Mistaken Identity of Mushrooms can be Dangerous

Mistaken Identity of Mushrooms can be Dangerous

The extent of my knowledge when it comes to mushrooms is ordering a mushroom swiss burger from a restaurant. However, with the lack of a turkey permit, what better way to spend a spring day then walking around the woods looking for these elegant mushrooms.  With family and friends telling me stories about how good these mushrooms are I decided to go out.

The best hunting buddy anyone could ask for. 

This past weekend I found my first morel mushroom.  It was an accident but thankfully there were six total, so I picked'em.  Now I have the mushroom hunting bug.  Just like the fishing or hunting bug, all I can think about are mushrooms.  One night this week, I hit the woods in search of this succulent mushroom.

After about 40 minutes looking I stumbled upon some morels.  It was great.  There was one, two, three, four five, six and seven.  What a find!  You can even ask the wife I was doing my happy dance in the middle of the woods.  Well, at least I thought they were morels.  

After posting a picture on Facebook several of my friends mentioned that these were not morels but Half Free Morels also known as Peckerheads.  After those comments, I started to do some more research and realized just how dangerous mushroom hunting can be.  Not only do you have to pay attention to the kind of mushrooms you're picking but in many parts of the country you have to watch out for snakes.

Half Free Morels or Pecker Heads

Being the first season that I'm actually looking for morels, I'm still learning the basics.  I know a lot about hunting and a lot about fishing, not a pro by any means but I do have a decent amount of knowledge in those areas.  However, I'm not afraid of admitting when I'm wrong or need to learn something and this is very true when it comes to mushroom hunting.

Our first batch of morals

A big thank you to those that helped me learn something about the outdoors.  Now this knowledge will be passed down to not only my family but to our readers as well.  That's what Capitol Outdoor is all about!  Education, learning and sharing information about the great outdoors.

New or a veteran to mushroom hunting?  Here is a good site (Michigan Morels) that I found that might help you out.  There is a saying in mushroom hunting that is relevant to any experience level.

When in doubt throw it out!

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources released the follwoing during the April 2017 News Bits.

Mushroom Collecting: No license is required for mushroom collecting in Illinois, but mushroom collectors always need landowner permission. On public sites, mushroom collectors must adhere to approved regulations and hours. Collection of mushrooms is allowed in many IDNR state parks, fish and wildlife, and other recreation areas, but it is prohibited in any area designated as a dedicated nature preserve. Areas under the jurisdiction of the IDNR that offer spring turkey hunting are not open to mushroom collecting until after 1 p.m. daily during turkey season to ensure the safety of all site visitors. Mushroom collectors should call ahead to the IDNR site they intend to visit to learn of any site-specific regulations.

This article is in no way to solely be used in identification of mushrooms. I wanted to show you that even we make mistakes and how when it comes to safety in the outdoors there are no secrets.

Remember Enjoy the Outdoors, Good Luck and Stay Safe

                       

Meredosia Lake Waterfowl Hunting Open House on May 10

If you or someone you know hunts Meredosia Lake here's your chance to voice your concerns. The Illinois Department of Natural Resouces will be hosting an open house regarding Meredosia Lake and the waterfowl hunting program.  Below you'll see the offical press release.  Please share...

IDNR to Host Public Open House Meeting on Meredosia Lake Waterfowl Hunting Program on May 10

MEREDOSIA, IL – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) will host a public open house meeting to address potential changes to the waterfowl hunting program at Meredosia Lake on Wed., May 10 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at the Meredosia Wildlife Refuge office.

The IDNR will be soliciting public opinion regarding the number and placement of waterfowl blinds on Meredosia Lake. Attendees will be asked to fill out a survey in which they can suggest blind numbers and placement according to their preference. The meeting will be held in an open house format so that attendees may come and go as they please; there will be no set agenda and no formal presentation by IDNR. Personnel from the IDNR Division of Wildlife Resources and IDNR Office of Land Management will be available to answer questions. Information gathered at the meeting will help guide IDNR’s waterfowl hunting program at Meredosia Lake.

The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Meredosia Wildlife Refuge office, located at 2219 Beach Road, Meredosia, IL. The office is located just north of Meredosia along Beach Road (west side of the road). The meeting is open to waterfowl hunters and anyone else interested in the waterfowl program at Meredosia Lake. Alcohol and pets are not allowed on the grounds.

For more information, contact Tim Kelley at 309-543-3262 or Randy Smith at 217-785-2347.

Remember Enjoy the Outdoors, Good Luck and Stay Safe

                       

Illinois 2017 Waterfowl Blind Sites and Dates Announced

Illinois 2017 Waterfowl Blind Sites and Dates Announced

Feels like the season just ended and for those snow goose hunters it did.  However, it's already time to start thinking about the next season.  The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has released the 2017 Waterfowl Blind Sites and Dates.   Hopefully this will be my lucky year and I will win a blind.


Like so many of you we grill out, share some stories and have some laughs.  Duck blind Drawings have become a Family Affair  for us.  Best of luck to all participants this year.  Please make sure you read this.  There have been some changes.  Most importantly there is a new rule requiring a photo ID.

Illinois Youth Turkey Hunters Harvest Preliminary Record

Looks like the youngsters this year did really well during the youth turkey season.  Below you'll find preliminary harvest report from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  Here is a link to the PDF which is easier to compare counties and last year harvest numbers - https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/news/Documents/IDNR-YouthTurkeyHarvest2017.pdf

2017 Illinois Youth Turkey Season Preliminary Record Harvest Totaled 1,541 Birds

2017 Illinois Youth Turkey Season Preliminary Record Harvest Totaled 1,541 Birds

SPRINGFIELD, IL – Youth turkey hunters harvested a preliminary record total of 1,541 birds during the 2017 Illinois Youth Turkey Season. The dates for this year’s season were March 25-26 and April 1-2. This was the first year two youth turkey hunting weekends were open for the entire state. Previously, there was one weekend dedicated for the north zone and one for the south. In 2016, a total of 1,058 turkeys were harvested, combining both seasons and zones. The previous youth season record harvest was in 2012, when 1,300 birds were taken. This year, a total of 5,601 youth turkey permits were issued, including 106 permits for special hunt areas. Last year, 4,761 permits were issued, including 113 for special hunt areas.