From: riburr@shentel.net   
      
   Rusty Hinge wrote:   
   >   
   > In the past I've been very thankful of my marksmanship - no visible   
   > means of support except fieldcraft - for two and a half years, while the   
   > 'Government' held on to my pension.   
   >   
      
   In the States we have large, extensive tracts of public lands under   
   various designations and degrees of management.  Depending on the   
   designation, the managing authority may be Forest Rangers working under   
   the US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Park Rangers working   
   under the US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and   
   other federal employees and agencies.   
      
   The National Forests are open to a wide variety of uses by the public.   
   Common uses include hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, trail riding on   
   horseback or motorized vehicles (in designated areas), timber harvesting   
   for firewood or milling, etc.  National Forests are managed by Forest   
   Rangers, federal employees working for the US Forest Service under the   
   US Department of Agriculture.  The uses to which the National Forest is   
   utilized are extensive, but managed and controlled.   
      
   I live in the George Washington National Forest, which has been combined   
   with the neighboring Jefferson National Forest.  The GWJ National   
   Forest, as it is now known, is comprised of over 1,000,000 acres of   
   forest, all open to the public.  Wild mushroom harvesting is allowed in   
   the GWJ National Forest (I asked a Forest Ranger), but the Forest   
   Service is *not* responsible if death or injury results from eating wild   
   mushrooms (the Ranger repeated this 3 times to me, and he asked if I   
   understood the warning).  Picking is for personal consumption/use only.   
     Commercial harvesting is not allowed.   
      
   There are other areas of National Forest where wild mushroom harvesting   
   is more controlled, requiring the purchase of a permit and limitations   
   on harvest.  Utilization of National Parks and National Monuments is   
   usually much more limited.  Usually hunting and fishing is not   
   permitted, or very strictly controlled.  Hiking and camping is   
   restricted to designated trails and camping areas.  Campfires might be   
   forbidden.  Shenandoah National Park is a short drive from my home.  I   
   know people who pick Morels in the National Park, but I can only assume   
   it is legal.  Management is by Park Rangers, federal employees with the   
   National Park Service, under the Department of the Interior.   
      
   --   
   Mushroom blog:   
   http://ftvmushrooms.blogspot.com   
      
   The adpReview blog is being revised.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)