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Sam Houston NF Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

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Sam Houston NF

80–350 ft · TX🚗 Directions

A

Sam Houston NF in the East Texas Pineywoods, north of Houston. Loblolly and shortleaf pine with mixed hardwood drainages (sweetgum, beech, magnolia). Chanterelles abundant after summer rains; oysters on dead hardwoods year-round; chicken-of-the-woods on oaks.

Trees:Loblolly Pine Water Oak Sweetgum

Updated Jul 13, 4:14 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

**Sam Houston NF – Tier A: Peak Flush Window** Soil at 79.7°F with sustained moisture (0.31 VWC, 7-day average 0.25) unlocks the full spectrum—you're looking at 54 species across the board, from choice edibles (Chanterelles, Chicken of the Woods, Frost's Bolete) to wood decay species (Turkey Tail, Artist's Conk) to the full carnival of decomposers and curiosities. The moisture trigger has held for a full week, which is the sweet spot for flush initiation across taxa. This is a genuine A-tier event. The limiting factor is desiccation risk—1.14" in the last week isn't thick buffer stock for a Texas forest in July. Watch the next 48–72 hours: any rain extends this window another 5–7 days; no rain and you'll see a hard collapse starting midweek as soil VWC drops and the ground bakes. Fruiting bodies will flush *hard* in the next 2–3 days, then thin rapidly. No hedging needed: get boots on the ground now. The species mix tells you this is a broad, healthy flush—fruit everything from ground morels to decay fungi simultaneously. **Hot tip:** Focus old-growth oak and aspen clusters first; those wood-dependent species (Chicken, Turkey Tail, Aspen Oyster) fruit fastest in heat and will be gone by Thursday if it doesn't rain.

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 Potential75/100

✅Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

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Nearby Camping

Within(7)

Four Notch Hunter Camp

developed

~6.8 mi from center

Phelps Trail Camp

backcountry

~8.1 mi from center

East Four Notch Hiker Camp

backcountry

Sam Houston National Forest~8.3 mi from center

Cagle Recreation Area

developed

USFS~8.3 mi from center

Cagle Recreation Area: 877-444-6777

developed

USFS~8.6 mi from centerFee required/night

National Forests and Grasslands in Texas

West Huntsville Trail Camp

backcountry

~9.7 mi from center

End of the Road Spot

developed

~9.8 mi from center

⚠ 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

Frost's Bolete

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oyster Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Chicken of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wine Cap

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Giant Puffball

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's Butter

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Bolete

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly Ear

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Artist's Conk

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Birch Polypore

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Horse Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mica Cap

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bitter Bolete

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Coker's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Alcohol Inky

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Northern Tooth

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Snow Fungus

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wood Ear

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Elfcup

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ivory Funnel

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Golden Teacher

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Banded Mottlegill

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Blue Meanies

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dune Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Lantern Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 80°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.31 VWC, 7d avg 0.25 — moisture sustained)

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.