# mid mo/Callaway county



## cbmyers22

I went out Wednesday Thursday and Saturday hills and bottoms by the mo river and nothing yet not even my may apples. I have been hearing of people finding reds/false morels but I haven't seen any. Was wondering if anyone is finding anything. Tomorrows low is 25 so not looking forward to it. Thinking the first week of may and the will be everywhere.


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## treehouse

I'm in mid-MO as well. Went to a couple of very promising locations over the weekend, including a place that was pretty productive last year. The may apples are definitely opened up in some places here, but the vegetation isn't quite where it usually is when I've found morels. I think it's still a little bit too early. I know some of the maps show that people have spotted morels elsewhere in Missouri, as far north as St. Joseph, but I'm not sure if those are bogus claims or if the vegetation is further along than it is here. It ain't quite time yet.


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## bsweet0424

I also hunt near Calloway county on the border of Montgomery and Calloway by the lutre river. I went out on Saturday and Sunday. I walked all 300acres and didn't find anything. I have a few honey holes up there and non seemed ready. I am pretty sure that we are about 10 days or so from full fledged shrooming heaven. I'm gonna continue to go about every other day after this cold weather passes.


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## mokid

I found 7 grey in Mo river bottom last night.


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## ismellshroomies

I am originally from Illinois, I was actually surprised last year on how dedicated shrooms are to the creek beds around mid mo. I don't think I found more than 10-15 that were more than 20 feet away from a creek. It took me a little bit but I was sure to find em last year. Last nights freeze threw em back a week or so. The weather is going to warm up now though and more rain is coming. sun/rain/sun/rain/sun sun sun sun ohhhh yeah! My hunting will start next week they should be poppin up everywhere, I hope.


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## texayers

A Callawegian here who on last Friday walked the Mo River and Sunday as well and saw nothing. I even went to the stumps where I found the Reds (which are called Elephant Ears in Mycology) and saw none of those either. Just because I don't trust people and cannot stand trespassing boaters I am going out with my dog in the morning even though it will be cold. I don't want to miss any or get beat to them, I've always found them under cottonwoods when they drop their seeds and that is occurring as we speak. Good luck, if anyone has any tips they would be appreciated.


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## mokid

ismellshroomies it is not about the creek beds it is about the water run off ditches from ground above that collects the right materials for mushrooms and holds moisture. The cold weather may set season back a day or two keep and eye on soil temp it will come back up quicker than you think. Cold only hurt anything that has already bloomed mushrooms are still in the ground. Cold to warm with ground moisture means POP POP POP mushrooms up. I hunt same places every night I can because I know the mushrooms are going to be there sooner or later. You can't find them if you don't go looking.


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## trdsmn

texayers: You are incorrect sir. "elephant ears", as well as "beef steak", "red mushroom", "brain mushroom", are all slang for genus gyromitra- a toxic "false morel". 
There are many species of gyromitra in Northern hemisphere. 
In the field of mycology they are recognized by the following names:
Gyromitra ambigua
Gyromitra brunnea
Gyromitra bubakii
Gyromitra californica
Gyromitra caroliniana (North America)
Gyromitra esculenta - False morel
Gyromitra fastigiata
Gyromitra gigas - Snow morel
Gyromitra korfii - Possibly a synonym of G. gigas
Gyromitra montana - North American Snow morel
Gyromitra infula - Elfin saddle
Gyromitra leucoxantha
Gyromitra perlata (source: Wikipedia)
Enjoy the hunt and good luck


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## texayers

Thank you for the clarification. This is a genus I was unfamiliar with until I moved to the region a few years from the beaches of South Texas. I would like to know what a true Red morel looks like or if it even exists as I know many people who swear by their being edible. I found two last year growing on a stump and the majority of stump growing mushrooms are inedible (other than Lin Chi, Oyster Mushrooms, etc.) Your clarification is appreciated and good luck to you as well.


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## garden

Texayers, I call all the red ugly ones, red ugly ones. My brother and his wife eat them fried. It freaks me out, but they have never gotten sick. They ask me to bring them to them when I find them but between us, I don't. I am afraid they will get ill from them someday. I do know that when you find them it won't be long till you find morels. My son grad. from Mizzou last year and works up there. Great area... Best of luck


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## mokid

28 more grey's last night. Mushrooms are getting taller nice 1 1/2 - 3 inch tall. The wind really dried the ground yesterday we now need more moisture. Going again tonight. Can't find 'em if your not looking for 'em


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## cbmyers22

Yeah I keep hearing people finding them in the bottoms so im going to go out tonight and do some looking of my own. I'll post my findings later. Good luck everyone time to hit the woods and creeks


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## scarboni007

Hey Garden where do you suggest going to look in Columbia, MO. I live up here as well and graduated from Mizzou a few years ago. I live right on the MKT trail off of Forum and went out deep in the woods and worked the creek beds and what not last year for 2 weeks straight and didnt find a thing, but i think i went out too late last year. I also have checked Rockbridge State park, but that place is picked like crazy and there are always a lot of people there. I am trying to find a new place to try out this week or next week, but i havent figured out where to go yet. Any help would be appreciated. I did find over a pound and half of smaller greys this last weekend @ Table Rock Lake by the river bottoms all in one spot.


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## cbmyers22

Scarboni007 I haven't really had too much luck along the mkt trail in Callaway either I do find some here and there they're just picked over to much. I find most of mine along creeks that go into the mo river I also prefer lower creeks where boaters cant get to.


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## shroomlover

I went out on my place in So. Cole Co. last Friday; found 3 small whites. That got my hopes up and I was sorely disappointed when I went back Sunday and didn't find anything. Am anxious and can't wait to get back out this weekend. After all, those ticks are probably hungry and waiting for me.


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## garden

Hey Scarboni, I am not from Columbia, but I have looked around there a wee bit on visits to my son. I am going to be in some agreement with cbmyers22 and say that along the banks of the rivers and creeks, esp. the south and west facing ones right now would be good, but the prime thing I look for is the dead and dying Elm tree. My favorite areas are these and hillsides over bottom areas with the right tree's here in the Eastern Ozark foothills. 
I used to kayak the Jacks Fork river south of you guys around the Birchtree area and it was really good pickings along the banks/hillsides where the Elms were and so amazingly beautiful. You young guys are doing really, really great already by finding the blacks. It isn't everyone that does. Keep burning that boot leather, studying your trees and learning and you will very soon be master shroomers and we will all be watching you on Youtube...


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## cbmyers22

Just got back from checking one of my spots in the hills and still nothing. The may apples are coming up they are around 6 inches tall. Going to check couple of my spots down in the bottoms along the river Saturday morning.


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## mofarmgirl

I found 4 small grays in Fulton (Callaway County). Found two on the 15th and two today (17th). They are small, but edible! I picked the first two I found on the 15th due to the wind drying them out. I'm letting the other two grow more. I've also been down on the river and found nothing (yesterday, the 16th). But I will be going back soon to scope it out again. Haven't found anything in any of my honey holes yet. These grays come up around the same tree every year, and will usually pop on up in the 40 degree nights. Soon after the blondes will start popping up, can't wait! Good luck to all you 'shroomers this year! :lol:


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## mokid

Found 23 grey and 1 red last night. Total of 58 grey 1 red since Monday. Beer and mushrooms at the neighbors tonight that's right I do share. Then back on the hunt this weekend come on rain and temp next week then the excitement will start. Happy hunting mushrooms or Easter eggs to all.


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## texayers

Mokid,I am so happy, and jealous, for you. I hunt my family's farms in the county and walk the river and creeks which we farm as well and haven't seen hide, nor hair of a morel yet. South Callaway just doesn't seem to be producing yet but the woods are turning green so I'm hoping for the best. However I found a dead armadillo today and being a Texan I can tell you that you will have less of anything edible on the ground with those pesky things around. Are there any animals that dig up the Morels before they pop or am I seeing holes that animals are digging up grubs and worms for. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated by this fellow mushroom enthusiast.


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## morelmo

Found 2 small greys in southern boone/callaway co. river bottoms . Only about a inch tall was going to leave them to grow but there was some other hunters out so i picked them. First ones of the year for me and. I think the season.is just starting with rain coming next week it should be prime. good luck to u other shroomers


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## trdsmn

texayers: Im like you, a bit jealous haha.Im west of you in Pettis county but I have hunting places in Cooper county (east north-east of Pettis) and Benton county (south of Pettis). I have racked up some serious leather mileage and no morels yet.Dern cold spell beginning of this week set em back. Should be anytime though. 
I do not know if any MO creatures dig up morels but I do know cows, deer, and box turtles will browse on them, I have witnessed the aforementioned. Others may as well but I haven't seen it yet.
Armadillos are relatively new to central MO, you very likely know more about them than us MO natives, What I have learned so far is their habits seem to fall somewhere between opossums and skunks.
Are they omnivorous?


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## cbmyers22

I still haven't found any. I think its to dry out temps are bout right im hoping we get this rain monday and it be a nice slow alll day rain.


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## morelmaniac96

Anyone fimiliar with Osage county terrain? I will be down by the Gasconade river next weekend and hope to get a turkey and some Morels. What type of trees and terrain should I look for?


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## texayers

Yes armadillos are omnivores, and my family tells me that turkeys will dig them up. I have went everyday to walk the river and what I find most are lying trespassers. If everyone on the river has boat problems I would have to look into the boat salesmen in the area. I wish this was Texas as it would be a felony to trespass like this. That tends to discourage people who do not respect landowners. What really upset me was that one of the people trespassing I caught had to be a 70 year old man with a cane, his group made a family affair out of the deal. Then I was told that they were still having boat problems (I caught them up the river attempting to make land), I offered them a ride to get help with the boat and they said they would be ok. Then they had the gall to ask since they were here if they can look around for mushrooms. I turned them down, liars don't get much from me. Pretty sad the old timers are doing this, it is just passed down through the generations. They might only be mushrooms to some but to others they feed the family. Good Luck yall, any day now they will be popping like pringles.


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## bsweet0424

Yes found my first morels of the season today! Hunted around the creek bottoms today and had pretty good luck 17 greys. With a warm rain tomorrow things look like they are about to explode in the woods this week. Just though y'all should know. Biggest one was about 3". Hunting near Danville


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## cbmyers22

My friend found a few yellows Saturday along the missouri river in south Callaway but he said he was out for bout 5 hours and only found a small bowl full. Got my fingers crossed they really start popping after today rain.


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## mokid

Friday night a guy found a hat full of grey's by the American Legion field on WW in Columbia. I went Saturday for about 4 hours found 110 greys. Still hunting on east side of Mo river. Found around dead elms, run off ditches to and from river, some leaf and grass areas that hold moisture and on a levee facing southwest look on deer trails. Did not go Sunday church and grass mowing. Will be back on the mushroom trail tonight I hope it's raining but not lighting. Happy hunting to all.


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## cbmyers22

Thanks for the tips mokid I'm gonna go do some looking tonight after work...


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## cbmyers22

Found 5 greys and 10 yellows. I was only out for bout an hour before I got rained out. They'll really be out now after the rain Good luck everyone get out and find those mushrooms.


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## guittarmaster

I found 28 along the Missouri in Boone county yesterday before the rain started. They were in the lower areas near elms and sycamores. I bet with they will be OUT like mad today and tomorrow!


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## mokid

Went out last night in rain tried river hills along Katy trail only found 8 fresh red elephant ears. Morels not up yet in that area. It's going to be tough hunting the under growth is fairly high already. Keep on looking you can't find them if you don't look for them.


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## scarboni007

MO Kid----I have hunted the MKT trail and Katy Trail in Columbia last year and a couple times so far this year and havent had any luck. I have covered a lot of ground deep into the woods and along the creek/river bottoms. I am going to keep hitting them hard especially later this week/weekend and see if I have any luck after the rain yesterday and rain coming Thursday. Have you ever had any luck on the Katy Trail Mo Kid? I am thinking about hitting Rock Bridge State Park sometime this week, but there are sooo many people out there all the time.


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## mokid

I have hunted along Katy trail it is like any other public land you have to be the first person there or the mushroom is gone. I have had some luck I live less than a mile from the trail so I can hunt it more often than say if I lived in town. I did go down the trail Monday night found 8 reds no grey's or whites. The grass and under cover is getting tall around trail and in the hills. My buddy went out on the river in a boat Tuesday he found some nice blond morels on both sides of river around Lupus area. He gave them away to some elderly people that can't hunt anymore. My advice is hunt all you can between now and next week check honey holes often and explore new territory. good luck to all


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## scarboni007

Went out to American Legion on WW in Columbia today and walked around the wooded areas there to check things out while on break @ work---seems like an alright area around there, but no luck in the 30 mins I had available may go back out after work to check it out again. Good Luck everyone!


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## shroom dog

Checked one of my good spots in Rock Bridge state park Saturday morning and found nothing.
~60 yellows, most of em a few days old, in the river bottom at Eagle Bluffs on Sunday.
Couple dozen grays, very fresh, along my creek Monday evening.
30 grays, very fresh, at Little Dixie lake yesterday evening.
30 whites and 10 grays, all fresh, in the national forest east of the airport today.
Also ran across ~20 whopper sized reds, very fresh, today, but I just took a picture and left them alone.
The cool, damp weather is prolonging the flush this year. Keep looking.


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## finescalejunkie

I would like to go with someone if they have time on Sunday. I have never successfully been and would like to have been able to say I found some.
Any help would be appreciated. I am in Linn.


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## cbmyers22

Sighting map is says that someone found some in Warrensburg anyone know if there's any truth to this map. http://morelhunters.com/. I'm going out tonight to check my spot for black/greys I still think it's early but I will post my findings


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## eagleeye-g

Boone Co. http://www.morelmushroomhunting.net/report/current/mmhc_report_page1.html


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## shroom dog

I've hit three of my upland spots in central Boone county over the last three days. Nothing so far. Have reports from a couple buddies that some small greys were found yesterday. I'm gonna hit the MO river bottom after the taskmaster releases me from the salt mine today.


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## shroom dog

61 greys in the MO River bottoms west of CoMO after work today. Half a pound all together maybe. All of them in one patch. 30' across if that.


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