Last weekend James was down visiting and he noticed in the local paper there was going to be a Mushroom Foraging expedition to be guided by a local mushroom expert, Wayne. We all agreed that it would be fun, so Saturday we showed up at the Medford DNR to meet up and carpool up to the foraging site. There were a surprising number of people, probably about 25. The guide also invited another expert, Bob, who happened to carpool with us. Bob works for the Forrest Service and we soon learned Bob was very well-versed in everything having to do with the local area.
We arrived at our spot after about an hour-long drive through the beautiful Oregon countryside. Wayne got us organized and we started looking. While, of course, we were interested in identifying edible mushrooms, Wayne wanted to educate us on all the forms of fungi that we found, edible or not. We found some “deer mushrooms,” (Pluteus cervinus) which while edible is not highly prized. 
Also some “honey mushrooms” (Armillaria,) which, if eaten with alcohol will make you sick, but are otherwise ok.
We also learned how to identify “false Chanterelles”
After a long day, we were about to head back when our passenger Bob told us that he knew an area where he all but guaranteed we would find some Chanterelles. Well hell, now we’re talking. So he takes us to his secret place and after about an hour we came back with a pound of beautiful Chanterelles.
We gave them to James to take back home and cook for his friends.
