I love morel mushrooms! I haven't hunted them since I was in Ohio but plan to give it a shot this year. How is the hunting where you're at?

I'm in coastal North Carolina so I imagine they will pop up down here early. I've not hunted them here before but have been told they're around. The only problem I can see will be finding good hardwood areas in all these pines!

 

I wish we were close. We are still at least a month and a half out up here.

 

Here in Indiana the time to start finding them is mid to late April. One old timer around here (85 years old) tells me that you don't need to start looking until April 20th and then it's on.

 

Got my attention !! Closer to Mothers day around here but usually 2 weeks earlier ?

 

I'll be checking in a little closer to our season. Late April.

 

What type of terrain do you look to find them in PA?

 

I look for the popular trees you read about and just walk a lot. Old apple and elms

 

After a 21 degree morning last week was looking at a few creek deer crossings and found these, a few looked like they had peaked and were starting to lie down and rot already. Now I've found Morels, chantrelles and hen of the woods on our hunt club.

I'm in the middle of SC

 

Those are very nice looking! Early in the season as well, but you are south of me. I like Poplar and Elm trees for finding them. This makes me want to go out and check tomorrow!

 

I didnt know they got as far south as SC..wonder just how far down they go

 

I've heard they find them in Florida but couldn't say from experience.

 

Guys how do I identify an elm. They all look the same to me.

 

They have to be dead, but not to long! The bark will start falling off and the wood will be smooth. I have my best luck with trees that are 1/4 barkless. If that makes sense! Maybe someone can post up picts of a couple dead elms

 

 

I have a few spots around the columbia, newberry area that produce every year but not in huge numbers. It takes alot of poking around to get enough to make it worth picking. First time I found them i picked a half a pillowcase full. After that not so much, I've almost stopped picking them in hopes they will make a come back...no go so far. I'm actually finding more hen of the woods than morels now.

 

Interesting. I never knew they grew down here until I started doing some research. How are the hen of the woods you've been finding? I've seen some great big fruitbodies in Illinois before. A delicious mushroom by the way!

 

Got atleast a month to go before i start looking hard here in ne ohio. Past few years its been beginning of may before its gotten good for me

 

Ground temperature and moisture. A ground temperature above 50 degrees and moist soil will give the morels the first chance to sprout. They don't just grow from Elm trees. Ash, Poplar, Apple, Aspen, Pine, and Cottonwood to name a few will produce morels. Look for the tops of these trees dying to be most productive. Many times by the time the bark is falling off the trunks and the trunks are white, it's too late.

 

Really? I didn't think pine was good for morels?

 

We need moisture or it will be another bust. Last 2 seasons have been super dry.

 

I've had luck in areas where there has been a fire, and areas of abnormal digging, as well as dead trees. Some call them a distress mushroom. But I've also found them where there were none of those things. I only hunt river bottoms and creek bottoms. Some years only a few. some years sacks full. Last year started off very well and were the biggest by far that I have ever found. Then came the flood lasting until fall and all my land disappeared beneath the water. Afraid we might have the same water this year. But it does beat having a drought.

 

Really? I didn't think pine was good for morels?


yep pulling out of my drive and looked under some big pines we have.....at first i thought a buddy was playing a trick.
that was until i grabbed one and it was hooked to the ground.stopped truck and picked 16 under two trees.
told story to a friend and he said that same year he picked over 50 under a few pine trees he has.
20 years and only twice did i find them under the pines....but it can happen.

 

Morels can be crazy sometimes. They can grow in fields next to the woods and a buddy of mine once found some alongside the railroad tracks growing where there was no grass and the soil was mostly rocks. Generally they are found in certain areas in the woods but they can surprise you sometimes.

 

No kidding! I have found them in rocky soil as well. I've tried to grow them indoors and never had any luck. I believe that only one person has successfully grown them inside.

 

My dad finds them almost every year under a row of blue spruce my grandpa planted probably 30 years ago.

 

TIME to get serious! In two weeks, April 27th at the latest, I'll be harvesting morels. All I need is moisture and an 80 degree day or two. I am 40 miles east and 60 miles north of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Now how are you eastern's and southern's doing? You should be out there hunting. When the time comes, I hunt turkeys until 10:00 am and then focus only on morels.

 

I've been out a good bit with no luck. It has been rather dry here though. Do you find blacks or yellows in WY?

 

Checked a black spot here in PA, nothing yet. Need some rain and I think by next week early ones will be up in my local area

 

Turkey have been taking most of my vacation time this week, but got out yesterday afternoon in central Illinois

 

Go Illinois!! I am so pumped to harvest some morels. The turkeys are cheating but the morels only hide!