With chanterelle season underway in Montana, mushroom enthusiasts are heading into forests in search of prized wild fungi. But experts say knowing what to pick — and how to prepare it — is critical, especially after a recent mushroom poisoning hospitalized 11 people in Park County.
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Joseph Hrysenko has spent the past five years learning the art of mushroom foraging, a hobby he says has grown in popularity but remains rooted in mentorship and careful identification.
"For the most part, mushroom picking in general is just very kept secret," Hrysenko said. "People talk about it, but they never say where."
During a foraging trip in an undisclosed wooded area of Gallatin County, Hrysenko pointed out a patch of chanterelles, a sought-after edible mushroom known for its apricot-like aroma. While the scent is distinctive, he said it should never be the only characteristic used to identify a mushroom.
"They have false gills right here, and they should rub right off because they are not true gills," Hrysenko said. "It peels just like string cheese, and it's white inside."
He demonstrated how to distinguish chanterelles from the toxic jack-o'-lantern mushroom, which can closely resemble them. Jack-o'-lantern mushrooms are yellow inside, and Hrysenko says he has yet to come across one.
"You need multiple forms of identification to identify something," Hrysenko said.
Despite years of experience, Hrysenko says he focuses only on edible species he knows well.
"Thousands and thousands of species — I don't know them all," he said. "I just concentrate on the edible ones because that's what I find fascinating."
Even edible mushrooms can pose risks if they are improperly stored or prepared.
In 2023, two people died following an illness outbreak linked to morel mushrooms served at Dave's Sushi in Bozeman. Hrysenko said the incident had a lasting impact on the mushroom community well beyond Montana.
"The incident with Dave's Sushi affected not just Bozeman and the victims, but it was a worldwide thing," he said. "I have a lot of commercial picking friends up in Canada and on the West Coast and even in the United Kingdom, and everyone had sales fall off."
More recently, 11 people were hospitalized after eating foraged wild mushrooms while staying at a vacation rental in Park County. All patients have since been released from the hospital. Investigators continue working to determine exactly what species caused the poisoning.
At Montana State University, mycologist Dr. Chance Noffsinger is helping analyze mushroom samples collected from the Park County incident. Dr. Noffsinger says the case is very rare.
"We don't know until we can identify the mushroom how serious these cases are," Noffsinger said.
Noffsinger said identifying the mushrooms has been challenging because the samples submitted to the university had already been chopped into small pieces.
"We do microscopic analysis on the material that was available," he said. "We look for important features or characters that will aid in identification of those species."
Researchers have preliminarily identified the mushrooms as a toxic Amanita species, likely belonging to the pantherina or gemmata groups. The identification remains preliminary as the investigation continues using exact DNA analysis.
Noffsinger said fungi are remarkably diverse, with scientists estimating there are roughly hundreds of millions of fungal species worldwide. That diversity makes proper identification essential for anyone interested in foraging.
"If you've properly identified it and make sure it's in good condition and properly storing it, then we need to ensure we are properly cooking those mushrooms and cooking them well," Noffsinger said.
Hrysenko hopes recent poisonings do not discourage people from learning about wild mushrooms but says education should always come first.
"Don't completely turn off to mushrooms," he said. "It was not the mushrooms' fault. It's more just a human error."
Rather than relying on artificial intelligence or a single source, Hrysenko recommends consulting multiple field guides and learning alongside experienced foragers.
"Get some resources, have multiple resources, do not use AI — meet up with real people," he said.
Hrysenko says online local group forums are a great way to connect with people, and he says the library has a plethora of mushroom books.
Books Hrysenko recommends for mushroom foraging:
- All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms—David Arora
- Mushrooms Demystified—David Arora
- Dr. Fun Guy's Passport to Kingdom Fungi: A Scientist's Guide to the Wild and Wonderful World of Mushrooms, Molds, and More—Dr. Gordon Walker
