Chicken of the Woods

[Kantuckkeean]

We actually found this 2 days ago growing on a dead black oak in northern Indiana but I couldn't post as I was camping with my family. My wife spotted it during one of our hikes but didn't know what it was. I knew that it was a chicken of the woods but didn't know how tasty it was. I cut a dozen or so pieces from the tender margins so that we could try it. Once we got back to camp, my wife sauteed up a plate full. It was DELICIOUS!! They should call it bacon of the woods!! I think that it even beats morels. We went back yesterday and collected a bunch more to take home since my son and I had spotted several more in other locations during a later hike. Unfortunately, someone else had spotted this one and took the entire thing. We left plenty in all locations so that the spores could disperse. I never take 100% of what edible mushrooms or plants I find in the woods and I propagate them by planting their seeds or distributing their spores and pieces when I can. Caveat: I would not recommend that anyone eat any wild mushrooms unless you are absolutely certain of the species. There are only 3 wild mushrooms that I will eat, because I don't want to join the waiting line for new livers.



Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[Greastart]

Kantuck,

That looks incredible. For me it's Morels, Chantrelles, Boletus...we have a few varieties out here, Oysters, and Inky Caps. I have a good friend that is a close friend of David Arora. He's taught me a little bit. But, like you, I don't eat 'em unless I'm certain!

Thanks for posting.
Grease

 

[Kantuckkeean]

Kantuck,

That looks incredible. For me it's Morels, Chantrelles, Boletus...we have a few varieties out here, Oysters, and Inky Caps. I have a good friend that is a close friend of David Arora. He's taught me a little bit. But, like you, I don't eat 'em unless I'm certain!

Thanks for posting.
Grease

Thanks! It was massive and since there were several large clusters scattered throughout the woods, we were able to collect quite a bit while still leaving plenty. Although it looks small in the photo, it was probably 16” across and 8” tall. I go for morels and chanterelles, but I don’t trust myself enough to try any boletes. I’d like to, since they’re easy to get the genus right, but with so many species and some edible and some not, I just enjoy their beauty.

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[buck8point]

Thats Awesome..
I have found a few Hen of the Woods on my place as well.
We seem to have a multitude of Edible Species, so im carefully learning how to identify them all.
Ive found, Hen of the Woods, Oyster, Lions Mane, Chanterelle, Multiple Bolettes, but still no Morrel yet.
Always watching the ground.

 

[Greastart]

Boletus are some of the easiest. Do yourself a big favor and pick up a copy of "Mushrooms Demystified" by David Arora. You'll feel much more comfortable with Boletus...and a lot of others.

 

[A2coins]

yuuuuck doesnt look very tasty lol

 

[Greastart]

Once you get your "morel goggles" you'll never miss another one! Well....maybe not until you get over 50. Damn eyes ain't what they were a few years ago!

Go out with someone that knows morels and have them show you some in the field. Then, before you pick them, walk at least 20 paces away but not in a straight line. When you've gotten a good space away from them, close your eyes and turn around a couple times. Then when you feel you're a bit disoriented, open your eyes and while staying in the same spot, find the ones you just walked away from. Then walk back to them and sit. From that point, look around, specifically down hill following where rain or settling air currents might carry spores. With your newly aquired "morel goggles", you'll likely find more! That has worked for every person I've taken morel hunting.

 

[A2coins]

I like the morel of the story

 

[Rookster]

Great find.

 

[tanz 82]

Wow nice one looks like the slugs haven't found it yet

 

[Professor of Engineering]

I'm not experienced enough to harvest in the wild, for now the grocery store will have to do!

 

[huntsman53]

yuuuuck doesnt look very tasty lol

Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms if not too old, are excellent tasting and make a great replacement for Chicken meat in Stir Fry recipes. Had some strips fried up recently in butter and Teriyaki Sauce and it tasted like lemony Chicken. Mmmmmm!!! Anyway, the taste and texture of this mushroom is the reason for it's name. Always harvest Chicken of the Woods from hardwood trees and/or hardwood tree dead logs. Never harvest any species of Chicken of the Woods (most folks say there are 5 species but others say that 8 have been identified) from any type of Conifer trees or logs. Some of these can make you mildly to severely sick and some can kill you depending upon which tree or log they were growing on.

 

[huntsman53]

Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms like many other wild mushrooms growing in the woods and fields, have a lot of health benefits. As stated before, make sure of the mushrooms you are harvesting and especially so, before eating any.

https://ourcommonroots.com/robert-rogers-1/2016/4/19/chicken-of-the-woods-medicinal-mycology

 

[Kantuckkeean]

Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms like many other wild mushrooms growing in the woods and fields, have a lot of health benefits. As stated before, make sure of the mushrooms you are harvesting and especially so, before eating any.

https://ourcommonroots.com/robert-rogers-1/2016/4/19/chicken-of-the-woods-medicinal-mycology

Interesting article. Thank you for the link.

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[Greastart]

Thanks for the info Frank. Great link.

 

[huntsman53]

Interesting article. Thank you for the link.

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

Thanks for the info Frank. Great link.

You are welcome but no thanks is necessary! I love to share info on anything...especially fungus, plants or animals in the wild and especially those that are good for you. My goal is to learn as much as possible about edible mushrooms as most of them have such health benefits and many can cure a lot of problems our bodies have including cancer and other afflictions. I really want to find some Hen of the Woods Mushrooms (Maitake) and Matsutake Mushrooms as they are highly sought after for their health benefits and taste. I kind of look at these like I do Ginseng, in two ways. First, I look for and seek out what is beneficial to me and my family and Second, I seek the same as a way to make extra income.

 

[Kace]

Once you get your "morel goggles" you'll never miss another one! Well....maybe not until you get over 50. Damn eyes ain't what they were a few years ago!

Go out with someone that knows morels and have them show you some in the field. Then, before you pick them, walk at least 20 paces away but not in a straight line. When you've gotten a good space away from them, close your eyes and turn around a couple times. Then when you feel you're a bit disoriented, open your eyes and while staying in the same spot, find the ones you just walked away from. Then walk back to them and sit. From that point, look around, specifically down hill following where rain or settling air currents might carry spores. With your newly aquired "morel goggles", you'll likely find more! That has worked for every person I've taken morel hunting.

My Mother is 87yrs old and can Still Spot Morel's better than Anyone I know! lol! Great Tips!

I use small construction/utility marker flags on morels and ginseng to pattern the hillsides. I finally got Morels to grow in my yard! Not a huge patch yet...but every year has been more than the years before!

Those Hens Are Delicious!! Great Finds!!

Kace

 

[Greastart]

My Mother is 87yrs old and can Still Spot Morel's better than Anyone I know! lol! Great Tips!

I use small construction/utility marker flags on morels and ginseng to pattern the hillsides. I finally got Morels to grow in my yard! Not a huge patch yet...but every year has been more than the years before!

Those Hens Are Delicious!! Great Finds!!

Kace

Kantuckkeean, this thread seems to have been hijacked and I hope you know I didn't mean for that to happen.

However, there is clearly a bit of interest in wild mushrooms by some members here. How do we petition the Mods on the site to consider a sub-forum for wild fungi? I don't know about anyone else but I firmly believe a freshly harvested King or Queen Bolete, a basket of Chanterelles, or a hand full of Morels all qualify as treasure!

Kace, or anyone else that's interested in growing mushrooms, I'd like to suggest the book "Mycelium Running" by Paul Stamets. Someday, when I have enough time I will put all that I have learned from that book and a few others to begin my mycelium landscape.

 

[Kantuckkeean]

Kantuckkeean, this thread seems to have been hijacked and I hope you know I didn't mean for that to happen.

However, there is clearly a bit of interest in wild mushrooms by some members here. How do we petition the Mods on the site to consider a sub-forum for wild fungi? I don't know about anyone else but I firmly believe a freshly harvested King or Queen Bolete, a basket of Chanterelles, or a hand full of Morels all qualify as treasure!

Kace, or anyone else that's interested in growing mushrooms, I'd like to suggest the book "Mycelium Running" by Paul Stamets. Someday, when I have enough time I will put all that I have learned from that book and a few others to begin my mycelium landscape.

I don't mind it when threads drift and I too am sometimes guilty of taking threads a bit off-topic.

It's interesting that you mention a forum on fungi, because I was thinking that a forum on nature in general might be good. Obviously there is interest in hunting all sorts of nature's bounty by the members of TreasureNet. I read a funny post by Kace yesterday about turkey hunting, and another good post by huntsman53 about ginseng hunting, as well as a post by Truth1253 about shrimp and grits. From the responses to this post, there is quite a bit of interest in mushroom hunting as well. In the General Discussion Forum, A#1 posted a question about a plant ID which I'll reply to again in a bit. So yes, there definitely seems to be ample interest in nature's "Treasures". I'll PM jeff of PA to see if a Nature Forum is in order. Thanks for the suggestion!

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[tomhighland]

Great find! I got three of similar size in the park across the street from my house. Only had to climb one tree to get one off a trimmed limb. All the trees have been hollowed by carpenter ants and will be dead in my lifetime. I used to only hung morels, but my buddy got me interested in others.