Updated 28 July 2026
How are Slippery jack doing in County Mayo this July?
The best time for slippery jack in Ireland is August to November, with the peak normally in the middle of that range. Today they’re at 18% and building in County Mayo
It is outside the usual season for Slippery jack, so expect only scattered finds.
Grows in conifer woods, almost always with pine, on sandy or poor soil and often along forest tracks and clearings. Common in young plantations and appears in groups.
Always peel off the slimy cap skin and remove the spongy pore layer first, as both can upset the stomach. Slice and fry in butter for a soft side dish, add to risotto or stews where the texture suits, or dry the cleaned pieces and grind into a savoury mushroom powder for stocks and sauces.
Other Suillus boletes such as the larch bolete (Suillus grevillei) and weeping bolete, all of which are also edible, so there are no dangerous poisonous lookalikes. The slimy brown cap, yellow pores and ringed stem set it apart from any toxic gilled mushroom.
County Mayo is a wild, windswept corner of Ireland’s Atlantic west, where the drumlin-studded waters of Clew Bay, the cone of Croagh Patrick and the Nephin Beg and Mweelrea mountains give way to vast open blanket bog. Much of the interior is treeless moorland and peatland, broken by the large lakes of Lough Conn and Lough Mask and a deeply indented, exposed coastline. Native woodland is scarce here, surviving mainly as small pockets of oak, birch, hazel and rowan in sheltered valleys and along lake shores, while much of the timber is in Coillte conifer plantations of Sitka spruce. Look for mushrooms at woodland edges, in mossy birch and oak stands, and on the grassy, well-grazed pastures and bog margins that cover so much of the county.
Mayo has a cool, hyper-oceanic climate and is one of the wettest parts of Ireland, with frequent rain, high humidity and strong Atlantic winds throughout the year. Mild winters and damp, cloudy summers keep the ground moist and create excellent conditions for fungi over a long season. Expect a landscape better suited to grassland and bog fungi than to deep woodland species, with waxcaps thriving on the old unimproved pastures and hill grazing for which the west of Ireland is known. The remoteness rewards those willing to walk, but always tread carefully on wet bog and respect that much land is grazed and privately held.
FAQ
How does the live slippery jack forecast for County Mayo, Ireland work?
We take the usual slippery jack season for County Mayo, Ireland (August to November) and weigh it against the weather right now and over the last few days. That gives you one live number, today 18% and building, plus a 14-day outlook and a normal-year line to compare against.
When is slippery jack season in County Mayo, Ireland?
In County Mayo, Ireland, slippery jack season usually runs August to November. The exact start shifts year to year with rain and temperature, so some years they show up early and some years late. Right now (July) the live forecast for County Mayo, Ireland reads 18% and conditions are building.
Where do slippery jack grow in County Mayo, Ireland?
Grows in conifer woods, almost always with pine, on sandy or poor soil and often along forest tracks and clearings. Common in young plantations and appears in groups. They tend to come back to the same kinds of ground year after year, so once you find good cover it is worth checking again. ShroomCast does not share exact spots; it tells you the timing for County Mayo, Ireland so you know when it is worth heading out.
How do I know slippery jack season has started in County Mayo, Ireland?
Season usually kicks off after a warm spell followed by steady rain, with the first flushes appearing somewhere in the August to November window. The clearest sign is the live forecast lifting off zero into ‘just starting’ or ‘building’. For County Mayo, Ireland it currently sits at 18% and is building.
Are slippery jack out near me right now in County Mayo, Ireland?
Today the slippery jack forecast for County Mayo, Ireland is 18% and conditions are building. That is a live read for the region this July, and it shifts with the weather rather than following a fixed calendar. It tells you if it is worth heading out in County Mayo, Ireland right now.
See the live regional forecast in the ShroomCast app.
Scale: 0-20% very low · 20-40% low · 40-60% moderate · 60-80% high · 80-100% excellent. ShroomCast forecasts fruiting probability from weather, soil, forests and years of observations – a guide, not a guarantee of finds.