All the 'shroom pickers die around here?

[pikestabber]

Hoping you all haven't eaten a bunch of death caps and croaked on me... Been awfully quiet around here, and we need to get some summer shrooms stories going!

I haven't been able to get out much, but this last shot of hot weather up north sent the GPBs on fire. Found a half dozen ranging from softball size to basketball size. All were shot already. My Oyster spots never panned out this year, but I have to think some chickens must be growing now?

Anyone else having any luck?

Edited June 22, 2016 by pikestabber

[leech~~]

I'm seeing some chicken's up by our camper around Nisswa, but I just can get my mind wrapped around eating Orange fungus!

[caddisfly]

I was able to get more oysters than I knew what to do with - missed a big chicken by a few days, and have seen tons of corals.  Getting anxious for chanterelles.  I checked a few spots today, but nothing yet (I didn't really expect anything, but couldn't resist looking).

Good luck everyone!

[caddisfly]

Saw these today on a walk with the dog.  Some type of Bolete in rough shape (bloated and buggy) and a few tiny chants!

[pikestabber]

Where abouts are you Caddisfly? Not GPS coords, lol, just area of the state? Wondering when the chants here might start popping, but I am guessing it's a few weeks at least (Northern MN). Last year I found a bunch in late July, and the mother lode in mid-August.

Checked a couple of my Chicken trees yesterday and scored some prime eats. Just a touch over 4#s, so that's a great start. Missed one big cluster but found enough to make it worth the trek.

 

Edited June 24, 2016 by pikestabber

[pikestabber]

On ‎6‎/‎22‎/‎2016 at 6:04 PM, leech~~ said:

I'm seeing some chicken's up by our camper around Nisswa, but I just can get my mind wrapped around eating Orange fungus!

If you want to point me in that direction, Leech, I'll take that orange fungus off your hands.

[leech~~]

15 minutes ago, pikestabber said:

If you want to point me in that direction, Leech, I'll take that orange fungus off your hands.

Well it's in and around our campgrounds on Edwards. Not sure they want stange people picking on their fungus? 

[JP Z]

Since I live 5 miles or so down the road I'll grab-er' leech

Yeah this tornado that swung through on monday decided to say hi to my hunting land.....POOP!  I'm going out this weekend with the chainsaw to try and clear a bit so the roads are usable but it's ugly...

[pikestabber]

12 minutes ago, leech~~ said:

Well it's in and around our campgrounds on Edwards. Not sure they want stange people picking on their fungus? 

Ha ha! Fair enough...

10 minutes ago, JP Z said:

Since I live 5 miles or so down the road I'll grab-er' leech

Yeah this tornado that swung through on monday decided to say hi to my hunting land.....POOP!  I'm going out this weekend with the chainsaw to try and clear a bit so the roads are usable but it's ugly...

I was wondering why I hadn't seen you on this thread, JPZ. Sorry to hear that. Hope there's not permanent damage...

[JP Z]

Yeah I don't really start till end of June for any of the good stuff.  Didn't really check my oyster spots as I find them and don't get to them quick enough as they seem to have the halflife of a fruitfly.

 

Yeah, lots of trees down from when I drove by hoping our deerstands are still standing....but that may be hoping for too much.

[caddisfly]

I'm in the east metro.  They are popping up earlier than they did last year in this particular spot.  New pic from this morning.  Same area as before, but not the exact same mushrooms.

[pikestabber]

10 minutes ago, JP Z said:

Yeah I don't really start till end of June for any of the good stuff.  Didn't really check my oyster spots as I find them and don't get to them quick enough as they seem to have the halflife of a fruitfly.

I have two Osyter trees within 5 feet of my garage. I check them regularly. I have NEVER found them in the right condition. One day they bud, the next day the get nearly big enough, the day after they are big enough and full of bugs and nasties. I did finally try some last year, but they are not in my "fave five," I guess you might say.

Morel is kind of it's own class, but for me it's Lobsters, Chickens, Hedgehogs, Chants, and I am looking forward to that season ramping up. Still can't find a black trumpet to save my arse. Have only ever found two hens, and both were expired.

Did find five GPBs two days ago, but they were too far gone. That's another one like Oysters to me...good in theory, not my favorite in practice. And they have to be pretty much perfect before I mess with them...

Good luck...and re-building deer stands can be fund

12 minutes ago, caddisfly said:

I'm in the east metro.  They are popping up earlier than they did last year in this particular spot.  New pic from this morning.  Same area as before, but not the exact same mushrooms.

Maybe they are closer than I thought... I am guessing they have a longer and more drawn out season than I think they do. Nice work!

[JP Z]

Yeah, I've only found 1 trumpet and it was by chance and in October when I was hunting hens..... Back to Chants, I start in July and find them through September usually....it is a far longer season than you are thinking

[JP Z]

Found one scaber stalk as I was walking up to start chopping trees this weekend.....but this could limit my mushroom posts for a bit.

 

[caddisfly]

The chants I saw a couple weeks ago didn't ever get enough moisture to pop before they fizzled out.  New fresh ones are starting though.  Found a few little patches on a quick walk through the woods with the dog this morning.  

[pikestabber]

I, too, found some Chants yesterday in varying degrees of good, bad, and unrealized... I picked about a pound without looking too hard. I think some big picks are soon upon us in the Northland.

Caddis, have you seen any Lobsters yet?

Edited July 11, 2016 by pikestabber

[caddisfly]

Checked the spot I found lobsters last year, but nothing there yet.  Found this "old man" and more chants this afternoon.  Hoping for a good long season!

[pikestabber]

Do you eat Old Man of the Woods? Good, bad, indifferent?

Yeah, my Lobster spots are bare yet, too. That's my favorite wild shrooms, so I hope I catch them this year on time...found the mother lode last year (over 100 in one fairly tight area), but only 7 of them were salvageable! Hope to catch them at peak this time around.

[Herky2002]

Nice job on the chanterelles, guys. I haven't been able to find any yet in my spots in the metro area. I did find this perfect COTW, though. It was delicious!

 

[pikestabber]

On ‎7‎/‎16‎/‎2016 at 9:24 AM, Herky2002 said:

Nice job on the chanterelles, guys. I haven't been able to find any yet in my spots in the metro area. I did find this perfect COTW, though. It was delicious!

That's a beauty! Nothing beats walking up on a perfect Chicken--gets me going every time.

Edited July 18, 2016 by pikestabber

[caddisfly]

That was the first old man of the woods that I had picked (my sister actually spotted it while we were checking for chanterelles). I found it nicer to photograph than to eat.  Not bad, but not outstanding either.  No lobsters yet, still plenty of nice chants though - pretty fresh and clean too!

[Stick in Mud]

I'm still around.  My picking this year has been hampered by five canoe trips, but the pickin's are pretty good when I get out. 

In central MN, there are more chants to shake a stick at, lobsters, chickens, and even a few hedgies.  Black trumpets are up but not quite worth picking yet, at least in my spots.  And we did have a crazy year for oysters....I dehydrated a few gallon bags' worth just in case I get the hankering for them come December.  Might sell them to Deitz if he's still alive.

But yeah, with the fishing on Mille Lacs being INSANE, I've spent a bit more time fishing up there than in years past.  At least until the lake gets closed again (which I'd guess will happen pretty soon).  Then I'll be back on the mushrooms a bit more.  I also think the deer flies are a few grades above nasty this year, so that's kept my trips short and sweet. 

[JP Z]

HOLY CARP.......are the Deerflies insane.  I think they have acquired the Zika virus.....or maybe Redbull.

I found a few Chants, but my spot is surrounded by downed trees so now the picking is a bit tricky.  Heading out tonight I think to try my luck again, then meeting with a logger out there tomorrow to try and get a feel for what is to come.  On the plus side one of my last trips out there I did find my dad's deerstand and it was still in what looks like perfect condition...lucky bum.

[teal50]

Was out yesterday for awhile before the rains/storms rolled in.  Found a variety pack.  They are just getting started and they were here & there, No large quantities.  Chants, some hedgehogs, black trumpets, and one perfect King Boletus.  Bugs are fierce!!  With all the rains, mosquitos are thick with a bonus deer tick or two.

[pikestabber]

Ms. Stabber and Junior and I picked a handful of Chants and a few over the hill Kings, but today was LOBSTERFEST, and that stole the show. Yikes...took nearly 5 hours to clean, slice, fry and freeze. Not complaining though! Lobsters are my favorite. They were EVERYWHERE. I found around 100 last year in this spot but was only able to salvage 7 (seven) total mushrooms out of that whole crop, and even those were questionable...

 This year I went a couple weeks earlier and it made all the difference--about 7 of every 10 were good. That means I kept around 100 of 150 found! We also picked a quart of blueberries, so it was a productive day! Little man helped by putting sticks and pine cones into the basket on occasion. He's still learning the whole "collecting" thing...  

 

Edited July 25, 2016 by pikestabber