Outdoor Recreation

Text and Photographs by Rick Heffernon The call came late at night. "We have a hunt on," said an unfamiliar voice. "Meet at Big Lake, 9:00 A.M., Saturday. And pass it on." There was a pause while I scribbled some notes. "Anything else?" I asked.

"Yes," said the voice. "Think rain."

Saturday morning, much too early, my alarm rang, and I willed the sleep from my eyes. An hour later, I was on the road. As my headlights bored through predawn darkness, I recalled the rest of the phone call.

The White Mountains were extraordinarily wet, I was told. We could expect some hot action from Lactarius deliciosus, one of the "milky" mushrooms, and Pleurotus ostreatus, the so-called oyster mushroom. These would be worthy trophies for any table. My personal goal, however, was to tangle with Boletus edulis, or King Boletus, as it is known. Sautéed in butter and garlic, it is simply incredible; truly the "King" is a mushroom to set your alarm for.

The sky was gray and the parking lot full by the time I arrived at Big Lake. Dozens of people gathered in small knots. Hesitantly, I approached one group the only people bereft of fishing paraphernalia. "Mushrooms?" I inquired softly. "Yes," a man replied.

Another man soon joined our group. He wore a bright red baseball cap that said "LEATHERS" across the front. This was our leader, Dr. Chester Leathers, emeritus professor of microbiology at Arizona State University and a recognized expert on fungi. Immediately, people closed in on him, pressing bags full of exotic mushrooms into his hand. Leathers, graciously, held court.

"Let's see," said the professor, plucking a reddish-capped mushroom from a bag and holding it up to the light. "This is a Russula emetica. Not good eating, as the name implies." Next he picked a scaly, brown mushroom. "This is a Pholiota squarrosoides," he announced. "Usually edible, but not for some people." Then he selected a fungus resembling a delicate Japanese fan. "Ah," he said with obvious delight. "Look here. Ramaria flava. A coral fungus. Yes. Beautiful." He held it up over his head, turning. "Can everyone see this?"

MUSHROOM HUNTING: DON'T TANGLE WITH THESE CRITTERS UNLESS YOU GET A POSITIVE ID

We drove around the lake until we came to a marshy meadow full of wild irises and western dayflowers. Everyone grabbed a collecting basket, and we all spread out searching. Within minutes, mushroom hunters were hooting and whistling over their discoveries, meanwhile filling their baskets with oddly shaped fungi of every dimension and color. Often I heard this call: "Dr. Leathers? Over here, please. Tell me what this mushroom is."

Throughout the day, we hopscotched from one hunting area to another, covering every type of terrain from open meadows to steep, forested slopes. As we pored over the White Mountains' abundance of fresh mushrooms, Leathers would periodically summon us together by announcing loudly, "Now here's one for you, if you haven't seen this before." Then we'd gather 'round to meet neon-orange slime molds, giant woody polyporous fungi, flat ground-hugging dog-toothed lichen, and, my personal favorite, an exquisite little cup called a bird's nest mushroom. Holding one such delicate "nest" in my hand, I discovered three tiny "eggs" inside. "Those are spore-containing sacs," Leathers informed me. "When they are ready, and the rain soaks them, poof! They shoot out two or three feet."

I drove home that evening, my backseat covered with fresh mushrooms. Some, I knew, were edible, including several large Boletus specimens, some inky caps, and a few samples of Pholiota that I had selected on the basis of Leathers' expert identification. I had picked only a few Pholiota, however, because Leathers had warned, "If you've never eaten this mushroom before, just try a little bit at first. Some people react badly even to 'edible' species."

Leathers should know. He advises the Arizona Poison Control Center in mushroom-poisoning cases. And as a mushroom authority, his maxim is: "Always be absolutely certain of what you have picked before eating. Never take a chance."

WHEN YOU GO

Most of Arizona's mountain ranges have the potential to produce numerous varieties of edible mushrooms during the summer season. The key factor is rainfall. For that reason, the White Mountains are the most reliable source of mushrooms, but the Mogollon Rim and Bradshaw Mountains are also good locations during wet summers.

Late July through early September is the best time to find mushrooms. Remember that you must have moist soils and mild temperatures to produce a good crop.

Collecting gear: Baskets with handles work best. Plastic grocery bags are another option. Many people also wrap their specimens in waxed paper.

Field guides: Mushrooms of North America by Orson K. Miller, Jr.; Mushrooms and Truffles of the Southwest by Jack S. States; Mushroom Hunter's Field Guide by Alexander H. Smith.

And remember, never rely on a field guide alone for positive identification of edible species. Always get expert opinion before tasting an unfamiliar mushroom.