PREPARATION FOR MST FORAYS

 We recommend that you prepare for a foray with the following items.

1.                  Basket (plastic bags cause fungi to sweat and deteriorate)

2.                  Sharp Knife (by breaking the stem you may lose important identification features below ground)

3.                  Paper Bags or Wax Paper (this will keep your fungi separated and preserved until you are able to identify them later)

4.                  Whistle (in case you get separated from your group or need assistance, as a safeguard walk in groups of three and not alone)

5.                  Compass (another safeguard, learn to use one)

6.                  Hand Magnifying Glass (for better identification in the field)

7.                  Insect Repellent (Black Flies in May and June, and Mosquitoes in summer and fall)

8.                  Clothing (appropriate for the weather, with good coverage to avoid scratches and insect bites)

9.                  Hiking Boots (as opposed to running shoes, these will protect you from insects, poison ivy, sharp protuberances and other injuries; i.e., twisting your ankle)

10.              Rubber Boots and Rain Wear (particularly if it is wet)

11.              Field Guide (to help identify your fungi; if you do not have one, leaders can usually recommend one)

12.              Lunch (your foray leader might propose another area for further foraging after lunch)

                                                       FORAY ETIQUETTE

 1.                If someone has offered you a ride, be sure to specify where you are to be picked up and be   there ahead of time, but don’t panic if your driver is held up in traffic and is a few minutes late. It is customary to offer the driver something toward the cost of gas. If you are the driver, do not leave the foray site before making sure that none of your passengers are stranded.

 2.        Please do not wander away after you arrive; wait for the foray leader. Let the foray leader or assistant know you are a member of the group, and introduce any members of your family or a one-time only guest.

 3.         All will be expected to sign a participation form, and provide the license number of their car which will assist the leader in identifying who belongs to the foray group.

 4.         Find out at what time the leader plans to stop and return to the cars. If you know the area and strike out on your own, make a point of being back at the meeting place on time, in consideration of others.

 5.         If you plan to leave early, let the leader know. Car licenses will be monitored, so that no one is left behind.

 6.         If you find any exceptionally good specimens, or some that are rare or unusual, make a note  as to where they were found and other particulars. Give them to the leader to have identified and recorded by a professional mycologist.

 7.         Never pick more than you can use, and always ensure that you leave some behind. When   cleaning your fungi, do not just dump the broken pieces on the ground in the parking lot. Dispose of them correctly in the woods.

 8.                 Respect private property; respect nature! Do not pick wild plants or ferns from parks and  forests; e.g.,  Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Wild Ginger, Wild Leeks, and Fiddleheads. Do not grab all mushrooms in sight when collecting. Be discriminating! Allow others to enjoy them during their walk in the woods.