I've only heard of innoculating wood logs, simply because the innoculant is usually in pelleted wooden plugs.

I wonder if I could buy the pellets and bury them in the wood chips. The entire kits are so expensive- I was hoping to use the piles of hardwood chips I already have and cut the cost. I wonder if I could buy innoculated sawdust or straw and bury that under the wood chips?

I would be concerned about spores already contained in the wood chips. Mine always bloom with all kinds of fungi as they get moist for long periods of time. I'd just be very careful.
http://www.mycomasters.com/Basics.html

Loads of info on that link including talk of wood chips.

is there any reason folks don't want mushrooms to grow on their natural/untreated mulch? i mean, i know many are poisonous, but is there any real distinct and pervasive harm to humans?

I don't see why there would be any harm, except that if people use mulch that they want to last forever the mushrooms are a sign of natural decomposition. I use natural wood chips precisely because I want them to compost over time. If I get some tasty or visually interesting mushrooms out of it, all the better. I've checked out all sorts of mushroom hunting guides from the library so that if any wild ones sprout up I'll be ready to id them in the hopes of finding some edible ones.

i'm really hit or miss on ID'ing the mushrooms. i would say that i'm usually about 1 for 3 (1 ID out of 3). and even the ones i recognize are always the poison ones =(

i don't think I'll actually have the courage to eat anything unless I'm with an experienced mushroom hunter. Any volunteers to teach me the ropes in ATL area?

Check out www.gamushroomclub.org

You will likely find lots of shroom specific help there.

Oh, yes. Do that - my friend has gone on trips with them and done much mushroom hunting and can spot edible ones...I can't. Which is why you need to be sure! :)