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qws
Stranger

Registered: 12/13/20
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: wwolfe28]
#27091279 - 12/15/20 09:55 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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I've been out hunting for two days now with no luck. I live in Union City and started to look at my local trails. I went off trail to a more grassland area which the sun didn't directly hit because of the trees. I'm not sure if it's just not the season for these to pop up or the correct temperature? It rained for two days last weekend and I thought this would be the perfect time to see some growth. Any tips and thoughts?
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mind.at.large
Myconerd


Registered: 12/13/16
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: qws] 1
#27091301 - 12/15/20 10:07 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
qws said: I've been out hunting for two days now with no luck. I live in Union City and started to look at my local trails. I went off trail to a more grassland area which the sun didn't directly hit because of the trees. I'm not sure if it's just not the season for these to pop up or the correct temperature? It rained for two days last weekend and I thought this would be the perfect time to see some growth. Any tips and thoughts?
You're looking in the wrong habitat. Look in landscaped wood chip areas, such as those found at apartment complexes, grocery stores, parks, whatever.
Also, 2 days of hunting is nothing. If there is anything mushrooms have taught me, from both cultivating and hunting, is patience. If you find actives during your first season of hunting, count yourself lucky. Many of us spent a long time searching before finding them.
Start grabbing any mushroom you see and try to identify it to get your ID skills up. With enough experience, you will be able to be 99% sure you see an active mushroom before you even touch it, and 100% sure once you pick it up!
-------------------- Mind's Easy Bag 2 Bag Grain Transfers Endless Sub Tek ...the doll's trying to kill me and the toaster's been laughing at me...
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CHUCK.HNTR
feral urbanite



Registered: 09/30/19
Posts: 2,258
Loc: SF, CA, USA
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: mind.at.large]
#27091314 - 12/15/20 10:19 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Yup
-------------------- "What is the practical application of a million universes?" -Alan Watts
   
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qws
Stranger

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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: mind.at.large]
#27091357 - 12/15/20 11:02 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Wow, thank you for the kind words. I agree that patience is definitely key. It's funny you say that because I'm usually a very fast-paced kind of guy; I'm always told that I walk too fast, I speak too fast, I need to slow down, think before you speak, etc. And after looking around yesterday for a few hours out on the trails, I realized that there was a lesson to learn here. Slow down! Which I did, and I actually found ONE mushroom shortly after that, Gymnopus dryophilus.
After going out today again and checking out a different side of the trail, I didn't find any luck and decided to go around schools and baseball fields, I also slightly looked around some complexes, but no luck still. It's definitely discouraging. However, I don't know what' I'm exactly looking for and that's ok because I'm still learning the ropes.
Just a few questions:
Would it be possible for these types of mushrooms to also grow on mulch and bark? Wouldn't it be difficult to find these in the areas you had mentioned because landscapers typically use poison to kill certain things? I found A LOT of cow and horse dung, but there were no mushrooms growing out of them as I had thought? Are the probability for them to start popping out only after heavy rain? Is November through January usually the best time to find them?
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mind.at.large
Myconerd


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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: qws]
#27091383 - 12/15/20 11:24 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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There is the possibility that landscapers use insecticides or herbicides but unless the mushrooms themselves got sprayed, there's not much to worry about. My dad used to run a landscaping business that I helped out with a bunch and even though we did spray pesticides on mulched areas, they were used infrequently. However, I don't know of anybody that sprays fungicides on mulched areas with specific intention to prevent mushroom growth (except for on the HSU campus, those bastards....) Just a side note, they also spread redwood leaves throughout the mulched areas due to redwoods anti fungal properties. God damn squares trying to stop the fungal spread! But that won't stop us, right team???
Also, you're not gonna find anything active in manure around these parts. If you lived in Florida, then sure get out to the fields, but here on the west coast, stick to wood chips.
Good luck hunting! Oh and google maps is your friend for finding large amounts of wood chips... just saying
-------------------- Mind's Easy Bag 2 Bag Grain Transfers Endless Sub Tek ...the doll's trying to kill me and the toaster's been laughing at me...
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CHUCK.HNTR
feral urbanite



Registered: 09/30/19
Posts: 2,258
Loc: SF, CA, USA
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: mind.at.large]
#27091749 - 12/16/20 08:26 AM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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qws- I’m always looking out for other mushrooms growing too. If you are looking in the right substrate (wood chips in this case) and it’s the right time of year and you see other mushrooms growing, that’s a sign that conditions are good for mushrooms in general and to keep a keen eye on that location.
Mind.at.large Redwood needles are anti fungal? I haven’t herd that before.
Here’s some cy’s from yesterday in SF

-------------------- "What is the practical application of a million universes?" -Alan Watts
   
Edited by CHUCK.HNTR (12/16/20 09:41 AM)
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Kj44bird
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: CHUCK.HNTR] 2
#27091853 - 12/16/20 09:46 AM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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lovely find in Oakland last night
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mind.at.large
Myconerd


Registered: 12/13/16
Posts: 1,218
Loc: Floating in liquid gardens
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: Kj44bird]
#27091883 - 12/16/20 10:04 AM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Chuck, yeah pretty much all parts of the redwood tree (most of Cupressaceae as well) are strongly anti fungal, anti microbial, and rot resistant, which is why they can live over 2000 years! That paired with their strict arbuscular mycorrhizal connections and lack of ectomycorrhizal connections, means that the redwood is really not the most fungal friendly tree (at least for above ground mushroom producing fungi)
If you ever come across a huge old growth redwood log on the ground, dig into it a little and you’ll be surprised how little it has actually broken down, relative to other conifers. They are amazing trees but unfortunately, many of the amazing qualities that I described are what led to 95% of the old growth forest getting chopped down...
-------------------- Mind's Easy Bag 2 Bag Grain Transfers Endless Sub Tek ...the doll's trying to kill me and the toaster's been laughing at me...
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CHUCK.HNTR
feral urbanite



Registered: 09/30/19
Posts: 2,258
Loc: SF, CA, USA
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: mind.at.large]
#27091912 - 12/16/20 10:24 AM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Thanks for the knowledge M.A.L
-------------------- "What is the practical application of a million universes?" -Alan Watts
   
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mind.at.large
Myconerd


Registered: 12/13/16
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: CHUCK.HNTR]
#27092111 - 12/16/20 12:38 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Anytime!
Also, just found some tiny little baby cyans popping up at a patch on my regular dog walking route. Oh how I love having patches to pick while I walk my dogs, and that no one else knows about! 
Not a big flush by any means but it's something! This exact patch put out a pretty good flush in late October last year....this year has been somewhat disappointing for my patches, but that's ok! I still love the hunt!
-------------------- Mind's Easy Bag 2 Bag Grain Transfers Endless Sub Tek ...the doll's trying to kill me and the toaster's been laughing at me...
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openmind
curious


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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: qws]
#27092186 - 12/16/20 01:19 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
Metridium said: More from a nice fat dune patch.
On the hunt so much lately I see cys when I close my eyes. I can't imagine I'm the only one who has hunting dreams at this time of the year. 

So cool seeing them growing in a totally "natural" habitat/setting versus in urban areas in man-made landscaping.
And I'm not asking for specifics, but I'm curious what region of the coast/state you're hunting & finding these in dunes?
Quote:
qws said: ... I'm not sure if it's just not the season for these to pop up or the correct temperature? It rained for two days last weekend and I thought this would be the perfect time to see some growth.
Right now is the ideal time to be out and looking for them! The peak of the active season is usually happening right now and starts to wind down after the new year.
There is no other better time of the year/season to hunt for actives than right now.
Quote:
qws said:
Would it be possible for these types of mushrooms to also grow on mulch and bark? Wouldn't it be difficult to find these in the areas you had mentioned because landscapers typically use poison to kill certain things? I found A LOT of cow and horse dung, but there were no mushrooms growing out of them as I had thought?.....
Yes...The species you're looking for do indeed grow on wood mulch, that's exactly the substrate they grow on and exactly what you should be looking for. Various pesticides & insecticides being sprayed in some areas has def been on my mind, but I don't feel they're used all that much in most of the areas I've found & picked mushrooms.
It is unlikely that you will find an active species growing on dung in northern-california....Psilocybe cubensis is the species that is commonly found on dung but California is out of its typical range/habitat.
These are the two main species you should be looking out for>>>
https://www.shroomery.org/12492/Psilocybe-allenii
https://www.shroomery.org/12501/Psilocybe-cyanescens
-OM
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mind.at.large
Myconerd


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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: openmind] 1
#27092305 - 12/16/20 02:34 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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OM, I think Metridium is finding them in the Humboldt area. They grow very prolifically in the dunes up here! I'm not sure what is the southern extent of dune cyans, but would love to know if anyone has found them farther south. I would not be surprised to see them in Mendocino county as well
Also, I just checked my home azurescens patch and....... the first pin!!!! I'm very excited as I've never found azzies in the wild so decided to grow them and now it seems they are finally coming in! 
Now to just keep those damn slugs away!!
PS, humboldt hunters should keep an eye out for any azzy looking actives found around the county... a little birdy told me someone was spreading spawn at the beginning of this year...
-------------------- Mind's Easy Bag 2 Bag Grain Transfers Endless Sub Tek ...the doll's trying to kill me and the toaster's been laughing at me...
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bush-lurker
Local



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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: mind.at.large]
#27092507 - 12/16/20 04:26 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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love those dune shroom pics!
I found a monster patch today, but sadly 80% was way past prime like in the second to last pic  But there were still a few nice clusters so I made out alright 
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Metridium
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: mind.at.large] 1
#27092579 - 12/16/20 05:08 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Humboldt and Del Norte. There are some well known spots that are easy to find if you put in the effort. Though, I've been leaving those alone in favor of looking for virgin patches. Even if you're somewhat experienced around here, you may be surprised where they can be found if you look hard enough. I'm in a fortunate position in that I've been on a self imposed sabbatical for over a year and have spent a lot of time on the hunt. Much more enjoyable knowing I'm in an obscure spot, alone and not at risk of being bothered.
The cyanescens are found in dune grass habitat with scattered lupine. Find a little micro depression that holds moisture a bit longer than surrounding areas and you're golden. The mycelium seems to love chewing on thick decaying lupine stems. I've also had success when this habitat is somewhat transitional into blackberry, alder and coastal pine forest. I've yet to find a bomber flush further in the pine forests themselves, but it feels like they should be there.
With the well known spots, they're so depressed now from other hunters I imagine finding cys after this next round of storms should be relatively easy. But there's something very rewarding about going to a virgin spot and catching the right smell of decaying grass and lupine that tells you to get on your knees. Cracking apart those thick grass eggs or scuttling under a large living lupine to possibly find a whopping treasure inside.
The last two rounds of photos I posted are from completely untouched spots. I've also started a cultivated hardwood chip bed at home. Mycelium is taking hold nicely, but I don't expect fruits this season. Would like to get to a point where I can significantly give back to the dunes since they've given so much to me. I have a feeling with how popular the well known spots are becoming, other parties will unfortunately begin taking more interest. I'd like to give hunters more options around here than the usual.
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Dandurn777


Registered: 12/09/19
Posts: 1,566
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: bush-lurker]
#27093098 - 12/16/20 09:16 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
bush-lurker said: love those dune shroom pics!
I found a monster patch today, but sadly 80% was way past prime like in the second to last pic  But there were still a few nice clusters so I made out alright 

How do you tell for sure if a mushroom is past its prime? I found a few p. allenii that looked a little over the hill like the ones you mentioned. I put them in a separate bag once they were dried because I wasn’t sure if they were good. I’ll have to ost a picture, but they were dark like those ones, but they didn’t seem to be rotting. I wasn't sure if they would make me sick if I ate them or not.
-------------------- Prying open my Allenii
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ZenZone


Registered: 02/18/17
Posts: 931
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: Dandurn777]
#27093105 - 12/16/20 09:18 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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I think he meant aesthetically mostly, yeah nothing wrong with those yet. Nice chunksters!
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Dandurn777


Registered: 12/09/19
Posts: 1,566
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: qws]
#27093111 - 12/16/20 09:21 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Use iNaturalist app or mushroom observer, to look for areas near you with positive id’s for active mushrooms. That was the single most helpful advice these guys gave me this year and why I was successful in my endeavors. I spent countless hours last season hunting and came up empty. I learned a lot, and when I actually saw allenii in person, I immediately was able to identify them.
-------------------- Prying open my Allenii
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breeg89
i'll tell ya hwhat

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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: Dandurn777]
#27093116 - 12/16/20 09:28 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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I wouldn't eat them if they're turning black like that. Everything is fine except second to last pic, like lurker said. When they're black like that, you can't even ID them as allenii without younger fruits around to confirm it.
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ZenZone


Registered: 02/18/17
Posts: 931
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: breeg89]
#27093156 - 12/16/20 10:06 PM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Well of course not, but he did not collect the black ones either ... see the last image as the actual collection...
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Metridium
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Re: California Fall 2020 / Spring 2021 Season Actives [Re: mind.at.large]
#27093667 - 12/17/20 08:11 AM (3 years, 1 month ago) |
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Quote:
mind.at.large said: Chuck, yeah pretty much all parts of the redwood tree (most of Cupressaceae as well) are strongly anti fungal, anti microbial, and rot resistant, which is why they can live over 2000 years! That paired with their strict arbuscular mycorrhizal connections and lack of ectomycorrhizal connections, means that the redwood is really not the most fungal friendly tree (at least for above ground mushroom producing fungi)
MAL, with how anti fungal redwoods are, do you know what's occurring to cause this fungal species to favor freshly fallen redwood trunks? Sorry, I know this is the active thread and can take this question elsewhere if it's appropriate.
There are large flushes all over Prairie Creek right now. I'm fascinated that it seems the fresher the fallen trunk the better for this species.
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