# Is 2016 gonna be a bust in MO?



## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

I know some of y'all are startin to find a few shrooms but the way this year is kickin off has got the Dawg concerned. Season is 10-14 days early and the long range weather forecast calls for spotty rain and cool temps thru mid April in the KC area. 

Maybe if it stays cool enough it will stall the season a bit and stretch it out to late April into early May but if the widespread rains don't come we'll all be chasin the precip just to get a few in the skillet.........., does anyone know a shaman? We may need a rain dance!


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## taterqueen913 (Apr 26, 2014)

I hope it's not a bust. 10 day area forecast only shows any moisture chances above 10-20% not until April 9th when it shows 50% chance . I hope they are very wrong. Every year though, I can't wait to get out there and I'm sure I chomp a little at the bit. :wink:


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

The areas I covered yesterday had decent amounts of moisture in the soil and even found some fresh ones growing out of dry dirt pretty much. It being a earlier season then normal I think has us nervous and a tad anxious. My guess is mid week next week is going to be a good time to start hitting some bottoms where the tree cover is the thickest until the season kicks off. I didn't pick my first few shrooms worth talking about until the 14th of April last year. I think the ones that can be picked now as appetizers are what's motivating fellow hunters to map out there first strategy of attack on the first wave of shrooms coming through. More warm days back to back is all its going to take in my opinion.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

If it had rained the last few days things would be perfect. As of now the south facing slopes and ;areas without cover have dried up so much that anything coming up that is not there is iffy. North facing slopes and deeper ditches are still good. Still a lot of moisture under the leaves. this is the St. Joe area only.


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## jdk32581 (May 6, 2014)

Follow the rain. I made that mistake last year in Ohio. We were bone dry in my area and I wasted hours looking on crunchy ground as hard as concrete. I should have spent those hours driving to where the rain fell.


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## sustainable forager (Mar 12, 2013)

i hate post titles meant (or not meant) to get everyone bragging, or worried...that being said, cooler nights and moderate to cool daytime temps mean that little moisture is evaporating. wind is starting to cause more dried out top layers, leaves, but its definitely going to be unpredictable


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

jdk, that is good advice. With modern tech. you can always find who got the rain. 25 years ago I would drive out to spots hundreds of miles away from me hoping it had rained there, or hoping I would not get caught in the middle of a storm. I would call the local post office and ask how much rain they had. Course there were a lot more elm then too, picking was much easier. Leave the hunting to others, I like to pick. Nice cluster forager. Is that on a root ball?


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## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

Don't let the post title worry ya none Forager it's all good! Here in Mo some years are good, some are ok and some are terrible. This year is going to be sub par if the rains don't show in the next 5-10 days. 

The brush will continue to thicken and many trees will be fully leaved out by mid April. As far as the cool days not drying out the top soil......,well the cool weather will help but it's pretty dry across the top half of the state and the humidity levels have been somewhat low. March precip was 2 inches and below across much of central and northern Mo so subsoil levels are not real high.

But I aint too worried yet and I'm damn sure going out tomorrow morning cuz the Dawg and his posse gotta find'm.


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## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

Well, the first shroom trip was not a bust. The Dawg Posse came up with enough to feed the family so everybody is quite happy and the shrooms are hittin the skillets tonight, tomorrow we'll be back at it early to see if we can get on a ShroomDawg worthy haul. There's enough moisture out there if ya know where to hunt......., havin a few springs keeping the ground wet on a SW bank did not hurt either. :wink:


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## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

Let's see if I can remember how to post a pic................

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## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

Two more y'all!


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

Very nice shroomdawg! Has me regretting not being able to make it out today, definitely a nice little haul there. I'll be hitting some spots tomorrow after work, keep them hunters motivated shroomdawg.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

Bigger than anything I have picked, nice job. Just askin dawg, where you down toward KC, or up toward me?


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## Kirby (Apr 14, 2013)

Nice little haul!


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## jmerx (Jun 14, 2014)

I found about 20 this year but that's a good haul u got


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## Kirby (Apr 14, 2013)

I predict the mothaload is coming this year. Rain chances 50% Tuesday and a small chance Wednesday!! If they're correct it should get them poppin real nice!! It's still gonna be good in the spots that always stay moist. ITS ON SHROOMDAWG!!! THE POSSE NEEDS TO BE PREPARED!!


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## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

kb, what we found today was huntin in the KC area. Some of my family has found shrooms on the bottoms in the St Joe area so it looks like they're just getting started around here but we still need some rain. Heading out in the morning, I'll give a report on how the Posse does tomorrow evenin.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

thanks dawg, yeah i have picked some here in the hills and bottoms, not as large. They got more rain in the last week down that way. Things from here to Iowa could use a drink. Makes me think to go somewhere south like tomorrow, like I should have today.


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## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

Kirby, the Posse is locked and loaded ya know it! Let me know if y'all find any this afternoon, we'll be in touch...........l8r :wink:


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

dawg. your title seems somewhat prophetic now. I can't believe how few morels i have picked in Mo. so far. It may end up lower than since before i could drive. I hear about someone finding #10 , or more here and there. I have worked my ----- off to get into double digits in pounds. Usually thats one trip.in a good year. that bunch you picked way back on April 2 look better all the time. We will see how things are up north now the season is old here. the rain to late. It actually made the ones i found tonight worse.


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## shroomdawg (Apr 10, 2013)

kb, I kept on watching the extended weather forecasts starting in late March and everything was pointing towards a dry pattern with temperatures above normal, not a good mix. Some of the Posse is headin north today to see if they can pluck enough for the families. I'm working today but I'm off startin Thursday, I figure there is enough moisture in the ground to keep any that pop the next day or two in decent shape through the end of the week, hell maybe through Sunday. 

So far this has been the worse year in decades, so yeah, it's officially a bust unless I just happen to get lucky Thursday or Friday and walk up on a 50 ft Elm tree that died this past year and throw down on 30lbs, yeah right! LOL! :wink:


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

As optimistic as I was trying to be with the lack of experience I have got me off my ass and in the woods more then I would of. This only being my 6th year hunting for the fungus among us it's definitely been the worste of any I've experienced. I'm starting to feel pretty lucky for the lbs I was able to track down but like you mentioned kb it was for the faint hearted the miles I had to put down to find them. Even with the predicted knowledge of a poor year from seasoned vets didn't stop me from getting poison ivy already 3 times this year lol. 

Funny thing is I've followed this site for a few years prior to becoming a member and have a select few I can count on less then one hand who I pay more attention to that's taught me most of what I do know. I'll never forget reading a comment from you Shroomdawg when someone was asking you for advice on where to find morels and you told them in that thick lol... "When your so deep off up in them woods and you look down and notice even the ticks are starting to jump off you your getting close" lol. I've covered some pretty brutal terrain and tell my self each time I get back from a 5-6 hour hunt how the hell do these vets do this days on end sun up to sun down weeks on end.

I did take a look at a few spots yesterday and found about a dozen 1 - 1 1/2" fresh shrooms that popped after the rain Monday but the forest floor is coming alive more and more almost so that I sware it grows at least a inch before I get back out of the woods. Have a area I pulled almost 10lbs from last year hasn't even produced a single morel this year. Still plan to keep checking a few spots in my area but not for very much longer. Just now seen my first box turtle yesterday witch I saw at least 5 last year before I started really getting into them. I'm sure its as good as over as its going to get but I'll give up when I can't lie to my self about it any longer. Witch isn't very much longer lol good luck yall.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

New, i went back and found a few in the bottoms where i had been, but not as nice as those. You look like you are doing pretty good to me. been skunked more times this year than the last 20 combined. Don't know if you don't go though. Been a hard year. Goin north tomorrow to dawg, Reports are not good, same bad dry, I hear bottoms are best, but I did pick 2 dozen across the line last Thur. in the hills. Very small.


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

I hope yall did as good as this guy did today... It wasn't any motherload but picked 7lbs in 3 hours.


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

Some fatties.


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

Found a handful of fresh ones that didn't look to have popped up that long ago.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

went a ways north in Iowa. walked for 6 hours in the hills. covered 7.35 miles. hit over a hundred elm. picked #7.75 of the best i have found this year. a good year that's a #15-20 with all the trees i hit.. so not as bad as i anticipated. don't miss any trees though. I picked almost two hundred of those on 2 trees. most had nothing or a few. size was perfect, not small, not blown out. rain had sogged some. if i was 10 years younger i would go back tomorrow and do it again. have to see how the feet and legs are come morning.


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

kb this should of been a reply to the "shroomin ain't for wussies" that's some miles you put down today. I'm 28 and after a day like that im even questioning going out the day after, but also have a 6 and 4 year old that stop me from going when I want and go when I can. I found a spot yesterday about 50 miles wesr of olathe that was about a 200x200 yard patch that had medium to large sized morels every where I went and only covered less then half the spot I started finding them at. Ran out of day light plan on going out tomorrow and checking the other hlaf.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

new, those white ones do appear to be much fresher. Nice pics. I need to learn how to post pics. My buds will laugh if they read that, considering a minor phone upgrade takes me years. You could drive a couple hundred miles north and pick for another week in more bottoms, looks like you don't mind the mind numbing walking. I went to the hills for a change.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

wow new, is that in a bottom? Surprised so many still down there,I know how it is. My son just finished college, and started working as an RN at the local hospital. I'm proud as heck of him. No loans either. It can be done. but i have a little more time, the problem is i am closer to 60 than 50. Long as there are shrooms to pick within a couple hundred miles or so I can make one day trips. Much further gets tough in one day. Wife does not like me to stay overnight.


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## jeffschre (May 30, 2013)

New that gives me hope for this weekend...I haven't found squat yet....but up until this week it's been too cold or too dry around here.

Venturing out East to my uncles this weekend...Chillicothe, Brookfield (Grand River, Chariton River bottoms) this weekend...hopefully I don't come back home empty handed.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

went back to iowa again. another #2.70 on 4 trees. nothing after that. they have grown. most will be bad by next week with more heat and rain on the way.


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

kb yes thoughs are picked out of the bottoms west of olathe, I've only been able to find them where the soil is the most loam. I've been able to stick my walking stick dam near a foot deep in some places. Scored another 6lbs today before calling it a day, a cold beer was sounding better and better by the time I crawled out of the woods. Found some monsters today that were timed perfectly to be picked. There still popping up found a couple dozen fresh fresh greys that haven't even been rained on. 

I know what you mean kb I'm pretty familiar around electronics and it took me awhile to figure it out. Easiest way I can explain it with out confusing any body is download photo bucket on your phone or computer, upload pics from the device, when you go to copy your pic from photo bucket use the direct link and apply image. After being gone 5-6 hours I start getting the "Where are you at!" Phone calls lol.


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

JeffSchre I think you should get lucky enough to find some, I heard of a guy pulling 20lbs off the grand river less then a week ago up towards davies county. There out there you just need to change your strategy if your not finding them where you usually do. Good luck


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)




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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

How's shroomdawg and the posse doing? I've been waiting to see some pics full bags from you Shroomdawg.


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## morelican (Apr 22, 2013)

Had an outing today to Poosey CA, and in an area that yielded 100+ last year we could only come up with 6, only two of those were fresh, the other four were getting a bit on the old side. I vote for this being a bust year.


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## mushroom jake (Mar 12, 2013)

Found around 90 the last two days in miller county. It's about over here. It was definitely a lot more walking this year.


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## kb (Feb 13, 2013)

tough year for sure. Many honey holes came up dry this year. I found two that worked this year and they involved a lot of walking. The percent of dead elm that produced in some spots was virtually zero. Weird. But as you can see from dawgs pictures there are some out there.


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

Ya I think I'm throwing in the towel in my area went and checked one of my local spots that has plenty of moisture and looks like it should be producing some nice morels but nada. Did find a odd mushroom I've not yet stumbled upon in the woods yet. Jack-o-lantern's maybe?


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

Also found some fresh oysters I've never tried yet either, found them growing out of the ground thought they were suppose to grow off trees?


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## newb87 (May 14, 2014)

Busted or not I know some weren't as fortunate but glad I got enough to fill my belly 5 times already with some lbs to fry up and vacume seal to save for the months ahead.


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## jeffschre (May 30, 2013)

New, you lucky bastard!!! :mrgreen: 

Well I found a few this weekend...but only a few...6 to be exact.

Got access to a private creek bottom 5 mins. north of Brookfield, got my hopes up when first 5 were found 10 feet from the car....but walked another 3 hrs. into the wood and only found 1 more....would have walked more of it but persistent wife calls to "come back" put the brakes on the hunting early.

Wanted to go out again Sun. but she demanded otherwise...next year she promised to let me go out as much as I want next year.....and I'm holding her too it...6 is nice, but a lb. would have been better.


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## jean marie (Mar 17, 2015)

Newb87 those are NOT oysters. Please research them further. Yes they grow on wood only. These are winter oysters but P. Ostreatus grows in the same manner and look similar, only white.


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## jean marie (Mar 17, 2015)

Even elm oysters that look "similar"
to your photo, grow on wood.


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## jean marie (Mar 17, 2015)

Correction Pleurotus pulmonarius is white. P. Ostreatus is the fall oyster. I'm not an expert but I hunt over 40 different species of mushroom. I apologize if I've offended anyone. Have a great day everyone.


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