Awesome, a fellow Southern(ish)er. This one covers Kentucky and is budget friendly:
Mushrooms of the Southeast (A Timber Press Field Guide) https://www.amazon.com/dp/160469730X/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_DZMPBbPTFWDWP
I think that supplemented with Mushrooms Demystified for advanced keying will have you covered.
I’m from the Northwest so I’m not sure about the books on Southeast region personally but this one seems well reviewed on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Southeast-Timber-Press-Field/dp/160469730X/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=3EFF191YRI4OZ&keywords=southeast+us+mushroom&qid=1654811177&sprefix=sougheast+us+mushroom%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-2
Mushrooms of the Southeast would be a good book, I just got the one for the Northeast from Timber Press and it is very nice.
If you have a few extra bucks hanging around, you should definitely buy some mushroom guides for your region. Familiarizing yourself with those, as well as continuing to watch the subs, will help you a lot with understanding what to look for in identifying mushrooms. If you can get more than one guide, I'd recommend Mushrooms of the Southeast in addition to one or more region guides for the northeast (just the latter if you can only afford one, since Pennsylvania's more toward the northeast).
Theres another book coming out next january thats $20 Here might be worth looking into
Absolutely! Mushroom identification is a complex and evolving discipline that I have found so much joy in :)
If you want to dive deeper, you can get a field guide for “Mushrooms of Southeast USA” or similar. It will be a very helpful tool in narrowing down anything you find, like this:
Or this:
Mushrooms of the Southeastern United States
Cheers!
It’s “Mushrooms of the Southeast” by Todd Elliott and Steven Stephenson
Here's a good one:
Mushrooms of the Southeast (A Timber Press Field Guide) https://www.amazon.com/dp/160469730X/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_TTB33BB46VQCAQN8QX90
> What are the sorts of places that you'd recommend for searching
Well, it depends on the mushrooms you're targeting. If you're looking for edible mushrooms, morel season is approaching within a month and a half or so (sooner if you want to drive to Georgia!). They can be tricky because they largely depend on soil type, temperature, and tree species. For instance, a slope facing south will warm up faster than a northern slope. Both might have morels eventually but the southern slope might produce them a week or two earlier. There's a general preference for early-producing spots because the later spots often become overgrown--obscuring the mushrooms and making it hard/impossible to find them. I have had the most success in low-lying sandy floodplains with a mix of large old trees. Morels are mycorrhizal with a handful of tree species so you'll want to learn how to ID ash, elm, tulip poplar, and sycamore. Sometimes they associate with other species, but those listed above are the most common in my experience. You can find large amounts around these trees if they're dead or dying. North American ash trees are currently under attack by emerald ash borers and virtually all of them are dying and will be dead within the next 10 years. Elms are also afflicted by a fungus that leaves them stressed. So, these species in particular tend to be more apt to produce big morel fruitings.
I know people around here report finding lots of morels way up in the hills, but I have not had as much success scouting rocky or clay/loam slopes.
If you're looking for chanterelles, they are significantly easier to find. Basically, wait until it gets super hot and muggy in the summer (June/July), slather on some bug repellent, and look for large old white oaks and beech trees--preferably near a small stream or creek.
> is there some local resource for confirming mushroom species?
Well, I moved to Knoxville with lots of past experience and generally go my own way, so I'm probably not the best person to ask about these types of resources. There are sometimes forays listed on Meetup.com (usually with a small fee) corresponding with seasonally fruiting wild fungi like morels and chanterelles. Knoxville's own Everything Mushrooms (https://everythingmushrooms.com/faq/) says:
>Our good friend and collaborator Dr. Whitey Hitchcock has been foraging wild mushrooms in the area for decades and has recently expanded his services to include private guided mushroom tours for small groups. If you are interested in setting something up during mushroom season, please contact us and we can assist with the arrangements. Please understand foraging services are limited to East Tennessee, and more specifically the area surrounding Knoxville. Dr. Whitey will also be teaching mushroom identification and foraging classes throughout the season our workshop and consultation page for more information.
You could Google around to see if Dr. Hitchcock has other outlets where he might announce forays.
If you're looking for a print resource, I'd recommend:
The latter is considering the mushroom "bible" but it's a bit heavy on mushrooms from western USA.
Lastly, get yourself a pair of knee high Wellington-style rubber boots. Not only will they let you scamper through mud and water, they help keep the ticks off your legs.
FWIW,
https://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Southeast-Timber-Press-Field/dp/160469730X
If you're anywhere near Florida you have to attend one of Deane's foraging classes eattheweeds.com
I can't speak personally, but there are books specific to the Southeast that have 5 stars on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Southeast-Timber-Press-Field/dp/160469730X https://www.amazon.com/Mushrooms-Carolinas-Southern-Gateways-Guides/dp/1469638533/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3/141-0260369-0980741?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1469638533&pd_rd_r=e9b651c2-4f7c-42b8-bb4a-5cf19d32a575&pd_rd_w=nH4G7&pd_rd_wg=7Eece&...