I'm never sure which ones are edible but I do know for sure that several of them are poisonous and if eaten or even handled, it can lead to a gruesome death. See the NAMA web site for poisoning details. Although mushrooms are very interesting to look at, the microscopic spores found on the gills can contain serious toxins, wash your hands well after handling wild mushrooms. I quote a mycologist, who said the following "Fungal species are to numerous to identify and no one can claim to be an expert". There are several deadly look alikes and some have not even been documented, this is what makes eating wild mushrooms so dangerous and at the same time so mystical. Imagine the use of an unknown chemical property that a certain mushroom may provide? Mushrooms are always fun to observe when considering all the above. If you're lucky enough to find a healthy patch of mushrooms it's truly a magical sight. If you found this page looking for information on picking magic mushrooms as a hallucinogen, there is no question, you're flirting with death.

All the mushroom photo's on the following pages were taken in Alberta, Canada.     Useful Mushroom Links