Consider one more point: Chaga should not be collected in regions with high radioactive backgrounds. It is known that the degree of accumulation of radionuclides by fungi strongly depends on what and where they grow. Fungi growing on wood always accumulate radioactive elements to a much lesser extent than soil ones. The season of collecting chaga, no matter what you read about it, does not matter. Just proceed from when you have free time or when the Chaga is seen best. Usually, chaga mushroom is most convenient to extract in winter. At this moment, the forest is bare, and large black sclerotia are perfectly visible against the background of white birches and white snow.
