MO Mycological Society Foray

This event is a free and public outing through the Missouri Mycological Society. You must register through their website to attend.

MOMS mushroom forays are a great opportunity to learn about mushrooms and their habitats, hone your skills for finding them, and meet others who share your interest in the fascinating world of all things fungi.  We’ll meet at our gathering spot that’s identified on our website, give you a quick rundown on what we’ll be looking for, split into smaller groups, and head into the woods to start collecting mushrooms. NOT JUST THE EDIBLE ONES!  After the foray we’ll meet back at a designated spot and identify the specimens with the goal of creating a species list for the foray.  We keep and log the lists of fungi found on forays for future study and reference.

• 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.
• Other handy items - After the foray we’ll meet and try to identify what we’ve found. Sometimes we have lunch or a snack. Chairs and picnic items can come in handy.   Your foray leader will let you know.

There are thousands different mushroom species throughout our state.  Most are not edible, but they’re just as interesting and fascinating as the delicious ones.  The variety we collect on a foray is eye opening.  Come, have fun, and learn.  It’s well worth it!