This weekend I got out and had the opportunity to go hunting for mushrooms! Myself and some friends set out in the morning to look around for Pacific Golden Chanterelles (Cantharellus formosus). Our crew left early and trekked out to Sooke where we know of a few secret spots that have historically been pretty decent sources of chanterelles. At least according to a friend of a friend. I myself had never been before but I was very excited.
Hunting for wild mushrooms is a challenge. You need to be aware of a number of things about the mushroom you’re looking for, but also about the area you are hiking through to find them. Without giving away our spot (I see you all trying to sneak in and grab some mushies 😉 ), I can say that we all have extensive knowledge of the hills in the area and are very familiar with the trails and non-trailed parts. Without getting off topic, preparing for a day hike that may include bushwhacking and non-trail travel is no small matter. It’s important to take it more seriously than any mushroom based aspect of the hunt.
Chanterelles tend to grow under denser second growth Douglas Fir and Hemlock areas. They prefer sparse ground cover, mossy growths, and ground made up of lots of woody debris. Generally speaking, once you’ve found a patch, you can be pretty sure that they will be there year after year. Because they are easy to recognize and a typical mushroom that first time hunters go for, they can now be harder to find. Pickers may have ‘claimed’ spots and don’t always want to share that information with others.
There are four key things to look for when hunting chanterelles in order not to mistake them for other mushrooms; interior colour, gills, stem shape, and cap shape. Chanterelles are a golden yellow colour, but this can of course vary from mushroom to mushroom. All chanterelles however have white interior flesh. The gills of chanterelles are ‘false’ in that they are shallower, look like wrinkles, and extend towards the base of the stem. Chanterelles are trumpet shaped (they narrow towards the base and sometimes ‘cup’ on top, and their caps are wavy and irregularly shaped rather than round. Although chanterelles are comparatively easy to identify unlike lots of other kinds of mushrooms, there are still plenty of false chanterelles out there. Be careful when you go picking any mushroom and make sure you are very certain you have something edible.
After a few hours out on the hillsides looking for chanterelles… drum roll please… we found none. Well we did find one single one but decided not to pick it. However, upon returning home, I heard word from a friend that he had been out elsewhere and found lots! I got a small present of some chanterelles from him and cooked up some tasty German chanterelle, wurst and spaetzle dishes. Here’s hoping I can find some more next time!