# Southern MN



## pharce_phungus

Starting to find some with decent size....found 98 on Saturday, 25 Sunday, and 108 today. Had to leave my spot early as I was running short on time, had to giggle as I passed by a few shrooms because I was running late and my smallish sized mesh bag was stuffed and my pullover was made into a make-shift belly basket. Will have to go back tomorrow and finish picking. I'm farming some morels on my private hunting ground, and from just Sat-Mon they had already double or tripled in size from 1" to 3". I'm seeing a lot of people taking morels too early, whether for lack of knowledge, or fear of someone else getting them. This can't be good for spreading of spores. Anyone else have an opinion on pre-mature picking?


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## shroomtrooper

As long as they are carrying mesh bags they are spreading more spores over a larger area than if you didn't pick the morel and let the wind spread the spores.


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## judy j

If you pick them too early, the size hardly makes them worth the effort. However, I found some small morels that were already off their stem and developing a secondary fungal infection. I think smaller morels hold up better in the frig and don't crumble like the older ones. I guess I pick morels as long as their 2-3 inches tall. I do have a spore bag. When I drive by thousands of acres or woodland, I wonder how many morels are in there and I know that although there are more hunters out there, the majority of woodland is not hunted.


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## smartaz

Found around 150 last night in one spot. The ones I picked were all around 4-5 inches high. I also left a ton of smaller ones there and I plan to give them until Friday or Saturday and go back. Hopefully they are still there! I wasn't having any luck until reading some posts on here that people were finding them on the top of southside hills, so I concentrated on only those spots last night and it paid off! Thanks for the info. I've also heard that if you put a jar over the morel it really grows. Does anyone know if this is true? I think it's going to be a great year!


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## brooke

I leave the small ones (2" or less) to grow, to spore, or for other hunters to find. We find enough in the overall season that I'm fine leaving some behind.


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## [email protected]_com

I'm with you Brooke I can't see any reason in taking a 1" mushroom. I picked a 3" this morning that was just a bud on Saturday. This will be a banner year...they are really thick.


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## shroomster

I found some little grays today but they were pretty small about an inch, how long does anyone think I should let them go for? Do they not get as big as the yellows?


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## brooke

Shroomster, check them again in a few days. They should be pickable by then. If you're in a spot where they are safe from other hunters, I'd even let them go a week. They all lighten up as they grow, so given the right growing conditions even those little grays will become big foots.


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## judy j

Went about 60 miles south of the Twin Cities. Found about 20 morels, about 3" in size. It was COLD out there!


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## shroomster

Thanks Brooke il check again this weekend hopefully there still there it's public I don't have any private spots so I hope there hidden enough


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## mnmorelseeker

smartaz, i must say you have the most appropriate screen name i've come across, as per your last post


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## pharce_phungus

I was a day late getting back to clean up my spots from my Tuesday post....I got there today, only to find another hunter with about a 1/4 full pillowcase sized mesh bag. I asked how he was doing...which startled him...he said "finding a few" We talked for a minute or so, but knowing morel etiquette, I told him good luck and turned around and headed out...feeling pretty disgusted. I can't complain, it is on public land... I was just bummed to find someone in one of my sure spots.


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## kb

Minn. sounds good this year. Small shrooms, more are picking and getting desperate. Near big cities no size is too small. I don't like it but what can you do? As to the spores, no worries, I saw spots so loaded with rotting mature morels that had been spored out it was crazy. In the same spots I left tiny new morels. Anyone who hunted southern Kan. saw that this year. Literally thousands of pounds rot away in the MO. River bottoms as we sit here, no one will ever pick them.


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## fungi ranger

Minnesota pickers work harder so we have more competition


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## kb

Not counting the southern invasion headed your way!.


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## fungi ranger

We have enough city folk come down here... Not too worried about them outta staters. We just start shooting our guns in the air and they run out of the woods like little girls


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## johnny

When I go out I wear all drab green from head to toe and make a point not to make a lot of noise. Almost gave two different people heart attacks today when they stomped and crashed within 10 yards of me before I said "Any luck?" I've had people pass by close enough to spit on in heavy undergrowth that never even knew I was there. Feels kinda creepy and awesome at the same time. Glad I grew up in the sticks.


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## kb

Heck we hunt military bases where they use real weapons and razor wire, other stuff might as well be bottle rockets. Anyone hitting any cottonwoods up yonder?


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## morelhunter123

Im 30 min south east of the twin cities and we are just finding some tiny ones, were is it peak season in MN?? Im going to travel tomorrow to see if i have better luck.


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## johnny

It's just a weird year, went and searched about half an hour south of the cities a couple days ago and found nothing but tiny little pencil erasers. Went searching today right in the cities and found 8 lbs between us all high up on south facing hills. With all of this cool weather the real key right now is to find south facing hills and search the top half of them. I found a couple patches today that had already gone bad and some of my regular spots have barely sprouted or are just tiny still. Haven't found a single one large enough to pick anywhere but those south facing hills.


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## tammymn

What great year so far. Picked some at home and then came to Southern MN and got about 7lbs. Way to go Judy!!!!


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## pharce_phungus

I saw 2 guys in full camo getting out of a truck south of Mankato at 5:50 am on my way to work...for sure they were ready to trespass on some decent looking spots. I wish more people asked permission rather than being shady about it. I usually find 80-90 pct of mine on my family's private land, or at a friend's land...although early this year I did well on public trails and parks. I'd be a real angry guy if I ever found anyone on the private land that I hunt...How mad would those trespassers be if you came to their house and dug up their landscapes and shrubs, flowers, or tomato plants?


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## johnny

Might have been turkey hunters, but if they were trespassers that is really unfortunate. I hunt public land because that is all I have access to, but no matter how bad it gets I would never just go on someone's place without permission. Growing up I learned the best way to get permission is just to knock on doors, worst you can get is a no and 95% of the time I got a yes.


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## pharce_phungus

Absolutely Johnny...you are right, if you knock...worst thing that happens is they say no. For sure not turkey hunters...no guns...just bags and sticks. I was talking to a retired Sheriff deputy...he said there are a couple different laws he remembered about trespassing...if "unposted" the land owner finds you and tells you to leave...you are an unwanted guest....but if you don't leave when asked (in a timely manner) you are then considered trespassing. Although he said there was another law...that even if "unposted" you go on someone's land (with the intent of harvesting or taking anything from wood, field stones, crops, produce. and yes MORELS) you are in violation and it is still considered trespassing....proving intent may be hard, but if you have morel paraphernalia such as sticks, bags, and of course harvested fungus....you could get in trouble on unposted land....that was what I was told from a retired deputy anyway.


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