# What&#039;s Going On???



## bohemianjon (May 6, 2013)

Planning a trip to the Benzie area. With soil temps there being reported in the 50's the sh'rooms ought to be poppin'! Anybody doin' any good?


----------



## bohemianjon (May 6, 2013)

Well, we did not make the trip north as we had planned...so we have nothing to report. Sure is quiet with no one reporting anything going on anywhere in Northern Michigan on this website anymore...what's going on?


----------



## fogwhisper (Oct 18, 2012)

New York site is about the same I think they are all in the woods


----------



## morelzing (May 3, 2014)

Bohemianjon, with you on the no responses from upper michigan. Just wondering if done in upper michigan and now in the U.P. ? You know I never realized morels are in all the state's I have read about. Some of the pics I see are amazing. If I found some of them clusters I've seen, I would frikin freak out ! !


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

we are up here hunting morels, the wife and I are from Indiana. I have done my best to convince my wife that there are no bears in the lower peninsula. we were out driving today down back roads and she told me she saw a bear. I stopped and backed up telling her it probably was a burnt stump or something else but it wasn't a bear. she said it looked at the car and then it walked out of the clearing and back into the woods. I asked her if she was sure it wasn't just an overweight black lab. my wife very rarely uses profanities but after my black lab comment she said "it was a bleeping bear and I am not getting out of the bleeping car to hunt. at that time I knew she actually saw a bear. it took about another 5 miles of driving and a really nice pocket of ash to get her out in the woods. we did find some good sized yellows that are dry. good luck to all and may your bags be full.


----------



## morelzing (May 3, 2014)

Nice find mmh and mushroom Mary. Found up north.....as in....which county was that ?


----------



## jack (Oct 17, 2012)

MMH, I'm thinking it's really Michigan's Dog man. Although Black Bears have been seen and killed on I75 in Genesse County . The likelihood is " The Dogman " 

http://youtu.be/vvlQp5f7ZwU


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

thank you Jack but it appears you good intentions have caused a bit of a problem for me. After about a minuet into the video Mushroom Mary told me to shut it off or she wasn't going out tomorrow. after another minuet or so she said tell Jack "that's it, I am turning my stick in". so I guess I am now placing a personal ad. I need someone to drive me to my morel hunting spots and then to drive me back to Indiana on Monday. (its her car) please help a fellow shroomer that is down on his luck. MMH


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Bohemian Jon,been up north the last seven days. Just got home. Last Saturday and Sunday I found about fifteen small grays and yellows around Wolverine. Went up to the UP Monday and Tuesday around Seney and nothing but mosquitos and little black flies. No shrooms. Went back to Wolverine and found forty five nice fresh grays and yellows on Wednesday. Most on top of east facing hills and around multiple trunk trees with one dead rotten trunk. Thursday I went to a flat area they cut the ash treeso down earlier this year. Saturday it was 82 degrees with a high wind blowing through so I almost didn't go back. I found about sixty really nice ones. Really big and fresh yellows and nice grays all in an area about the size of my living room. They were around two cut ash stumps. Same place I found forty last year but, these were much bigger and nicer.I found another twenty on a game trail I hike into the woods on.The funny part of that is I found them on the way out when l was tired and walking slow. Not on the way in when I was hunting both sides of the trail. mmh,if you're still up there keep looking. Bohemian Jon,if you're going you better go now.Good Luck to both of you. P.S.mmh,if there aren't any bears in the lower peninsula, why do some of the campgrounds have bear proof trash cans and why did I pass a bear crossing sign on the way home today?


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,if I was still up there I would gladly help you out,but I am back in Huntington.


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,oh yeah. Don't let Mary read what I said about the bears.


----------



## thedevilsgirl (Apr 6, 2014)

Is it worth goin up to the UP still? How far north would I have to go for this weekend?


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

devilsgirl, we are up north, everything we picked yesterday was dry still in good shape so we kept them. its very dry so they seem to dry out before they rot so we kept them all. we did pretty well considering what little time we spent in the woods due to the traumatizing bear scare of 2014.


----------



## bohemianjon (May 6, 2013)

Hey MorelasMustShroom...Thanks for the Great report! Congrats on the hunt! I'm envious! It doesn't appear we'll be making a trip north this year due to just all kinds of problems...and the reports kinda takes the edge off if ya know what I mean...now with all the Bears and Dogmen running around up there its probably a good thing. 
And Jack...That's a good story about the Dogmen...Thanks and I won't even mention what the locals up there call "The MuckMonster" that runs around the swampy areas and...Eats all the Sh'rooms!!!


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Devilsgirl,I agree with mmh. Most of the older ones are semi dehydrated instead of rotten. I would head at least as far north as Gaylord and forget the UP unless you know someplace good to hunt up there. It was even drier up there than below the bridge.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

morelas must-shroom, I knew there were bears around here but I did my best to deny (lie) to Mushroom Mary as I knew it would greatly reduce my time in the woods. I pointed out to her that the state map showed elk and moose icons on it but no bear icons so there couldn't be any bears, she didn't buy that one or any other of my (well thought out?) supposedly reassuring statements. It didn't help that she was told by a guy back home that he never goes into the woods up here without a gun because of the bears and the packs of wild dogs that prey exclusively on 5 foot tall brunettes from Indiana. I just heard her talking on the phone to her son and it sounds like shes ready to try it again. HOORAY


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,glad to hear that. My brother lives in Manitoba and his wife runs them off just yelling at them or banging pans together. A good smack on the nose with your mushroom stick will work too. Good Luck on the rest of your trip. Hope you find loads.


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Jack, Thanks for all the information and humor. Good Luck the rest of the season. See you next year.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

devilsgirl. we are just south of the bridge. just got back from about a two hour hunt. I found 12 Mushroom Mary found 26 so I had to buy the ice cream. The ones we found up high (really high) were small to medium yellows very dry, on the lower level (not wet low ground) we found them in pretty heavy vegetation, they were larger and a little dried but not hard to the touch. very warm here with a chance of rain Monday. I assume that if it does rain the dried ones that are here will rot quickly. we have averaged around 16 morels an hour the last couple of days. I really don't want to tell you weather you should go or not but I was thinking of coming up again next weekend by myself because Mary cant hunt for long periods but from what I have seen the last couple of days I don't think I will. we are going back out tomorrow and if I see anything different I will post for you. good luck to all and may your bags be full.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

My pouty face is coming out thinking Sunday/Monday may be the last for 11 LONG months.


----------



## celticcurl (Apr 22, 2014)

mmh, just think of all of the other beautiful mushrooms to come, this is just the start of the season! 

Thanks for all the good info. My friend backed out so I didn't get to Houghton Lake today. I was thinking of a road trip by myself tomorrow but after your last post I won't bother. There are some umbrella polypores I need to go check on in the woods behind my house anyways.


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

mmh,don't be too upset. If you find 36 more Sunday and Monday that's pretty good. Especially when it's this hot and dry. And if you don't find any more it still beats work.


----------



## bradwest (Mar 29, 2014)

I came home Friday from the east of Gaylord area with 8 full ziploc gallon bags, maybe ten pounds foe a day and a half of hunting. I too would like to get up there for one more day but if it doesn't rain within the next day or so I think this will be it for me for this year.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

Brad, will rain actually make a difference this late in the season?


----------



## jack (Oct 17, 2012)

Brad, How'd dinner go ? We would have loved to come but the Jeep was in the shop. The dang remote start is screwing up. Yesterday it started 4 different times, by itself. Sometimes it starts , then shuts right off. It'll do that for about 15 min. I told them to take the thing out, they gave me a bag of parts, but it still works. Only all by itself. I threw the hand held remote away a few days ago. The wife was going into town last Thursday and it shut off while she was driving it at 45 mph. Good thing I have the steering wheel set not to lock.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

Day three of the great bear scare of 2014 morel tour. We found over 140 today, everything up high and on flats were completely dry. most of the stems were like leather. I had to get my knife out to cut them. On a northeastern facing hill we found some real nice yellows one of them had a top that filled my palm, they are partially dry but still look good and have some weight to them. Devilsgirl, unless you have turf that has north facing hills I really don't think its worth a trip. I do not know where you live but we have about a 4 hour drive. I do not plan on coming back up next weekend. Jack, If the rain does fall will it make any difference or is the season done? Brad, when you store/transport your morels in ziplocs how do you prepare the shrooms? The highlight of today was our find on the way out of the woods . Mushroom Mary was just walking down a gulley a found a patch of 29 yellows, all dried and to small to pick. I went over to her and told her the tree was a dead elm. We found over a 125 around that one tree. unfortunately only about 30 were big enough to pick, all were dry. when I was young our best turf was along a local state road, we would just pull off the side of the road, go in there were elm everywhere. I crawled on my hands and knees. we have gone back there but there are now a few houses built there along the road so I am thinking it was private property that was not posted. I told my wife that even for an elm that was a lot around one tree. we have no (now one) elm in our turf. This is an area where we hunt with the whole family but we are not going to tell them where the "magic" tree is. So after this rant is there anyone who would direct me to woods with elm in it? LOL. MMH


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

Jack, I remember reading something in my hometown newspaper back in Indiana about the mad mechanic of Montmorency county Michigan. It was said the guy was the best and the fastest mechanic in the area because he had three arms and three hands. but no one would hire him because he was different and it would scare away customers. It was said that he now roams the county at night disabling vehicles with the touch of one of his three hands In order to create more business for local mechanics, in hopes that they would hire him. SO I would suggest you find this man, take him to Talleys for a burger and give him a pound of morels to rid the area of this curse. good luck with the jeep. MMH


----------



## jack (Oct 17, 2012)

MMH, I don't think rain is going to help , except it will bring out Oysters. And if I knew where a thousand pounds grew, I'd tell you. I can't stand the perfume smell &amp; taste of them. I've tried them many ways and I'd rather stomp then chomp them…..Yukkk… !!!!…. and also, I hear ya about the Crazy Mechanic, only there were 2 of them. They were brothers, named Mitch &amp; Mark. Great body &amp; paint men too, moved to Atlanta with 2 black St. Bernard's, but were never heard from again….. except…..It was heard that they all drowned while ice fishing. Now every once in a while their heads pop up in the hole of unsuspecting ice fisherman. The last one it happen to occasionally shows up in the Bars mumbling " it's a Black Nard "… a Black Nard…… I think they were from the UP….Ayeee.


----------



## bradwest (Mar 29, 2014)

mmh, I poke lots of holes in the ziplocs and then leave the tops open once I fill them. Then I pack them on ice in a 40 gallon cooler. It works pretty well for me for when you have a lot of mushrooms you need to deal with quickly. 
Jack, my buddy Chuck brought some golden oysters that he grew, they were pretty tasty. I actually brought up some oysters I found the day before I went up too. Next year will be better organized and less hectic. I lost a cook as soon as I got back from Florida and am still having too work to much!! At least I have someone starting this week.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

To Jack and all of you other twisted/weird fungi hunting humans. we will be heading home Monday to the boring corn field covered state of Indiana. I always love our trips up north. The woods the streams and the back roads. I wish I could live here, maybe someday I will. I will of course check out a place I have seen on my map that looks like it has potential on my way south even if it takes me out of my way. Its an excuse not to leave. Mush Mary and I plan a trip to the northern part of the U.P. late this summer to comb the beaches of Superior for agates and other interesting rocks. Thank you all for your input, humor and friendship. As always, good luck to all and may your bags be full. MMH


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

morelas must shroom. I have been to seney on a sightseeing trip but not hunt morels. we stayed down at blaney park. What do you hunt under up there I don't remember seeing much hardwoods but I wasn't looking for morel turf. My wife ABSOLUTELY refuses to hunt in the U.P. due to the mammal talked about in the previous posts. two guys I work with were in the U.P. last season and came home with over 33 pounds.


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,that was my first time in the upper peninsula. The areas I checked around Seney have a lot of poplar,aspen,and of course pine trees. I also found a couple of areas with lots if apple trees back in the woods. Looked like a great place for blacks. I'm sure grays and yellows are there too. Unfortunately it was bone dry except for the swamps. If you knew the area I'm sure you get do pretty good with better moisture. I might try again in a couple years,but only if I have the extra time. I really like the Gaylord/Wolverine area,so that's where I'll be usually.


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,don't get me wrong about the upper peninsula. Very scenic and beautiful as known if you have been there. Also the water and cool conditions along the lakeshore were great.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

morelas must-shroom, I have seen areas in the U.P. while up there in the late summer that look great for morels. I have never had luck under poplars but I have heard of others doing very well under them. Taqumua falls state park looked great to me when I was up there but it wasn't the right time. I think with all the cutting in my usual hunting areas I will have to start looking farther north in the future. I think the more that is cut it will concentrate the people into the areas that have not been cut. which will make things even more diffacult.


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,I wouldn't give up on the cut areas yet. It's too early to know how they will produce in the future. I know they are hard to hunt. They are hard on my labs underside. The dead brush scratches her pretty badly. My best find this year was in a cut area.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

morelas must-shroom. Im not opposed to hunting cut areas and think they have good potential especially early. the biggest problem is being able to get through it without of going down on my face. I tried a small cut area this year and found a couple. I am the youngest of the hardcore group at 52. dad is 72 with a bad knee Mush Mary is 64 with short legs. I will be trying some cut areas next year and when I do it will be early in the day before fatigue sets in so I can pick up my size 13 swim flippers I wear, or maybe I will wait until my nephew is with us and send him out there I think he will heal quicker.


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,I know what you mean. I have noticed that the cut areas start getting easier to navigate after just one year. Maybe in a couple they won't be too bad.


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

Jack, do you have any personal experience or info on hunting morels in the U.P.? the morel season is way to short and I need to extend it as much as I can. I have areas downstate from you that I think are very promising. I want to explore the U.P. idea. I know of areas of hardwoods up there that I would like to explore next year. I am sure that when the bridge was built DOGMAN crossed it into the U.P., I have that problem covered as I will take a pocket full of milk bone biscuits and a leash. Should I be concerned with bears or possibly even more concerned with "yoopers" since I am sure I have Indiana shroom poacher written all over my forehead. I do have a hand gun I can take. I think mush Mary has recovered from seeing the overweight long haired black lab. any and all info will be appreciated. thank you,,MMH


----------



## mmh (Apr 21, 2013)

morelas must-hunt. If I recall you are from Huntington. If you would be interested in a late season trip to the U.P. next year that would be low cost, such as tent camping I would be up for it. I have a car that will get upper 30"s in M.P.G. with enough space for two and gear. I would be going today by myself except for the fuel cost. Morel season is way to short and I want to extend it. MMH


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Mmh,most of my trips are tent camping. I have several including one very large one with a very nice size vestibule to sit in if it rains. Also I found a nice motel in Seney with sink and stove for less than 50 a night. Depends on how the season goes next year,but I will keep it in mind. Like you I think the season is too short. Four more years and I can retire and become a mushroom chaser. I hope.


----------



## bohemianjon (May 6, 2013)

All this talk about the U P...what about the big burn forest fire area north of Newbury? I recall last year or maybe the year before that it was expected to be some good sh'roomin' there this year. Anybody heard anything about it?
And there's nothing about it in the U P Sh'room site???


----------



## morelas must-shroom (Mar 5, 2014)

Bohemian Jon, I did circle the Newberry burn area on my map. I just didn't make it up there to hunt. After all the rain a couple of days ago now might be good in the upper peninsula. As far as the posts go I think most people are on Facebook instead of this site. Too bad because I don't do Facebook.


----------

