Late July and we are walking around our local green space as we walk I can smell the mycelium, like a truffle dog hitting the scent I open my pace to find two blocks of thin wooded areas. The wooded area have a familiar mushroomy look about them, I spot an amanita poking up through the ground like a little egg o joy. I know this is a good sign as it normally for me indicates royalty, I walk scanning the ground foraging pouch open, opinel knife in hand constantly observing the canopy I reach a beech tree surrounded by oak I glance to the floor and jackpot!! He is here all hail the second king of the mushrooms boletus reticulatus. After I have gathered my self and allowed the excitement to pass I cut the mushroom at the base and gently put him in the pouch all the while thinking how best to respect him what flavour would suit him best , as soon as I stand my eyes are drawn to another and another and another it's only then I realise I'm in heaven. I also noticed that the amanita is a tawny grisset another edible that soon went into the pouch.
As you can see just from that little true story of a recent foray the technique I often use to find these beautiful mushrooms are observation a constant recognition of habitat and terrain, opening up all my senses to the environment and allowing time to work its magic.
Always be 100% sure of identification when mushroom foraging!
If in doubt leave it out!!!
Written by
Dean Millard
Lead instructor
The feral yamyam bushcraft school
