How to Hunt for Shaggy Mane Mushrooms

Notice that the cap on the shaggy mane mushroom has the appearance of a wig on a stand. This the reason some cultures call this a "lawyer's wig." This is the stage of growth best suited for cooking, as the mushroom has not matured.

Look near roadways and in poor soil for this mushroom. Oftentimes, they will grow in cultivated fields or anywhere the soil has been disturbed.

Find that the shaggy mane mushroom sports a white to tan cap that folds over to touch the stem when immature. Its stem is slender and white and grows from four to eight inches tall.

Look for raggedy edges to the cap as it matures, giving the shaggy mane its name.

See that the shaggy mane mushroom's gills will rapidly turn from white to pinkish to a very dark black as it ages. When the mushroom is at its life-cycle end, the cap will turn a papery black and curl in upon itself in an upwards spiral.