# Survival > Foraging & Wild Edibles >  Havesting Fresh Water Clams

## tigsteele

This is the first official 1st 'Tales From The Wasteland'. In it Dogmeat and I go over one of the lesser utilized protein sources in the wild, river clams or fresh water clams. We go over gathering and preparing/cooking them. This is a wild edible that you should never over look.

WARNING: Never collect river clams from polluted water... oh yeah and they really need salt (not like there ocean cousins there)




If you have any comments or questions let me know.

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## RandyRhoads

Cool video. Glad you put the disclaimer. Wish I could try them but mine sit in the mercury filled silt.

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## natertot

Thanks for the video! My local rivers contain them and the rivers are clean. I just never knew how to actually find them. I like how you sifted them using the current. The next time I go out, I'm gonna give it a try!

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## LowKey

Not to rain on your dinner, but most freshwater clams (mussels) are endangered species...
Might want to check:
http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/clams/index.html

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## RandyRhoads

Most around my area are the opposite of endangered. Considered a nuisance. Most are an invasive I believe...

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## natertot

> Not to rain on your dinner, but most freshwater clams (mussels) are endangered species...
> Might want to check:
> http://www.fws.gov/midwest/endangered/clams/index.html


Good looking out! The only one prohibited for me it the Rayed Bean. After spending an hour and a half researching it, I am still not confident that I could positively identify it. The only two factors that I could really find is that they don't grow more than 1.5" and and they have a green tint to their shells. Doesn't narrow it down too much......

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## hunter63

Illegal in Wisconsin.......not sure i would harvest and eat anyway as they eat by filtering food out of the water, along with contaminates.

http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/fishing/regu...usselregs.html

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## Outdoorguy

I've eaten them here in Vermont, just to try them. I found them too chewy (almost like rubber) I would sooner just catch crayfish, which are pretty abundant here, and typically found in the same bodies of water. But this is good info, and would do in a pinch.

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## TrueNord

I hear fallout music in the background -_^

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## Rick

Many are on the federally endangered list, some here in Indiana are on the state endangered list, some are candidates to be included on the state or federal list, some are considered to be extirpated (hunted to extinction) while others are considered invasive. I shy away from mussels in the wild. Since I don't know the various species by sight I don't want to take the chance of having what could be a very expensive meal. 

Here's a list of Indiana mussels and their status. 

http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/files...Of_Indiana.pdf

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## Winter

In a true survival situation, I don't think endangered species laws will come into my food collection thought process.

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## Rick

Well of course not but they are not in a true survival situation in the vid and that's not what the vid is about. As I said, I don't know one specie from another. Perhaps they do.

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## moonshinehillstills

As a kid, my cousin and I would dive to the bottom of our river and grab huge ones from the bottom and my dad would grill them. They definitely are an acquired taste, that's for sure.

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## chinookpilot77

I have only ever seen one type along the fox river/indian creek basins in Illinois...and there is no way that type is endangered  haha.  They are everywhere, and easily found in shallow water by following their snail trails through the silt.  Generally speaking, there is a lighter trail where they clam has disturbed the fine layer of sediment over the sand.

I always seem to find them on sandy beds, not in muddy or rocky areas.  Very abundant where I'm at.  Used to eat them as a kid, or use them as cut bait for catfish...but there is better bait out there if you had any options.

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