LOOKING BACK

Month twelve, Yuk. Cold, gray, brown and white. Here we go again.  I have noticed that as we get older years tend to speed up in their passing. Still, it seems as if some weeks can last forever. Think back to January; did you accomplish everything you had planned on doing? Well, you’re about out of time. I know that I am.

I know that I had planned on fishing once per week from January until deer season. That sure didn’t happen. It wasn’t fit to go until April; but I did manage to get out more times than I have since 2007. I guess I can get some partial credit for that. Morel season came and went; I found a couple in my yard. That was it. Ramps and asparagus season was very good and then it was garden time. I got everything out and it seemed fine, by then it was fly-fishing time. July rolled around. Clouds, clouds, clouds no sun; tomatoes died. I still had big plans for a truckload of chanterelles. I might even have some to sell; if all goes well. It didn’t.

I never told anyone about this; until now. I found a massive patch of chanterelles in early August of 2013. They were probably 95% too old when I found them. I had big plans for this patch when July rolled around. The first trip I made over there to check them out was a total bust. Nothing was up, yet. I figured I was just a bit early. Two more trips and about eighty dollars’ worth of gas later; I picked a grand total of 3 chanterelles. You just cannot trust fungi. Lesson learned.

I can always count on getting my fill of Chicken of the Woods in early September. Not this year, I can’t find any.

Things change. It is now late September and I’m finding chickens every time I take the dogs for a ride. Suddenly, I now have a surplus of those beautiful orange things in the freezer to brighten the winter. Yep, you can’t trust fungi. I had never before found any after the 8^th or so of the 9^th month. If you give up the search; you are guaranteed to never succeed.  I found my biggest all-time Shaggy Mane patch in early October and ate shaggies until I didn’t want anymore.

Mid-October brings my thoughts to migratory birds. Not shooting them, just observing. I love finding to ones that most people don’t even realize stop by and visit. Nelson’s Sparrows and Marsh Wrens were very cooperative. I even got glimpses of the elusive Sedge Wren. My goal for the month was finding a Sora in Randolph County. The dogs and I slogged and slogged through the cattails with no success. But, I did find the first for county Marsh Wren.

Fresh venison is in the freezer at the end of the month; taken with ammo I loaded. This ended several years of reloading procrastination for me. I’m proud of that. I’m confident that the rest of deer season will be good and the freezer will be full. December is here already, wow. My mind wanders back to late winter the last several years and all of the mink I have seen run over and wasted. I used to be a pretty good minker; I’m breaking my stuff back out and see if I’ve still got it.That is where I’ll be this month. Merry Christmas

(c) 2014 High Virginia Outdoors

This is my December Article for Two-Lane Livin All Rights Reserved

December Mushrooms !!

Oyster Mushrooms

Yesterday,I was fortunate to pick and consume my first West Virginia December Oyster Mushrooms. I had been watching them for a couple of weeks. It took them quite awhile to get big enough to pick. They were really waterlogged at one point last week. That did not seem to hurt them at all. When I picked them they were covered with ice. Their texture was just as good as if they would have been picked at a somewhat more normal time.

I have also picked Oyster mushrooms when they were seemingly dried out from the sun. They reconstitute just fine when cooked and always seem to retain their flavor.

This just goes to show you that you will never find anything; if you don't look.

Breakfast Oysters

Oyster Mushrooms

The year 2014 turned out to be a pretty good mushroom year for me. Actually, it was a good September and October after a very dismal start. WV had an antlerless deer season on private land from Thursday until Saturday. I was able to go for a few hours each day; morning and evening. I saw plenty of bucks, several turkeys and a bear; but no does.

Saturday evening I headed out for the last round and hadn't walked more than 50 yards from my truck; there they were on a poplar stump. The first Oyster Mushrooms I have found in 2 years!! I was satisfied with the find for the day; but about 20 minutes later I had venison to drag. It turned out to be a pretty productive hour.
That is the reason you have to keep on going; you never know when something good will happen. One thing that is for sure; you will not get anything if you are not out there. Oyster Mushrooms by their-selves are hard to beat but when you add fresh tenderloin; it makes a mighty fine Sunday morning breakfast.

(c)2014 High Virginia Outdoors Photos (c) High Virginia Images All Rights Reserved

ADVANCED SHAGOLOGY

Shaggy Manes

I do not normally have the chance to pick more mushrooms than I can actually eat. It does happen on occasion with Chicken of the woods and Oysters; but they are simple. Just cook and freeze. I kind of figure that anyone who has ever gathered mushrooms of more than one variety has at sometime placed some Shaggy Manes in the refrigerator for "tomorrow".

Tomorrow never came; did it? Yep that paper towel covered with black goo. Come on admit it now and move on.

I picked more Shaggy Manes than I could eat yesterday and started thinking a little. It doesn't hurt too much. Why do they turn to ink so quickly? It isn't the cold, I've seen live ones sticking up through the snow. Maybe, it is from being cut from the ground; but I've rode them around in the truck all day with no visible effect. Hmmm; maybe good old Oxygen is the culprit. I do tend to think up stuff; at times.

I took some left-over Shaggy Manes and put them in a zi-lock full of water, squeezed all of the air out of the top and put them in the refrigerator. Twenty-four hour later they looked like this? I blotted them real well with paper towels and cooked them. I am happy to report that they were as good as the fresh ones yesterday!! Now we all know...No more ink blobs.

(c) 2014 High Virginia Outdoors ALL Rights Reserved

Sack of Shaggys

Shaggy Mane

I hit the jackpot today o some Shaggy Manes! Things didn't start out well on my search today. (10/8/14) But, I didn't give up. I was driving up a very narrow and crooked mountain road and had someone riding my bumper. I was getting really irritated and pulled off in a wide-spot on top of the mountain. I figured I'd let the dogs out and let the idiot get wherever he was in a hurry to get to.

I looked down the hill and couldn't believe my luck. Right there on the edge of a log road was the biggest patch of Shaggy Manes that I have ever seen. Most of the patches I find consist of about 12 - 20 mushrooms.This patch probably had two hundred. Several were way past prime and were only stalks. Some were turning to ink, But I actually picked 70-80 perfect little ones that were barely visible in the grass. Yep, never quit and always keep on looking. You never know when you will find something good.

(c)2014 High Virginia Outdoors All Rights Reserved

Too Small & Too Old

Lion's Mane

The first part of my Tucker County mushroom search didn't go very well today. I did see one white spot on a tree that showed promise. The closer I got to it; the smaller it seemed. Yep, a Lion's Mane one of my fall favorites. I haven't picked one for several years. Don't let my photo fool you, this one isn't much more than thumb-sized. Oh.well.

I was able to find a really nice clump of Chicken of the Woods. They would have been a very nice find; last week. Yep, too old.

I traveled on and searched a location that has never failed me in October while the Shaggy Manes are up. Today it failed me.

Things got a lot better, later on. Never give up.

Chicken of the Woods

(c) 2014 High Virginia Outdoors All Rights Reserved

Things Change

The first week of September was coming to a close and I was accepting the fact that I wasn't going to get any Chicken of the Woods this year. I always have found most of them during the first week of July and the first week of September. Not this year. the only little skillet full that I had was in late May. I didn't have any trouble finding these mushrooms on just about every trip; my problem was that they were all way too old when I found them.

I have found a lot during the last 7 days or so and now have close to twenty pounds of frozen Chicken of the Woods. They will sure make our seven month winter a little more tolerable. I have yet to find ANY oyster mushrooms this year. You would think that with all of the rotting stumps in this country they should be everywhere. I an hoping that our fall rains will result in a good bloom before everything freezes up. Shaggy Manes should be popping up soon, too. Yep, things can quickly change; if you don't give up.

Note: To freeze Chicken of the Woods you must first saute them in olive oil or butter and then freeze them Chicken broth is another simmering option. Try whatever you want, but they must be heated before freezing.

 (c) 2014 High Virginia Outdoors Photos (c) High Virginia Images All Rights Reserved

My Favorite Mushroom?

Golden Chanterelle (c)3013 HVI

I was asked recently, what my favorite mushroom was. The answer may be surprising to many. I had a pretty bad mushroom year in 2013. Next year may be worse, my morel patch was covered with gravel. But it seemed as if I found quite a few mushrooms this year but; when I found them they were always past peak for eating. Many species are only available for a very short time. That is why I don't get too excited about morels in this area.
Chicken of the woods usually emerge twice during the season but you must get them very quickly after they pop out. They go from great to poor very quickly. Shaggy Manes, well you just about have to see them pop up to get some good ones. I have yet to trust any boletes that I have found. So I would have to say, without a doubt that Oyster Mushrooms are my favorite for consumption. I like the taste and they can be found with reasonable expectations over a long period of time. I have found them from March-December. They are easily identified and tasty. What more could be asked for?

Oyster Mushroom (c) 2012 HVI

 (c) High Virginia Outdoors Photos (c) High Virginia Images All Rights Reserved

Micro Morels 2013

Morels 4/17/13 (c) 2013 HVI

It is really nice to be fortunate enough to have morels pop up in your own yard every year. This enables you to know exactly what is going on in your area. The morels in the photo on the left came up this morning. They may be a quarter of an inch tall and you would never see them if you didn't know exactly where to look.

My first yard morels emerged yesterday morning (4/16/13) and as always; my first asparagus shoots came up later in the afternoon. I am guessing that asparagus needs slightly warmer soil temperatures than does the morels. It couldn't be more than a degree or two. Over the past 14 years, they have never failed to come up on the same day; the morels are always first in the late morning with asparagus following the same afternoon.

Asparagus 4/16/13 (c) HVI

I never get a big picking of morels from the yard, I think the fewest I have ever gotten was around 10. I believe the record was 22 or so; but it is good to know that I can count on them to tell when to search more productive areas.

Morels 4/16/13 (c) HVI

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.

Pheasant-back Polypore

Dryad's Saddle (c) 2012 High Virginia Images

The Pheasant-back Polypore or Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus) is a parasitic fungi found on living or dead broad-leaved trees. The young fruiting bodies are edible.

Spring Trophy

I had a couple of hours to spend in the spring gobbler woods, this morning. The whip-poor-wills were very enthusiastic; as I was leaving the truck. The turkeys were silent. I was walking up a small ridge, shortly after daylight and a ruffed grouse flushed; about 4 feet away. There were 7 eggs in the nest. I believe this is the first grouse nest I have ever seen. One interesting note about it was that it was maybe 10 yards away from where I found a woodcock nest last year.
I proceeded to stroll around on some log roads, waiting to hear a gobble. It wasn't going to happen on this day. I walked right into a silent strutting gobbler. Moving to a different area, I found the trophy of the day. Oyster Mushrooms (Pleurotus ostereatus) are one of my favorites. I usually do not find many of these edibles this early in the season. The spring woods offer many enjoyable bounties for the observant one. I sat for about a half-hour, called a few times and walked back to my vehicle. Of course upon arrival at my truck, I saw several turkeys feeding in an overgrown field; within 50 yards of my vehicle. You have to love May in the spring gobbler woods. The best time of the year.

Posted by High Virginia Outdoors
Photos by High Virginia Images
(c) 2012 All Rights Reserved

Micro-Morels

The morels in my yard popped up, this morning! (3-24-12) They are a full 3 weeks ahead of schedule for this location. Over the last 5 years my asparagus and morels have emerged on the same day. the morels are always up first. I will check the asparagus a little later this afternoon; nothing yet.

I had singing Pine Warblers this morning, too. I normally do not see them here until around April 5. The serviceberry bushes are blooming now , also. They too are also a little early this year. I have yet to see a hummingbird show up, but it will probably be any day, now. Hummingbirds, morels and asparagus are normally real close. The toads are singing and the catbirds will be next.



Posted by High Virginia Outdoors (c) All Rights Reserved 2012.

FROZEN MUSHROOMS

I just ate some Chicken of the Woods mushrooms that I had put in the freezer.  They were just frozen in zip-lock freezer bags; nothing fancy.  I was suprised.  They kept their texture and flavor.  This was the first season that I have ever had enough to freeze.  Just something that may be useful to others.

Honey Mushrooms



Honey Mushroom

 The Honey Mushroom (Armillaria sp.) is a common fall mushroom. It occurs on decaying wood. This mushroom is poisonous when raw, but is edible after it has been well cooked. I believe this photo is of the Ringless Honey Mushroom (A. tabescens). Three different species are found in our area.

Before gathering any wild mushroom for consumption; make sure that you know what you are getting. The best reference that I have found, for our region is "Mushrooms of West Virginia and the Central Appalachians" by William C. Roody. This mushroom is a serious forest pathogen. Wood which has been permeated by the mycelium of this fungus, produce the luminescens which are known as "Foxfire".

Chicken of the Woods-Tomorrows' Meal

These Chicken of the Woods mushrooms were photographed on the morning of September 1. I am going to pick them tomorrow morning Sept. 3rd. They will be simmered in garlic and olive oil and will be topped with a nice juicy Brandywine. Kind of makes you want to drool dosen't it?






The Complete Mushroom Book: Savory Recipes for Wild and Cultivated Varieties