# What happened to the half-frees?



## ksu_shroomer (Mar 29, 2013)

They used to be everywhere! But, the last few years I've found a handful. I know others on the board have experienced the same thing.
Is anybody still finding them in the same quantity as like 5-6 years ago?
Anybody have any thoughts as to what's going on? Think this year will be different?
Just curious...


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## shroomerman (Apr 9, 2013)

Ksu ... Are you talking about Dog Peckers ?? If so last year was skunked because of weather . but 2 yr's ago I was still finding a few hundred like all other yr's in the Champaign Co. area .. don't know


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## boozerburke (Apr 17, 2013)

I agree with Shroomerman .... Last years weather made them scarce .... but two years ago we found a bunch.


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## shroomfreak (Mar 30, 2013)

last year the weather did it to us! 2 years ago i found around 2500 of them i will loose some this year due to a house being built but i bet the way the weather is going right now i find around 1500 or 2000 it is looking great around here although still a hair early for big finds next week it will be on!!!!!!!!!


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## quickdraw832 (Apr 2, 2013)

I agree with all the comments above. But through my history, I have come to this conclusion: I feel the half free/snake heads/ dog packers come up "better" on a 2 year cycle. It seam to me that I have better like every 2 years finding alot of them. Grant it, last year was extremely dry around central Ohio which thrown the season (for me) in a quick tail spin. 

what do you all think about the 2 year cycle? Any thoughts on it?


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## buckeyeshroom (Apr 13, 2013)

There's a theory that I've read on various other sites that talks about these half frees and their 3 year cycle meaning the produce very plentiful one year and then go dormant. Now obviously people find them each year but not in the large numbers. Has anyone else heard this rumor/theory?


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## buckeyeshroom (Apr 13, 2013)

To clarify, they produce largely one year and then go dormant (or under produce) for 3 years and then produce large volumes again.


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## thunter (Mar 12, 2013)

It been tough down my way for half-frees lately too. Like everyone else, I just think we havn't had good weather for em. The best years for shrooms, any kind, are the years that have a very slow, gradual warm up. We're in one of those years, so far. I think we're gonna see em back in good #'s this season...i hope. :roll:


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## huntinguy (Apr 12, 2013)

Last year I found a couple hundred or so in crawford co.. haven't found any this year though. Don't know.


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## skynet (Apr 6, 2013)

The year before last my brother threw all of ours in the trash because after researching it on the internet he said you could not tell the real ones from the false ones???


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## huntinguy (Apr 12, 2013)

That's a shame. Anybody can tell the difference between them, if they cut them in half length ways.


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## amoyer09 (Apr 27, 2013)

KSU shroomer I'm a KSU student from Sandusky county. I know where to find them there, but the past few years no luck in Kent areas. Any way you can point me in the right direction or give advice? My email is [email protected] I would love to hear from you.


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## mickey (Apr 28, 2013)

WOW Shroomfreak, 2500??? Did you sell any? I'd imagine you could make a killing.


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## fishingmandan22 (Apr 10, 2013)

I have found 95 shrooms this years sp far and 50 were half frees


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## blown86lx (Apr 28, 2013)

I didn't know so many people liked these? I usually end up walking past at least a couple hundred every year. I will get some of them but usually I just go for the sponges. Now mind you if I'm not having much luck with the sponges, I will go back and pick all I can find but that rarely ever happens. I guess I'm going to have to start getting these and if nothing else I will give them away. I haven't had a year yet where I don't see at least a couple hundred of them.


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## scott c (Oct 17, 2012)

We have found a lot more spikes this year than the last 2 years combined.


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## shrooner (Apr 13, 2013)

Hey ksu.shroomer I found 180 today and 171 were Half Free (Peckerheads), Blacks some were Old Most were New a few Had dirt on the Top and they where around 6-7' Tall and we had a Hard Rain for about 2 Hours Yest so what does that Tell you, also out of the other 9 2-two were Big Yellows really Orange where the Sun had been on them so long those 2 weight 1lb and 6 oz they were as big as a 16oz Coke Bottle or maybe rounder, the other 7 were small Yellows and Greys So this year we are having a weired Season all types are growing at the same Time because I was finding Black, Half Frees and small Yellows in March. Hope this will Help you in some way.Jim


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## duane1966 (May 1, 2013)

As a kid growing up we found almost nothing but half-frees usually 500 plus per year with maybe 50 or so grays and yellows. Since I have started hunting again the last 5 years or so I have found almost no half-frees and tons of grays and yellows. Same woods, same places different mushrooms.


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