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cubenz
Mr. Nice Guy
Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 81
Loc: shack on hill
Last seen: 14 years, 2 months
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good field guide
#9322625 - 11/27/08 03:28 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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Does any one use National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms? It seems like a quality guide, has alot of good info and variety, but i was wondering if there is a variable im not seeing. Opinions are greatly appreciated
-------------------- Boulder
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DannyGlick
Registered: 04/14/08
Posts: 3,889
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Re: good field guide [Re: cubenz]
#9323535 - 11/27/08 06:45 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
ToxicMan said: First of all, you should realize that there is no book which contains all species.
Mushrooms Demystified, by David Arora, is the best all-around book for identifying mushrooms. It has excellent keys, descriptions, photographs, and writing. Almost every professional mycologist I know uses this book. Its one major fault is that it is written primarily with the west coast of the United States in mind (although species not found in that area are covered). Only about 10% of the species covered are represented in color photographs. This book covers more species than any other book you would probably consider purchasing.
The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms, by Gary Lincoff, is a good book for those who prefer to identify mushrooms by comparing photographs to specimens first. Its greatest fault is a lack of keys.
Mushrooms of North America, by Roger Phillips, is similar to the Audubon Guide but larger, both in size and number of species. It also has no keys for identification beyond genus.
Mushrooms of Northeastern North America, by Alan E Bessette, Arleen R Bessette, and David W Fischer, is an excellent book, but limited in region to the area from North Carolina west to Kansas and north to Hudson Bay. It has excellent keys, and the photography is some of the best. Less than half of the species are represented in photographs.
There are numerous books devoted to one or a few genera - these tend to be relatively hard to find, but generally have excellent coverage of the group of mushrooms they intend to cover. Most of these books will probably have to be special ordered.
Most books with the words Encyclopedia or Complete Guide in the title are pretty coffee table books with very nice color photography. They tend to emphasize edible and common mushrooms and none of them I have ever seen have covered anywhere near all known species of mushrooms. Some of them have good recipes.
Happy Mushrooming!
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Beege
gatherer
Registered: 08/02/08
Posts: 4,466
Loc: Germany
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Re: good field guide [Re: DannyGlick]
#9323543 - 11/27/08 06:46 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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I'm planning on getting both The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms and Mushrooms Demystified.
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somebody716
Explorer
Registered: 01/06/06
Posts: 423
Loc: Gulf Coast, United States
Last seen: 14 years, 1 month
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Re: good field guide [Re: Beege]
#9323665 - 11/27/08 07:23 PM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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A good book to start with is Audubon Society FG, then after you've gained a little background knowledge pick up Demystified.
I live in the southeast (deep south) and we don't have a lot of regional books representing us. I found this to be a problem because of the amount of mushrooms growing here that are not found in the rest of North America but maybe more in Central or South America. Whereas other areas in North America have tons of books specifically for there region. Maybe try and get a book that pertains specifically to your region too.
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cubenz
Mr. Nice Guy
Registered: 10/05/08
Posts: 81
Loc: shack on hill
Last seen: 14 years, 2 months
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Quote:
somebody716 said: A good book to start with is Audubon Society FG, then after you've gained a little background knowledge pick up Demystified.
That is what i was thinking, i went and read about both books and i feel that demystified is a good book to pick once i gain more knowledge, i have just started to get into hunting and auduban seems like a good choice for learning. thanks for the feedback gents
-------------------- Boulder
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Beege
gatherer
Registered: 08/02/08
Posts: 4,466
Loc: Germany
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Quote:
somebody716 said: A good book to start with is Audubon Society FG, then after you've gained a little background knowledge pick up Demystified.
I live in the southeast (deep south) and we don't have a lot of regional books representing us. I found this to be a problem because of the amount of mushrooms growing here that are not found in the rest of North America but maybe more in Central or South America. Whereas other areas in North America have tons of books specifically for there region. Maybe try and get a book that pertains specifically to your region too.
I'm also in the southeast, but I figure these books will have some pertinent information and it wouldn't hurt to learn more, especially since I may find myself living farther north or farther west depending on where life takes me.
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mushroomhunter10
Jack-Of-All-Trades
Registered: 10/04/08
Posts: 3,360
Loc: Midwest
Last seen: 8 years, 9 months
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Re: good field guide [Re: Beege]
#9325357 - 11/28/08 12:49 AM (15 years, 4 months ago) |
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My Audubon Guide has failed me a few times. It hasn't been updated with information in 20 years. Nonetheless it's a great guide. I've learned that multiple sources are required to cover all grounds.
Here I've heard of, or been recommended to: Mushrooms Demystified Peterson Field Guides Lone Pine Publishing
Good Luck!
-------------------- Imagine if you needed it and it wasn't there... GIVE BLOOD Get a free (PAINLESS) bone marrow testing kit and help save lives HERE. Jesus if you're reading this, please come back already. We need you now more than ever! The U.S. Constitution! Best WBS Tek EZ Potato-Honey Agar Tek MY TRADES
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Bobzimmer
Crawlin' Kingsnake
Registered: 09/07/08
Posts: 8,696
Loc: NY
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Agreed. Multiple sources is the best. I owned Peterson's guide before coming to the shroomery and I can say I don't care for it much. It's not a bad book, but I've found the illustrations not as handy as photos for quick browsing, and it seems that Audubon's guide is better common ground for the Shroomery, with common names everyone knows, and more Psilocybian species, if that's what you're interested in.Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World is essential as well. I also recommend a smaller local/regional guide for quick reference in the field. Mushrooms Demystified, and Mushrooms of Northeastern are next on my list, but with the weight and cost of these tomes, I won't be bringing them into the field! Sorry, just discovered smileys!
-------------------- Mr. Mushrooms said: I will confess something that should be quite obvious, CC. I love mushrooms, i.e. fungi. I really do. I am talking about a strong feeling, i.e. emotion, for them. I think they are beautiful. I even dream of them.
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Mr. Mushrooms
Spore Print Collector
Registered: 05/25/08
Posts: 13,018
Loc: Registered: 6/04/02
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Quote:
somebody716 said:
I live in the southeast (deep south) and we don't have a lot of regional books representing us.
A good place to start is our field guide page:
http://www.shroomery.org/8465/Which-is-the-best-field-guide-I-can-buy
Next, I'm not sure if you or Beege are familiar with Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States by by Alan E. Bessette (Author), William C. Roody (Author), Arleen R. Bessette (Author), Dail L. Dunaway (Author).
Danny's quote of ToxicMan's was great in its day but it is over 6 years old. Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States wasn't written when ToxicMan made his post.
The book is pricey (71.25), but if it anything like the Northeastern one I wouldn't be without it. In fact, I am buying a copy just help ID some shrooms on here from the Southeast.
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Beege
gatherer
Registered: 08/02/08
Posts: 4,466
Loc: Germany
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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Ah thanks very much! I was not familiar with that title, is it good?
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Mr. Mushrooms
Spore Print Collector
Registered: 05/25/08
Posts: 13,018
Loc: Registered: 6/04/02
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Re: good field guide [Re: Beege]
#9327294 - 11/28/08 01:35 PM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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I'll let you know when I get it. There are few minor things about the Northeastern book that I would change if I had written it.
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Beege
gatherer
Registered: 08/02/08
Posts: 4,466
Loc: Germany
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
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I looked that book up on amazon and wew it's expensive, 70 bucks???
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DannyGlick
Registered: 04/14/08
Posts: 3,889
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Re: good field guide [Re: Beege]
#9327568 - 11/28/08 02:24 PM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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You could probably get a used one for way cheaper.I didn't realize you guys were from the southeast.
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somebody716
Explorer
Registered: 01/06/06
Posts: 423
Loc: Gulf Coast, United States
Last seen: 14 years, 1 month
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Re: good field guide [Re: DannyGlick]
#9327682 - 11/28/08 02:46 PM (15 years, 3 months ago) |
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I own Southern Mushrooms by Weber and Smith and I'm waiting to get Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States once i get some cash flow coming in (50 or 60 bucks new on Ebay).
Senor, I've heard that the Southeastern version is not as good as the complimentary Northeastern guide. But still I'd like to get it.
Also I've seen a Texas field guide, that i believe was written before the 90's, that's pretty small, but cheap.
Edited by somebody716 (11/28/08 02:48 PM)
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gandalf579
Mushroom Hunter
Registered: 09/28/07
Posts: 907
Last seen: 5 years, 19 days
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Once you get a little experience, a good one to get is "North American Mushrooms" written by Dr. Orson K. Miller Jr. and Hope H. Miller, published by "A Falcon Guide", cost $25.95. It is a well built book, it can take repeated field trips, it has several tripping shrooms and it even has a guaranteed binding, if the book starts to fall apart, the publisher will replace the book. Also this book was originally written in 2006.
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