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WI Driftless Area Foraging Conditions — ForageIQ

WI Driftless Area

Excellent

Wisconsin driftless region in the southwest. Unglaciated terrain with deep wooded coulees of oak, hickory, and elm. Mississippi River bluffs and Kickapoo Valley are legendary morel habitat. Old apple orchards throughout.

Trees:White Oak Hickory American Elm

Updated Oct 11, 5:08 AM MT

AI Conditions Report

AI-generated · verify in field

The Driftless is at Excellent: soil is holding 66.4°F, 7-day average moisture is 0.23 VWC with no drought, and the 2.02" over the past 14 days has fully satisfied the moisture trigger. The standouts are the fall woodland staples with 7/7 days of sustained thermal support: Hen of the Woods, Lion's Mane, Honey Mushroom, Hedgehog, Angel Wings, Yellow Foot, and Red-Belted Conk. Smooth Chanterelle, Oak and Woolly Milk Caps, Turkey Tail, Beefsteak Polypore, Wine Cap, and the oak-associated polypores are right behind at 6/7 days. Chicken of the Woods, Black Trumpet, Shaggy Mane, Giant Puffball, and the waxcaps are only at moderate, since their mycelium is activating but primordia haven't set. Nothing is limiting right now, but the last 7 days were completely dry, so the moisture buffer is the thing to watch. If another dry stretch runs through mid-week, flushes will slow and soft-fleshed species like Lion's Mane and Hedgehog will dry out or get buggy faster. A rain event of half an inch or more would push the moderate group toward fruiting within a week or so. Hot tip: Hit north- and east-facing oak and maple slopes in the ridge-and-coulee transitions for Hen of the Woods at the base of mature oaks, and check nearby moss-lined drainages for Hedgehogs and Smooth Chanterelles in the same run.

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(1)

Eagle Cave Campground

developed

~6.3 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

MODERATEActivating

Chicken of the WoodsLaetiporus sulphureus

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Hen of the WoodsGrifola frondosa

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Lion's ManeHericium erinaceus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Black TrumpetCraterellus cornucopioides

soil warming up (66°F today, only 1/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Honey MushroomArmillaria mellea

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Death CapAmanita phalloides

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Hedgehog MushroomHydnum repandum

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Shaggy ManeCoprinus comatus

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Wine CapStropharia rugosoannulata

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Giant PuffballCalvatia gigantea

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Beefsteak PolyporeFistulina hepatica

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Liberty CapPsilocybe semilanceata

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Turkey TailTrametes versicolor

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Witch's ButterTremella mesenterica

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jack-o-LanternOmphalotus olearius

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

ChagaInonotus obliquus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bear's Head ToothHericium americanum

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly EarAuricularia auricula-judae

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Sulphur TuftHypholoma fasciculare

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Orange Peel FungusAleuria aurantia

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Dead Man's FingersXylaria polymorpha

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Parasol MushroomMacrolepiota procera

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

MODERATEActivating

Shaggy ParasolChlorophyllum rhacodes

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

MODERATEActivating

Fairy Ring ChampignonMarasmius oreades

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

MODERATEActivating

Meadow MushroomAgaricus campestris

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Artist's ConkGanoderma applanatum

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Birch PolyporeFomitopsis betulina

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tinder FungusFomes fomentarius

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Bird's Nest FungusCyathus striatus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Scarlet WaxcapHygrocybe coccinea

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Yellow FootCraterellus tubaeformis

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Violet CoralClavaria zollingeri

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Old Man of the WoodsStrobilomyces strobilaceus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Horse MushroomAgaricus arvensis

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Pear-Shaped PuffballLycoperdon pyriforme

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mica CapCoprinellus micaceus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Shrimp of the WoodsEntoloma abortivum

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Smooth ChanterelleCantharellus lateritius

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Golden SpindlesClavulinopsis fusiformis

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

MODERATEActivating

Green-Gill LepiotaChlorophyllum molybdites

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Woolly Milk CapLactarius torminosus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak Milk CapLactarius quietus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Alcohol InkyCoprinopsis atramentaria

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Fairy InkcapCoprinellus disseminatus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Magpie InkyCoprinopsis picacea

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Yellow-StainerAgaricus xanthodermus

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Red-Belted ConkFomitopsis pinicola

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Winter PolyporePolyporus brumalis

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Thin-Walled Maze PolyporeDaedaleopsis confragosa

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Mossy Maze PolyporeCerrena unicolor

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

False Turkey TailStereum ostrea

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Coral ToothHericium coralloides

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Snow FungusTremella fuciformis

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wood EarAuricularia americana

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Tooth JellyPseudohydnum gelatinosum

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Jelly AntlerCalocera viscosa

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Green ElfcupChlorociboria aeruginascens

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Ivory FunnelClitocybe dealbata

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Brown Roll-RimPaxillus involutus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Angel WingsPleurocybella porrigens

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Aspen OysterPleurotus populinus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Elm OysterHypsizygus ulmarius

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Wolf's Milk SlimeLycogala epidendrum

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Fluted Bird's NestCrucibulum laeve

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Devil's CigarChorioactis geaster

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

King Alfred's CakesDaldinia concentrica

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow Fly AgaricAmanita muscaria var. guessowii

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Winter Mushroom / Wild EnokiFlammulina velutipes

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Snowy WaxcapCuphophyllus virgineus

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

MODERATEActivating

Parrot WaxcapGliophorus psittacinus

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

HIGHPrimed

Dung Bird's NestCyathus stercoreus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Amethyst DeceiverLaccaria amethystina

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Oak MazegillDaedalea quercina

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Amanita Muscaria

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Yellow-Gilled GymGymnopilus luteofolius

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 7/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

HIGHPrimed

Common StinkhornPhallus impudicus

All conditions met (soil 66°F, sustained 6/7 days above threshold, today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained)

MODERATEActivating

Ravenel's Stinkhorn

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — moisture sustained

MODERATEActivating

Elegant StinkhornMutinus elegans

soil warming up (66°F today, only 2/7 days above threshold — mycelium activating, primordia not yet established), today 0.22 VWC, 7d avg 0.23 — 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.

WI Driftless Area

AI Conditions Report

Found something?

Nearby Camping

Eagle Cave Campground

Conditions History

Viable Species