Amanita pantherina will fruit early in the spring. In the Northwest where winters are mild, I have found it as early as late January. It can be abundant and the flavor is great. Consequently many people mistakenly eat it and wind up paying a big price unless they first boil it in water and throw away the water. Amanita pantherina contains ibotenic acid and muscimol which cause changes in size and time perception, often associated with uncontrolled violent behavior followed by a deep coma-like sleep.
Death is rare, though the mushrooms are deadly for cats and dogs.