You're offline — showing cached data

Loading conditions…

Kisatchie NF Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

🚗 Get Directions

Kisatchie NF

80–400 ft · LA🚗 Directions

S

Kisatchie NF — Louisiana's only national forest, spread across central LA in seven ranger districts. Longleaf pine, loblolly, white oak, magnolia, and beech in stream bottoms. Excellent chanterelle and indigo milk cap grounds; oysters and chicken on hardwoods.

Trees:Longleaf Pine Loblolly Pine Water Oak

Updated Jul 13, 4:15 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

Kisatchie is running **S-tier hot** right now—79°F soil with a solid week of sustained moisture (0.19 VWC maintained) has triggered everything simultaneously. This is the mid-summer flush window where your edible and medicinal species are locked and loaded: Chicken of the Woods, chanterelles, oysters, and wine caps are all primed; your polypores (Artist's Conk, Turkey Tail, Birch) are fruiting hard; and the milk caps are in full display. The only real constraint is moderate desiccation risk—you're in the Louisiana lowlands at 80–400 ft, so heat and low humidity can crisp everything in 48 hours if we dry out. Nothing is limiting you *now*, but watch the 10-day forecast hard: any multi-day dry pattern will tank this momentum fast. The window here is 4–6 days max if conditions stay static. **Hot tip:** Hit the Aspen and oak stands mid-morning before surface evaporation kills the flush—boletes and chanterelles will still have surface moisture then, and it's when wood-decayers fruit their flushes hardest in southern heat.

Generated by Claude (Anthropic) from the structured weather, soil, and phenology data on this page. The LLM can misread edge cases — treat this as a starting hypothesis, not a guarantee. Always verify conditions on the ground before committing to a long drive.

Foraging Potential95/100

✅Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

Found something?

Log your find on iNaturalist to help the community and get expert ID assistance. Photos, location, and habitat notes all help with identification.

Log on iNaturalist View recent finds nearby →

Nearby Camping

Within(1)

Stuart Lake Recreation Complex, Camping/Day Use

developed

USFS~5.8 mi from centerFee required/night

Kisatchie National Forest

⚠ Road Access Notice

Always verify road access is public before following GPS directions to mountain areas. Many forest roads are seasonal, gated, or require 4WD. Dispersed camping follows USFS/BLM rules (typically 14-day limit). Check ranger district offices for current road and campground conditions.

Viable Species

Confidence × Primordia state

HIGHPrimed

Oyster Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Chicken of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Destroying Angel

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Wine Cap

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Giant Puffball

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's Butter

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Bolete

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly Ear

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Artist's Conk

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Birch Polypore

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Frost's Bolete

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Horse Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Mica Cap

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Blusher

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Gem-Studded Puffball

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow Patches

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Cordyceps

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Bitter Bolete

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Blackening Russula

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Grisette

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Coker's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Alcohol Inky

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Northern Tooth

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Eyelash Cup

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Snow Fungus

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Wood Ear

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Crested Coral

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Green Elfcup

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Ivory Funnel

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Parasite Bolete

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Rooted Collybia

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

The Deceiver

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Golden Teacher

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

HIGHPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 79°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.19 VWC, 7d avg 0.18)

Primordia readiness: Cold = mycelium dormant. Activating = soil warming, primordia building. Primed = 5+ sustained warm days at species threshold; fruiting imminent if moisture cooperates. Based on Schmidt 1983 / Mihail 2007.