Morel Mushroom Hunting Tips

Terrain

• Morels will grow anywhere that has warm soil and some moisture. They cannot be grown in standing water as this will cause them to rot. The woods are a good place to find morels. They may be growing in leaf litter or in a stump, so it's easiest to spot them if you bend low. Where large trees have blown down you may find morels. The downed tree opens up the area to sunlight to heat the ground, and the fallen tree disturbed the earth which will stimulate the mycelia. The mushrooms might also be at the base of trees or around old railroad tracks. Parks and national forests are good places to hunt.

Time

• Spring is the time to find morels. They appear nearly overnight so the best time to look is a warm moist morning. An old saying states the best time to look for morels is " when dogwood tree leaves are the size of a mouse's ear." Morel season begins in California and the Pacific Northwest first, then spreads south and finally to the east. The season is very brief, so hunters should get out as soon as the ground is starting to heat up. In the early part of the season, it is a good idea to start on southern-facing hills where sun has warmed up the soil. Shady areas will probably not start fruiting until later in the season. When daytime highs have been at least 60 degrees F and nights are no colder than 40 degrees, it is time to go hunting.

Flora

• Morels seem to pop up around live or dead elm trees. No one seems to know why, but most hunters agree it is true. Even places that once had elm trees and have no evidence of them will still get large crops. White ash trees and old apple orchards are also common morel fruiting spaces. Morels will also grow near poplars and maples. The surrounding area will have other types of mushrooms and fungi -- this is a sign that the growth medium is favorable. Other trees the mushroom seems to have a relationship with are sycamores, cottonwoods, silver maples and white and red pine trees.

Identification

• Know what you are looking for. Consulting pictures in a book or on the Internet is a good start, but if you are a first-timer, take a pro. A mushroom that looks very similar to the morel is called the false morel. It contains a chemical, monmethylhydrazine, which is found in rocket fuel. It is toxic and will make you sick. Good identification and experience will spare you any illness.

Heading Out

• Be prepared for wet conditions. Bring a raincoat, boots and head covering. Morels can be put into paper bags for brief storage and should be cut off at soil level with a sharp pocketknife. You may want to bring a map or GPS and a pen and paper to make notes of where you find the fungus. When you harvest, don't take all the morels in a patch as some should stay to seed for next year.