Morel Mushroom Hunting

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Dusterdude72

Dusterdude72

IN MOPAR MUSCLE MAGAZINE
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Anyone here familiar with Morel hunting?

Im in southern Michigan and right about now should be a good time to head out and find some.

Im a beginner though and was looking to see if anyone had any tips or a guide if you will that could help me along the way.

I want to take my wife and son out looking for them for a day of fun.

I have looked a couple times in the last week or 2 but with zero luck so far.

a buddy of mine went out today and filled an entire bucket though! ,so I have the itch to get out there and get some.

I know some of the basics...look around elm and dead elm trees, apple orchards,moist ground,roughly 70 degree days and 50 degree nights.

but I am definitely no expert so any tips that could boost my success would be great!

whats a good time of day to go?

what ares to look?

certain plant life that is common near morels?

and so on and so on.

THANKS!
 
Don't know about anything about the East Coast. But 1st year after burn growth is usually productive out here.
 
It is fun. But if you are a novis, I would recommend you find a seasoned vet. Morels have a cousin that looks just like them and are deadly. A good place to start is a burned out area where a brush or forest fire has gone through. They like routin logs ,under growth and so on.
 
I was already aware of that but thanks any how.

some of the difference's between a Morel and the imitation is in that its cap has more ridges to it rather than pits like a morel would have and the cap is more of an umbrella to the stem where as a morel the cap tappers into the stem.

My uncle use to pick them all the time long ago and was always very successful ....I learned a few tricks to the trade along the way but have never put them to the test personally.

So I figured I would try to get as much info and tips to add to the ole noggin so I can map out a hopefully successful day of picking with my family.
 
I've had a little experience with mushrooms but I don't think thats what your talking about.
 
Yeah I know somebody here who does. PM badsport. He does it all the time. he's in Michigan too.
 
A friend smuggled shrooms from Amsterdam to Barcelona Spain, we took em at the Imax..
 
No offense, but i looked up the Morel on google image. I'm not sure its my kind of food:
morel(3).jpg


cool looking though.
 
magnumdust said:
No offense, but i looked up the Morel on google image. I'm not sure its my kind of food:
morel(3).jpg


cool looking though.
Click to expand...

they are tasty...and for some reason i want to say sweeter then store bought mushrooms.

my tip: roll them in egg(i think) and flour and fry them in butter... mmm mmm :)
 
nope not the kind of mushrooms I was talking about LOL.

and although they may look a little weird, they are a VERY tasty treat.
 
magnumdust said:
No offense, but i looked up the Morel on google image. I'm not sure its my kind of food:
morel(3).jpg


cool looking though.
Click to expand...
the fungus among us :-D
Ive never even heard or known about these,or that they can even be eaten.Sounds like a cool idea,Dusterdude,to get away from the stress of life.Do they grow anywhere,or just your area?
 
gooooooooooood eaten like was seid above egg and buter dam just had some last night O and you can sell them to high end restrants for around 100 dollers a pound..good luck its good to do with the famly.....:cheers::cheers:
 
Gnome said:
my tip: roll them in egg(i think) and flour and fry them in butter... mmm mmm :)
Click to expand...
X3

A buddy found a pretty good 'mess' of mushrooms last weekend but he wouldn't share. I guess I'll have to go out this weekend and see what I can find! :cheers:
 
I had a small area on my property in NY that yielded some each year.....Not many, but they were a real treat.......Fry 'em quick in some butter, not overcooked, and brother what a flavor.

Some years we'd get just a couple, and others there'd be a small basket full. I wish they'd perfect a way to 'domesticate' the lil' guys. :read2:
 
All sorts of cooking tips lol, but any hunting tips on them.....other than the obvious tips.....any personal tricks you guys use to finding them?
 
It takes a lot of patience.

A good tip is to stand in one place for 6 minutes and look in a concentric pattern. Walk for one minute and stand still and look for 5-6 minutes.

Look for may apples sprouting and dead/dying elms...when you see the rusty color around a wound on the bark of an elm that is the best condition...just starting to decay...

Bring water and a bucket so when you do find them you dont damage them by having them smash together in a bag....the water is for you....you'll get thirsty.

Don't yank em out of the ground...pinch them off at the base and leave the root system.

Once you find one don't pinch it right away....leave a rag or a marker where you found it and start a slow sweep around the area in a concentric circle.

They are hard to see at first but once you see one your vision gets clearer??? somehow they become easier to see.

Lastly soak them in salt water in teh fridge for a few hours to get the bugs out...ants love em.

Egg, flour, cracked pepper and salt....fry them up in oil and butter mix and serve them with french bread....yummy.

Mop
 
This weather has really made hunting for wild food tough.
Morels, Fiddleheads,and Puff Balls are all seasonal favorites of mine.
 
Puffballs were plentiful in the Mohawk Valley........I sliced them thin (when REALLY fresh), fried them super quick in a little butter, then ate them like a pancake with a bit of butter and real maple syrup. :toothy10:

BUT, I'd rather have a bucket of MORELS!
 
magnumdust said:
No offense, but i looked up the Morel on google image. I'm not sure its my kind of food:
morel(3).jpg


cool looking though.
Click to expand...


They are good. Cooked in butter with seasonings or a sause poured over a steak or roast. It is a fun time to get out in the woods. it makes a good game for the kids.
 
Well, walked about 4 miles today, searched all the areas they "should" be...... but no luck. Going out for a couple more hours in a different area to see if I find any.
 
Did you PM badsport? He knows how to do it.
 
We call them Molly Moochers or Muggles here. They go REAL good with ramps. Look for apple or oak trees on a south facing hillside. It pretty much has to be a warm day (70s) after a rain the day or (best) night before. Around here if you wait until May you're too late. April is about the only month we have for them. Spent almost a week beating the woods for them, gave up, and found a bowl full under an apple tree in the yard. Now I know where to look next year. =P~
 
Around here mayandnjune are said to be the beat months to hunt. Mostlymay.... the michugan morel festival is in may and around here they say mothers day weekend is the true start for the hunt. We have also had unseasomable weather whichmigjt push it back some too.

But a friend of mine just unearthed a ton of them so I know they are out there.

Only thing lacking is the rain.... haven't had any in about 4 days or so.

But the forrcast is calling for a few days of rain so ill try again the beggining of next week probably.

Sent from Android smart phone.
 
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