The Best Time of Day to Pick Morel Mushrooms

The Mysterious Morels

Determination is the trademark of a successful morel mushroomer. The more days you spend partaking in the hunt, the better your chances of success in finding the elusive shrooms.

Temperature and Morels

When the average daily temperatures reach the mid-50s, the common and late morels make an appearance. In late April through May, the prime months for morel hunting, the temperatures are at their warmest from late morning to mid afternoon, generally in the 50s.

Moisture and Morels

Morels usually come up after a rain. "Right after a rain is when I have found it to be the best," says Jason Edge in his book, "Find the Tree ... Find the Morel." Mushrooms like it warm and moist--but not soggy. Morels grow where soil is moist yet well-drained--not oversaturated. If you have a dry spring, the crop will be sparse. If you have ample rain--but not an unusually wet spring--the crop will be plentiful.

Visibility and Morels

Morels are hard to see even with a trained eye. They are well-camouflaged in their natural environment amidst spring vegetation. Seemingly the best time to spot morels is late morning to early afternoon when shadows are at a minimum.

References

• Morel Mushroom.info: Indicator Trees for Morel Mushrooms
• MDC Discover Nature: Munchable Morels
• Morel Mushroom Evolution: How to Find Morels