Foray Guidelines

  1. Please arrive at the specified time to receive the exact foray location, the plans for the day, and the return time. The Foray Leader will describe the area and let you know what time participants should return for mushroom identification. Listen carefully to this orientation.
  2. All participants will be asked to sign a waiver form, and an attendance form with the license number of their car to assist the foray leader in identifying all group members. Please sign in AND out.
  3. Please foray in a group (safety in terms of wildlife, injuries, etc.). Ask to accompany a more experienced person.
  4. If you plan to leave early, please let the foray leader know and sign out, because car licenses will be monitored to ensure that no one is left behind.
  5. If you find any good specimens or some that you think might be rare or unusual, please wrap them carefully in wax paper and give them to the foray leader for identification and recording by a professional mycologist.
  6. Never pick more than you can use and leave some behind. Please bring back specimens (along with the substrate) of everything that you see, even if you do not know the mushroom. It may be a new species for our database.
  7. Dispose of broken pieces or fungi that you do not want in the forest and not in the parking lot.
  8. And last but not least……..Respect Nature and Respect Private Property…….and enjoy your day. Make a point of learning at least one new mushroom on each foray.

What To Bring?

Here are some ideas for what to bring to prepare for the foray:

  • Clothing: Wear long sleeves, long pants, a hat, and sturdy footwear (such as hiking boots or rubber boots). Bring rain gear for wet conditions.
  • Basket: A basket and/or paper bags to collect mushrooms (plastic bags cause fungi to sweat and deteriorate).
  • Knife: A sharp knife to dig out identification features below the ground.
  • Paper bags and wax paper: to separate and preserve fungi.
  • Whistle: in case you get separated from your group or need assistance.
  • Compass: or GPS (to help you find your way back).
  • Hand lens: available at university bookstores, amazon, or stamp shops.
  • Insect repellent: for mosquitoes, black flies, etc.
  • Field guide: for identification of your fungi. We may have some available for purchase at the foray.
  • Camera: Use your camera or phone to take photos – You could end up winning our Photo Contest! You can also use your phone to log finds into iNaturalist.
  • First aid kit: A personal first aid kit is always a good idea.
  • Food: Water, snacks, and a lunch depending on the length of the foray.