How to Find Morel Mushrooms

Morel Mushroom hunting is fun!

Morel mushrooms are among one of the great delicacies of spring. You want in on the action but where do you begin to look?
Read on and I'll share some trade secrets with you so that you also can get in on the fun of morel hunting!

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• walking stick
• citrus or onion bag
• compass
• sack lunch
• comfortable walking shoes
• long sleeves

1. Identify your morels from the outside AND the inside!

   RESEARCH - Before venturing out, the first thing you need to do is be sure your certain of what a morel looks like. There are a couple species of mushroom that look very much like the morel and you don't want to be picking the wrong kind. Take a couple from a morel hunting friend with you for reference, a good mushroom book or better yet, an experienced friend.

2. Fern Fronds come out about the same time as morel mushrooms

   KNOW WHEN TO SAY WHEN - Morels start popping up in the early spring when the ground is warming up, fern fronds are poking up and for us, after you see the first snake sunning itself. After a night of rain is perfect. If it's too dry, most morels won't be convinced to come out of hiding. They need warm, damp ground.

3. Spring Turkeys (mooning us) during morel mushroom season

   DRESS FOR SUCCESS - You will be walking in the woods. Bugs, briar's, sharp twigs.. need I say more? Wear long sleeves and pants. You will also be walking a lot so wear shoes that are comfortable. It wouldn't hurt to put on a dash of orange as spring turkey season is near morel season in many areas.

4. Morel mushrooms laying on top of the mesh bag that they were in

   IT'S IN THE BAG - Get a citrus or onion bag, the mesh type. This is what you will place your morels in when you find them. The holes allow the morel seeds to fall through so you can find more next time. It also helps protect them from being smashed. Paper bags are fine but never, ever use plastic. Morels have a lot of moisture and plastic will make a mushy mess of your hard earned loot.

5. Tree Stumps are good areas to look for when you want to find morel mushrooms

   TREES AND OTHER SIGNS OF HOPE - Morels seem to prefer the company/shade of poplar trees and also elm, ash, maple and even fruit trees. Some people have luck finding the giant white morels in apple orchards even. Morels also enjoy mossy areas, dead tree stumps and semi-freshly timbered areas. But these are all signs of hope. Morels can really be found in the oddest of places. There is a place near us that is nothing but a sand pit, yet we find morels there every year. However, I've personally yet to find any in heavy pine areas with their blankets of needles.

6. Can you spot the morel mushroom in this photo?

   WALK SLOWLY AND CARRY A BIG STICK - Walk slowly and pause often to study your surroundings. I can't count the number of times our anxious children have been stopped (or not *sigh*) from stomping on morels. Like looking at the lines of a highway, they may be right next to you but they are much easier to focus on if you look from a tad distance away. Your walking stick will come in handy for gently lifting up leaves and other soft debris that may be hiding morels.

7. These morels were all found right next to one another.

   SOCIAL FUNGI - Where you find one morel, you can usually find more. That is unless your area has already been picked over and you lucked out by finding one someone else missed.

8. You may even spot wildlife such as this bald eagle when morel hunting!

   EARLY BIRD GETS THE WORM - or in this case, early risers get the most morels. Morels emerge early and so do the successful hunters. If you sleep in, you may not find them if you happen to be hunting in territory others may tread over.

9. Don't tell your secret! Where you find morel mushrooms are guarded secrets!

   DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL - Morel hunters do not share the location of their hunting areas. Don't ask them, it's considered quite rude. But if you do, expect a sharp no with no fear of offending you.

10. Obey Land Laws when looking for morel mushrooms.

    OKAY, ASK! - Please DO ask before going where it is or may be private property before looking for morels. Safest is public land or even your own land. Heck, many people have great success canvasing the roadway ditches. Wear orange and carry trash and pop can bags and make a great day of it!

11. Morel Mushroom in the woods.

    BAG IT - Bring your lunch. Once you start finding morels it's like an endless Easter egg hunt. You will be addicted and you won't want to stop. And please, for goodness sakes, bag your trash and take it with you.

12. This is a beefsteak mushroom. Click to enlarge.

    Take your morels to your local extension office. They will inspect your morels free of charge to make sure you don't have false morels or any other mushroom that could cause you to become ill.. or worse! ----- My next article will be How To Identify Morel Mushrooms but please, it's still best to take them to the extension office.

Tips & Warnings

• Take your kids! Morel hunting makes for an awesome family fun time.

• Make a game of it. Even between adults, it's fun to see who can get the most, the biggest and even the first morel mushroom.

• Do not eat any mushroom that you are not 200% sure of what it is.

• Many people hunt and eat beefsteak mushrooms while they hunt for morels. Please DON'T. Beefsteaks can be potentially deadly. (they are MUCH bigger than a morel and look like a weird fungi brain imitation)