# Hickory Run Foraging
Mushroom finds and foraging notes from the property at 7105 Guess Rd. Photos with dates and rough IDs.
# Mushroom Finds — August 2026
## August 2026 — Property Walk
Photos from the property, taken August 4, 2026. Rough observations only — **no mushroom should be eaten based on a photo**. IDs are guesses from photos alone; confirm with a field guide / spore print / local expert before ever considering edibility.
### Photo Gallery
### Notes
- **Red-capped brittlegills (Russula sp.)** — several photos show red/orange caps that fade toward the margin. Classic *Russula* look; the red group includes toxic species (e.g. *R. emetica*, "The Sickener"). Treat all red Russulas as inedible unless positively identified.
- **Turkey tail (Trametes versicolor)** — at least one photo shows the classic striped shelf fungus on a fallen log. Not edible (tough), but a good sign of healthy wood decay.
- **Small orange-brown litter mushrooms** — most of the batch: small tan/orange caps in leaf litter, often clustered. Likely several different species (possibly *Laccaria*, *Gymnopus*, or young *Russula*); not identifiable from photos alone.
- **Bracket/shelf fungi** — at least one fan-shaped bracket on wood.
*Peak season in NC runs roughly September–November. If you keep photographing finds, this page can grow into a property species log.*
## Chanterelle Find — August 7, 2026
**ID: true chanterelle (*Cantharellus* sp.), ~95% confidence.** Golden-yellow funnel caps with wavy ruffled margins, growing scattered from soil in grass/leaf litter near oaks. Confirmed by underside: thick blunt forked ridges (false gills) running down the stem — *not* knife-blade gills — and solid fibrous cream stem. Rules out jack-o'-lantern (*Omphalotus*) and false chanterelle (*Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca*), both of which have true gills. Still: nothing gets eaten off a photo alone; confirm each mushroom before eating, and cook thoroughly.
Habitat: damp grassy woodland edge after rain, August 2026. **Location: left side of the property, near the creek.** Chanterelles often re-fruit in the same spot year after year — worth checking this patch after rains in future seasons.
### Photo Gallery