. 

I've also found them around oaks in the Brainerd area.  Farther north, into Canada, I've found them more around conifers, though my experience up there has been pretty limited.

[icehole10]

There are plenty of oak trees where I was looking, but no white oak. I will keep on looking, not giving up after only a few hours. Once we start bear baiting, we will be all over in the woods, hopefully I will stumble into some. Going back up this weekend to work on a couple of projects, and will do some looking while I'm there.

[Stick in Mud]

I finally made it out last night in the metro and was not disappointed.  I was able to pretty much pick chants at will.  The only problem was that the couple of downpours we got recently had dirt splashed up on many of them.  I had to leave a lot of prime mushrooms because it would have just been too hard to clean them.  I still ended up with a heaping grocery bag full of beauties in about an hour and a half of picking.  I also found my first metro lobster, but it was too far gone to pick. It was hotter than heck and the mosquitoes were vicious, but it was worth it.

Poor, poor Stick.  The noose is getting tighter...

​Pot, meet kettle.  Kettle, meet pot.   

[JP Z]

And JP is just sitting here being un-introduced....

[Stick in Mud]

I think of looking for chants the same way as I think about powerfishing for bass.  Cover lots of water, move fast, and when you find one, then slow down.  They're pretty easy to see most of the time, so putting some miles on is usually the best way to find them. If I was physically capable of jogging more than 100 feet, I'd probably just run through the woods.    

[JP Z]

For those of you lucky enough to be finding Chants here are 2 recipes I found that look pretty darn tasty.

 

 

Chanterelle Bacon Cream sauce.docx

[NoWiser]

I like Stick's analogy.  There is no poking around the woods looking for chants.  The things practically glow.  I walk through the woods as fast as I comfortably can, scanning side to side.  I'm sure I miss a few loners or two, but they usually grow in groups, and I don't miss those.

Stick, I got permission to add a mushroom or two to the little flowery thingy that gets pinned to my suit.  I figure at the very least it will be a snack if I decide to make a run for it at the last minute.

[Stick in Mud]

That's hilarious.  My Better-Half said the same thing, in fact.  I was thinking maybe a stinkhorn or even a jelly ear. Now THAT would be unique! 

[pushbutton]

My pace is usually directly correlated to the amount of little winged critters trying to eat me. And yep, even my deteriorating eyesight can pick out the chants at a distance. Enjoy those last few days of freedom guys!!!!

Jp, am going to try that fridge thing for sure. My favorite way to cook chants .....well the flatter caps ........is to season, oil, and then cook whole about 10 minutesish (5 a side) on the grill. Then drizzle with balsamic,  add a melty white cheese, and put back on the grill till the cheese bubbles.

 

[Stick in Mud]

And JP is just sitting here being un-introduced....

​Haven't you been married for a while?  I thought you were choked out looooong ago!  

[B-man715]

Sounds like we are losing a couple good soldiers....... Godspeed my friends, Godspeed  LOL

 

 

I snuck out after work for about 45 minutes (all I could handle with the bugs).  I wasn't 20 yards into the woods when I found an area with a dozen chanterelles   All but three were just babies (left them to grow). Then I managed to find a few more along with a nice young chicken. Also walked right through a big patch of poison ivy because the fricken flies and skeeters had me so distracted 

 

 

 

 

[jerkin'm]

Had the kids out for a couple hours today. Same results as the Busch boy....lots of chants and plenty of dirt...ended up with 18#-mosquito city also...headed to Rainy Lake tomorrow and hope to hit the woods a little up there too...

[icehole10]

Man, that look awesome guys!!  Repel 100 is definitely a must right now if your venturing into the woods, the mosquitos are horrible!!

[pushbutton]

Yep, you know it is the start of summer fun time when Jerky shows up with one of his epic table shots. As such, headed out after work last night and found them just starting. Saw hundreds of buttons, picked a few of the biggest for supper and breakfast, and know what I will be doing every third day day or so for the next couple of weeks. Also saw the russulas the lobsters feed on and suspect they are popping too. Might be jinxing myself, but only had a short walk and did so with short sleeves and shorts. .....and only got bit a few times?!?!

Spiced lamb and chant bruschetta....