Hey im 16 years old and new to this hobby. Over the past few days i have read up on most of the info on the net and just recently joined this site. The thing is i picked the wrong time to pick up the hobby;in the winter. I went out yesterday because it was releatively nice but only found mushrooms growing on dead trunks of trees(they look like shelves). Im so anxious to go out and i was wondering if its possible to find any good mushrooms in the winter months in southeast Pennsylvania. I cant go out now becasue were getting pounded by snow but once the snow disapates and melts i plan to go out hunting. Its alright if you dont but i was wondering as a newbie if anyone had an tips on when and wat kinds of species to look for in the winter. Edible ones would be nice but im also very interested in the photography of Mushrooms. Sorry for the long read...and thanks ahead of time for a reply!
~Shawn~

You have to wait till spring. In northern indiana we usually start about the 2nd week of april. Look for morels first. There might be some velvet foots "feet?" to be found and as a newbie you should definitly try dryads saddle (get em when they are real young). Thats about it for spring time. Then wait till the end of may and the chanterelles should start poppin. Try to go out every weekend over the whole summer and you will find that there is something different up every time. You definitly need a good field guide and other books. For the newbie, I highly recommend Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America: A Field-To-Kitchen Guide by David W. Fischer, Alan E. Bessette. Git it from amazon. I satrted with this book and have seen many books after that......this is by far the best for the beginner.

Try & find a mycological society/club in your area to join, they're better than any guide book. I've been out on numerous forays with my local group & have learned lots. Learning from expert mycologists about edibles & places to find them is worth it, but even more important, you'll learn which fungi will kill you.
DON'T EVEN THINK OF EATING SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT 100% SURE IS SAFE.
Of the guides I have, I like the Audobon guide the best.
Best of luck with your new hobby.
C1

Well thank you for the replies. I cant wait to get out in the field/forest/woods...or wherever i may be...lol. I went to my local book store casue i had a gift certificate for that mall and ended up buying the DK smithsonian Handbook of Mushrooms for 20$. I liek the layout alot better as compared to the adaboun one. Later on i might buy the audobon one or ask for it for my birthday. I dont have much money wit saving for insurance and all(ya gotta love it!)so yeah. I eventually want to find a more regional book for my area. Are there any good sites on the net to search for local groups and clubs cause I am very interested in this. It seems im an outcsat whenever i bring up to other teenagers that im interested in this...lol. Id love to meet other mushroom enthusiasts. I believe there is a big Mushroom convention in kennet square(Lancaster County PA) but i think this is more geared towards the culinary aspects of mushrooms. Thanks again!
~shawn~

Nothing wrong with the culinary aspects of fungi. If all you've ever eaten are store bought button mushrooms you're in for a treat. Morels, boletes, chantrelles to name a few are delicious. Good luck finding a club.
C1

Check your local community college for mycology classes offered. Even if none are listed, call the biology department office and ask if there are unofficial field trips by any profs or TAs. The way to develop experience is to go out with experienced mycologists. Certainly books expand your knowledge, but in this field of study, one error in judgment "Gee, it looks exactly like the one in the book. I think it's okay to eat it" could cost you your life! You will pick up so much faster with a group, and erring on the side of caution will be imprinted on you forever. Don't want to scare you off. Just want you to have an enjoyable lifetime experience! Just because a book lists a mushroom as edible doesn't mean that it will be always edible for you. Some mushrooms fumes should not be inhaled when being cooked as the fumes are very toxic. 8O It's a fascinating world. Enjoy!