There are many individuals who do perform mushroom foraging. Those mushroom foragers practice good harvesting practices . I have found that these forgers ( one which I am not …yet) know mushroom safety. There are some basic guidelines which I want to share with you
Learn the land. I think to know this you must be familiar with the edible and poisonous mushrooms of the area you are foraging. You must know how to identify them There are many books on this subject as well as attending some courses.
Know the risks. I do not think anyone should experiment with eating mushrooms that you don’t know. The effect of ingesting a poisonous mushroom can be lethal but can vary from individual to individual. In the North America there are no poisonous mushroom that can be absorbed through the skin—they must be eaten
If you know the mushroom you are foraging you must always COOK your mushroom Never eat a mushroom without cooking it.
Be prepared for your foraging. Have all the proper tools- a knife, pen and wax paper( or paper bag) a pen for labeling, a basket, and the very important Mushroom field guide
Always take the whole mushroom not just the cap or the stem
I feel this is a great hobby I have been studying the mushrooms of Connecticut as I am preparing to go mushroom foraging in the near future