# photos for itsme



## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)




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## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)

> I took some pictures this past weekend I wanted to post for help identifying them and I can't because I haven't posted enough here! I'm pretty sure they're not oysters, but I'm curious what they are. Anyone have some pictures of oysters they could post? Is it past the time when the fall oysters come up? I've yet to find some, or the hens and chickens.


i think you just posted pics of oysters, congrats to you!  the ones you found are nice but a bit on the older side. except the first pic, those look prime. nice and white.


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

Seriously? I finally did it? Yay!!! :woohoo1:


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

That was nice of you to to post the pictures George!

The first ones could very well be oysters
and they might be these.
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pleurotus_pulmonarius.html

The second and third photo's are definitely something different though,
probably members of the pleurotoid family, but not oysters imo,
at least not any edible kind I have ever seen.
I know I've seen them before, just not sure what they are.

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pleurotoid.html

mike


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

Yes, thank you very much for doing that!

Michigan Mike, the three pictures were taken on the same log, the last two were of the same mushroom. The first doesn't show well, but it is growing out of the decaying log, not out of the ground. 

I'm going to go inspect them tomorrow, as there were very small ones coming on and I'd like to see what they look like smaller. 

Thanks also for the links!


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

I'm still looking for oysters. I thought they were just fall, but I've read here of finding oysters in the spring. I'm not good with identifying trees, especially when it's just bark, so don't know what type of dead tree this was growing on. So what are these? They look like a possibility maybe??


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

itsme said:


> I'm still looking for oysters. I thought they were just fall, but I've read here of finding oysters in the spring. I'm not good with identifying trees, especially when it's just bark, so don't know what type of dead tree this was growing on. So what are these? They look like a possibility maybe??


 
Hi Itsme
Those look like perfect oysters to me and are probably growing on a dead
Big tooth Aspen.
Should have a sweet anise smell and spring is the best time
for them.
You could spore print them too just to double check.
As far as dead trees with bark on them, usually there are live ones not to far away, 
just match up the bark to a live one and check the leaves
on it.
Congrats on your first oysters!

http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/oct98.html 
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pleurotus_ostreatus.html
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pleurotus_populinus.html
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/trees/index.html

mike


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks for confirming Mike! Yay!!


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## jondahighlander (Nov 10, 2008)

nice job fellas.......I'd still eat em'!! hahaha


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## fasthunter (Sep 15, 2006)

The first group of pics don't look like oysters to me, but those last set of pics are some perfect prime tasting looking oysters. Nice Find! Also, the fresh oysters look like they are growing on towards where the base of what was a big tooth aspen tree. It has a look like that towards the bottom half of the tree when they get bigger. They are also a very good candidate for spring oysters. I find 99% of mine on those.


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

My husband got me a guide book on Michigan trees, I guess I'm going to have to start reading it. I'm always too busy looking at pictures of mushrooms lol! Thanks again for the help. Now that I know what they are I've seen them before, now I just have to remember where


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

I found a small clump of oysters yesterday and sautéed them up with some butter and garlic. I have to say those are the best tasting wild mushrooms I've had!


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## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)

sweet...


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

itsme said:


> My husband got me a guide book on Michigan trees, I guess I'm going to have to start reading it. I'm always too busy looking at pictures of mushrooms lol! Thanks again for the help. Now that I know what they are I've seen them before, now I just have to remember where


Cool!
Which book did you get?
I thing learning a new tree is as fun as learning a new shroom
and will make you a better shroomer once you know which
trees are putting out which shrooms.
I just started learning both within the last 10 years and
have a few books for trees and shrooms to help out.
Trees are easier since there are basically only a dozen you 
really need to know.
This is my favorite site just for tree pictures id's.
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5361/default.aspx

Glad to hear you liked the oysters.
I think the smell of fresh picked oysters are awsome and is
hard to beat with the exception of a bag
full of fresh picked trumpets!

mike


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

Michigan Mike said:


> Cool!
> Which book did you get?
> I thing learning a new tree is as fun as learning a new shroom
> and will make you a better shroomer once you know which
> ...


The field guide for trees is "Trees of Michigan" by Stan Tediela. 

I looked at the tree where I find the lobsters and it's an oak tree; they grow all around it.


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## Roosevelt (Sep 21, 2007)

I agree w' FH on the pics. Nice pics BTW. That's a great field guide for trees too. another good tree book is Norman F. Smith's "Trees of Michigan and the upper Great Lakes" It's a bigger book, but he goes much more in depth on history, habitats, forest types and such. The book helped me alot when considering and finding new woods to hunt.


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

itsme said:


> The field guide for trees is "Trees of Michigan" by Stan Tediela.
> 
> I looked at the tree where I find the lobsters and it's an oak tree; they grow all around it.


Michigan Mike, I got summarily kicked off the computer last night before I could finish my post lol! I also have several guide books for mushrooms, Michigan wildflowers, rocks/fossils, perennials, birds. The older I get the more I enjoy discovering and identifying what I find out in the woods. We took a street bike trip to North Carolina (near Fontana/Robbinsville) a couple of weeks ago and while I didn't get to do a day hike on the Appalachian Trail, we did do a hike on one of the hiking trails in the area and I had a sore neck from gawking at all the different vegetation and critters we saw. So much of everything down there due to the tropical like conditions. I even got to see some little red salamanders and that delighted me for some reason.


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

Roosevelt said:


> I agree w' FH on the pics. Nice pics BTW. That's a great field guide for trees too. another good tree book is Norman F. Smith's "Trees of Michigan and the upper Great Lakes" It's a bigger book, but he goes much more in depth on history, habitats, forest types and such. The book helped me alot when considering and finding new woods to hunt.


I agree, I have both along with the Audubon guide but Smiths book is my go to book.

*http://www.amazon.com/Trees-Michigan-Upper-Great-Lakes/dp/1882376080#reader*


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

itsme said:


> Michigan Mike, I got summarily kicked off the computer last night before I could finish my post lol! I also have several guide books for mushrooms, Michigan wildflowers, rocks/fossils, perennials, birds. The older I get the more I enjoy discovering and identifying what I find out in the woods. We took a street bike trip to North Carolina (near Fontana/Robbinsville) a couple of weeks ago and while I didn't get to do a day hike on the Appalachian Trail, we did do a hike on one of the hiking trails in the area and I had a sore neck from gawking at all the different vegetation and critters we saw. So much of everything down there due to the tropical like conditions. I even got to see some little red salamanders and that delighted me for some reason.


Same here, Just started learning quite a few things over the last 10 years
and it's always fun an interesting to learn something new.
At this point I have the Audubon collection of books along
with a few others to help out.

Lobsters around an oak, thats cool you know now.
At this point I only find them around Big tooth aspens but not in the 
quantities they find them up north unfortunately.
As I mentioned before I have friends that pick them up north around
BTA's along with Chants and sweettooths in the same woods.

mike


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

What in the heck are these? Have a pore type underside and almost fluted like some of the chanterelles.


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

Very cool itsme!
Maybe this
*http://www.mushroomexpert.com/polyporus_umbellatus.html*


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## itsme (Jul 28, 2008)

Thanks once again Mike! I believe that's what it is. Both my field guides say it's a choice edible, but that it's also pretty uncommon/rare, so I'll just let it be and look at it lol! Kind of pretty, like a bouquet of mushrooms!


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## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)

WOW i have never seen one of those!! what a lucky find!


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## bassdisaster (Jun 21, 2007)

Thos there look like a bouqet of tasty oughta be in my refirgerator flowers ya! Nice find there!
And a Nice Oyster find, I'm just getting into them this year as well, awesome tasting too!
Picking Huckleberries has been eating up my time lately here, but did manage to find some Small oysters about the same size as you have there, Nice find indeed!
Question, when is an Oyster too OLD?
Once it begins turning yellow? Or something else, I know the smaller ones with rolled caps taste good, is there any reason other than spoiling that would keep you from eating the larger beginning to yellow specimens? Maybe just eat the outter still white parts?
I am still finding them regularly, but sometimes I'm getting there too late, and seeing signs of rotted oysters and making mental notes as to where!
I wont be so slow next year!
Can these be put away, either by cooking and freezing or drying?
Thanks

BD


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## Roosevelt (Sep 21, 2007)

You can sautee and freeze them fairly well. I wouldn't eat the yellowing ones or big waterlogged ones either. They lose flavor, generally taste stale, and may cause food poisoning if way past prime.


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

itsme said:


> I believe that's what it is. Both my field guides say it's a choice edible, but that it's also pretty uncommon/rare, so I'll just let it be and look at it lol! Kind of pretty, like a bouquet of mushrooms!


Hi Itsme
I agree it's a rare find and I have only seen a couple of pics of them in Michigan
and have only ever found 1.
If I ever find another and it's fresh it's going to be a rare
treat and sauted for sure.

Once again, nice find and nice pics!
thanks
mike


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## Michigan Mike (May 21, 2004)

Roosevelt said:


> You can sautee and freeze them fairly well. I wouldn't eat the yellowing ones or big waterlogged ones either. They lose flavor, generally taste stale, and may cause food poisoning if way past prime.


I agree for the same reasons.
No use taking chances and that's where the hunt comes in imo
and getting that perfect timing in on any shroom.
My best chant spots and most other types of shrooms,
I've found when they were bigger but too old to collect,
only to come back next year when they were in there prime.

mike


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## Roosevelt (Sep 21, 2007)

A friend and I found one of those umbrella polyopores the other day. I've been searching for three years and that was the first one I'd ever seen. Cool shroom, but it was just a lil too far gone for eating.


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