[timberghost]

Just looking at the local ranger district website and didn't realize that a permit is required for harvesting Berries on USFS land. Has anyone got one of these for that purpose? Forest Products Permits Forest products are non-timber vegetative material used for personal, commercial and scientific purposes such as firewood, Christmas trees, wildflowers, cones, poles, tree boughs, nuts and berries, mushrooms, ornamental cuttings, moss and rocks.

[treeswarper]

I seem to remember the GPNF requiring non commercial huckleberry pickers to get permits during the 1990s. The permits were free. It took so much administrative time that they quit doing it. I do think they started it up again but am not sure. I'm thinking it would be for research purposes as there is such demand for the berries and old patches are getting shaded out by trees. Don't get me started. Commercial berry pickers must buy a permit and have had to do so for a long time. On the GPNF, some of that money goes for a garbage dumpster and enforcement of camping rules. Special Forest Products permits generate a lot of money. You do not need a permit to gather firewood for your campfire. For some of the other things listed, there is usually a bit of discretion used depending on the amount. Like I don't think anybody would bust you for taking a couple of sticks home.

[Ski]

Google search "Special Forest Products Permit <name of forest here>" (e.g., "Special Forest Products Permit Mt. Baker Snoqualmie National Forest") Rules are all spelled out on their websites. I found this one rather interesting:

[Backpacker Joe]

I have to fill out a special use permit every time I use one of my Dan McHale packs on a hike!

[Schroder]

[JVesquire]

They are relatively easy to get. You just go to the ranger district. A lot of the times the staff have never heard of this before, though, so it can take longer than you might expect!

[treeswarper]

[Windstorm]

[Cyclopath]

I found a perfect hiking stick once and took it home at the end of my hike. Didn't realize I was a hardened criminal.

[Kim Brown]

This has always been the case as far as I know. I’ve never picked even close to a gallon to take home, so no biggie for me. Same with mushrooms; no permit needed for me. I think the thing about wilderness areas in GPNF is tribal rights. At least, I know there is one area that was usually picked clean by visitors, leaving next to none for tribes. Not sure if that location is in wilderness (I don’t think so), but anyway that’s what came to my mind; tribal rights.

[treeswarper]

[Cyclopath]

I was backpacking on northern Ross Lake when I found mine. I had taken the water taxi and been dropped off, we had a pickup time and location a few days later. It's a great experience everyone should have at least once. Besides just being a beautiful place, the feeling of commitment when the boat leaves, it's different from other backpacking. Anyway, I find this perfect walking stick which is useful and also a good reminder of a good time. I didn't know if they'd let me bring it on the ferry back. But it was no problem, and it's in the gear closet with my skis. 🙂 I think everybody on this site has enough judgement and experience to do the right things. None of us are taking bear cubs home and teaching them to dance.

[Malachai Constant]

Was up at Hozomeen once getting ready to pull out with a canoe and the Ranger came over and asked where we were going and got to talking. He mentioned that a guy who own a restaurant in Vancouver had been coming by and rustling mushrooms. He was pulling out gunnysacks of morels and chanterelles and running them cross the border. I agreed that was pretty unreasonable.

[SwitchbackFisher]

[Brockton]

A few years ago, when I got interested in harvesting nettles in the spring, I called the ranger station in North Bend to see if I needed a permit or anything to pick them on NF land. They were quite confused by my question. I got the sense that noone would care if I picked a few for personal use. I lost ambition and never ended up going, at any rate.