Matsutake Mushroom Season Opened on National Fores
Incident: Rattle Wildland Fire
Released: 9/4/2008
Klamath Falls, Ore. - The 2008 picking season for Matsutake mushrooms
opened on the Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Umpqua and Willamette national
forests in Oregon. The season runs from Sept. 2 thru Nov. 2.
Anyone picking Matsutake mushrooms on national forest lands must first
purchase a commercial harvesting permit. Permits cost $200 for the season,
or $8 per day with a five-day minimum (picking days need not be
consecutive). Also available is a $100 permit for half season (31
consecutive days).
An informational sheet and map are included with each permit to show areas
open to picking. Currently, areas closed to picking include Crater Lake
National Park, Panhandle Late-Successional Reserve (LSR), Newberry National
Volcanic Monument, HJ Andrews Experimental Forest, Research Natural areas,
wildernesses, campgrounds and other posted closed areas.
Permits are available Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the
Chemult Ranger District on the Fremont-Winema National Forests, 110500 Hwy
97 North, Chemult, Ore., and 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Crescent Ranger
District on the Deschutes National Forest, 136471 Hwy 97 North, Crescent,
Ore. Permits are also available at other ranger district offices of the
Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Umpqua and Willamette national forests. Permits
purchased on any of these forests are valid interchangeably.
The U.S. Forest Service requires commercial pickers to have written
permission from the agency to camp on any national forests, except in
camping areas already designated for this purpose. A campground for pickers
has been established at Little Odell Camp near Crescent Lake Junction, Ore.
The cost of camping is $7 per person per day, $30 per week, $80 for half
season (31 days) or $100 for the season (62 days). In addition there is a
refundable $25 per camp cleaning deposit.
For more information about the Matsutake mushroom program contact the
Chemult Ranger District at 541-365-7001, Crescent Ranger District at
541-433-3200, Cottage Grove Ranger District on the Umpqua National Forest
at 541-767-5061 or the Middle Fork Ranger District on the Willamette
National Forest at 541-782-2283.
