Mushroom hunting is a specialized skill that takes years to learn. Wild mushroom species are difficult to identify, and many wild mushrooms are poisonous. No one, therefore, should eat a mushroom found in the wild unless he or she is with an experienced person who can positively identify the species as safe to eat. Scientists wanted to learn from mushroom hunters about morels, a kind of mushroom. They wanted to combine mushroom hunters’ knowledge with that of scientists studying morels to better Topics: Social Science, Wilderness, Decomposers, Geography, Morel Biology, Morel Ecology, Mushrooms, Population Trends.