Good "morels"

[dcopas78]

Momma always told me good "morels" were important. Found a total of 96. Not bad for the first time out this year. A little early, but if the weather stays in its current pattern, it could be a very good year in my neck of the woods. Momma got her share. It is the least I could do since she was babysitting my 3 year old.


First one of the year, a beautiful thing!


My bag about half way through the hunt


Getting my share after Mom's cut ready for fixin'

 

[7mm08mo]

Awesome!! I haven't found any around here yet but with all the rain we've had it shouldn't be
long.

 

[DirtyDan]

I was just thinking today that it shouldn't be long. Nice find.

 

[NoWiser]

Not cool man!! We've still got a month or more to wait in Minnesota!

I've got a secret weapon this year. A fat tire bike. Double the speed = double the elm trees = double the mushrooms! That's the plan, at least.

Thanks for the pictures. I think morels are the best part of spring.

 

[1_pointer]

Very nice! I'll be looking for some this weekend as well. Need to train the pooch to find them...

 

[Gellar]

I saw reports on Facebook they are finding them in West Central Illinois. My weekend plans are set!

 

[Gellar]

If you are only looking under elms you are missing a lot! I find a lot of mushrooms under Apple Trees and cedar trees. One of the single best days I found a ridge point full of White oaks. At the base of the tree the leaves were blown clear, in every one of those clear spots 1 or 2 morels. After walking a circle around every oak on the ridge, i came away with several pounds!

 

[LandDiver]

I miss doing that! Another thing I want to take my son and do! Maybe my 2 daughters (8 and 5) but I'm not to sure yet ha ha. Baby can stay with momma.

 

[teej89]

This year I'm going to give it a go, I've always spring turkey hunted and kept my eyes peeled, but to no avail. Starting out new what type of trees should I be looking under? And are they mostly found at the base of trees?

Is there a science to it?

 

[nidahunter]

My spot is still under 2 feet of snow, gonna be a long spring this year....

 

[dcopas78]

This year I'm going to give it a go, I've always spring turkey hunted and kept my eyes peeled, but to no avail. Starting out new what type of trees should I be looking under? And are they mostly found at the base of trees?

Is there a science to it?

I found these on south facing slope in poplar and sassafras trees. These are what I and many others call "early black" mushrooms. They are the first I find every year and they are always in the same area. The yellows and whites I find will move around a little if that makes sense. Some times they are high on the hill, sometimes they fruit lower on the hillsides. They can grow about anywhere really if conditions are right, soil temp being the really important factor.

 

[Crumb]

Dang, those look tasty!

 

[el unit]

Totally awesome! Yum

 

[teej89]

I found these on south facing slope in poplar and sassafras trees. These are what I and many others call "early black" mushrooms. They are the first I find every year and they are always in the same area. The yellows and whites I find will move around a little if that makes sense. Some times they are high on the hill, sometimes they fruit lower on the hillsides. They can grow about anywhere really if conditions are right, soil temp being the really important factor.

when would you say is the best time to get out? I'm in NE PA, we had 30" of snow 3 tuesdays ago, it just melted in the woods as of yesterday and now it's been raining the last 5 days. You think if we get some good warm weather after all this moisture that I oughta be out there?

 

[dcopas78]

When the ground temperature at 4" below the surface reaches 50 degrees is what most books I've read say. I start looking when it is about 45 myself. You can usually find a soil temp map on the state agricultural websites. Another rule of thumb is when daytime highs are averaging in the 60s and night time averages are in the 40s.

 

[teej89]

When the ground temperature at 4" below the surface reaches 50 degrees is what most books I've read say. I start looking when it is about 45 myself. You can usually find a soil temp map on the state agricultural websites. Another rule of thumb is when daytime highs are averaging in the 60s and night time averages are in the 40s.

Awesome thank you! I found a website that shows soil temperatures for the day, looks like we're still between 30 and 35 degrees here.

 

[dcopas78]

Another tool I use is a website called morels.com that has a forum for each state. Sometimes people will report their finds on it, as well as the area of the state they are found.

 

[CodyCass]

They are starting to pop in the STL region of Missouri. Found 3 in the river bottoms next to an Elm tree

 

[duckhunt]

Awsome. Shroom season can never get here fast enough.

 

[1_pointer]

I looked for a few hours both Saturday and Sunday on east and south facing hills on my place in So. Indiana. Nada. So, either they aren't up there or my 2 decade hiatus in finding one has scrubbed the search image from my brain.