Mushroom Foraging: Getting Started

This blog is part of a series about outdoor nature connection in partnership with Trackers Earth!

The Pacific Northwest - specifically, Northwest Oregon - is possibly the best place in the world for mushroom foraging. Our wet, mild climate and diverse biomes create the perfect atmosphere for a wide variety of fungi, both edible and non. But most people who live here never learn a single wild mushroom’s name. It doesn’t have to be that way! Learning about our local fungi is fun, a way to deepen your relationship with the outdoors, and (if you learn a few specific safety rules), delicious. If you want to get started but aren’t quite sure how, read on.

Most mushrooms tend to grow in the cooler, wetter times of year, which means proper preparation is essential. Even if it hasn’t rained recently it’s better to be safe than sorry. My daily mushroom foraging kit consists of:

• Waterproof pants, boots, hat, and rain jacket.

• Layers for changing weather during the day or at higher altitudes.

• A change of socks (and sometimes an extra pair of shoes) for the drive home.

• Lunch, snacks, and extra water.

• A fully charged phone with offline maps downloaded, plus a backup compass and safety whistle. I also carry a small Garmin Inreach GPS unit, which isn’t strictly necessary, but is great to have if you can.

• A folding or sheathed knife and a mesh bag, canvas tote, or basket for collection.

Most of our local state and national forests allow mushroom collection for personal use. If you plan to harvest, check the regulations of any location you plan to visit to be sure mushroom collection is allowed. No permit is required for personal collection in the Coast Range state forests. You can review National Forest guidelines here:

Gifford Pinchot National Forest mushroom harvest permit

Mt Hood National Forest mushroom harvest information

In general, look for locations that have had recent rain, with good mature tree coverage, and not too many brambles or thick bushes. A mossy forest floor with a lot of sword ferns and tall conifers like Douglas Fir or Hemlock are great places to start. You can check topographic maps to look for places without too many hills (steep slopes make for long, tiring days).

First and foremost, follow all outdoor recreation best practices when you’re out foraging.

• Charge your phone

• Tell someone where you’re going and when you plan to be back.

• If you go off trail, bring a compass and a whistle.

• Look at the weather forecast for your destination. I’ve left home on a sunny 55 degree morning only to encounter ice and snow flurries up in the hills.

We also need to be smart with our mushroom safety. Most people wonder, “Aren’t there a lot of poisonous mushrooms out there?” Yes, we do have several species in the Pacific Northwest to look out for! However, keep in mind that all mushrooms in North America are safe to look at, smell, and handle with your bare hands. Mushrooms must be fully consumed (pieces chewed and swallowed) to be dangerous. Most mushroom foragers in the Pacific Northwest start with chanterelles and lobster mushrooms, both of which have no deadly look-alikes and are relatively easy to learn to spot.

You don’t have to eat anything while you’re learning to identify mushrooms! You can collect a few specimens, bring them home, and take your time with identification. Before eating anything, you must know the species description including variations, where and how it grows, and all toxic (or even merely unpleasant) lookalikes. And the best way to learn all that is practice, practice, practice by identifying what you find! A combination of books, reputable online resources (such as the ones listed below), and consulting experts at Oregon Mycological Society events will get you there.

Books I specifically recommend:

• Mushrooms of Cascadia by Noah Siegal and Christian Schwarz

• All the Rain Promises and More by David Arora

• Fruits of the Forest by Daniel Winkler

• Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest by Steve Trudell

Online resources that are trustworthy:

• MykoWeb

• Mushroom Expert

• With caveats, The Pacific Northwest Mushroom Identification Forum on Facebook (Note: anyone can offer identification here, so do not blindly trust what everyone says; however, it is a very high traffic group with a lot of good information)

• iNaturalist app for narrowing down to family or order only - otherwise I do not recommend ID apps. 

Many people successfully identify a mushroom and cook it at home… only to end up with a tummy ache anyway. Most wild mushrooms must be thoroughly cooked, otherwise they can be difficult to digest. Once you are confident in your identification, be sure to cook what you find for at least 10 - 15 minutes. Because some people are sensitive to certain varieties, test new species by first eating a small amount. Finally, don’t give yourself good old fashioned food poisoning! Mushrooms are best eaten fresh or properly preserved. Keep any unused mushrooms in a paper bag or a bowl loosely covered with a damp kitchen towel. Never store mushrooms in a closed plastic bag.

Mushrooms are everywhere! If you’re willing to look at the ground around you this fall and winter, and to take the time to investigate what you find, you will be well on your way to discovering an entirely new world hidden in plain sight in our natural spaces. I hope to see you out there on the forest roads soon.

Curious to learn more? Ready to get started? Come join me for a day of mushroom identification and foraging basics at Trackers Earth on Saturday, October 26th. Our class will cover everything you need to know to get started safely. We’ll collect a variety of mushrooms and identify them together. Learn more and sign up online!