If you like mushrooms this has to be one of the most rewarding outdoor activities you can engage in. Foraging for mushrooms depending on the time of year and conditions, you can be rewarded with pounds of this delightful and edible entrée. But beware along with the delightful and edible comes deadly. Make it a practice and a rule-know your deadly mushrooms as well as the edible along with the species that can make you very ill. Know what you are picking. If you are new to mushroom hunting consult an expert for a positive identification before eating them. Confirm your identification. Save a specimen in your fridge for a period of time incase you should become ill, this will give the physician something go by, and don’t over eat. Remember even edible mushrooms may make you ill. If something in your system doesn’t agree with them. Start by eating a small quantity. There are many edible mushrooms though out the season that are easy to positively identify. Purchase yourself a good book on the subject. There are many good resources out their. One very good source for information is your local state agricultural extension service. They often have booklets on this subject at little or no cost. Many of the state universities offer seminars along with field trips that have the experts on hand to confirm your identification. There is usually a charge for this but well worth your investment. I have listed below a couple of the books I use. They are very useful for the beginner or advanced mushroom hunter.
A Guide to North American Mushrooms
Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America
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