Mushroom hunting, mushrooming, mushroom picking, mushroom foraging, and similar terms describe the activity of gathering
mushrooms in the wild. This is typically done for culinary use, although medicinal and psychotropic uses are also known. This practice is popular throughout most of Europe, Australia, Asia, as well as in the
temperate regions of Canada and the United States.[1][2][3][4]
Identifying mushrooms
Morphological characteristics of the caps of mushrooms are essential for correct visual mushroom identification. Numerous
field guides on mushrooms are available and recommended to help distinguish between safe and edible mushrooms, and the many poisonous or inedible
species.
A common mushroom identification technique is the
spore print, in which a mushroom is placed on a surface and
spores are allowed to fall underneath. This technique is often used by
mycologists and mushroom hunters distinguish identify the
genus of a specimen and differentiate between similar-looking species.
Knowing where and when to search for mushrooms is an important identification skill that takes practice. Most mushroom species require specific conditions. For example, some species only grow at the base of a certain type of tree. Finding a desired species known to grow in a certain particular region can be challenging.[5][6]
Regional importance
British enthusiasts enjoy an extended average picking season of 75 days compared to just 33 in the 1950s.[7]
In
Japan, particular mushroom types are hunted, with particular importance given to delicacies such as the
Matsutake mushroom.
In
Slavic countries and
Baltic countries, mushroom picking is a common family activity.[8] “The Russians go absolutely bananas for fungus. Mushrooming is a commonplace tradition there, not the hallowed turf of the academic or connoisseur.”[9] After a heavy rain during the mushroom season whole families often venture into the nearest forest, picking bucketfuls of mushrooms, which are cooked and eaten for dinner upon return (most often in
omelettes with eggs or fried in butter) or alternatively dried or
marinated for later consumption. In Southern
Lithuania mushroom hunting is considered a "national sport". They even host a Mushroom Festival ("Grybų šventė") in
Varėna including a mushroom hunting championship.
In the United States, mushroom picking is popular in the Appalachian area and on the west coast from San Francisco Bay northward, in northern
California,
Oregon and
Washington, and in many other regions.[citation needed]
Radiation
Nuclear fallout from the
Chernobyl disaster is an important issue concerning mushroom picking in Europe. Due to the wide spread of their
mycelium, mushrooms tend to accumulate more radioactive
caesium-137 than surrounding soil and other organisms. State agencies (e.g.
Bellesrad in Belarus) monitor and analyze the degree of
radionuclide accumulation in various wild species of plants and animals. In particular, Bellesrad claims that Svinushka (Paxillus ssp.), Maslenok (Suillus ssp.), Mohovik (Xerocomus ssp.), and Horkushka (Lactarius rufus) are the worst ones in this respect. The safest one is Opyonok Osyenniy (Armillaria mellea). This is an issue not only in
Poland,
Belarus,
Ukraine and
Russia: the fallout also reached western Europe, and until recently the German government discouraged people gathering certain mushrooms.[citation needed]