In the autumn and early winter months when the fungi are bursting out of the ground all around, it is hard to hold back from picking the fruitbodies. One Canadian mushroom expert offers safety tips for pickers and has a handy phrase - “'Don't explore, don't experiment'. The problem in North America is that people often get lost whilst out mushroom picking in the wild.
Paul Kroeger, co-founder of the Vancouver Mycological Society, suggested how pickers can protect themselves.
He said that people often forget about the early onset of darkness in autumn, which also happens to be the best time to pick mushrooms. He also pointed out that pickers often focus their attention on the ground and fail to note landmarks, which can lead to getting disoriented in the woods.
"Use the buddy system," he advised, "even a sprained ankle can be life threatening if you are away from help."
"The safe way to approach the eating of wild mushrooms is to learn a handful of reliable distinctive mushrooms, such as the chanterelle and the morel, and just stick with the ones you know," said Kroeger.
