Nice fall break for Ben Epley from his first year of college.
While home, he bowhunted in the south suburbs with his father Nick and bagged his first deer, a doe, on Oct. 14.
Then, walking the woods later that morning, they came across two maitake mushrooms at the base of a “massive oak tree.’’ Maitakes are also known colloquially as hen of the woods or sheepshead.
One maitake “was the biggest I’ve ever seen at what felt like at least 15 pounds,’’ emailed Nick. “It’s a solid two feet wide. ... What a memorable day for us. I’ll never forget it.”
MOTW, the celebration of mushroom gathering (the stories matter) around Chicago outdoors, runs Wednesdays in the Sun-Times as warranted. Submit nominations by message on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) and Instagram (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).
