# About 6 months early for Honey Mushrooms, but while I'm thinking about it....



## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Not this last winter, but the winter before(2017) we select cut on our 280 acres. We took out all the black oak and select cut the red. We left all the white oak. Question is, does there seem to be any pattern anyone has ever noticed from the time the oaks are cut until the stumps produce the honey mushrooms. I was up there a couple weeks ago and my Dad was asking me since he knows I'm the "expert" in the family. I had no clue, nor did I find anything concrete. Based on personal experiences, what have you guys and gals seen?


----------



## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Oh man... This is a good question. I love honey mushrooms. One of the most underrated shrooms in my opinion (although I've said that a bunch of times on here). I wish I had a concrete answer for you, but I don't. Honeys are super predictable once you find them, as you probably know if you've been hunting them. But this may be the one question about Honeys that isn't so predictable. I've seen them pop a year or two after cuttings. I've also not seen them pop until 4-5+ years after cuttings. Given when you cut, I'd say start looking every year now. I would not be surprised at all if you found some this year. Some of my biggest finds were 2-3 years after cuttings. Also, don't forget to start looking early. I've seen HUGE amounts of honeys the first part of August, even late July in an odd year. Problem is if you don't get to them within like 24-48 hours they're spent because of the heat. Then look for the second flush in September and/or October. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a literal truck load of spent Honeys in August, it's a real buzz kill. Good luck. And, if you ever need someone to help you examine your stumps during honey season, I'd be willing to make myself available.


----------



## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Haha. Thanks for the reply, Zig. I'll keep you in mind!


----------



## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> Haha. Thanks for the reply, Zig. I'll keep you in mind!


I got some great recipes for them... Just sayin'......


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

zig said:


> I got some great recipes for them... Just sayin'......


zig dude, I could fill a truck in a good season. With my ankle issue I'd trade morels for honey's no problem, but unfortunately they are out at different times and no guarantees.....if I gave you my spots then it would give up my hen holes too. :sad:


Brother Kearly Shuffle, I had a hen tree (huge black oak) snap off about eye level, and 2 or 3 years later (cannot remember for sure) just a few honey's showed up at the base last fall. 

Also has started sporting a couple chicken mushrooms when it never did before. One at the base and one near the break. The part that snapped off also had a chicken on it this past season. Problem with this past season was I never saw a hen _*anywhere!!!*_

Here is a pic of the usual suspects I got off that tree before the snap off. Then last falls chicken on the base. I didn't photograph the few honey's though. But I would almost bank on getting something off em in a season or two, maybe even some chicken!!!

It ain't much, but it's what I got for ya!


----------



## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Oldgrandman said:


> zig dude, I could fill a truck in a good season. With my ankle issue I'd trade morels for honey's no problem, but unfortunately they are out at different times and no guarantees.....if I gave you my spots then it would give up my hen holes too. :sad:
> 
> 
> Brother Kearly Shuffle, I had a hen tree (huge black oak) snap off about eye level, and 2 or 3 years later (cannot remember for sure) just a few honey's showed up at the base last fall.
> ...


Crap, I don't get enough morels to trade.... I used to get a lot up north on various family properties, but they all sold or passed away.... I promise I won't take your hens....:evilsmile Last year was terrible for hens.... Just awful. I would like to get you to try some of my recipes using honeys.... I feel like we've gone down this road before and you just didn't care for them. I'll make you some food, you give me the honeys and half your hens. Deal?


----------



## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Oldgrandman said:


> zig dude, I could fill a truck in a good season. With my ankle issue I'd trade morels for honey's no problem, but unfortunately they are out at different times and no guarantees.....if I gave you my spots then it would give up my hen holes too. :sad:
> 
> 
> Brother Kearly Shuffle, I had a hen tree (huge black oak) snap off about eye level, and 2 or 3 years later (cannot remember for sure) just a few honey's showed up at the base last fall.
> ...


Good to hear from ya, Grandman. I think you and I chatted a bit last fall about Hens and I had hoped for a late season flush. Yeah. It was a flush alright. Right down the ole toilet! I didn't find any either. My greatest go to spots never even found a single frond. Too warm and too dry. 

What did you do to your ankle? I hope you're on the mend. Keep in touch! I promise to visit this section of the forums more often. I usually just inhabit the Cold Water forums during the summer and Ice Fishing forums during the winter. 

Did I ever show you the picture of the 27.5lb Hen I found about 8-9 years ago? It was pristine too! I about fainted when I found it. I wanted to keep it whole, so it was not easy to pack out. Haha!


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

zig said:


> Crap, I don't get enough morels to trade.... I used to get a lot up north on various family properties, but they all sold or passed away.... I promise I won't take your hens....:evilsmile Last year was terrible for hens.... Just awful. I would like to get you to try some of my recipes using honeys.... I feel like we've gone down this road before and you just didn't care for them. I'll make you some food, you give me the honeys and half your hens. Deal?


Yes I tried your method and they weren't bad, but the prep was a little more than I cared for. Well see what the year brings, I may be more into fall picking since this Spring I won't be able to hit it as hard as I usually do. Hoping for a better season all around this year, good luck out there!


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> Good to hear from ya, Grandman. I think you and I chatted a bit last fall about Hens and I had hoped for a late season flush. Yeah. It was a flush alright. Right down the ole toilet! I didn't find any either. My greatest go to spots never even found a single frond. Too warm and too dry.
> 
> What did you do to your ankle? I hope you're on the mend. Keep in touch! I promise to visit this section of the forums more often. I usually just inhabit the Cold Water forums during the summer and Ice Fishing forums during the winter.
> 
> Did I ever show you the picture of the 27.5lb Hen I found about 8-9 years ago? It was pristine too! I about fainted when I found it. I wanted to keep it whole, so it was not easy to pack out. Haha!


That's a huge hen! You should post a pic. I slipped off a curb and had 2 fractures and a torn ligament. Happened in August so it was a lot of short hikes near the road for me hen hunting, but normally good spots never came on. Had surgery right before the new year and only been walking without a cast a few weeks now. I have go say it, alcohol was not a factor,LOL!

Good luck out there!


----------



## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> Good to hear from ya, Grandman. I think you and I chatted a bit last fall about Hens and I had hoped for a late season flush. Yeah. It was a flush alright. Right down the ole toilet! I didn't find any either. My greatest go to spots never even found a single frond. Too warm and too dry.
> 
> What did you do to your ankle? I hope you're on the mend. Keep in touch! I promise to visit this section of the forums more often. I usually just inhabit the Cold Water forums during the summer and Ice Fishing forums during the winter.
> 
> Did I ever show you the picture of the 27.5lb Hen I found about 8-9 years ago? It was pristine too! I about fainted when I found it. I wanted to keep it whole, so it was not easy to pack out. Haha!


I too would like to see that picture. That's a monster, and for it to be in great shape, well that's awesome. A couple years ago (fall of 2016) a buddy of mine that owns a restaurant that is very "farm to table" brought one in for a special he was running. It was one of the densest I've seen. It wasn't any 27 pounds, but for its size, it was very heavy:


----------



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

I didn't get a pic but my biggest was (only!) about 8 pounds. I had to carry it out like you would hold a baby. It wasn't fitting in any bag, not in one piece!

I am hungry for a mushroom omelette or something now...I have so little left I hate to use the last of my morels before I know what's going to happen this year. :tdo12:

I usually give some away as the season nears, but not lately.....


----------



## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Just to get you guys dreaming tonight .


----------



## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Here is that monster I found. They are both the same mushroom. First one I'm holding it, and the second picture it's sitting next to the sink with my other finds from that evening. You can see how it dwarfs the sink! That picture made its rounds around the internet that fall!


----------



## jschlenke (Jul 8, 2013)

Zig summed it up nicely, the only thing I could think to add is regarding the quality of the wood lot before it was cut. I feel like if there are mature oaks, dead hardwood, Armillaria is present. That mycelium is so robust it’s just waiting to infect and decompose. A younger forest might be better at suppressing fungal infection so could take longer for that first fruiting. I guess you’ll find out sooner or later!

Last year was tough all around- spotty spring harvests to a nearly barren summer and fall season in south central lower. Here’s to a fruitful 2018!


----------



## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

Love honey's. I agree zig one of if not the most under rated shroom out there. They were my first shroom learned after morels.


----------



## Mushroom Jack (May 28, 2009)

In my opinion, this is the best stage to harvest them at, they have a crisp texture then, and go great in Asian Dishes.


----------



## celticcurl (Apr 4, 2012)

Honey mushrooms were one of the few reliable mushrooms last summer but they weren't in the quantity I usually find. I still didn't try them... I tried a few new species such as blewitts and abortive entalomas which I liked. I don't know why I waited so long to try them. I've been picking for years but I am not much of a mushroom eater. I'm changing my ways though. 

I also tried dryad's saddles for the first time and LOVED them! I can't wait for them to pop. 

I'm allergic to the hens but I still love finding them.


----------



## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> Here is that monster I found. They are both the same mushroom. First one I'm holding it, and the second picture it's sitting next to the sink with my other finds from that evening. You can see how it dwarfs the sink! That picture made its rounds around the internet that fall!
> 
> View attachment 305174
> View attachment 305175


Good lord man.... I mean, that is really something. Thanks for the pic. And, you were right, still in good condition. That's probably a once in a lifetime find right there...


----------



## zig (Aug 5, 2009)

celticcurl said:


> I'm allergic to the hens but I still love finding them.


Oh no!! Have you considered shots? Stem Cell therapy? Copious amounts of Benadryl before, during, and after consumption?? Man, I'm sorry. That's right up there with being allergic to dogs.....


----------



## celticcurl (Apr 4, 2012)

I know it sucks.

It started out fine... just had a bit of a tummy ache when I ate a lot. Now it's full late stage labor pains. You guys won't know what that is like but I gave birth to all 3 children without pain meds and it's very similar.

That's all that happens to me. No vomiting no diarrhea just cramps that leave me in a fetal position for 24 to 36 hours. 

I still have a nibble now and then. I can't pass up marinated hens.


----------

