# Another "pile" of Hens



## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Wife and I went out again tonight and found another bunch. The biggest was just over 11lbs. First "big" one of the season. 












The last pan cooking down getting ready for packaging...













Got nine nice meals out of tonight's haul. That gives me 22 meals for the year! Filling that freezer!!! GO GET 'EM!!!


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## twohats (Oct 1, 2004)

Very nice. They all look very clean,sure does make the pakaging go quicker.


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## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Very much so. The no rain lately is both a blessing and a curse. More rain usually equals more mushrooms. However, the Hen's I've been harvesting have had no "splash back" on them from rain. Any that have been "dirty" I've just left. With them being this plentiful this year, you can been a little more picky!


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## twohats (Oct 1, 2004)

I have been leaving the dirty ones as well.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Your killin me! While I really have no complaints, as I have had fresh hen available for a couple weeks now and a bunch still in the fridge, they are not getting to that size at all and we are not that far from each other 
I even let a couple go hoping they would blow out and they just started drying up 
Bugs have been absent on the last few I've picked lately which is great, just a small slug or two but the dirt on them has been making it a bit of a trial to clean off, but I've managed it...
I am gonna check a couple spots tomorrow and hope to get a couple I can measure in the pounds like you have been getting. 
Great report and good luck this weekend y'all!


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## naglady (May 10, 2010)

those look so good, i am jealous,, we went out today and finally found a couple of hens, and they were to dry to pick... atleast we found some and will write down where we found it, and when to check... has anyone picked in alcona county... what is the best time for hens..

did get some stumpers and honeys and 3 parosols..


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## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Thanks, OGM...I concur. The size this year have all been small until that big one I found yesterday. We have left a few to find they really haven't grown as well. It's like they flush, grow for two days, and what they are at that point is all you get. We did find one big one on Tuesday, that we left that was big but dried out. They should keep fruiting for awhile yet. 

Naglady...I don't know if you will find any in Alcona County. I'm originally from Alpena, and we own property in Oscoda County. It is loaded with oak, and we have never found a Hen out there. It seems the "cut off line" is around West Branch to the South to find them. I may be proven wrong, but I've never heard of any found any further north.

Good luck to everyone!!


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## naglady (May 10, 2010)

could you point me to some woods closer to me that i could find some... or a area closer to me..


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## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Where do you live? What area anyway...


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## Frantz (Dec 9, 2003)

I have not found a single one. Spent a lot of time in the woods and even looked down this year and walked slow, nothing but some small strange looking shrooms.


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## twohats (Oct 1, 2004)

Most of the Hens I find are growing in low areas of oak. I do not find many on the higher oak ridges.


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## Mushroom Jack (May 28, 2009)

I know most people don't like to pick Hens at this age, but I think they are the most tender, bug and sand free. Also found a nice patch of Jack- O- Lanterns !


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## naglady (May 10, 2010)

ks i live in oscoda,


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Mushroom Jack, those are fine specimens. I'd rather have those than these we got today, I really would have rather been there 2-3 days ago. There were 7 around an old dead oak (no camera again :rant we left the rest for my buddy to take his GF and son back to get.
Plus I did get a smaller one today like those you have pictured so I am kind of set for a while. About ready to hit the water now...


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## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

Those are PERFECT specimens, guys!!!! Bigger is not always better in the mushroom world! 

Naglady...Yeah. Oscoda is too far north. I've never found them up there, and have never heard of anyone else finding them either. Plan a trip a little further south!


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## twohats (Oct 1, 2004)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> Those are PERFECT specimens, guys!!!! Bigger is not always better in the mushroom world!
> 
> Naglady...Yeah. Oscoda is too far north. I've never found them up there, and have never heard of anyone else finding them either. Plan a trip a little further south!


I agree 100% on that one. I picked a few small fresh ones the otherday.I also found to large jumbos but they were past prime.The pores were wide open and the shroom were very dry,I left them.But did find a few fresh sprouts that had just come up :coolgleam. I think one more week and it will be time for me to get back into fishing and maybe some local weekend hunting. My current job dosent allow me time off dureing the hunting season.:rant::sad:. Its been that way for 8 years.


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## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)

very nice Brandt!

im gonna put this out there....im finding more hens this year on beech than on oak! anyone else??? i think its really weird.


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## naglady (May 10, 2010)

ks a friend of our got one around alcona, but i think your right... further south... not familiar with wsouthern woods... might have to check with friends... and their woods.. lol


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## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)

check this beech out:


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## twohats (Oct 1, 2004)

I have never found them on beech before. Nice size shrooms, were they still good?


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## MAttt (Dec 15, 2004)

hardwaterfan said:


> check this beech out:


Awsome George!
I've only found them on beech a couple of times,
but then again not too many beech in my area.
But since all oaks are members of the beech family
it makes sense.
The only person I know that finds them regular on beech is Rex
aka OT.


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## Kearly Shuffle (Sep 15, 2006)

That's crazy! I've NEVER found them near beech. Then again, I guess I haven't looked much.


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## Mushroom Jack (May 28, 2009)

I've found Grifola umbellata almost always around beech, but usually in June & July. Never this late .


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## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)

they seemed pretty prime, but i didnt pick any. the nice thing about beech is that with that thick mat of leaves, you dont get all that splashback. i never would have thought to look on a beech, the first time, this particular tree actually, was just a chance thing. this is in a stand of almost 100% beech trees and most of them look pretty big and old. Grifola umbellata...that would be neat, ive never found that yet.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

Kearly Shuffle said:


> That's crazy! I've NEVER found them near beech. Then again, I guess I haven't looked much.


Same here. One of the woods I check has beech so I guess I will adjust my search engine  

I've said it before, the comedy, photo's, and information available on this site is well worth the sponsering fee. 
Thanks for the tip hardwaterfan!


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## hardwaterfan (Feb 13, 2004)

my pleasure....now would be a good time to check....for future years if not this year.


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