MDC Mushroom Hunting 101

This event is a free and public outing through the Missouri Department of Conservation. You must register through their website to attend.

Mushrooms are a delight for animals and people alike! Explore the realm of the fungi and learn what role they play in our environment, and which may be a good addition to your dinner plate. Foray in the woods of Burr Oak Woods to follow presentation.

• What to Wear - We will be walking through the woods, not necessarily on the trails. Be prepared for burrs, thorns, poison ivy, ticks, mosquitos, and other woodland hazards.   We recommend wearing pants and long sleeve shirts.  Bring insect repellent and plenty of water.
• Mushroom Collecting - We’ll collect samples of the various fungi we find along the way. Try to harvest the mushroom from the root to aid in identification. If your collecting edible specimens, cut off at ground level to keep the mushrooms as clean as possible before placing in your collection bag.  Here are some tools you might use for collectingBasket Collection knife Mushroom identification tools such as reference books and a magnifying glass Waxed paper bags to keep specimens separated. Mushrooms tend to become mushy in plastic bags, so we try to avoid using them.