# New to site



## Eric Ries (Apr 14, 2019)

Hi! I’m new to this site....have been hunting morels for several years and have a few questions:

1. I’ve had several good spots that were great for 2-3 years then they have dried up. Is it possible to over harvest?

2. Seems like some of the spots are good for small ones and others for really big ones. Even just a few hundred yards apart. What causes this?

3. Do wildlife critters eat morels? Or deer, turkeys? I see slugs and bugs on them. 

4. Do morels pop up in a day, a night or take more time to grow? If you leave a small one will it grow bigger in a couple days?

Thanks!

Eric


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## shroomsearcher (Apr 7, 2018)

1. It's like picking apples off an apple tree. The mushroom's main organism lives in the ground, it's called the mycelium. The shroom we pick is just the fruit. 

2. Different species of morel. Also the ones called _Morchella crassipes_, or "bigfoot" morel pop later in the season. 

3. I've never known them to. I have found morels smashed flat by deer walking through an area, and turkeys can be a hazard if a flock comes through scratching up the place looking for bugs. You're right though, slugs and bugs love them!

4. Look at my avatar. The big one on the right was half that size when I first found it. It looked unusual to me, just glowing golden in the grass. I put my fingertips on it, and it was so moist, I decided to leave it and see what would happen. I came back 3 days later and it had grown, plus the morel just to its left had sprouted right next to it.


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## Eric Ries (Apr 14, 2019)

Thanks for the info!!! Really appreciate it! Any idea why a good spot would dry up after being solid for a couple years?


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## shroomsearcher (Apr 7, 2018)

According to Michael Kuo (website _mushroomexpert.com_) when a morel mycelium decides to pop shrooms it's looking to "get out of Dodge". Morels have what is called a "mycorrhizal" relationship with other plants and trees in their environment. Like with elms, the mycelium forms a "sleeve" around the fine hair roots of the tree and acts like an extended root system. It supplies the tree with water and raw nutrients, and the tree returns the favor with sugars and amino acids.

When the tree gets in trouble, the mycelium can sense it and will start popping shrooms to broadcast its spore in order to reproduce. Even if the tree isn't dieing, like the apple trees on my fish & game club, they all experience stress at times. Plus, I figure some will pop shrooms any time the conditions are right since every organism seeks to reproduce itself. 

Sounds like your area that went bad had something like this happen. I had a dead elm that was good for 3 years. It hasn't produced a morel in the last 2 years. All the bark is off the tree and it's falling apart. It's too long dead and the mycelium has crapped out I guess.

This is as perfect a Spring as I've seen so far, but I've only been hunting about 8 years or so. Hope it stays that way. And you really should read Kuo. I got a couple of his books, _Morels_ and_ 100 Edible Mushrooms_, on Amazon in new condition for way less than I would have paid at a bookstore!


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## Eric Ries (Apr 14, 2019)

Thanks! Will do!


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## IrishTrish (May 10, 2018)

Eric Ries said:


> Thanks! Will do!


Eric, welcome! U will find a lot of knowledgeable folks here! It's a great place to ask questions, and share info, and share your finds! Good luck & happy hunting!


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