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Wisconsin · October

What foragers look for in Wisconsin in October

11 of the 21 species on the Wisconsin calendar have October records. Listed by how much of each row's year falls in this month.

Never eat anything based on this page or on the app. These tables show when people recorded these species in public datasets. They do not say anything is ripe, edible or safe, and they do not help identify a find. Confirm every find with a qualified local expert.
‹ SeptemberWhole year ›
  1. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=663 (309 in October)
  2. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=109 (39 in October)
  3. Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa
    Records tailing off
    49% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=434 (130 in October)
  4. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records tailing off
    48% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=414 (112 in October)
  5. King boleteBoletus edulis
    Records tailing off
    38% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=41 (5 in October)
  6. ChagaInonotus obliquus
    Records tailing off
    36% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=145 (16 in October)
  7. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records tailing off
    31% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=142 (11 in October)
  8. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Records tailing off
    23% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=1,375 (95 in October)
  9. Wild grapesVitis spp.
    Records tailing off
    23% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=48 (3 in October)
  10. SumacsRhus spp.
    Records tailing off
    21% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=484 (29 in October)
  11. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Records tailing off
    19% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=50 (4 in October)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 11 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Wisconsin peak in September.

In Wisconsin, October is the busiest month of the year for records of: Giant puffball, Wild roses (hips). Records of Oyster mushrooms, Chanterelles, American plum, Chokecherry drop below the listing line after September. "Peak month" means the month with the most records for that row; "rising" and "tailing off" describe the record counts on either side of it, nothing about the plant or fungus itself.

‹ SeptemberWhole year ›

Questions

What do foragers look for in Wisconsin in October?

In public records for Wisconsin, people most often report these in October: Giant puffball, Wild roses (hips), Hen of the woods (maitake), Lion's mane and other Hericium, King bolete, Chaga, Blueberries, huckleberries and relatives, Chicken of the woods. This is a list of records, not of anything safe to eat.

Does a record mean it is ripe or edible?

No. A record means someone reported the species that month. It says nothing about ripeness, quantity or edibility, and many have dangerous lookalikes. Confirm every find with a qualified local expert.

Same month, nearby

Michigan in OctoberMinnesota in OctoberIowa in OctoberIllinois in October

Wisconsin: the whole year · October across the US

Source and date

Counts are public records by calendar month, shown as a share of each row's busiest month. A record means someone reported the species that month; it says nothing about quantity, ripeness or safety. Records follow where and when people go out, so busy weekends and popular parks count more than remote ground.

iNaturalist
Research-grade observations, Wisconsin, all years to 2026-10-20: mushrooms as all observations; fruit and nut plants as observations annotated "Fruits or Seeds". Retrieved 2026-10-20 from the iNaturalist API. inaturalist.org
USA-NPN
Nature's Notebook "Ripe fruits" phenophase status records, Wisconsin, 2009–2025 (one record = one plant in one year, from first to last "yes"). Retrieved 2026-10-20 from the USA National Phenology Network data service, shown as a cross-check where a row has at least 8 records. usanpn.org
Rows
The 11 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in October in Wisconsin. Common names are the ones foragers use and are not an identification; the scientific name is the source's taxon.

Record what you find

Forager's Field Notes is a private journal: your own names, your own patches, stored only on your phone. Log a find and your own calendar builds itself, week by week, with a year wheel you can share and a field checklist for next month.

It never identifies species or judges edibility. Free to start, no account.

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