Foraging for mushrooms has become such a popular hobby that the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is now considering limiting the number of fungi that people can harvest in state parks.

Right now a person can pick as many mushrooms as they want for personal consumption. The new rule by the DNR would set a limit of a gallon bag of mushrooms per person.

“We started to see impacts to food available to wildlife, goat trails to place where you would look for mushrooms,” Natural Resource Program Supervisor Ed Quinn said. “We want to make sure there are opportunities for other visitors to be able to see and photograph mushrooms, and that’s being diminished if we have some groups taking large amounts.”

Alan Bergo is a St. Paul chef and mushroom hunter. 

Bergo doesn’t believe a mushroom limit is needed.

“I feel like they’re going to do whatever they want and push the regulations through without taking the advice of experts on the topic,” Bergo said. “Right now you can take as many mushrooms as you want. Most of the time people are going to go and not find any.”

After holding public hearings this fall, the DNR says the new rule would take effect next year.