Field Notes
Foraging Central Texas After the First Fall Rain
by Sam the FungiPublished Updated 5 min read
The San Antonio mushroom season does not follow the calendar — it follows the rain gauge. Here is how we plan walks around it.
Central Texas fruits in pulses. A two-inch rain in late October can turn a dry greenbelt into a survey site within four days, and then close it again in a week of north wind.
That is why Geeky Gallops walk dates are announced in short windows rather than months out.
What we look for after a soaking rain
A quick triage list we run on every scouting trip:
- Downed live oak with intact bark — the substrate for our best lion's mane finds
- North-facing slopes that hold moisture two days longer
- Leaf litter depth in creek bottoms
- Recent flood lines, which reset the whole log inventory
Recording what you find
Every walk logs observations we share with the Central Texas Mycological Society. Bring a phone, a paper bag, and a hand lens if you have one — no knives needed for a survey walk.