The 7 Best Wild mushroom Field Guides (2023 reviews)

We consider a wild mushroom field guide to be a worthy investment in the long run. We are here to help you choose the right one for your purposes from all the best available products in market today.

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Our Top Picks:

Best Overall: Buy: National Audubon Society Wild mushroom Field Guide READ REVIEW

Best For comparing To Wild finds: Buy: Teresa Marrone Wild mushroom Field Guide READ REVIEW

Best For learning which plants: Buy: Department Of The Army Wild mushroom Field Guide READ REVIEW

Best For Great Lakes region: Buy: Joe Mcfarland Wild mushroom Field Guide READ REVIEW

Best For PA: Buy: bill Russell Wild mushroom Field Guide READ REVIEW

Best Reference Book: Buy: Pelle Holmberg Wild mushroom Field Guide READ REVIEW

Best Field Guide: Buy: Bleu Sayles Wild mushroom Field Guide READ REVIEW

Best Overall: National Audubon Society Wild mushroom Field Guide

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The look and feel of this guides are consistent with the high quality we're used to from the rest of National Audubon Society's lineup. This is one of the better mushroom books for a bunch of different types of mushrooms, but does not get too involved as some of the others, but tells a good amount about lots of varieties. It features bright color photos of almost every mushroom mentioned in the guidebook. It points readers to the appropriate descriptions that include notes on range, emergence timing, and habitat which can help one narrow down identification among a suite of possibilities.

It’s very thorough and easy to carry while searching for the yummy shrooms you get to harvest. The photos are amazing to look at and help immensely with identification. The book takes you to specific high-quality color pictures, where you then identify the species. It is designed for total beginners. It is a very educational book for general knowledge and visual confirmation of different species of this exotic and mysterious growth.

• Clear photos and text helps determine the species and yheir potability
• Better for carrying around while out looking
• Beautiful photos, relevant information, and logical layout
• A must have for anyone serious about mushrooms

Best For comparing To Wild finds: Teresa Marrone Wild mushroom Field Guide

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate guide. The teresa marrone wild mushroom field guide is exactly that - it's a simple guide that hits all the right notes. It’s got sections on the front for the most common edibles and toxic/poisonous mushrooms in the area.

This book has great actual pictures and nicely written out details. These are moderately stout and typically wider at the base, which often is surrounded by whitish mycelium (threadlike fungal filaments) that may be visible in the growing substrate. It’s small enough that you can fit it in a jacket pocket, but holds the necessary information you need in the woods. It’s an excellent companion to a more detailed guide.

• Gives details on edible or non-edible varieties of mushrooms
• A must have for any beginner mushroom hunter
• Shows potential look alikes to help prevent identification mistakes

Best For learning which plants: Department Of The Army Wild mushroom Field Guide

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Next on the list, we've got yet another guide that manages to win our hearts. It's the department of the army wild mushroom field guide and it's widely considered as guide that has the most suitable features. This book calls itself the "Complete Guide", but it only covers prominent and easy to identify plants throughout various regions of the world. It also covers poisonous plants that you want to advoid. This is a great book because it tells you what you can and cannot eat as far as edible flowers and plants across the country in the wild. It is a pretty good beginner's guide.

This book is an essential when you go camping, hunting, or anything away from town. This is a great book for anyone who spends a great deal of time in the outdoors. It also comes in a Kindle version.

• A must for any camping/survival library
• Ways to prepare and use them, not only to eat but for medicinal purposes
• Very informative on how and where to find edibles
• Color photos of edible plants, their roots, leaves and fruit

Best For Great Lakes region: Joe Mcfarland Wild mushroom Field Guide

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We would, of course, be remiss if we didn't mention joe mcfarland wild mushroom field guide for daily purpose. It covers easy basics of common and not so common local mushrooms. It is easy to understand, entertaining, and witty. This book gives the novice hunter the basics in identification, harvest and preparation. It also compares the look-alikes and how to tell them apart.

It focuses on some basic mushrooms, the best thing is it shows the alternative possibilities of what other mushrooms each mushroom could resemble, great for "differential diagnosis. It is great for "differential diagnosis. The full color pictures and information is clear and concise with excellent descriptions and explanations. It will afford one ample information to safely begin enjoying God's bountiful harvest.

• Gives good information on the look-a-like mushrooms to avoid
• Well written and a good read for mushroom hunters
• Good brand reputation

Best For PA: bill Russell Wild mushroom Field Guide

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Bill Russell makes beautiful and great guide with classic and smartly choosen materials. This is an amazing field guide as a beginner in the field. It really helps narrow things down and is one more aid to help the non-scientist with mushroom identification. This book provides good insight on what to look for and things to avoid. There’s a very handy guide to help with the pronunciation of scientific names.

This is definitely the best book if you're looking for Pennsylvania mushrooms. It could have more mushrooms in it. The book is compact enough to throw in your day pack, unlike so many others that are much to large to use in the field. It is great for beginners who want good information.

• Good book to take on mushroom hunts
• Technical terms are concisely explained with clear, easy to understand layman's language
• Good brand reputation

Best Reference Book: Pelle Holmberg Wild mushroom Field Guide

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The features department is where pelle holmberg wild mushroom field guide truly manages to shine. The pocket guide to wild mushrooms is a great tool for the amateur locavore who wants to safely incorporate wild mushrooms into their diet. It offers six rankings for edible mushrooms. It's more compact than most traditional field guides, and consequently less intimidating.

This book truly is pocket sized, which makes it especially convenient. It is also full of detailed descriptions and tips on finding the mushrooms you want. The pocket guide is a good aid to quick ID and works well for classifying a Shroom as a keeper or forgedaboutit and move on. It is very easy to understand and it should be easy to identify the good mushrooms and avoid the bad ones. This is a great book to take with you while hunting for mushrooms.

• Good photos and useful references for edible mushrooms
• Very useful, but could use more variety in mushroom types
• Lot of satisfied buyers

Best Field Guide: Bleu Sayles Wild mushroom Field Guide

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If you often find yourself scrambling for appropriate and satisfactory guide, bleu sayles wild mushroom field guide should be your first option for buying. This is a great beginner's mushroom foraging guide. It’s a well written book that both the novice and expert forager will find value in. This book has a lot of different recipes for the mushrooms. It includes pictures, and even recipes. It’s a really nice reference but it also offers so much more about each mushroom.

This book will provide you with a wealth of mushroom foraging knowledge. It is easy to write a book that is information-intensive. It’s another winner for a promising foraging series.

• Super recommend these for beginners and experienced foragers alike
• Great book to have in your stash
• Good for anyone starting to learn about mushrooms