Mushroom Picking

[Captain Dudds]

Hey I know this is not fishing related but I think alot of people on here likely pick mushrooms as well.

Just looking for any leads here. Is there much in the victoria area for muchrooms? I've heard cowichan is pretty good but was hoping to find something a little closer. I'm not looking for anyone's secret spot but maybe just a hint as to where a good place to start would be.

Thanks

Captain Dudds

 

[JuandeOne]

Had my first experience with chantrelle picking in Oct., was lots of fun and got lots. For these, the Cowichan Lake to Renfrew area is the best for sure. Not sure if there are many still around now but look for dense second growth with lots of large first growth stumps; sloppy areas are often best; they love the moss as apposed to the salal type ground cover. That should point you in the right direction.

 

[Kildonan]

Every year around this time I see lots of Shaggy Mane's in the Highlands area of Victoria. I've never picked or eaten them however I've heard they are quite good. I hear you need to eat them quickly after picking for them to be best.

 

[Karma-Kazi]

I have not been this year, My grandparents went twice once to shawnigan lake area and the other to port renfrew area. They said this year has been horrible the chantrelles are very spread out and small. The Pines have been large but few aswell. They picked 2 shaggy maynes on their driveway yesterday in metchosin.

Good luck, hope this helps

-Steve

 

[Captain Dudds]

thanks for the tips. i've never seen a shaggy mayne before. only chantrelles and lobsters but i only started this year. i'm going thursday morning so will have to decide if its worth the drive all the way out to renfrew. might just check out the highlands. i'll post how it goes. either way i'm sure it will be a nice hike!

thanks

Captain Dudds

 

[Kildonan]

Running the risk of stating the complete obvious, ALWAYS be certain you know what it is that you pick and eat. Apparently there are lots of look a likes out there.

 

[wolf]

Dudds you will see shaggys alot on the older gravel roads where the grass is starting to impead they are very good but if you take them you need to eat them that day as they are quite inky and discolor quickly.
As for chantrelles best one out there stocked up already once you get them you can dry them in the oven while draining off the water and make sure you save it great for soup and stocks.

the beat thing to do is get a book the one I use that i find is the best is by a guy named David Arora and the title of the book is

ALL THAT THE RAIN PROMISES AND MORE.... and the pic on the front is him holding a trumpet and a bunch of chantrelles it has great pics and alot of info.

p.s. burnt bridge area can be good

Happy hunting Wolf

Blue Wolf Charters
www.bluewolfcharters.com

 

[Karma-Kazi]

If you make your way out to renfrew head towards cowichan past lizzard lake about 3-4 kms and you will see a gravel pit on the left last time i was there they had a bunch of road work equipment inside( last year) that is by far the best Chantrelle picking place I have ever found. All along that section of road past lizzard lake. Just go far enough past lizard lake that the road flattens out a bit. I find it best on the river side of the road!!! A good guide book is key in being safe and knowing what ur picking is what you want.

Good luck

-Steve

 

[Big Bob]

Don't eat anything that you are not 100% sure of. Take a shroom I.D. course or better yet join the Victoria shroom club. My favourite book is the New Savory Wild Mushroom as it is published in Seattle and deals with shrooms in the Pacific northwest.

 

[The Fish Assassin]

I pick chantrelles all the time, well early fall to be specific.

They are tasty I especially like them with deer steak and garlic. I havnt found any since we had the frost. I don't think they come out after it freezes, however Pine mushrooms do come out after the first frost.

These ones smell like cinnamon.

Take only what you need.

 

[Captain Dudds]

thanks for all the tips guys. we ended up heading out past shawnigan lake with the idea of burnt bridge - we don't know exactly where it is so we just started stopping when things looked decent and found these on the third stop. thats about a third of the total so we were pretty happy.

we left some behind as they were on the boarder of rotten and i had to clean up all the ones we kept, but we still ended up with enough to make some soup and throw on a steak.

next year we'll have to do this a few months earlier. we also saw alot of lobsters but they were way past their time. the next goal is to learn to recognize a pine - what is there season around here?

thanks again

Captain Dudds

 

[The Fish Assassin]

Pines should be out nowish...

Take only what you need.

 

[Karma-Kazi]

Pines Smell like Cinnamon and should be out now

-Steve

 

[JuandeOne]

Ya Dudds, we got lots as early as Labour day this year and talk about prime. Great job on the ones you got!

 

[baz]

wow duds,
my brother in-law comes from germany fro a few months a year to get the ****akes,
this year in 5 trips up island he collected around 120 pounds,
he sold them all for 8 bucks a pound to the local restaurants and paid for his trip
how far up island did you go

 

[Captain Dudds]

we went near shawnigan so not very far - but it sounds like there are much better spots if you want to go further - we just didn't have the time.

what time of the year do you guys get ****akes? what are they like? what sort of area do you find them in? - 120 lbs Wow!- that is alot mushrooms. i would be happy with about 10 lbs for the season.

My buddy and I were thinking of trying for some pines but i think we'll wait until we can go with someone who knows them - there are so many out there that look so alike i think its a good idea someone show you the first time. when is their season usually finished?

my dad and i went out sunday to westwood in nanaimo for chantrelles but didn't find any. it sure looked like there would be some there but no luck.

that mushroom club sounds like it might not be a bad idea - it would be great to expand on the number of targeted species.

Captain Dudds

 

[Big Bob]

From your first post I assumed that you lived in Victoria ,hence the recommedation to join the Victoria Micological Society,(shroom club).

Years ago I took a course from a fellow by the name of John Penny who was from Victoria. His advice was to learn the identity of 12 large common shrooms that you CAN'T mistake for anything else and concentrate on them. You also need to be able to I.D. the bad ones particularly the Amantias ,such as the Death Cup, because with some of these one is all it takes to do you and there are white amanitas similar to Pines.

After 25 years of shrooming and as I am still not dead, I think that Penny gave good advice

 

[bee15]

one hundred twenty pounds and paid for his triphmmm why doesnt he get a jobin germany instead of coming to vancouver island and pigging out on mmushrooms.for most people it is a hobby to pick shrooms. andthen get get a little side benefitfrom eating them after harvesting enough for themselves.

 

[bee15]

i believe ****takes is another name for pine mushroom was lots on shawnigan lake rd. but some people raked the ground for them when the prices were high, that destroys the roots. pines are just under the moss.