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Step-by-step field guides written for people who actually go outside. 110+ practical tutorials covering mushroom foraging, fossil hunting, and metal detecting from beginner basics to advanced techniques.

110 guides across all difficulty levels

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Updated April 2026
110+ Guides Published

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110 matching entries

How to identify morels safely tutorial image
📖

How to identify morels safely

6 steps

How to identify morels safely covers identify morels safely with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to identify chanterelles without guessing tutorial image
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How to identify chanterelles without guessing

6 steps

How to identify chanterelles without guessing covers identify chanterelles without guessing with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to tell oysters from angel wings tutorial image
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How to tell oysters from angel wings

6 steps

How to tell oysters from angel wings covers tell oysters from angel wings with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to recognize deadly Amanitas first tutorial image
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How to recognize deadly Amanitas first

6 steps

How to recognize deadly Amanitas first covers recognize deadly Amanitas first with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to make and photograph a spore print tutorial image
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How to make and photograph a spore print

6 steps

How to make and photograph a spore print covers make and photograph a spore print with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to keep mushrooms cool in the field tutorial image
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How to keep mushrooms cool in the field

6 steps

How to keep mushrooms cool in the field covers keep mushrooms cool in the field with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to build a beginner foraging kit tutorial image
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How to build a beginner foraging kit

6 steps

How to build a beginner foraging kit covers build a beginner foraging kit with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to clean dirty chanterelles tutorial image
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How to clean dirty chanterelles

6 steps

How to clean dirty chanterelles covers clean dirty chanterelles with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to document gill attachment correctly tutorial image
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How to document gill attachment correctly

6 steps

How to document gill attachment correctly covers document gill attachment correctly with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to track tree associations tutorial image
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How to track tree associations

6 steps

How to track tree associations covers track tree associations with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to forage responsibly after heavy rain tutorial image
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How to forage responsibly after heavy rain

6 steps

How to forage responsibly after heavy rain covers forage responsibly after heavy rain with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to separate edible and study-only specimens tutorial image
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How to separate edible and study-only specimens

6 steps

How to separate edible and study-only specimens covers separate edible and study-only specimens with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to dry mushrooms for long storage tutorial image
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How to dry mushrooms for long storage

6 steps

How to dry mushrooms for long storage covers dry mushrooms for long storage with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to cook honey mushrooms safely tutorial image
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How to cook honey mushrooms safely

6 steps

How to cook honey mushrooms safely covers cook honey mushrooms safely with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to harvest hen of the woods without damaging the patch tutorial image
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How to harvest hen of the woods without damaging the patch

6 steps

How to harvest hen of the woods without damaging the patch covers harvest hen of the woods without damaging the patch with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to collect medicinal polypores ethically tutorial image
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How to collect medicinal polypores ethically

6 steps

How to collect medicinal polypores ethically covers collect medicinal polypores ethically with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to use GPS without leaking your spots tutorial image
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How to use GPS without leaking your spots

6 steps

How to use GPS without leaking your spots covers use GPS without leaking your spots with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to read weather windows for burn morels tutorial image
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How to read weather windows for burn morels

6 steps

How to read weather windows for burn morels covers read weather windows for burn morels with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to photograph mushrooms for later ID tutorial image
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How to photograph mushrooms for later ID

6 steps

How to photograph mushrooms for later ID covers photograph mushrooms for later ID with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to check for insect damage before packing tutorial image
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How to check for insect damage before packing

6 steps

How to check for insect damage before packing covers check for insect damage before packing with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to recognize puffball maturity tutorial image
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How to recognize puffball maturity

6 steps

How to recognize puffball maturity covers recognize puffball maturity with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to compare milkcaps in pine woods tutorial image
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How to compare milkcaps in pine woods

6 steps

How to compare milkcaps in pine woods covers compare milkcaps in pine woods with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to log repeat-producing patches tutorial image
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How to log repeat-producing patches

6 steps

How to log repeat-producing patches covers log repeat-producing patches with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to avoid lawn mushroom mistakes tutorial image
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How to avoid lawn mushroom mistakes

6 steps

How to avoid lawn mushroom mistakes covers avoid lawn mushroom mistakes with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to prepare samples for a mycology club review tutorial image
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How to prepare samples for a mycology club review

6 steps

How to prepare samples for a mycology club review covers prepare samples for a mycology club review with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to build a mushroom notebook system tutorial image
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How to build a mushroom notebook system

6 steps

How to build a mushroom notebook system covers build a mushroom notebook system with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to read habitat clues on public land tutorial image
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How to read habitat clues on public land

6 steps

How to read habitat clues on public land covers read habitat clues on public land with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to find winter mushrooms on hardwood tutorial image
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How to find winter mushrooms on hardwood

6 steps

How to find winter mushrooms on hardwood covers find winter mushrooms on hardwood with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to preserve mushroom colors in photos tutorial image
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How to preserve mushroom colors in photos

6 steps

How to preserve mushroom colors in photos covers preserve mushroom colors in photos with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to decide when not to pick a specimen tutorial image
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How to decide when not to pick a specimen

6 steps

How to decide when not to pick a specimen covers decide when not to pick a specimen with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

mushroomsbeginner
How to spot fossils in sedimentary rock tutorial image
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How to spot fossils in sedimentary rock

6 steps

How to spot fossils in sedimentary rock covers spot fossils in sedimentary rock with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to split shale without destroying specimens tutorial image
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How to split shale without destroying specimens

6 steps

How to split shale without destroying specimens covers split shale without destroying specimens with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to wrap fragile fossils for transport tutorial image
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How to wrap fragile fossils for transport

6 steps

How to wrap fragile fossils for transport covers wrap fragile fossils for transport with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to read a geologic map before a trip tutorial image
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How to read a geologic map before a trip

6 steps

How to read a geologic map before a trip covers read a geologic map before a trip with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to use a hand lens on bone texture tutorial image
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How to use a hand lens on bone texture

6 steps

How to use a hand lens on bone texture covers use a hand lens on bone texture with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to distinguish shell from rock casts tutorial image
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How to distinguish shell from rock casts

6 steps

How to distinguish shell from rock casts covers distinguish shell from rock casts with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to work badlands safely in heat tutorial image
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How to work badlands safely in heat

6 steps

How to work badlands safely in heat covers work badlands safely in heat with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to collect at creek bars after runoff tutorial image
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How to collect at creek bars after runoff

6 steps

How to collect at creek bars after runoff covers collect at creek bars after runoff with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to document provenience in the field tutorial image
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How to document provenience in the field

6 steps

How to document provenience in the field covers document provenience in the field with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to clean fossils without over-prepping tutorial image
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How to clean fossils without over-prepping

6 steps

How to clean fossils without over-prepping covers clean fossils without over-prepping with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to stabilize crumbly bone tutorial image
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How to stabilize crumbly bone

6 steps

How to stabilize crumbly bone covers stabilize crumbly bone with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to screen gravel for microfossils tutorial image
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How to screen gravel for microfossils

6 steps

How to screen gravel for microfossils covers screen gravel for microfossils with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to recognize common invertebrate fossils tutorial image
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How to recognize common invertebrate fossils

6 steps

How to recognize common invertebrate fossils covers recognize common invertebrate fossils with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to compare shark teeth by shape tutorial image
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How to compare shark teeth by shape

6 steps

How to compare shark teeth by shape covers compare shark teeth by shape with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to spot petrified wood versus ordinary wood tutorial image
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How to spot petrified wood versus ordinary wood

6 steps

How to spot petrified wood versus ordinary wood covers spot petrified wood versus ordinary wood with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to photograph fossils with scale tutorial image
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How to photograph fossils with scale

6 steps

How to photograph fossils with scale covers photograph fossils with scale with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to use UV light on mineralized finds tutorial image
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How to use UV light on mineralized finds

6 steps

How to use UV light on mineralized finds covers use UV light on mineralized finds with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to pack a day fossil kit tutorial image
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How to pack a day fossil kit

6 steps

How to pack a day fossil kit covers pack a day fossil kit with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to prepare specimens for home display tutorial image
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How to prepare specimens for home display

6 steps

How to prepare specimens for home display covers prepare specimens for home display with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner
How to tell bone from concretion tutorial image
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How to tell bone from concretion

6 steps

How to tell bone from concretion covers tell bone from concretion with a practical field workflow instead of vague blog advice. The steps are written for people who actually need to make decisions outdoors, document what they found, and avoid turning a small mistake into a ruined trip or damaged specimen.

fossilsbeginner

Showing 50 of 110 matching entries

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Are these guides suitable for beginners?
Yes. Each guide is tagged with a difficulty level — beginner, intermediate, or advanced. Beginner guides assume no prior experience and walk you through every step. Start with beginner guides in your chosen category and work up.
What gear do I need to follow these guides?
Each guide lists recommended gear at the bottom. Most beginner guides require minimal equipment. Check our Gear section for detailed reviews of every recommended item.
Can I use these guides offline?
The TroveRadar app includes offline access to all guides, which is essential since many field locations lack cell service. Download the app to take these guides into the field.