What is this

[eyeguy 54]

??

[RebelSS]

Is this a trick question?  Looks like ya got a really funky fungi going there...

[pikestabber]

White Coral Mushroom?

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=White+Coral+Mushroom&view=detailv2&&id=6FE256AD1E31A5E11246C3FA2A2DAE681A9B3D62&selectedIndex=0&ccid=1%2bKSDqMZ&simid=608052136233403410&thid=OIP.Md7e2920ea3192a13911ba34627672161o0&ajaxhist=0

Edited August 1, 2016 by pikestabber

[eyeguy 54]

thx.  a few out where I was checking the blackberries. I am a mushroom wimp to try new stuff. Had a nice puffball tho last week with some venny and onions. says these are edible. any good?

 

[pikestabber]

I've only ever had Crown Tip Coral (grows on rotted wood, popple from what I've found) which I find to be good, but I don't generally mess with coral mushrooms as some can be bad juju...

Giant Puffballs are a great place to start if you interested in getting into picking (softball size or bigger is A-OK as there are no known look-alikes). Just make sure they are uniformly white throughout with no "gill" imprints inside. Should be smooth and white inside. If brown, purple, etc., inside, they are over-the-hill.

Chicken of the Woods (orange on top, yellow on bottom, grows on dead or damaged oak) is another good one to start with. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=chicken+of+the+woods&view=detailv2&&id=0&selectedIndex=0&thid=A41f775961b422f5cffa988a656d353c8&stid=cf5ecde3-42d0-0681-9893-7fbd0ec8acb6&cbn=EntityAnswer&ajaxhist=0

Chanterelles can be easily ID'D. I find them around either oaks or near large red pine stands. They grow directly from the ground. http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Chanterelles&view=detailv2&&id=DFE38F4EB38395E1AF45D83F17A0C0BC04A94F51&selectedIndex=15&ccid=yQLdorhq&simid=607987308011194187&thid=OIP.Mc902dda2b86ae7e487b6dc7803032ab1o0&ajaxhist=0

The Jack O'Lantern is a Chanterelle look-alike, they say, but I don't think they are very close in appearance myself. That said, if you search Bing for "Chanterelles," one of the first pics they feature is a big stack of Jack O Lanterns! That's a very irresponsible pic for someone to put on there... As stated above, Chanterelles grow from the ground (in singles); Jacks grow from rotted wood (or roots) in clumps. They rumor with Jacks is that they won't kill you, but you'll wish you were dead if you eat them! They also glow in the dark, hence their name: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=jack+o+lantern+mushroom&view=detailv2&id=47AF0B5316BBC41A9E9D1076DB4D12512BE065D2&selectedindex=2&ccid=3rM4PMAv&simid=608026752992675059&thid=OIP.Mdeb3383cc02fe638fc963cc8f185bb36H0&mode=overlay&first=1

Lobster mushrooms are easily ID'd, too. I find them near red oak stands, but they grow in other places, too. I find them right near the edge of my grouse hunting roads quite often: http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=lobster+mushroom&view=detailv2&id=3C61217AA9B4C7D8CE980AAE71C0B950DE2D63F5&selectedindex=9&ccid=jTSrFnZs&simid=608015216697541341&thid=OIP.M8d34ab16766c5bb73133c15609cc2061o0&mode=overlay&first=1

Several others exist, of course, but start small and see if you like it! Best thing to do is find a person "in the know" and hit the woods, but honestly, I picked up much of what I know right here on the forums. Good info here! That said, NEVER just go off of one "positive ID" you receive online. No mushroom is worth the risk. Educate yourself first, and you can find a whole new hobby that lasts all spring, summer, and fall long!

Edited August 3, 2016 by pikestabber