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SE South Dakota / Newton Hills Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

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SE South Dakota / Newton Hills

1,300–1,550 ft · SD🚗 Directions

A

Glacial moraine hills in the southeast corner of SD — Newton Hills SP, Union Grove SP, Big Sioux Recreation Area along the Big Sioux River. Bur oak, basswood, American elm, and green ash on the rolling moraine and river-bluff terrain. Eastern deciduous forest at its northwest extension. Good spring morel hunting in oak-basswood draws.

Trees:Bur Oak Basswood American Elm

Updated Aug 27, 4:20 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

**Newton Hills is Tier A but running on fumes—moisture is the only thing keeping this open.** You've got 64 viable species across all guilds, which normally screams opportunity, but the real story is VWC at 0.15 with zero precipitation trigger met. That's marginal equilibrium: wood-decayers (oysters, wine caps, jelly ears) and established perennials (polypores, turkey tail) can fruit because they're drawing from deeper substrate reserves, but you're one dry day away from desiccation risk tipping into lockdown. The two-week precip (1.09") kept things barely viable; the last seven days (0.3") is the warning bell. Target woody substrates and established fruiting bodies over ground-fruiting species—think deadfall and standing snags before meadows and grass. Milk caps, boletes, and amanitas need fresher soil contact and will peter out fast if conditions don't recover. Watch the next 48 hours: any additional rain bumps you to A+; another dry spell collapses this to B territory by day five. **Hot tip:** Hunt perennial polypore edges and oyster clusters on shaded north-facing deadfall where microclimate moisture lingers longest.

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 Potential80/100

❌Moisture

✅Soil Temp

✅No Freeze

✅No Drought

Precip 7d

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Nearby Camping

Within(1)

West Ball Park Campground

developed

~4.1 mi from centerFee required/night

7 sites

⚠ 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

MODERATEPrimed

Oyster MushroomPleurotus ostreatus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Chicken of the WoodsLaetiporus sulphureus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Hen of the WoodsGrifola frondosa

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Death CapAmanita phalloides

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Hedgehog MushroomHydnum repandum

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Shaggy ManeCoprinus comatus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Wine CapStropharia rugosoannulata

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Giant PuffballCalvatia gigantea

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Beefsteak PolyporeFistulina hepatica

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Turkey TailTrametes versicolor

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Witch's ButterTremella mesenterica

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Jack-o-LanternOmphalotus olearius

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Aspen BoleteLeccinum insigne

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Indigo Milk CapLactarius indigo

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

ChagaInonotus obliquus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Bear's Head ToothHericium americanum

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Crown-Tipped CoralArtomyces pyxidatus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Jelly EarAuricularia auricula-judae

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Orange Peel FungusAleuria aurantia

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Dead Man's FingersXylaria polymorpha

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Birch BoleteLeccinum scabrum

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Parasol MushroomMacrolepiota procera

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Shaggy ParasolChlorophyllum rhacodes

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Fairy Ring ChampignonMarasmius oreades

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Meadow MushroomAgaricus campestris

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Artist's ConkGanoderma applanatum

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Birch PolyporeFomitopsis betulina

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Tinder FungusFomes fomentarius

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Bird's Nest FungusCyathus striatus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Cinnabar ChanterelleCantharellus cinnabarinus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Violet CoralClavaria zollingeri

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Berkeley's PolyporeBondarzewia berkeleyi

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber StalkLeccinum aurantiacum

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Old Man of the WoodsStrobilomyces strobilaceus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Frost's BoleteBoletus frostii

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Horse MushroomAgaricus arvensis

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Pear-Shaped PuffballLycoperdon pyriforme

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Mica CapCoprinellus micaceus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Shrimp of the WoodsEntoloma abortivum

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Two-Colored BoleteBoletus bicolor

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Smooth ChanterelleCantharellus lateritius

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Caesar's AmanitaAmanita jacksonii

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Golden SpindlesClavulinopsis fusiformis

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Weeping Milk CapLactifluus volemus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Green-Gill LepiotaChlorophyllum molybdites

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Bitter BoleteTylopilus felleus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Green Cracked RussulaRussula virescens

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Peppery Milk CapLactarius piperatus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Woolly Milk CapLactarius torminosus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Oak Milk CapLactarius quietus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Coker's AmanitaAmanita cokeri

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Alcohol InkyCoprinopsis atramentaria

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Fairy InkcapCoprinellus disseminatus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Magpie InkyCoprinopsis picacea

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Yellow-StainerAgaricus xanthodermus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Red-Belted ConkFomitopsis pinicola

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze PolyporeDaedaleopsis confragosa

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Mossy Maze PolyporeCerrena unicolor

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

False Turkey TailStereum ostrea

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Coral ToothHericium coralloides

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Northern ToothClimacodon septentrionalis

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Snow FungusTremella fuciformis

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Wood EarAuricularia americana

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Jelly AntlerCalocera viscosa

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Green ElfcupChlorociboria aeruginascens

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Ivory FunnelClitocybe dealbata

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Brown Roll-RimPaxillus involutus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Angel WingsPleurocybella porrigens

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Aspen OysterPleurotus populinus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Wolf's Milk SlimeLycogala epidendrum

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime MoldFuligo septica

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Fluted Bird's NestCrucibulum laeve

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

King Alfred's CakesDaldinia concentrica

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Yellow Fly AgaricAmanita muscaria var. guessowii

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Parrot WaxcapGliophorus psittacinus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Dung Bird's NestCyathus stercoreus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Amethyst DeceiverLaccaria amethystina

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Oak MazegillDaedalea quercina

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Amanita Muscaria

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Yellow-Gilled GymGymnopilus luteofolius

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Common StinkhornPhallus impudicus

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

MODERATEPrimed

Dune StinkhornPhallus hadriani

moisture marginal (today 0.15 VWC, 7d avg 0.16)

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.