# Wayne, Bollinger, Butler &amp; Stoddard Co Missouri



## garden

Wow, if you are from one of these counties you are or just went thru the storms. It rained and hailed here in Wayne Co. Thunder shaking the ground and waking the snakes up lol. Until the last 2 days the woods were still winterized here. In the past few days it has been a good bud out. Still no May Apples or Trilliums up. But, I am off for the next 3 days and will be out tomorrow on the hunt. It is a late season. Usually by this time we are getting some small blondes to start frying up. I have heard of some folks getting a few blacks but I haven't seen any. If anyone around here can give a report on budding and May Apples in general locations (not specific) and I will do the same. 
I will be hitting the hills here in Wayne and the bottoms down in Stoddard tomorrow.
Geez, have to run. Another tornado warning. Take care everyone and best of luck hunting. If you see a tall hillbilly woman out in the woods, throw me a peace out sign lol.


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## woodsman1

Good luck garden. Keep us posted. Should be popping any day. Just need a few warm days now after all this rain. Hopefuly with the long winter it will giv us a longer morel season


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## garden

I just got back from the bottoms in Stoddard county. I did not find any morels but got some photos of baby May Apples about 5 inches tall, a beautiful deer and landscapes. I walked a lot! lol.. Some budding going on but not nearly green out. It was beautiful and sunny and plenty of moisture but very windy and kind of cold. The forest floors are still pretty much winterized without much green but tons of leaf litter. Under the leaves the floor is really good and moist.. I have to help my Dad tomorrow but I will hit the hardwoods up here in the hills in a day or two.


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## garden

Just came in from the hardwood forests up high in the hills. More green out, plums are blooming. No redbud blooms or May apples or trillium up here yet. It rained a lot last night and this morning and it was cold when I was out there. I found tons of Turkey Tails mushrooms (really pretty) and Amber Jellyroll or Witches butter mushrooms. Ground is super moist with lots of thick leaf litter with grass coming thru in places. Our pasture land is so green today it is nearly glowing. Bring the warm weather and it will be on here. Can't wait.


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## garden




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## langoti21

Garden, my fiancés father has some land in Puxico, was wondering it they grow in the area or not? haven't heard anything about morels from anybody from this area.


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## garden

Hi Newbie,
Yes, there are mushrooms in the Puxico area. If you find the tree's you will most likely find the shrooms. Regards...


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## langoti21

Thanks Garden! I hope to find some. I will be in Dexter on the 25, hopefully the weather will be favorable for morels by then. fingers crossed.


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## shroomstalker4 life

I live in Puxico, went to Mingo and Wappapello Lake area today. Nothing popping up yet. But with the rain and warm days it won't be long. Got May apples about 4 inches tall in my honey hole so it will be any day now they will show up. Oh I'm new to this site but have been hunting morels for years. And Garden it sounds like your in my backyard, we might know eachother and just don't know it lol. Be safe out there and most of all have fun hunting.


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## garden

Hey ShroomStalker,
I am up getting ready for work/early shift. I have family in Puxico. I went to Duck Creek yesterday and didn't see anything. But, I heard some people were finding the false/red morels. They actually eat them but I don't have the guts to even think about it. LOL scared I would be one of the 5% who get really, really sick. Maybe it won't be long. And maybe thid late start will bring something awesome, like a huge season... Good luck


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## shroomstalker4 life

Sorry you got to go to work on a Saturday, suppose to be a beautiful day today. I agree on the "red's" I might be there with you lol. Hope we do have a huge season this year, but it's looking really good to start so far. I've lived in Puxico since '89 and graduated here in '90 so I know almost everyone here (small towns are like that lol) But a few more hours for me and I'll be out on the lake (Crappie). I'll be thinking about you while your working and I'm reelin' em' in. But all joking aside you have a great day.


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## garden

You have a good one too Shroomstalker. I have to work most of the next 6 days but after that I will be on it again. They should be starting to pop really good by then. I started shrooming when kayaking down the Jacks Fork river. I found my first motherload an the banks near Birchtree. I have been hooked since then. I am a girl and 8 years your senior which makes me an old hillbilly woman compared to you lol. My son was born in '90 and he is coming home this weekend for a visit. We are going to check a few places this afternoon when I get off work. (Apparently shrooming can be a hereditary addiction lol) I will check in and hope to see you post some pics of some huge motherloads....


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## wopolock96

I live in Madison County nothing here yet but the signs

are looking good


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## mushroommamma

Hey good luck to ya'll. I am from Puxico too! I looked at Mingo yesterday for a couple hours but no luck. I graduated in 95. I'm thinking any day now!


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## garden

Hey Everyone,
Wow a lot of people from Puxico.. Nice to meet on common interest of Morels. Me and my boy went out after work on Mingo and nadda  But I really enjoyed being out there with him. There were a LOT of people out. We saw one group come in of about 12 people in a van and hit the boardwalk area with some fancy sticks that had grabbers on the end.
Anyway, a lot of nice trees and down by ditch 11 we saw some of those little brown mushrooms growing on the side of a tree. The top layer of leaves is crispy but it's nice and moist underneath in most places. Really a strange slow starting year. Anyway, good luck to everyone. I hope to see you guys posting some photo's of some motherloads real soon!


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## garden

I am getting ready to go off to work for the early shift. For inspiration go to the Arkansas message board and click on 2014 and look at what Glassman pulled out of the woods yesterday on 4-12-14. The nicest motherload I have seen near us this year. They are in Yell Co. AR south and west of us. He is the only person I have ever heard say that they got tired of picking morels and quit.. lol.. Maybe they will be moving north to us real soon. God bless everyone... and good luck.


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## mushroommamma

Me and my son went to Mingo yesterday too but the same, nothing! One or two good warm days after this rain should do it though. Im rather new to morel hunting. I have trouble identifying elm trees without their leaves but I'm working on it. Anyone have any pics? Good luck and God Bless!!


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## pirogue66

mushroomamma....doubt u will find many elms in Mingo. Look for ash,silver maples,and tulip poplars on the higher ground.


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## garden

Mushroommamma, On this iste on the Missouri board under the topic "Videos of past hunts to get the blood flowing" are some live videos shot by serious and excellent Missouri mushroom hunters. Their names are Darryl and Shroomcrafter. You should by all means watch these videos, the one titled Go for the Gold and Good Job God show many elm trees, dead and dying. They are some of the best videos around in my opinion for beginners or pros (I have been at this for years and I feel like a beginner most of the time) 
On the refuge (by their pamphlet information) you may legally hunt and keep mushroom in the area south of ditch 11. If you wanted to meet up sometime maybe we could go together. Two girl hunters could either hit good or fizzle lol
Piroque, I have seen many dead and dying Elm trees on the refuge.
Best of luck to everyone. I think by the end of this weekend and next week it is going to be on big time. I think because of our thick leaf litter and tiny size of shrooms found thus far that the freeze is not going to affect us much. I think it may be a banner year. I could be wrong but I sure hope not. I think their will be more than enough for everyone.


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## mushroommamma

Thanks Garden and Piroque66. Garden holler at me over the weekend and I'd love to meet up and hunt together. Plus I need to learn to identify the correct trees to look around. Thanks everyone for your comments. Good luck and God Bless!!


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## garden

I looked in some really great places around Poplar Bluff yesterday for about 45 minutes on my lunch break that are actually pretty rural and close to where I am teaching. A lot of elm trees, oak, poplar and some redbud etc. The may apples are up good and grass growth. Some lilac just blooming as well. Ground is still heavily covered with leaf litter and fairly moist underneath but no morels. In fact, no shrooms at all that I could find. They are probably up in places but small. With the warm weather coming, it will begin pretty soon I think. 
Mushroom Momma, I will probably go tomorrow and Sat. in a place near the lake or at Mingo, and then Church and family on Sunday and back at it Monday and Wednesday if I can get by with it. lol A friend gave me permission to hunt on their farm on the river so I am gonna hit that one day for a while. But, in all seriousness.. Where are the big blonde morels? This is the latest year I can ever remember. Good things come to those who wait ... and those who hunt mushrooms.. lol


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## garden

I went out into the hills and searched the hard woods/hilltops and hillsides and the creek bottoms. Nothing. Not even a red. Am going to hit the bottoms Monday where the Elms are. I haven't heard of any finds down there yet but I sure would like to.


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## garden

Well, I walked about 3 miles of the bottom land along the river in southern Bollinger County today and found 5 big Beef steak/false red morels. I left them because I don't eat them. I did not see any morels. I am thinking that the morels do follow the red ones and grow around where they do. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Everything is bloomed out. Saw one snapping turtle and 2 dead non poisonous snakes on the roads. Good luck everyone.


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## nico

I haven't found hardly any in Wayne county. Can the season go into all of may.? Thanks


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