Hi I'm a young cook and I've always wanted to go mushroom foraging but I Don't have an idea of where to start. Chanterelles are in season and should be showing up provided we receive some rain and I'd like to harvest some. I know alot of mushroom pickers like to keep their foraging spots hush hush, I was hoping for a little help as to where I could go hunting other than vancouver island. Any tips for an amateur mushroom hunter would be greatly appreciated thanks
Hi there, While it is true that mushroom hunters generally don't share specific locations, you can learn from other mushroomers what habitat you are seeking, and thus find your own spots. eg. Some kinds are found in fields, some in forest, some in ground, some on wood, some in association with specific trees, plants and/or soil types. I recommend contacting one of your local mushroom clubs and going out on a foray! :-) frog
thank you for the reply. I actually found the vancouver mycological society and hope to attend a meeting next month. I've also sent an email asking about forays and tips. I'm in the search of Chanterelles and if I find anything else along the way that's a bonus. I've heard rumours about spots on seymour mt and areas close to golden ears park. I hope to make a trip out there next week.
There are lots of Chanterelles in the North Shore mountains right now. Look for good-sized second growth Douglas Fir trees at elevations below 450 m. They are easiest to find where the big trees shade out most of the undergrowth, for obvious reasons.
Yup, a forest of Fir trees is what you want to look for. Not deer hunting season yet is it? Wear red anyway! Chanterelles do not grow in ferns and not usually near Cedar trees either. I have often found them close to the wild cherry type trees. Do not confuse them with the two other mushrooms that are similar. Here on the island, I kid you not, all my patches have been logged out, one after the other. D
... and remember that picking mushrooms in parks is illegal, plus is usually a bad idea in parks close to urban centres, from the point of view of the the overall pressure on the habitat from large proximate population use. Also, on trails outside of parks I (we) try to avoid picking the specimens alongside the trail, so that other folks using the area actually get to see the mushrooms. Don't get me wrong, picking mushrooms can be such a light impact land use compared to eg. razing of the forest for new water treatment plants, ATV & bike damage, mining operations allowed in parks, and so forth. Plus as the mushroom is the fruit of the fungus, non-habitat-destructive picking is presumably not harmful to the fungus. But I do think all mushroomers should consider this overall topic, to determine what we each think are appropriate and mushroom-positive practices in shared use of the land. "Take only what you will use Use what you take Never take all that is there Leave no trace" - abbreviation of Mushroomers' Country Code
My dad was once picked up outside the Army Camp Borden in Ont. many years ago as he was forgaing for mushrooms. My parents were D.P.s after WW2 and mushroom gathering was commonly done by all. I read a few years ago that there were only a few mushrooms of any size left in Europe any longer as they have been harvested for so long with the biggest always being taken away, along with their spores. My parents taught us to always pick with a knife so as not to disturb the mycellium underground. Here on the island we have more recent immigrants than my parents who are reportedly going into the woods with rakes, to rake the forest floor clear of duff so that any hidden mushrooms can be spotted. Quell Horreur! A lady who gave me 'her' spot before she moved away told me to always carry the mushrooms in an open mesh bag thru the woods so that their spores would spread as you moved thru the bush. I found a basket kept them in better shape. Hope you find some. One of my favourite fall feeds is some Chantarelles sauteed with onions and served over mashed potatoes. I can buy them fortunately, as I am not driving lately. Good luck, D
Thanks for the replies. Yes I read on a parks website that mushroom picking is illegal...Im assuming so as not to disturb the protected park land. Good to know before I wandered off to get fined for picking. I'll have to find neighbouring areas outside of the park borders. I plan on using an old mesh laundry bag. Not very big but I don't need alot of mushrooms, just enough for personal use. I'm hoping we get some rain over the weekend before I make my trip into the mountains
I too am a chef and am looking to go hunting for mushrooms. I remember seeing an episode of Glutton For Punishment with Bob Blumer where he was picking Morels up at Seymour. They indeed like to keep their locations hussshh
I do believe he was hunting for morels at burn sites in the interior. morel hunting is new to me, I havent had the time to go on a foraging trip this year and time is ticking away. I probably won't go on the hunt again until the fall when the chanterelles come in.
