SpartyOn Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I figured this might be appropriate considering how weather dependent this hobby is. Come to find out many of the posters in this sub forum are avid morel hunters. With the very warm conditions and a early end to a wet winter, we might have one of the greatest morel seasons ever. A cut-off low this weekend will bring cool and rainy conditions to a warm groud. This should be the catalyst for rapid spore growth. Place your pictures and maps here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskimo Joe Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Huh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-L-E-K Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Huh? http://lmgtfy.com/?q=morel+mushrooms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cary Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Shrooms Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-L-E-K Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 side note but also popular for foragers, ramps are already up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks for starting the thread, Sparty. I am planning on going Saturday. A combination of rapidly warming soil and some rain Thursday night through Saturday should do the trick. It's amazing that we are talking about the possibility of finding mushrooms during third week of March. Usually in my area, the blacks pop about the last week of April and the yellows/whites the first week of May. I have noticed that over the past few years that I having been finding them a few days earlier. Last year I found blacks the third week of April and yellows through about May 3rd. I have read that morels usually start sprouting when soil temps reach about 53 degrees. I know that soil temperature is variable, even within a few feet, but I would like to get an idea of the temps locally. So far, I have been unable to locate a web site that gives current soil temps. Could anyone help? I'll post more later when I more time, including some pics of some nice yellows I found last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janetjanet998 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxman1952 Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 When e lived in Norther Michigan we'd get quite a few people serching for those tasty Morels. We lived N of Gaylord MI. Another favorite place is NW of Cadillac in the higher elevations. http://saginawcountyweather.webs.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpartyOn Posted March 31, 2012 Author Share Posted March 31, 2012 well? Waiting on rain. We got some today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 I went to 2 woods last Sunday (the 25th) where I usually find the early blacks and greys and found nothing after 3 1/2 hrs of searching. I have heard scattered reports of people finding some around my latitude, but not many. It was kind of strange, because many plant species that don't appear until mid or late April were up, while others weren't. I did notice that the May-apples were just coming up, which are usually fully developed by the time I begin finding morels. Maybe the soil temperature is not quite warm enough yet. Perhaps daylight hours play a role in fruit sprouting. I'm not sure and haven't done enough digging for any research that has been published. As far as soil moisture, it had become a little dry, but we received over an inch of rain 2 days before I went out. Long term, we have been plenty wet except for a couple of months late last summer. I think that i will try a little experiment and visit the same spots I tried last weekend. The soil temperature has not increased in the past week and we received a little, but not a lot, of rainfall. Finding any in those spots may be an indication that daylight hours may be a link in fruit sprouting. They may just not come up in these spots this year, but the blacks are pretty reliable about coming up in the same place, year after year. The yellows, naso much. My dad used to keep a detailed mushroom hunting and fishing diary. The earliest he ever found any around these parts was April 18th. Of course, he never lived through a spring like the one we are experiencing. Some yellows that I found around the first of May last year (I will have to dig up some older pics from past years if I can't find any this weekend lol) : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 When e lived in Norther Michigan we'd get quite a few people serching for those tasty Morels. We lived N of Gaylord MI. Another favorite place is NW of Cadillac in the higher elevations. http://saginawcountyweather.webs.com/ Back in the '70's and early '80's, my parents would travel to Michigan every year to hunt, usually around the 3rd or 4th week of May. They hunted around the Mesick (Wexford Co) or Mancelona (Antrim Co) areas. I went once with them as a young man and it was fun and interesting. The funny thing is that they would hunt on private land. It was pretty open back then, with not much development. I am assuming that it is more populated now and just wondering through people's private property is more frowned on. Back then, they would just drive around and if they saw a good looking woods, they would just stop and begin hunting. Today, it would be a good way to get shot at, I'm sure. EDIT: They would find hundreds, if not thousands, every year in a three-day period. They would have a heart attack if they knew what the price per pound for morels are today. Even in 1978 dollars, it would be amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 'Shrooms are a poppin' in NE Indiana. I found these blacks this morning. They are very small and slightly discolored from rubbing in my pocket. I left few to grow, but wanted some for a meal. I then went to a woods where I usually find yellows. I picked one tiny one shown below, then found a couple of more that were even smaller! I would have never have found these tiny dudes had I not known where to look. If my dad were alive he would never believe that I'm finding mushrooms in this part of Indiana in March. They are small and fresh. With rain and very warm temps for the next couple of days, they should be going strong within a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpartyOn Posted April 1, 2012 Author Share Posted April 1, 2012 'Shrooms are a poppin' in NE Indiana. I found these blacks this morning. They are very small and slightly discolored from rubbing in my pocket. I left few to grow, but wanted some for a meal. I then went to a woods where I usually find yellows. I picked one tiny one shown below, then found a couple of more that were even smaller! I would have never have found these tiny dudes had I not known where to look. If my dad were alive he would never believe that I'm finding mushrooms in this part of Indiana in March. They are small and fresh. With rain and very warm temps for the next couple of days, they should be going strong within a few days. Great find! I can't wait for them to pop up here! This cool rainy week should really get things moving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IMADreamer Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Well call me a weanie but I went out over the weekend and found a bunch of snakes. Seriously in the half hour I was out I saw six of those suckers. That was enough for me. Also the ticks seem pretty bad this year too. I suppose the warm winter has something to do with that. So no mushrooms for me this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxman1952 Posted April 2, 2012 Share Posted April 2, 2012 Back in the '70's and early '80's, my parents would travel to Michigan every year to hunt, usually around the 3rd or 4th week of May. They hunted around the Mesick (Wexford Co) or Mancelona (Antrim Co) areas. I went once with them as a young man and it was fun and interesting. The funny thing is that they would hunt on private land. It was pretty open back then, with not much development. I am assuming that it is more populated now and just wondering through people's private property is more frowned on. Back then, they would just drive around and if they saw a good looking woods, they would just stop and begin hunting. Today, it would be a good way to get shot at, I'm sure. EDIT: They would find hundreds, if not thousands, every year in a three-day period. They would have a heart attack if they knew what the price per pound for morels are today. Even in 1978 dollars, it would be amazing. I know Mesick an great spot too. In fact, a few yars ago we were going to Traverse City and stopped in a bar in Mesick to get a hamburg. A guy came in with some of the biggest moreals I every seen. Most were all 8' or bigger. There's a lot of forested "State" land up north to hunt for free on, but I guess getting there first before others is the trick. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg ralls Posted April 4, 2012 Share Posted April 4, 2012 I absolutely love mushrooms, but after I read this story about a guy who ate a destroying angel he picked a few years ago, I vowed never to pick my own. I know they look nothing like morels, but it was still enough for me to decide that it's not worth it to me. http://blog.mycology.cornell.edu/?p=68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted April 5, 2012 Share Posted April 5, 2012 I absolutely love mushrooms, but after I read this story about a guy who ate a destroying angel he picked a few years ago, I vowed never to pick my own. I know they look nothing like morels, but it was still enough for me to decide that it's not worth it to me. http://blog.mycology.cornell.edu/?p=68 Interesting story. However, I have little sympathy for an educated person who eats a mushroom without identifying it first, especially if they think they are eating a mushroom that closely resembles a destroying angel. Morels are hard to mix up with other, poisonous mushrooms. The morel of the story is be educated on what you pick and eat. (baaaaad pun) Can't wait for Saturday, gonna go pick those tasty treats I found last weekend and left to grow. I'll also look for more. Gotta find them before the weeds cover them all up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I went on an Easter egg hunt today and filled my basket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Rent Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I've always wanted to try morels, bit wouldn't have the slightest idea on hunting then. Can you buy them. Sent from my ADR6400L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted April 10, 2012 Share Posted April 10, 2012 I've always wanted to try morels, bit wouldn't have the slightest idea on hunting then. Can you buy them. Sent from my ADR6400L I have never seen them being sold in a store. I have seen them for sale at roadside stands occasionally. However, the going price is well over $20 a pound. I actually ran into another mushroom hunter in the woods last weekend and he said he saw some for sale with an asking price of $40 a pound! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Rent Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Holy crap! How long does it take you to harvest in a pound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Holy crap! How long does it take you to harvest in a pound? That depends. Until you find a few spots, you could walk for miles and spend hours looking fruitlessly. Now that I know a few places, I can spend about 4 hours a year and get a pound or two. However, I usually spend 10 - 15 hours a year walking through new areas, hoping to find new patches. Of course, there aren't nearly as many good areas to look in Indiana as there are in Michigan. I used to walk the woods up there and find many, many pounds without even knowing for sure where to look. The best woods around here are usually private, but I've found a couple of spots on local reservoir property. They only grow in certain spots in certain woods. They tend to grow around dead elms and certain other dead trees, They are found occasionally in apple orchards or around apple trees. When I used to go up to Michigan years ago, I found them under pine trees, but have never found them around pines in Indiana. I have also found them along creek banks. I have never found them in swampy areas, regardless of what you may have heard. They do grow very near these wet areas though. Sometimes there seems to be no rhyme or reason for there they grow. I've found them along with my golf ball in the rough at the course! They do tend to grow in the same spots year after year. Once you find a patch, you can usually go back and gather more the next year, but not always! I've had patches with nothing for 2 or 3 years, then find them there again, and some years with better numbers than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonger Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 That depends. Until you find a few spots, you could walk for miles and spend hours looking fruitlessly. Now that I know a few places, I can spend about 4 hours a year and get a pound or two. However, I usually spend 10 - 15 hours a year walking through new areas, hoping to find new patches. Of course, there aren't nearly as many good areas to look in Indiana as there are in Michigan. I used to walk the woods up there and find many, many pounds without even knowing for sure where to look. The best woods around here are usually private, but I've found a couple of spots on local reservoir property. They only grow in certain spots in certain woods. They tend to grow around dead elms and certain other dead trees, They are found occasionally in apple orchards or around apple trees. When I used to go up to Michigan years ago, I found them under pine trees, but have never found them around pines in Indiana. I have also found them along creek banks. I have never found them in swampy areas, regardless of what you may have heard. They do grow very near these wet areas though. Sometimes there seems to be no rhyme or reason for there they grow. I've found them along with my golf ball in the rough at the course! They do tend to grow in the same spots year after year. Once you find a patch, you can usually go back and gather more the next year, but not always! I've had patches with nothing for 2 or 3 years, then find them there again, and some years with better numbers than others. Tell me you picked them all right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted April 15, 2012 Share Posted April 15, 2012 Tell me you picked them all right? Of course I did. They ended up in a pouch on my bag. One benefit of missing the fairway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpartyOn Posted April 20, 2012 Author Share Posted April 20, 2012 Went out 3 times this week only to strike out hardcore. Trying again this evening in a spot where known dead elms are. Also my old spot was full of deer tracks thus explaining where the morels went. Brutal when you are competing with the white tail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted April 20, 2012 Share Posted April 20, 2012 Went out 3 times this week only to strike out hardcore. Trying again this evening in a spot where known dead elms are. Also my old spot was full of deer tracks thus explaining where the morels went. Brutal when you are competing with the white tail! I've heard that deer will eat mushrooms. I would think that I would see partially eaten morels, but I've never seen that. Is it a fact or just hearsay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestMichigan Posted April 21, 2012 Share Posted April 21, 2012 A coworker brought in about 20 morels for me yesterday. He went out to his garden about 20 minutes north of Grand Rapids and found them. He said there would be more next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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