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Wayne NF Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

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Wayne NF

600–1,400 ft · OH🚗 Directions

S

Wayne National Forest in SE Ohio. Rolling Appalachian foothills with oak-hickory, dying ash, and scattered old orchards. Largest contiguous forest in Ohio. Early-season morels on south slopes, then ridgetops later.

Trees:White Oak Hickory White Ash

Updated Jul 13, 4:08 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

**Wayne NF S-Tier Breakdown** This is a ceiling flush—optimal convergence of sustained soil warmth (73.8°F held solid for 7 days), consistent moisture (0.33 VWC today, 7-day average 0.31), and zero drought stress. You're looking at a kaleidoscopic bloom across saprophytes, wood decayers, and mycorrhizal partners all firing simultaneously. The 1.27" in seven days locks in the moisture trigger without oversaturation; this is the sweet spot. Operationally, prioritize the high-turnover species: Chicken of the Woods and Black Trumpets will fruit hard and fast before drying down. Wine Caps and Giant Puffballs are already pushing. The polypore matrix (Artist's Conk, Birch Polypore, Berkeley's) is locked in for sustained harvest across multiple days. Boletes—Aspen, Frost's, Two-Colored—are all viable simultaneously, which rarely happens; your competitive window on choice specimens is 48–72 hours. No limiting factor means no excuses. The only variable now is local microhabitat specificity and competition. Watch for a heat spike above 78°F or a dry wind event in the next 3–5 days; either flips the script. Until then, you're harvesting in paradise. **Hot tip:** Hit your deadfall and aspen groves at dawn before 10 a.m.—Chicken of the Woods and Black Trumpets fruit hardest in the cooler window and degrade fast in mid-day 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

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Nearby Camping

Within(0)

No campgrounds within 10 mi. Try widening the radius.

⚠ 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

Chicken of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Black Trumpet

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wine Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Giant Puffball

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's Butter

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Indigo Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Crown-Tipped Coral

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly Ear

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's Fingers

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Parasol Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Shaggy Parasol

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Ring Champignon

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Artist's Conk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Birch Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Cinnabar Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Berkeley's Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Capped Scaber Stalk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the Woods

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Frost's Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Horse Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mica Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Two-Colored Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth Chanterelle

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Caesar's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Weeping Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green-Gill Lepiota

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bitter Bolete

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Cracked Russula

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Peppery Milk Cap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Coker's Amanita

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fool's Mushroom

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Alcohol Inky

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fairy Inkcap

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Stainer

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted Conk

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze Polypore

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey Tail

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Northern Tooth

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Snow Fungus

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wood Ear

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green Elfcup

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ivory Funnel

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen Oyster

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk Slime

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dog Vomit Slime Mold

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's Cakes

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's Nest

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Mazegill

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ovoid-Spore Psilocybe

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Common Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Dune Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Elegant Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Lantern Stinkhorn

All conditions met (soil 74°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.33 VWC, 7d avg 0.31 — 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.