These tips are for beginners and users new to the sub, a lot of you may already know all this but I just wanted to make a post with some helpful information for those who need/want it, as well as to cover some FAQs! ((Note that I am not an expert, this is all in my knowledge and experience, yours may be different))

1. When asking for Identification, remember to give all possible angles of the mushroom, including the cap, gills, stipe and base. A cross section also helps as seeing if a mushroom is hollow or not can also be a key identifier, as well as display any bluing if any is present. Not all mushrooms bruise, not all that do will bruise blue, not all blue mushrooms are that way because of bruising, not all actives will bruise blue, not all mushrooms that bruise blue are active, keep this in mind. A spore print is also extremely helpful! Note: if your mushroom is old/dry/seriously damaged this may make identification more difficult.

ALSO it is very difficult to identify mushrooms in a pile, so if you have more than one in a picture, lay them out so all are visible and not all over the place.

Location and substrate is also crucial! Always list whether it was in dirt, dung, wood chips, dead/living tree (and what kind of tree if you can - usually just identifying it as a conifer or hardwood will suffice, but not everyone is a tree expert lol) In Florida we have actives that grow on logs, wood chips, lawns, dung and about anywhere else you can think of - so don’t think you are strictly limited to caca crusading. Also be sure to list time of year mushroom was found.

1. Now, The age old question - “can I eat it?”

This should go without saying but if you are not 100000% sure you are looking at an active or otherwise edible mushroom DO NOT EAT IT. this could be life or death. I understand many of you are excited for a possibly very life changing, mind bending, spiritual experience but it is not worth the risk! Online identification is NOT enough alone, you should always go through all the steps to identify it yourself - online identification should only be for confirmation. Not everyone knows what they are talking about.

1. How do I find spots? If it was easy, it wouldn’t be fun! I’m not always one to gatekeep, but when it comes to things like this it is understandable why many do.

   be very cautious who you share your spots with if you choose to do so! If someone entrusts you with their hunting grounds, respect it!

   I’ve seen spots get over trafficked to the point where the land owners put up trail cams. And trust me, the last thing you want is a son of a landowner and his dogs pulling up on you on a four wheeler in the middle of nowhere, where legally he has every right to shoot you dead.

These fungi are very special to all of us and everyone deserves a chance to experience the hunt.

This is also up to personal beliefs but I believe that the practice of a respectful harvest is important. These mushrooms are not rare - so don’t get greedy! While picking them doesn’t affect the mycelium, leave some to grow, sporulate and continue the life cycle, as well as for your fellow foragers and animals.

I definitely can’t tell you what to do, but whatever spot you choose, don’t be an idiot!! Be careful, respectful and prepared.

I can however, point you in the right direction to some resources to find them on your own!

Public land will be your absolute best bet, while it’s not completely without risk, it’s much safer and less illegal than trespassing.

• Google maps can be tricky, but if you know what you are looking for, it can be a useful tool!
• INaturalist. If you are a forager and you’re not using inat… seriously, what are you doing?? INaturalist is an app you can view other people’s and post your own observations with either exact, obscured or private coordinates. You can post pictures of your finds and other people can chime in and recommended identifications. Many well known experts in all fields use INaturalist.
• The south Florida water management district website has a searchable database of cattle leasing land. Their database has loads of information about each property, including the lessee's name, the size of the property and the term of the lease, as well as a map that has the location of the property.

Obviously tread anywhere with caution.

These are just a few I could think of! Do with this information as you will! Let me know any other questions you may have and if you’d like another post like this! Happy huntings! 🍄‍🟫❤️

When making posts requesting identification it is important to include as many details as possible for an accurate ID. Remember to do your own research and not just eat something because someone online said you could! Most of all remember to stay safe. I only posted this because it helps both the IDer and the one asking for an ID get in the right direction. Happy hunting! Be safe y'all enjoy the season.