Shaggys & Deer Steak

Shaggy Mane (c) 2012 High Virginia Images

It has been a poor mushroom year for me.  I don't know how others have fared, but it hasn't been very productive around here.  I have been excited to find some Oyster Mushrooms from time to time and that was about it. Every Chicken of the Woods has been too old or too high up in the tree. Everything else I have found this year was way past edible.

I did get lucky today and found nine Shaggy Manes (Coprinus comatus) on the real road at Bowden today (the road between the nowhere road and old Rt 33). Most shaggies I find are already turning black, but these were in prime shape. The best thing though was that deer steak was already on the menu and these were found pre-meal. We are down to crunch time, as far as mushrooms go. It is Shaggy Manes and Oyster Mushrooms or nothing att all, The King Boletes that I was watching for this year never appeared and I found a grand total of one good Giant Puffball. Next year will be better, I hope.