# Minnesota 2019 Season



## tommyjosh

This is the 2019 Minnesota Morel Season.


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## i_heart_shrooms

Only 98 days until May 1st!


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## tommyjosh

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Only 98 days until May 1st!


Waiting to hit the se mn hills this year


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## i_heart_shrooms

tommyjosh said:


> Waiting to hit the se mn hills this year


I hope we get enough moisture this year. And we don't skip spring


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## Old Elm

i_heart_shrooms said:


> I hope we get enough moisture this year. And we don't skip spring


Come on SNOW. Freaking frost is going down so deep spring might be real late & all the spring rain just run off.


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## wade

St. Cloud Minnesota 
I just Really don't know what to say or think or say or ....
I just never gave it this much thought about Yall up North...
Your Winter Weather...
I just can't believe it is what it is there
I don't know what to think or say
ok I got something...
That is to Cold for Me Man


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## wade

Helloooo.. Burrr.... @tommyjosh
and MINNESOTA!!!!
So.... do Yall play MONOPOLY ...or
Drink Hot Chocolate...or
watch Television Re-Runs....or
Just sit around look'n at each other Making sure the fire doesn't go Out ?
make big pots of Chili and Soups ?
do Yall still Play Hockey in -30 temps?
WHAT DO YALL DO...
ON DAYS LIKE THESE...?
As for me here in South Central Indiana
its about -10 , I'm stay'n in the House


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## tommyjosh

wade said:


> Helloooo.. Burrr.... @tommyjosh
> and MINNESOTA!!!!
> So.... do Yall play MONOPOLY ...or
> Drink Hot Chocolate...or
> watch Television Re-Runs....or
> Just sit around look'n at each other Making sure the fire doesn't go Out ?
> make big pots of Chili and Soups ?
> do Yall W Play Hockey in -30 temps?
> WHAT DO YALL DO...
> ON DAYS LIKE THESE...?
> As for me here in South Central Indiana
> its about -10 , I'm stay'n in the House


Most days it’s hockey but not days like these. Staying in the the house today.


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## wade

Oh SHIT !... Windshield Temperature
NOT GOOD... @tommyjosh


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## Old Elm

wade said:


> Helloooo.. Burrr.... @tommyjosh
> and MINNESOTA!!!!
> So.... do Yall play MONOPOLY ...or
> Drink Hot Chocolate...or
> watch Television Re-Runs....or
> Just sit around look'n at each other Making sure the fire doesn't go Out ?
> make big pots of Chili and Soups ?
> do Yall still Play Hockey in -30 temps?
> WHAT DO YALL DO...
> ON DAYS LIKE THESE...?
> As for me here in South Central Indiana
> its about -10 , I'm stay'n in the House


Well first off on days like these we go check on all the old timers or at least call em to be sure they’re safe & don’t need anything, ya know like more liquor, ect. 
Then we went swimming at the club.
It’s all good & dispite what the news media hype say, - we been through it before.


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## wade

Good Morning.. @tommyjosh 
What do ya have planned during these warm days Over this weekend?


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## tommyjosh

wade said:


> Good Morning.. @tommyjosh
> What do ya have planned during these warm days Over this weekend?
> View attachment 12264


Probably gonna get out and try ice fishing for some sunnies and crappies.


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## wade

Me at age 15


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## wade

@tommyjosh ..
my prediction Dream of Findings beginning by February 21st in Georgia are looking to be coming True !!
look here at Augusta Georgia and Huntsville Alabama this weeks weather


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## tommyjosh

wade said:


> @tommyjosh ..
> my prediction Dream of Findings beginning by February 21st in Georgia are looking to be coming True !!
> look here at Augusta Georgia and Huntsville Alabama this weeks weather
> View attachment 12514
> View attachment 12518


Oh yea lows in the 50s and precip. every day, that will get them going.


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## Old Elm

Anyone else been out scouting?
Visibility wasn’t the best, but pretty sure that’s s dead Elm over on the right!


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## wade

@tommyjosh @Old Elm and Everyone















here they are ...
First 2019 Morels Reported finding 
somewhere in Alabama ..
well I mean first from down south..
other than the California finds


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## tommyjosh

wade said:


> @tommyjosh @Old Elm and Everyone
> View attachment 12546
> View attachment 12548
> 
> here they are ...
> First 2019 Morels Reported finding
> somewhere in Alabama ..
> well I mean first from down south..
> other than the California finds


Just waiting for the first find... only about 1 more month and we’ll be making our trip south.


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## Elusive Fungi Finder

Old Elm said:


> Come on SNOW. Freaking frost is going down so deep spring might be real late & all the spring rain just run off.


Ok snow... that’s good for now.


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## kb

Old Elm, that's the spirit! Obsessions can be a dangerous thing, but I will not lie, I can't drive anywhere without it turning into a scouting excursion.


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## morchella ed

Now the snow just won't stop. Supposed to get another half foot this weekend, another 4 to 5 inches next week. least here in the cities. moisture good for the mushrooms, but man, we keep getting too much and I worry everything in the low country will be flooded out with no merkles. any other thoughts on this?


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## morelmaniacmn

We have so much snow now it's getting ridiculous. A fast warm up could mean a LOT of flooding. Hoping the Great Spirit is on our side this season!!


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## br5

morchella ed said:


> Now the snow just won't stop. Supposed to get another half foot this weekend, another 4 to 5 inches next week. least here in the cities. moisture good for the mushrooms, but man, we keep getting too much and I worry everything in the low country will be flooded out with no merkles. any other thoughts on this?


I know my honey holes have gotten the most snow ever recorded according to Accu Weather. If we can just slow walk into spring and then get rain it could be a good year.


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## Old Elm




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## Old Elm

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 12816


Can’t wait to get a pair & see how they work on posted private property.


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## gbmillerman

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 12816


Hahahahahaha classic!


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## Hank 3.5

If anyone likes a good YouTube Morel Score ? : Many others on these threads have mentioned CreatorWise , which is always an excellent choice ! May I also suggest videos by Neralich ! Neraly and His Buddy Empty Pockets find Weight ! Enjoy ☺


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## MayMotherload

I like watching YouTube mushroom hunting videos, gets me a bit too anxious though.


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## Old Elm

Found a new patch of prime Old Elms today, getting some scouting done ✅


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## Chanterelle nut

Its almost here!!! Do you guys think that this weekend weather will wake things up?


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## br5

Chanterelle nut said:


> Its almost here!!! Do you guys think that this weekend weather will wake things up?


It's a start, but you're still April away.


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## Old Elm

br5 said:


> It's a start, but you're still April away.



Yup, all of April for sure.


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## morelmaniacmn

Nice scouting Old Elm! Yeah we're a long ways away in MN


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## BRB

Hi everyone. My name is Brad, and I've been lurking here for a few days now. I live in St Paul, and I'm fairly new to foraging. Just wanted to say hi and thanks for all the useful info on this site. I've read the 2018 MN season thread thoroughly and learned a ton. Looking forward to hitting those SE facing hills in about a month! If I manage to find morels, I'll report back.


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## br5

BRB said:


> Hi everyone. My name is Brad, and I've been lurking here for a few days now. I live in St Paul, and I'm fairly new to foraging. Just wanted to say hi and thanks for all the useful info on this site. I've read the 2018 MN season thread thoroughly and learned a ton. Looking forward to hitting those SE facing hills in about a month! If I manage to find morels, I'll report back.


Welcome, your in one of the top states if not the top one for Morels. Wisconsin could be number one as well. Mid May is generally go time. Learn as much as you can about elm identification.


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## Shroomtrooper 1

Welcome, how did you do last year, sure is fun isn't it?


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## Old Elm

BRB said:


> Hi everyone. My name is Brad, and I've been lurking here for a few days now. I live in St Paul, and I'm fairly new to foraging. Just wanted to say hi and thanks for all the useful info on this site. I've read the 2018 MN season thread thoroughly and learned a ton. Looking forward to hitting those SE facing hills in about a month! If I manage to find morels, I'll report back.



Welcome, now quit lurking & start sharing. We look forward to hearing & seeing your morel adventure.


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## BRB

Thanks guys. I didn't hunt morels last year, and in fact haven't since my parents used to take me out when I was a kid. Over the last few years I've been finding some real nice chicken of the woods up near some family land near McGregor. That and fiddleheads have been the only things I've really foraged up until now. Hoping to change that this year. 

Learning to ID elm trees is what I'm concentrating on now. I think I'll get the hang of it. I find myself rubbernecking as I drive these days. I'm sure some of you can relate. You'll be the first to hear if I meet with any success.


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## br5

BRB said:


> Thanks guys. I didn't hunt morels last year, and in fact haven't since my parents used to take me out when I was a kid. Over the last few years I've been finding some real nice chicken of the woods up near some family land near McGregor. That and fiddleheads have been the only things I've really foraged up until now. Hoping to change that this year.
> 
> Learning to ID elm trees is what I'm concentrating on now. I think I'll get the hang of it. I find myself rubbernecking as I drive these days. I'm sure some of you can relate. You'll be the first to hear if I meet with any success.


BRB
My advise is to stop now! Once you start looking for elms on every road trip you have the virus. It's not pretty, 95% of the population will wonder what happened to you. It's only here where other afflicted individuals share the burden you carry. If decide to proceed welcome aboard.


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## Shroomtrooper 1

br5 hit it right on the head. It is addicting,friends will not understand you, take vacation and hit the woods? instead of going on a cruise? get this person some help please. The dog will love you tho,ha


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## AIM

Any tips on reading/finding soil maps to target specific areas? I've read about soil composition and morel growth but the DNR sites are hard to navigate and find the needed info. Is soil even a big deal vs temps and dead trees etc? Some say yes others no...


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## tundraking

BRB said:


> Hi everyone. My name is Brad, and I've been lurking here for a few days now. I live in St Paul, and I'm fairly new to foraging. Just wanted to say hi and thanks for all the useful info on this site. I've read the 2018 MN season thread thoroughly and learned a ton. Looking forward to hitting those SE facing hills in about a month! If I manage to find morels, I'll report back.


Hey Brad! Welcome. br5 and Shroomtrooper are right on the money. Just remember, when you have all this excitement for shroomin, and nobody you talk to understands or just laughs and looks at you funny, all of us rubberneckers got your back here!


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## tundraking

AIM said:


> Any tips on reading/finding soil maps to target specific areas? I've read about soil composition and morel growth but the DNR sites are hard to navigate and find the needed info. Is soil even a big deal vs temps and dead trees etc? Some say yes others no...


Hey AIM, I've found morels in clay mix soil, black dirt, sand, etc... Moisture in the soil is important, and temps are a big deal because there is a range that morels prefer, and they don't stray from it. That's why they only grow in the spring here, and the flush starts early down south and works its way north up into Canada as the temps rise. Out west in the mountains they will find morels growing in summer at higher elevations. 
As for dying/dead trees, for MN anyway, Elms are huge for grays and yellows. Also a few others once and while like apple trees, cottonwood, and a pine here and there. Although I haven't experienced this "yet", aspens for blacks in early spring.

Just one man's experience's over the years.


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## MayMotherload

I wouldn't put too much time into soil composition, Temperature, moisture, and trees are your better indicators.


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## br5

AIM said:


> Any tips on reading/finding soil maps to target specific areas? I've read about soil composition and morel growth but the DNR sites are hard to navigate and find the needed info. Is soil even a big deal vs temps and dead trees etc? Some say yes others no...


Watch creatorwise elm video on YouTube. Once you find a nice flush under an elm, look at the soil and tell us about it, then move on to next elm and forget about soil. All kidding aside I do think slightly sandy soils seem to produce better than soils with higher clay concentrations, but I'm strictly a tree hunter.


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## Shroomtrooper 1

Ahhhhhh, its starting. I wish everyone the best this season, it sure looks pretty good so far, but things can change. Son it going to collage at Winona state, went down there to check it out. Talk about steep hills. might go down there and check it out. I am sure it gets pounded, steep hills funnels everyone in the same spots.


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## Dtails

Little bit of rain every week and some nice sunny days and it will be time sooner than later!!


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## tundraking

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Ahhhhhh, its starting. I wish everyone the best this season, it sure looks pretty good so far, but things can change. Son it going to collage at Winona state, went down there to check it out. Talk about steep hills. might go down there and check it out. I am sure it gets pounded, steep hills funnels everyone in the same spots.


Surprisingly, it doesn't get pounded. Unless perhaps its the most obvious and easily accessible path to walk. Otherwise, like hunting, nobody goes down south, and most that live down there have family land or access to private land. So check out public state land spots and have fun! And yes, a lot of those hills are ridiculously tall and steep... There are a fair number of horse trails that you can research that makes it easier to get back into an area. Glad you had a chance to see my old neck of the woods!


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## Shroomtrooper 1

Very beautiful down there, I am sure I will make a couple trips.


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## br5

tundraking said:


> Surprisingly, it doesn't get pounded. Unless perhaps its the most obvious and easily accessible path to walk. Otherwise, like hunting, nobody goes down south, and most that live down there have family land or access to private land. So check out public state land spots and have fun! And yes, a lot of those hills are ridiculously tall and steep... There are a fair number of horse trails that you can research that makes it easier to get back into an area. Glad you had a chance to see my old neck of the woods!


So where do you reside now? I've spent time around Winona area and over in Richland Center and along the WI river.


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## tommyjosh

Going down to Oklahoma.


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## Old Elm

tommyjosh said:


> Going down to Oklahoma.


Have a great time & good luck. 
Hope you nail em.


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## morelsxs

Old Elm said:


> Have a great time & good luck.
> Hope you nail em.


Ditto, tommyjosh.


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## Chanterelle nut

Hey guys can someone remind me what sides of the slopes to hunt as season progress, is it east west south north?


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## jg010682

South facing in the beginning of the season north facing later


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## br5

Chanterelle nut said:


> Hey guys can someone remind me what sides of the slopes to hunt as season progress, is it east west south north?


I always start on high ground and then hit SE and SW sides. If the season is good, and you hit it right you'll find big foots on the southern sides, nice yellows on the northern sides and big grays in valleys. 2009 was like that for me, best mushroom hunting I've ever had up north. If they're favoring a particular hills side we go to dinner and bring out the topo's to plan the next days hunt. I now hunt by myself due to those that have went with me thinking it was too much like work. Just talking about it gets me excited, we're nearing the third turn in Indiana and will be seeing things start up in MN sometime in May. Six weeks will fly by quicker than you think.


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## tundraking

br5 said:


> So where do you reside now? I've spent time around Winona area and over in Richland Center and along the WI river.


I now live by Elk River, MN. I grew up near Millville, MN, and my family still resides there and around the area. I try to fit in a couple weekends down there in the area, with one trip far southeastern MN to get my fix. Otherwise, I poke around home. This year I'll also have a week late May in the Itasca area up north with my family, so I'm sure I will throw in a few hikes!


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## Dtails

tundraking said:


> I now live by Elk River, MN. I grew up near Millville, MN, and my family still resides there and around the area. I try to fit in a couple weekends down there in the area, with one trip far southeastern MN to get my fix. Otherwise, I poke around home. This year I'll also have a week late May in the Itasca area up north with my family, so I'm sure I will throw in a few hikes!


 have you ever tried the parks in elk River? I have good luck and a lot of goofy looks there in the past few years but no longer go there


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## i_heart_shrooms

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Ahhhhhh, its starting. I wish everyone the best this season, it sure looks pretty good so far, but things can change. Son it going to collage at Winona state, went down there to check it out. Talk about steep hills. might go down there and check it out. I am sure it gets pounded, steep hills funnels everyone in the same spots.


Yeah, SE MN is a great area for hunting I've found. Lots of WMA's and public watershed land with rolling elevation. Plenty of land to search and not as many urban folks like in the state parks wandering around in my spots 

I do always wonder how many morels *don't* get discovered during the season. 

What would say it is: 90%? 99%?


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## stilz

I'd bet it's greater than 99%.


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## morelmaniacmn

I've thought about that as well! Imagine the millions of morels that never get found every single year...


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## Shroomtrooper 1

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Yeah, SE MN is a great area for hunting I've found. Lots of WMA's and public watershed land with rolling elevation. Plenty of land to search and not as many urban folks like in the state parks wandering around in my spots
> 
> I do always wonder how many morels *don't* get discovered during the season.
> 
> What would say it is: 90%? 99%?


I have wondered that also. keeps me going when I am tired


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## br5

morelmaniacmn said:


> I've thought about that as well! Imagine the millions of morels that never get found every single year...


I can imagine it well, and all I'm simply asking is to walk in on a 40lb. mother load. I'll leave the other millions alone.


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## br5

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I have wondered that also. keeps me going when I am tired


I garee, I always think just one more elm. It comes down to law of probabilities, if I look at enough elms my odds continue to increase. In two very good years I did time how long between finds. One time it was about five minutes on a particular hill side and another time it was thirty minutes almost everywhere we looked. I have never really counted elms before but I think in a good year on a hot line it's probably about every 30th tree, maybe less, but I'm not counting groups of elms in a small area.


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## br5

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Yeah, SE MN is a great area for hunting I've found. Lots of WMA's and public watershed land with rolling elevation. Plenty of land to search and not as many urban folks like in the state parks wandering around in my spots
> 
> I do always wonder how many morels *don't* get discovered during the season.
> 
> What would say it is: 90%? 99%?


So how close are you to La Crosse?


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## wade

tommyjosh said:


> Going down to Oklahoma.


So..Are ya back Home @tommyjosh 
or still on the Road in Oklahoma. 
and How's it been goin


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## Wendelina

I keep watching the lilac bushes waiting for buds...a fellow forager told me that's about the time to start hunting in the spring. Anyone else heard of this lore?

I started hunting this past summer and got really good at finding chants chickens and hens . I'm really looking forward to finding some morels. I don't need 40lbs though.. Just a pound or two will do.. For now


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## Old Elm

Wendelina said:


> I keep watching the lilac bushes waiting for buds...a fellow forager told me that's about the time to start hunting in the spring. Anyone else heard of this lore?
> 
> I started hunting this past summer and got really good at finding chants chickens and hens . I'm really looking forward to finding some morels. I don't need 40lbs though.. Just a pound or two will do.. For now




Oh say there and everything, I hope you do get a few pounds & have fun doing it. The TICK’s are going to be monstrous this year, so prepare well to avoid them.


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## Wendelina

Oh man I forgot about the ticks! Thanks for the warning!


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## Mushroom Geologist

The ticks were bad down here in Texas. Every time I went out and looked I had to remove them from my pants. Easily 5 or 6 in any morel outing.


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## br5

Wendelina said:


> I keep watching the lilac bushes waiting for buds...a fellow forager told me that's about the time to start hunting in the spring. Anyone else heard of this lore?
> 
> I started hunting this past summer and got really good at finding chants chickens and hens . I'm really looking forward to finding some morels. I don't need 40lbs though.. Just a pound or two will do.. For now


For me they're my number one indicator outside of the woods. Various other plants are also indicators. Dandelions will be going to seed, tulip trees will be in full bloom, apple trees will be in bloom, red bud trees as well. Good luck you're in one of the best states for them.


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## yerty

How worried should we be with this snow storm coming?


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## Old Elm

yerty said:


> How worried should we be with this snow storm coming?


Not one single bit, this will be very good for us. It will pull the frost out of the ground.


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## Anokashrooms

Old Elm said:


> Not one single bit, this will be very good for us. It will pull the frost out of the ground.


But it will screw with the ramps and fiddleheads for a little while...


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## Old Elm

Anokashrooms said:


> But it will screw with the ramps and fiddleheads for a little while...


I don’t think so, this won’t last more than a day or two, Ramps & fiddles are still more than two weeks out.


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## MN Morel Dude

Wendelina said:


> I keep watching the lilac bushes waiting for buds...a fellow forager told me that's about the time to start hunting in the spring. Anyone else heard of this lore?
> 
> I started hunting this past summer and got really good at finding chants chickens and hens . I'm really looking forward to finding some morels. I don't need 40lbs though.. Just a pound or two will do.. For now


I look for the lilacs to bloom, not bud...or am I reading this wrong? I'm also looking forward to finding some of the other edibles this year. I'm fortunate that I have fiddleheads in the woods directly behind my house. I'm able to roast up a few good-sized meals while only picking a few from each batch.


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## morelmaniacmn

I look for lilac in Bloom


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## tundraking

Dtails said:


> have you ever tried the parks in elk River? I have good luck and a lot of goofy looks there in the past few years but no longer go there


I hit the parks quite a bit for summer shrooms. Ya, I've been asked before if I was lost... and when the lady joggers see me comin out of the woods, they generally turn around and run away. Lol!
I've tried a bit for morels in the parks, but haven't had much luck. I do try to hit a few spots on the river by boat though, since there are isolated spots.


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## sarahrose

I see it’s snowing in MN again??? Sheesh..... the last 2 years have been crap for Morels..... every year I swear I’m not coming up for another season, but I can’t help myself..... I come every year for a week.... mostly just to hang out with my mom in the woods though..... it’s nice to find a couple pounds or two, but even finding small ones is fun. I even turned down a trip to Sweden so I could come up to hunt instead...) ( trip had to many scheduled regimented things included, not my thing) I’m cautiously optimistic for this coming season...Sarah


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## HawkeyeMerkels

sarahrose said:


> I see it’s snowing in MN again??? Sheesh..... the last 2 years have been crap for Morels..... every year I swear I’m not coming up for another season, but I can’t help myself..... I come every year for a week.... mostly just to hang out with my mom in the woods though..... it’s nice to find a couple pounds or two, but even finding small ones is fun. I even turned down a trip to Sweden so I could come up to hunt instead...) ( trip had to many scheduled regimented things included, not my thing) I’m cautiously optimistic for this coming season...Sarah


Hey SarahRose! Nothing beats getting out in the woods, especially w/the Fam. You & your Mom have Fun & Enjoy the time with one another. HappyHunting!


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## Old Elm

sarahrose said:


> I see it’s snowing in MN again??? Sheesh..... the last 2 years have been crap for Morels..... every year I swear I’m not coming up for another season, but I can’t help myself..... I come every year for a week.... mostly just to hang out with my mom in the woods though..... it’s nice to find a couple pounds or two, but even finding small ones is fun. I even turned down a trip to Sweden so I could come up to hunt instead...) ( trip had to many scheduled regimented things included, not my thing) I’m cautiously optimistic for this coming season...Sarah



Happy to hear you’re coming back Sarah,good voice.? This could be your best year ever. For sure shaping up to be excellent.
The time with your mom is worth everything.


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## morelmaniacmn

This snow shouldn't effect the Morels I don't think. The ground is cold enough and if anything it's just more moisture. I'd say it's lookin good!


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## i_heart_shrooms

Generally, May 1st is when I start seriously looking, but I think with the snow and a slower warm up (hopefully) it will be more like the second week of May when things get going.

The past few years I've gone out looking the first week of May I tend to find the small greys and bigger ones in near SE-facing hillsides in gully's with rocks where it's warmer.


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## MayMotherload

br5 said:


> I can imagine it well, and all I'm simply asking is to walk in on a 40lb. mother load. I'll leave the other millions alone.


Next time I'm up at my parents place I'll look for pictures, I'm not sure if it was 40lbs, but I know it was 3 full paper grocery bags. Pretty sure my mom has pictures...it was at least 25 years ago.


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## Old Elm

MayMotherload said:


> Next time I'm up at my parents place I'll look for pictures, I'm not sure if it was 40lbs, but I know it was 3 full paper grocery bags. Pretty sure my mom has pictures...it was at least 25 years ago.


Hope you post the old pictures, would love to see them.


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## sarahrose

Found these in my front rock bed!!!


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## wade

Good Morning Minnesota !
Wade here !
how's the Japanese spam looking this morning?


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## Dtails

tundraking said:


> I hit the parks quite a bit for summer shrooms. Ya, I've been asked before if I was lost... and when the lady joggers see me comin out of the woods, they generally turn around and run away. Lol!
> I've tried a bit for morels in the parks, but haven't had much luck. I do try to hit a few spots on the river by boat though, since there are isolated spots.


haha ive had the cops called on me a few times... Usually try stay away from those parts for a day or two lol


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## btetzl50

Happy Spring everbody! I'm already getting antsy to get outside. I might head down to Iowa soon, just for some greens.


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## HawkeyeMerkels

btetzl50 said:


> Happy Spring everbody! I'm already getting antsy to get outside. I might head down to Iowa soon, just for some greens.


Hey @btetzl50 Spring is in the air, here in Central Iowa. Grass is green(no dandelions) & most trees/bushes are budding too. Last Monday it was almost 80degs.. then bit of a cooldown rest of last week. Starting right this week . Today its 60s & tomw mid 70s, followed by few days of rain & cooler temps again. Easter wknd, dry, sunny & mid 60s - low 70s. Come on down!!


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## Old Elm

HawkeyeMerkels said:


> Hey @btetzl50 Spring is in the air, here in Central Iowa. Grass is green(no dandelions) & most trees/bushes are budding too. Last Monday it was almost 80degs.. then bit of a cooldown rest of last week. Starting right this week . Today its 60s & tomw mid 70s, followed by few days of rain & cooler temps again. Easter wknd, dry, sunny & mid 60s - low 70s. Come on down!!


Oh boy, say there and all that sounds like a pretty good weather set up condition wise so to speak and all. You should do well I hope so anyways.
Good luck & Enjoy.


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## HawkeyeMerkels

Old Elm said:


> Oh boy, say there and all that sounds like a pretty good weather set up condition wise so to speak and all. You should do well I hope so anyways.
> Good luck & Enjoy.


Yes I believe so! Thanks @Old Elm for the Positivity & Well Wishes! Springtime such a blessing to enjoy!


----------



## MayMotherload

April rains bring May brains. Came up with that today.


----------



## stilz

Well, moisture isn't going to be a problem this year. I think the monster crop is coming.


----------



## Old Elm

stilz said:


> Well, moisture isn't going to be a problem this year. I think the monster crop is coming.


This is precipitation day for sure, ok by what I know so to speak just generally out loud.
It’s all good.


----------



## AIM

wade said:


> Good Morning Minnesota !
> Wade here !
> how's the Japanese spam looking this morning?


_Torilis japonica aka _Japanese Hedge Parsley?


----------



## wade

AIM said:


> _Torilis japonica aka _Japanese Hedge Parsley?


so...? you are saying that's what the Japanese posting is about?


----------



## AIM

wade said:


> so...? you are saying that's what the Japanese posting is about?


No just wondering if that is the flower you are referring to. Not much for image search help with Japanese spam lol.


----------



## br5

Just updated daily high, low, and precipitation for period from March 9th to April 17th. Compared averages from 2009 to 2018. So far temps are an exact match for 2009 and precip. is up. 2009 was my best year in past ten. The land we ended up on was producing 20 lbs. per day and we'd never been there before. I now know it well, and with the right conditions and a few more days of hunting who knows. Targeting May 15th.


----------



## AIM

br5 said:


> Just updated daily high, low, and precipitation for period from March 9th to April 17th. Compared averages from 2009 to 2018. So far temps are an exact match for 2009 and precip. is up. 2009 was my best year in past ten. The land we ended up on was producing 20 lbs. per day and we'd never been there before. I now know it well, and with the right conditions and a few more days of hunting who knows. Targeting May 15th.


As a n00b to the scene in general ... this post made me smile! After finding a few "spots" last year but being discouraged by a poor harvest-- im really itching to hunt a good year! Had a blast last year and was on too many spots thinking where the hell are the little brains?!


----------



## jg010682

took my brothers dog for a walk out to a spot that I have found tons of ramps at and found these just starting to grow! Won't be long now until we can atleast pick some greens I'm pretty sure the fiddle heads won't be far behind


----------



## sarahrose

It’s 100 degrees here today..:-( too hot too soon for me..... I’m going to be very excited for the next 2-3 weeks of weather patterns for MN.... I am somewhat hopeful for this season, because there has been a crap ton of moisture. When I start dreaming about them they are about 2 weeks away..... no dreams yet...... but there will be...


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

stilz said:


> Well, moisture isn't going to be a problem this year. I think the monster crop is coming.


I think your right on stilz, nice slow warm up compared to alot of years. Time to permithan the cloths.


----------



## br5

AIM said:


> As a n00b to the scene in general ... this post made me smile! After finding a few "spots" last year but being discouraged by a poor harvest-- im really itching to hunt a good year! Had a blast last year and was on too many spots thinking where the hell are the little brains?!


Those seasons happen or they'd call it mushroom picking instead of hunting. Indiana is just starting to pick up mid state, if you track the season at 100 miles per week that puts start of season around 5/10 in southern MN. We'll see, I've tentivly scheduled my vacation for 5/16. Hoping for a slow cool spring so they'll come up a.d hold longer.


----------



## stilz

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I think your right on stilz, nice slow warm up compared to alot of years. Time to permithan the cloths.


Dakota and Scott counties will be my bitch.

Also, I'll be camping at Lake Maria State Park in Monticello, May 11th weekend. Has anyone had any luck there?


----------



## kennacoconut

I'm from Kansas City and I've been watching everyone post the morels they've found. I'm jealous! It's my first Spring in Minnesota and I've already dreampt that I found a bunch of mushrooms. I've been exploring different parks trying to find some promising spots. I'm excited!


----------



## Old Elm

kennacoconut said:


> I'm from Kansas City and I've been watching everyone post the morels they've found. I'm jealous! It's my first Spring in Minnesota and I've already dreampt that I found a bunch of mushrooms. I've been exploring different parks trying to find some promising spots. I'm excited!



Welcome to the area, it’s shaping up to be a banner year. All the best of luck to you - Enjoy.


----------



## Old Elm

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 15434
> took my brothers dog for a walk out to a spot that I have found tons of ramps at and found these just starting to grow! Won't be long now until we can atleast pick some greens I'm pretty sure the fiddle heads won't be far behind


Always good to see them starting to peek out, won’t be long now.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

stilz said:


> Dakota and Scott counties will be my bitch.
> 
> Also, I'll be camping at Lake Maria State Park in Monticello, May 11th weekend. Has anyone had any luck there?


only went there once, no luck for morels but later in the season found a King bolete.


----------



## jg010682

Just thought I would leave a couple more good pic of the ramps just starting


----------



## btetzl50

I hope to get out tomorrow and check out the woods to the south. I've never been to Lake Maria SP stilz, I heard good things for mushrooms, just not morels.


----------



## Old Elm

btetzl50 said:


> I hope to get out tomorrow and check out the woods to the south. I've never been to Lake Maria SP stilz, I heard good things for mushrooms, just not morels.


Yup, me too but ya never know til ya look. Go for it & good luck.


----------



## Dtails

Got my turkey on Friday with my bow. 22# Tom 10" beard now starting to get the boat ready for the summer so only a few more things to do before I'm going to run out of things to keep myself busy before I just start going crazy!! 6" soil temp was 40°F in my turkey blind.. lol still few weeks away


----------



## Old Elm

Dtails said:


> Got my turkey on Friday with my bow. 22# Tom 10" beard now starting to get the boat ready for the summer so only a few more things to do before I'm going to run out of things to keep myself busy before I just start going crazy!! 6" soil temp was 40°F in my turkey blind.. lol still few weeks away


It’s coming up fast, A buddy found Ramps yesterday.
Congratulations on a fine Tom!


----------



## tundraking

Dtails said:


> Got my turkey on Friday with my bow. 22# Tom 10" beard now starting to get the boat ready for the summer so only a few more things to do before I'm going to run out of things to keep myself busy before I just start going crazy!! 6" soil temp was 40°F in my turkey blind.. lol still few weeks away


Congrats Dtails! Bagged a big boy by archery on Friday too walk-n-stalk! Watched two coyotes chase turkeys for a half hour before I snuck in for a kill. 
Ice shack is stowed away and boat is ready. I'll never have the problem of running out of things to get done, but I am ready for shroomin!
May 17th I'll be heading southeastern way, and May 25th headin north.


----------



## tundraking

jg010682 said:


> Just thought I would leave a couple more good pic of the ramps just starting
> View attachment 15750
> View attachment 15760


JG, Nice shorthair! Mine is 6 months old and crazy as they come! Its gonna be fun gettin him out shroomin this year.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

br5 said:


> Those seasons happen or they'd call it mushroom picking instead of hunting. Indiana is just starting to pick up mid state, if you track the season at 100 miles per week that puts start of season around 5/10 in southern MN. We'll see, I've tentivly scheduled my vacation for 5/16. Hoping for a slow cool spring so they'll come up a.d hold longer.


5/10? Perfect! I'm planning on taking a trip south a few days before that so I'm glad my timing for vacation off work was well-planned


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

stilz said:


> Dakota and Scott counties will be my bitch.
> 
> Also, I'll be camping at Lake Maria State Park in Monticello, May 11th weekend. Has anyone had any luck there?


Haven't found morels there in my own experience, but I'm sure someone else has. It's a popular mushroom spot for other species though. Tons of Chantrelles after a nice mid-summer rain. Chantrelles are really easy and plentiful, so not quite as fun but as morels but the season is much longer and they are pretty tasty if you can find the golden variety.


----------



## Dtails

Ya the honey do list never ends but can't wait to get back in the hunt of morels .. someone early said they know it's getting close when you start dreaming of them but for me it's nightmares of missing out on the flush and finding stumps and moldy ones. Yikes


----------



## Dtails

tundraking said:


> Congrats Dtails! Bagged a big boy by archery on Friday too walk-n-stalk! Watched two coyotes chase turkeys for a half hour before I snuck in for a kill.
> Ice shack is stowed away and boat is ready. I'll never have the problem of running out of things to get done, but I am ready for shroomin!
> May 17th I'll be heading southeastern way, and May 25th headin north.


Ya got him to come into 8 yards it's always a pleasure to to be outside anytime I can be probably gonna head back out with the camera. Planning on hitting it hard in central the working my way up to big fork by the end of May. Hopefully better than last year for me


----------



## jg010682

tundraking said:


> JG, Nice shorthair! Mine is 6 months old and crazy as they come! Its gonna be fun gettin him out shroomin this year.


That's my brothers dog she is a really good dog though just hyper as hell. I was watching her this weekend will he was turkey hunting. So me and her went on a few walks around some county parks just to were her out and look for ramps.


----------



## Dtails

Well apparently someone posted on Facebook ( i don't have Facebook) from Brownsville MN got some... Not trying to stir things up too much but if any one could confirm it I'd like to know.. thanks but still think we have more time to wait!!


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Dtails said:


> Well apparently someone posted on Facebook ( i don't have Facebook) from Brownsville MN got some... Not trying to stir things up too much but if any one could confirm it I'd like to know.. thanks but still think we have more time to wait!!


Yep, that's the same person who found the early ones last year too I believe. She lives in the far SE part of MN near the rivers probably near some rocky, sunny areas that heat up quickly. 

I'm not surprised someone found some in the last week of April. This season has had a nice, slow, wet warm up compared to last year. First week of May is going to be good hunting hopefully.


----------



## Dtails

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Yep, that's the same person who found the early ones last year too I believe. She lives in the far SE part of MN near the rivers probably near some rocky, sunny areas that heat up quickly.
> 
> I'm not surprised someone found some in the last week of April. This season has had a nice, slow, wet warm up compared to last year. First week of May is going to be good hunting hopefully.


I wouldn't complain if it was a long season!!! Can't wait!


----------



## AIM

Cant F'ing wait to get picking...!


----------



## AIM

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Yep, that's the same person who found the early ones last year too I believe. She lives in the far SE part of MN near the rivers probably near some rocky, sunny areas that heat up quickly.
> 
> I'm not surprised someone found some in the last week of April. This season has had a nice, slow, wet warm up compared to last year. First week of May is going to be good hunting hopefully.


The whole area is one big south east facing river town.. Makes sense and hopefully good news for the rest of the state!


----------



## Old Elm

AIM said:


> The whole area is one big south east facing river town.. Makes sense and hopefully good news for the rest of the state!


That is a great area & I would recommend everyone head there ASAP. THX’z


----------



## Dtails

Old Elm said:


> That is a great area & I would recommend everyone head there ASAP. THX’z


Yup me too!! Haha


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Hmmm, I took vacation May 15th 16th.


----------



## MayMotherload

I have my vacation May 3-16, I'll be everywhere, probably make a whitewater day trip for sure.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

MayMotherload said:


> I have my vacation May 3-16, I'll be everywhere, probably make a whitewater day trip for sure.


Same. I hope it's longer season with none of those 80+ spring days we had last year.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

I was thinking of whitewater also, just a day trip. heard its a awesome place.


----------



## Old Elm

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I was thinking of whitewater also, just a day trip. heard its a awesome place.


Never been there, is it up north?


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Yes, by the border


----------



## stilz

My friend just found about a dozen morels, a couple of mins south Winona.


----------



## Old Elm

stilz said:


> My friend just found about a dozen morels, a couple of mins south Winona.



 Prob some sorta micro clime.


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> My friend just found about a dozen morels, a couple of mins south Winona.


https://giphy.com/gifs/run-forrest-gump-l2Sqc3POpzkj5r8SQ


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

stilz said:


> My friend just found about a dozen morels, a couple of mins south Winona.


my son goes to collage in Winona. time to visit


----------



## Dtails

Has anyone ever had any luck in burnt Meadows?


----------



## btetzl50

Dtails said:


> Has anyone ever had any luck in burnt Meadows?


I've had a little bit, but more of an accidental find than seeking burnt meadows.


----------



## Old Elm

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> my son goes to collage in Winona. time to visit


Danged if Shroomtrooper doesn’t always have an angel on morel hunting. Seems to stay just one step ahead of the rest of us.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Oh my dear lord, the 10-day forecast for May in the cities looks awe-soooooome:


----------



## Dtails

btetzl50 said:


> I've had a little bit, but more of an accidental find than seeking burnt meadows.


Just curious because they did a huge burn by a good spot that burn up into a small chunk of elm so hopefully the area around the trees is awesome but have found a few yellow s in the Meadow before


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Oh my dear lord, the 10-day forecast for May in the cities looks awe-soooooome:
> 
> View attachment 16816


Best I have ever seen


----------



## MeshBag

I found 8 today in Scott county, about the size of my thumb.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Way to go mesh bag, I have to work all weekend, its killing me


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Scouted a couple areas nothing yet. Permethrin my cloths tho, all set


----------



## MeshBag

Thanks Trooper. The ticks out numbered the shrooms 2 to 1! I found the shrooms on the edge of a south facing hill that seems to be a week or so ahead of schedule. Last year while I was picking I stumbled across this spot and it brought a tear to my eye, dozens of dead shrooms, so I knew to check early this season.


----------



## Wendelina

Ok, noob Hunter question guys..
You mentioned in earlier posts that ramps were sprouting.. Are areas where ramps grow good spots to look for morels too?


----------



## stilz

Wendelina said:


> Ok, noob Hunter question guys..
> You mentioned in earlier posts that ramps were sprouting.. Are areas where ramps grow good spots to look for morels too?


Just look for dying/dead elms to start.


----------



## br5

Dtails said:


> Ya the honey do list never ends but can't wait to get back in the hunt of morels .. someone early said they know it's getting close when you start dreaming of them but for me it's nightmares of missing out on the flush and finding stumps and moldy ones. Yikes


I have the same nightmare, I find the mother load and they're rotten. There's actually a youtube video of a guy waling in on a rotten patch, had to be over 20 lbs in it. In reality the biggest batch I ever found was past prime, it just kept going and going, I remember wishing it would stop.


Old Elm said:


> That is a great area & I would recommend everyone head there ASAP. THX’z


That's one way to keep everyone out of your spots. LOL I'm thinking everyone needs to stay away from the river bluffs in MN and WI for the first three weeks of May. That's rattler season as they come out of hibernation, just trying to be a good neighbor.


----------



## fluffhead2

br5 said:


> I have the same nightmare, I find the mother load and they're rotten. There's actually a youtube video of a guy waling in on a rotten patch, had to be over 20 lbs in it. In reality the biggest batch I ever found was past prime, it just kept going and going, I remember wishing it would stop.
> 
> That's one way to keep everyone out of your spots. LOL I'm thinking everyone needs to stay away from the river bluffs in MN and WI for the first three weeks of May. That's rattler season as they come out of hibernation, just trying to be a good neighbor.


The best way to find morels, especially if trespassing, is to wear camo and a mask that looks like a real turkey, crawl real close to the ground as close as you can, and blow through a diaphragm turkey call as frequent as real turkeys do. I've found tons of morels this way...


----------



## jg010682

Finally decided to pick a few tonight


----------



## ridgerunner

fluffhead2 said:


> The best way to find morels, especially if trespassing, is to wear camo and a mask that looks like a real turkey, crawl real close to the ground as close as you can, and blow through a diaphragm turkey call as frequent as real turkeys do. I've found tons of morels this way...


Fluffhead, you're just trying to thin the herd of morel hunters, eh?


----------



## karoom

jg010682 said:


> Finally decided to pick a few tonight
> View attachment 17040


Those are some pretty ramps! What county did you find them in? I was out last weekend looking at some of my ramps spots and they were only a couple inches long, by an inch wide. I might head a little south of the cities to find some today. I’m also tempted to drive down to Lacrosse for some early morels. That should be tomorrow’s adventure though.


----------



## Old Elm

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Scouted a couple areas nothing yet. Permethrin my cloths tho, all set



Yup, me too Trooper, got everything sprayed & dried - even did an extra set of stuff for spares.


----------



## KarenE

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 17098
> View attachment 17100
> 
> 
> 
> Yup, me too Trooper, got everything sprayed & dried - even did an extra set of stuff for spares.


----------



## KarenE

We are planning a trip to Minnesota around Mother's Day weekend will they be up in Rochester.


----------



## Old Elm

KarenE said:


> We are planning a trip to Minnesota around Mother's Day weekend will they be up in Rochester.


I would think that is very good timing, & hope you find lots of them.
Good luck - Enjoy.


----------



## fluffhead2

ridgerunner said:


> Fluffhead, you're just trying to thin the herd of morel hunters, eh?


 Maybe some mustache having hipsters and social media narcissists but not really. 

;p


----------



## KarenE

Old Elm said:


> I would think that is very good timing, & hope you find lots of them.
> Good luck - Enjoy.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Hey all! Just wanted to say hello & wish you a very successful 2019 season!


----------



## AIM

Lisse Michaels said:


> Hey all! Just wanted to say hello & wish you a very successful 2019 season!


Good luck this year!


----------



## jg010682

I was up by sterns county when I picked them. Was up by sebeka today though and found a good sized patch of ramps for my buddies up there and those were still atleast a week and a half from being ready to pick


karoom said:


> Those are some pretty ramps! What county did you find them in? I was out last weekend looking at some of my ramps spots and they were only a couple inches long, by an inch wide. I might head a little south of the cities to find some today. I’m also tempted to drive down to Lacrosse for some early morels. That should be tomorrow’s adventure though.


----------



## twisted minds

fluffhead2 said:


> Maybe some mustache having hipsters and social media narcissists but not really.
> 
> ;p


Maybe just send them on a good old fashioned "snipe hunt". Let them video document that for their "followers".


----------



## karoom

lots of trash to pick up while hunting. 

Also, it’s unfortunate that I can’t join a discussion without being made fun of. We all love morels, so why can’t we just get along?


----------



## treebeardlennon

karoom said:


> lots of trash to pick up while hunting.
> 
> Also, it’s unfortunate that I can’t join a discussion without being made fun of. We all love morels, so why can’t we just get along?


Haven't logged in for a few years, but just wanted to say that y'all have my support. Do what makes you happy. Also, thanks for help keepin the earth clean! 

Not that you asked for it, but the following advice was given to me by a seasoned, 80 year old morel hunter. If you got a dream in your heart, you oughtta chase it -- just be careful who you share that dream with. Dreams can be fragile things, and there's a lot of people in this world who (for reasons that only they know) will seek to destroy it, just as their own dreams were destroyed. Small-minded people who can't understand your dream will also attempt to destroy it. Surround yourself with those whose dreams are also worth chasing, because a dream you can accomplish on your own ain't a dream worth chasing.

Anyways, he's also kinda half crazy, and my paraphrasing of his rambling doesn't quite do it justice... So what I mean to say is keep on keepin' on, and fuck the haters. You're gonna have a great year.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

karoom said:


> lots of trash to pick up while hunting.
> 
> Also, it’s unfortunate that I can’t join a discussion without being made fun of. We all love morels, so why can’t we just get along?


Thanks for picking up trash, I should do it way more than I do. One year I found some kids one hitter and dugout, ha. Same day I lost my favorite knife, but backtracked and found it. I took more vacation on May 6th and 7th. A little early but will hit the road south, and maybe east. Hint, hint


----------



## karoom

treebeardlennon said:


> Haven't logged in for a few years, but just wanted to say that y'all have my support. Do what makes you happy. Also, thanks for help keepin the earth clean!
> 
> Not that you asked for it, but the following advice was given to me by a seasoned, 80 year old morel hunter. If you got a dream in your heart, you oughtta chase it -- just be careful who you share that dream with. Dreams can be fragile things, and there's a lot of people in this world who (for reasons that only they know) will seek to destroy it, just as their own dreams were destroyed. Small-minded people who can't understand your dream will also attempt to destroy it. Surround yourself with those whose dreams are also worth chasing, because a dream you can accomplish on your own ain't a dream worth chasing.
> 
> Anyways, he's also kinda half crazy, and my paraphrasing of his rambling doesn't quite do it justice... So what I mean to say is keep on keepin' on, and fuck the haters. You're gonna have a great year.


Thank you for supporting us and taking the the time to pass on the advice of an older morel hunter. I think it’s very true and good advice. I generally ignore hate comments or respond with humor but I was feeling a little picked on and like you, I don’t really post much. I mainly am just reading the thread. So it was disappointing. I’m glad I said something tho because it made me aware of you and maybe a few others that are good and decent people and are brave and willing to stand up for me! 
<3 
Good luck to you!


----------



## karoom

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Thanks for picking up trash, I should do it way more than I do. One year I found some kids one hitter and dugout, ha. Same day I lost my favorite knife, but backtracked and found it. I took more vacation on May 6th and 7th. A little early but will hit the road south, and maybe east. Hint, hint


Ha! Glad to hear I’m not the only morel hunter that’s also a trash hunter. There seems to be more trash scattered in the woods this year than in past years or maybe I’m just more aware of it this year. I think I’m going to start tying a garbage bag to my backpack and filling it up with trash I find along my way. I hope to inspire some others to do the same! 

Good luck!


----------



## fluffhead2

I predict karoom and "mustache" will soon be spamming the board with their youtube videos in an attempt to gain channel views but masking it as "spreading knowledge" and "sharing".


----------



## Old Elm

karoom said:


> Thank you for supporting us and taking the the time to pass on the advice of an older morel hunter. I think it’s very true and good advice. I generally ignore hate comments or respond with humor but I was feeling a little picked on and like you, I don’t really post much. I mainly am just reading the thread. So it was disappointing. I’m glad I said something tho because it made me aware of you and maybe a few others that are good and decent people and are brave and willing to stand up for me!
> <3
> Good luck to you!


Please accept my humblest apologies if I even dampened your dreams.
Some of us old timers just get all jumpy if the posted information isn’t correct/accurate. Good luck - enjoy the chase. 
Here is a gal that I have a lotta respect for.

http://www.yellowelanor.com/


----------



## Inthewild

fluffhead2 said:


> I predict karoom and "mustache" will soon be spamming the board with their youtube videos in an attempt to gain channel views but masking it as "spreading knowledge" and "sharing".


Just click on their avatar or profile page and hit Ignore. I DID!!! I also do the Chinese crap that shows up on the board before moderators clear them.


----------



## Old Elm

A Sunday morel Tip:
& Just a friendly reminder, now is a good time to check your car/truck, toilet paper stash. Sometimes mice get into it over the winter or it gets soggy. 
Don’t want ya cutting up your T shirts & using them anymore!


----------



## karoom

fluffhead2 said:


> I predict karoom and "mustache" will soon be spamming the board with their youtube videos in an attempt to gain channel views but masking it as "spreading knowledge" and "sharing".


Best of luck on your second year morel hunting!


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

fluffhead2 said:


> I predict karoom and "mustache" will soon be spamming the board with their youtube videos in an attempt to gain channel views but masking it as "spreading knowledge" and "sharing".


Dude, they get like < 1000 views per video per YEAR, of which they have a few dozen videos. 

Know how much money they make off those views? Fucking pennies man! This isn't Bruno Mars music video money, LMAO!!

Then enjoy mushroom hunting and making videos. It's FUN to them. Who cares?


----------



## stilz

twisted minds said:


> Maybe just send them on a good old fashioned "snipe hunt". Let them video document that for their "followers".


I just watched the snipe hunt Cheers episode the other day.


----------



## stilz

Old Elm said:


> Please accept my humblest apologies if I even dampened your dreams.
> Some of us old timers just get all jumpy if the posted information isn’t correct/accurate. Good luck - enjoy the chase.
> Here is a gal that I have a lotta respect for.
> 
> http://www.yellowelanor.com/


The old-timer get off my lawn attitude never helps. They're the next generation of our type of people. They deserve some respect.


----------



## MN Morel Dude

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Hmmm, I took vacation May 15th 16th.


No worries. I live in Winona and we have a ways to go. Ground temp in the woods behind my house (Northern facing slope) was just above 40 late last week. I think your vacation dates will line up nicely. Got a nice batch of fiddleheads this weekend, though!


----------



## AIM

Leave the hate for somewhere else. Anyone putting effort into either posting here or making videos etc is why we all are here. Not everything online should appeal to all but lets be real here with this niche market of foraging...

I think we all are out for the same reasons and that is to find tasty shit. If you have never made a youtube video i'd say give it a try and if you think its easy or get rich quick money LOL good luck.

I found this place and joined due to the info not some BS drama that really matters none. We cant even find all the morels or other goodies if we tried ans shared everything we all know. 

For all of those who contribute here thank you and let's keep up that spirit. Good luck to all this season!


----------



## AIM

karoom said:


> Thank you for supporting us and taking the the time to pass on the advice of an older morel hunter. I think it’s very true and good advice. I generally ignore hate comments or respond with humor but I was feeling a little picked on and like you, I don’t really post much. I mainly am just reading the thread. So it was disappointing. I’m glad I said something tho because it made me aware of you and maybe a few others that are good and decent people and are brave and willing to stand up for me!
> <3
> Good luck to you!


This is the internet. If you are going to create any content for essentially the world to see you have to have thick skin or learn to ignore the BS and remember why you do it all in the first place. For most of us I assume this is a hooby and have enjoyed your videos not even knowing you posted here or of the drama. Cheers!


----------



## Old Elm

AIM said:


> Leave the hate for somewhere else. Anyone putting effort into either posting here or making videos etc is why we all are here. Not everything online should appeal to all but lets be real here with this niche market of foraging...
> 
> I think we all are out for the same reasons and that is to find tasty shit. If you have never made a youtube video i'd say give it a try and if you think its easy or get rich quick money LOL good luck.
> 
> I found this place and joined due to the info not some BS drama that really matters none. We cant even find all the morels or other goodies if we tried ans shared everything we all know.
> 
> For all of those who contribute here thank you and let's keep up that spirit. Good luck to all this season!


Well said, thank you.


----------



## jg010682

I think I just found my happy place! Pice a basket full of ramps and I didn't even put a dent in the population in this spot.


----------



## AIM

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 17390
> View attachment 17392
> View attachment 17394
> View attachment 17398
> I think I just found my happy place! Pice a basket full of ramps and I didn't even put a dent in the population in this spot.
> View attachment 17400


So nice.. Need to try some ramps this year. Love onions so why not! Leaf and all? Sort of green onion-ish id assume?


----------



## jg010682

They taste like onion and garlic mixed and the leaf is similar to spinach after they are cooked.


----------



## karoom

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 17390
> View attachment 17392
> View attachment 17394
> View attachment 17398
> I think I just found my happy place! Pice a basket full of ramps and I didn't even put a dent in the population in this spot.
> View attachment 17400


Oh my! You did find your happy place. We found some good ramps spots and fiddlehead spots this weekend as well. Tonight’s dinner was the bomb!


----------



## karoom

Thanks to all that did a great job explaining what YouTube is and how it’s not something you can easily make money from. A lot of my videos aren’t even monetized because I like to use music that is copyrighted. 
I’ve made $300 in the past three years so for us, we do it because it’s fun for Sam and I to rewatch, and I’m sure we’ll enjoy it for the rest of our lives, or maybe it will be embarrassing to watch! 
I also do it because I know we have some people that enjoy watching our videos too. 

The hate comments don’t really bother me. A lot of the time people say we are weird, but I take that as a compliment! 

Next weekend we’ll be finding some morels and don’t worry, I won’t be posting a video of us finding them on here! 

Best of luck!


----------



## AIM

So with this week if weather terrorists are right.. We are 2 weeks out in the north metro 4 sure...?


----------



## MayMotherload

I watch a lot of learn your land videos on YouTube, that guy knows his fungi, he's in eastern Pennsylvania, but still very good info. I hope to get our tomorrow and scope it out, hoping for some dryads at least


----------



## bigrobshroommn

I agree. Leave the Drama at your local high school. Oh yeah, hello everyone. It was a long winter and hopefully the dues are paid in full in the woods this spring!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Lisse Michaels said:


> Hey all! Just wanted to say hello & wish you a very successful 2019 season!


you too, good luck


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

karoom said:


> Thanks to all that did a great job explaining what YouTube is and how it’s not something you can easily make money from. A lot of my videos aren’t even monetized because I like to use music that is copyrighted.
> I’ve made $300 in the past three years so for us, we do it because it’s fun for Sam and I to rewatch, and I’m sure we’ll enjoy it for the rest of our lives, or maybe it will be embarrassing to watch!
> I also do it because I know we have some people that enjoy watching our videos too.
> 
> The hate comments don’t really bother me. A lot of the time people say we are weird, but I take that as a compliment!
> 
> Next weekend we’ll be finding some morels and don’t worry, I won’t be posting a video of us finding them on here!
> 
> Best of luck!


Ahh don't feel your getting bashed, fluffhead cracks me up, and twisted minds, they are the guard dogs of the sight. Stilz the level headed guy. Hey, can you get sam to post something?


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Karoom I watched one of your videos and there was a jogger coming toward you and you said something like mind your own bees wax or something like that, I thought it was funny because when I am out shrooming I trust no one.I think everyone is picking. So last year I am scrambling to find some morels because I told my sister I would take her out, and I was not finding any. Suddenly I look and see this big old dead elm, right next to this way past prime elm I looked at a couple years ago that had nothing under it. I walk over and bam, 25 or so right off the bat. I look around and no one is around. I pick up the phone and almost dialed my sister, there was this woman pushing a baby stroller, with 2 kids and another women coming. I cringed. I pretended I was talking on the phone while glancing at them but not noticeable.they kept looking at me and then looking away, I got this bad, bad feeling. As soon as they where next to the elm, the 2 kids ran to it, I pretended I was talking, I was good. They ran back to their mom and they where so happy, giggled even, I was not.They walked past, then turned around, crap I was kicking myself for not taking those mushrooms. Then they kept walking, I could not believe it. They went back to get bags. I watched them go around the bend, out of sight.


----------



## tundraking

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Karoom I watched one of your videos and there was a jogger coming toward you and you said something like mind your own bees wax or something like that, I thought it was funny because when I am out shrooming I trust no one.I think everyone is picking. So last year I am scrambling to find some morels because I told my sister I would take her out, and I was not finding any. Suddenly I look and see this big old dead elm, right next to this way past prime elm I looked at a couple years ago that had nothing under it. I walk over and bam, 25 or so right off the bat. I look around and no one is around. I pick up the phone and almost dialed my sister, there was this woman pushing a baby stroller, with 2 kids and another women coming. I cringed. I pretended I was talking on the phone while glancing at them but not noticeable.they kept looking at me and then looking away, I got this bad, bad feeling. As soon as they where next to the elm, the 2 kids ran to it, I pretended I was talking, I was good. They ran back to their mom and they where so happy, giggled even, I was not.They walked past, then turned around, crap I was kicking myself for not taking those mushrooms. Then they kept walking, I could not believe it. They went back to get bags. I watched them go around the bend, out of sight.


LOL! NO....
Well...?! Did you pick em as soon as they were outta sight?!


----------



## tundraking

bigrobshroommn said:


> I agree. Leave the Drama at your local high school. Oh yeah, hello everyone. It was a long winter and hopefully the dues are paid in full in the woods this spring!


Big Rob! Good to see ya back. 
One thing I enjoy almost as much as mushroom hunting is seeing all of you that return every year and conversate about our passion. I enjoy getting a hot cup of coffee in the morning and checkin out what people have to say. I don't get involved with much social media anymore (basically cause I like the way it used to be better), but this forum is always enjoyable. Anyway, good to see you all back here for another year!

I thought I'd bring this up since he was part of last year's forum. In March, Inthewild contacted me and informed me that "Mother Load" passed on. He had a big presence on the forum last year and he offered up sharing his picking spots to people that were having a hard time and loved to share stories with everyone. I don't personally know him, but would have loved the opportunity to meet him. From what I could find, he had a wife and 5 children. Inthewild can probably correct me if I'm wrong. 
RIP Mother Load.


----------



## stilz

MayMotherload said:


> I watch a lot of learn your land videos on YouTube, that guy knows his fungi, he's in eastern Pennsylvania, but still very good info. I hope to get our tomorrow and scope it out, hoping for some dryads at least


I haven't found a better foraging channel. Adam is awesome.


----------



## Inthewild

tundraking said:


> Big Rob! Good to see ya back.
> One thing I enjoy almost as much as mushroom hunting is seeing all of you that return every year and conversate about our passion. I enjoy getting a hot cup of coffee in the morning and checkin out what people have to say. I don't get involved with much social media anymore (basically cause I like the way it used to be better), but this forum is always enjoyable. Anyway, good to see you all back here for another year!
> 
> I thought I'd bring this up since he was part of last year's forum. In March, Inthewild contacted me and informed me that "Mother Load" passed on. He had a big presence on the forum last year and he offered up sharing his picking spots to people that were having a hard time and loved to share stories with everyone. I don't personally know him, but would have loved the opportunity to meet him. From what I could find, he had a wife and 5 children. Inthewild can probably correct me if I'm wrong.
> RIP Mother Load.


Yes, we lost a GREAT guy this year, His passion gave way to his HUGE generosity. Funny, but true story, he had fun planting vegetable and flower seeds during the hunt, knowing someone would pass by and wonder why the heck something like that was growing in the woods. He was just adding more beauty to nature. Another story, after only finding 7 shrooms, a few people walked into the local watering hole and asked what we were up to. We explained our desire for Morels and enticed them to take our findings to enjoy (I'm thinking he didn't quite agree). He had fun giving me grief the rest of the year, like that movie with the paper boy on bicycle saying: I want my two dollars. I miss the Big Guy and know he is watching over me and the rest of us Morel Nuts. Feel free to reply to his Profile. @Mother load


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Inthewild said:


> Yes, we lost a GREAT guy this year, His passion gave way to his HUGE generosity. Funny, but true story, he had fun planting vegetable and flower seeds during the hunt, knowing someone would pass by and wonder why the heck something like that was growing in the woods. He was just adding more beauty to nature. Another story, after only finding 7 shrooms, a few people walked into the local watering hole and asked what we were up to. We explained our desire for Morels and enticed them to take our findings to enjoy (I'm thinking he didn't quite agree). He had fun giving me grief the rest of the year, like that movie with the paper boy on bicycle saying: I want my two dollars. I miss the Big Guy and know he is watching over me and the rest of us Morel Nuts. Feel free to reply to his Profile. @Mother load


I got to know him really well last year. Allen was unbelievably kind and big hearted. He was the kind of decent human being that did things for others because it was just the right thing to do. He went around and changed batteries in smoke detectors for seniors who couldn’t do it themselves. He not only had 5 children, he also had grandchildren. I’m thinking of our upcoming morel season and I’m so sad because I lost a friend that I would have loved to share the excitement with. And if I feel this sad, I can’t even imagine how much his wife and kids are feeling. I kind of also have a feeling he’s going to be guiding us a little this year, kind of like our own personal morel angel. ❤


----------



## Jon Miller

Newbie (tried half heartedly a couple of times) here looking to head out hunting with my wife (never gone) and my pup. Try and get out of the house for a bit. Are the Morels out yet or did that late winter blast slow them down? I am in St. Michael and would appreciate any general guidance y'all are willing to provide!

Thanks!
Jon


----------



## AIM

Jon Miller said:


> Newbie (tried half heartedly a couple of times) here looking to head out hunting with my wife (never gone) and my pup. Try and get out of the house for a bit. Are the Morels out yet or did that late winter blast slow them down? I am in St. Michael and would appreciate any general guidance y'all are willing to provide!
> 
> Thanks!
> Jon


Probably still a week/weeks away from prime picking with all this cold.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

tundraking said:


> LOL! NO....
> Well...?! Did you pick em as soon as they were outta sight?!


I had to I couldn't let the forum down but to be honest I went there the next day I found another 20 found another 15 with my son about three more days after that so there was so many they musta found a bunch of them and I'm glad I felt a little embarrassed but...heck


----------



## Dtails

A few years ago I went a long walking on bike path and finding 20-30 didn't bring my bag. Ended up cutting my sleeves off and making a bag with them... Now I always carry mesh bag knife and so 550 p cord and water... Never know how long I'll be out there heck gotta get lost a few times before you find the right spot


----------



## karoom

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Ahh don't feel your getting bashed, fluffhead cracks me up, and twisted minds, they are the guard dogs of the sight. Stilz the level headed guy. Hey, can you get sam to post something?


I can tell Sam that you'd like for him to get involved in the discussion. We haven't spent much time posting on here in the past but I thought it would be good to try to more this year.
Your story about the mom and kids was funny, and I'm glad you found my sense of humor relatable. These days I make it a point to stop and talk to fellow mushroom hunters. It can be difficult at first cuz I don't like to acknowledge the fact that there are morels in the area we are both hunting. There are plenty to go around tho and it's fun to actually talk to people that have the same hobby as me, face to face. 

Do you or anyone else on here do any forays? I know Mike Kempenich hosts one or a few, but with a hefty fee. Just curious, and thought it might be fun to go on one this year. We actually went on one several years ago with the Paul Bunyan Mushroom Club in Brainerd and it was a lot of fun!


----------



## karoom

Dtails said:


> A few years ago I went a long walking on bike path and finding 20-30 didn't bring my bag. Ended up cutting my sleeves off and making a bag with them... Now I always carry mesh bag knife and so 550 p cord and water... Never know how long I'll be out there heck gotta get lost a few times before you find the right spot


haha! That's awesome and very resourceful. I
think i'd do the same if I didn't have anything to put them in.


----------



## MorelMonkey

Hello again everyone! I hope people are getting excited about this year's season.

The weather has me confusticated, cold temps not warming the soil soon enough this year. A couple years ago I found my first batch on April 26th, but that isn't happening this year. The tree coverage on the other hand is already coming along nicely. Thinking we are still 2 weeks away (at least) for the south metro area. I hope someone posts here if I'm off with my timing. You can never tell with these mushrooms. Here's hoping it warms up into the 70's again soon!


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Karoom I watched one of your videos and there was a jogger coming toward you and you said something like mind your own bees wax or something like that, I thought it was funny because when I am out shrooming I trust no one.I think everyone is picking. So last year I am scrambling to find some morels because I told my sister I would take her out, and I was not finding any. Suddenly I look and see this big old dead elm, right next to this way past prime elm I looked at a couple years ago that had nothing under it. I walk over and bam, 25 or so right off the bat. I look around and no one is around. I pick up the phone and almost dialed my sister, there was this woman pushing a baby stroller, with 2 kids and another women coming. I cringed. I pretended I was talking on the phone while glancing at them but not noticeable.they kept looking at me and then looking away, I got this bad, bad feeling. As soon as they where next to the elm, the 2 kids ran to it, I pretended I was talking, I was good. They ran back to their mom and they where so happy, giggled even, I was not.They walked past, then turned around, crap I was kicking myself for not taking those mushrooms. Then they kept walking, I could not believe it. They went back to get bags. I watched them go around the bend, out of sight.


LOL OMG me too Shroomtrooper! I am MEGA paranoid about other people hunting around me to the point where I will just pretend I'm geocaching and keep all my shrooms in a backpack, guard my area and hide the shrooms if I find some when people are nearby, only pick when I think no one is around. HAHA, it takes so long to find'em I can't stand it if someone is up in my space.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

MorelMonkey said:


> Hello again everyone! I hope people are getting excited about this year's season.
> 
> The weather has me confusticated, cold temps not warming the soil soon enough this year. A couple years ago I found my first batch on April 26th, but that isn't happening this year. The tree coverage on the other hand is already coming along nicely. Thinking we are still 2 weeks away (at least) for the south metro area. I hope someone posts here if I'm off with my timing. You can never tell with these mushrooms. Here's hoping it warms up into the 70's again soon!


Yeah, I'm a little glad we haven't had a super hot spell in the 80's but it's still a bit dry and cool yet. The forest was a bit too brown and while I saw lots of blood root plants sprouting I didn't see any morel primordial growth near any of my spots.

I'm thinking I'll move my vacation days this next Monday another week up


----------



## Wendelina

This crew cracks me up I really love reading and "conversating" with you all. And thank you for the tips so far! I had many great adventures (and delicious dinners) last fall finding hens and chants thanks to you good people. 

I'm going to be in my favorite hunting forest all weekend.. Sadly it's too far north for anything to be growing yet 

C'mon spring!!


----------



## Dtails

I'm thinking of taking a walk this weekend b for some ramps but won't really hit it hard for 10 more frustrating days. Trying a different approach this year have a handfull new private land spots on my way home from work.. the faces people make when you ask them if you can hunt for mushrooms on their property. I'd like to put a trail camera up on a nice stand see if anything else eats them!


----------



## Dtails

What's your best way to preserve ramps for a later date?


----------



## Bushwacker

Been lurking around here for a bit, finally decided to register. I'm fired up for the season to get started soon. Looks like a few starting to pop up down south.


----------



## Old Elm

Bushwacker said:


> Been lurking around here for a bit, finally decided to register. I'm fired up for the season to get started soon. Looks like a few starting to pop up down south.


Welcome to the group, hope you have an awesome season.


----------



## Old Elm

Dtails said:


> What's your best way to preserve ramps for a later date?


Ramp butter for these today.
I think Shroomtrooper freezes his.


----------



## Wendelina

So judging by the ridge in the more mature one.. These look like fiddleheads? Cuz my back yard is infested with them!


----------



## karoom

Wendelina said:


> So judging by the ridge in the more mature one.. These look like fiddleheads? Cuz my back yard is infested with them!
> View attachment 17674


Looks like a fiddlehead to me but I don’t want to say for sure because you gotta be super careful and make sure you do research first. I’m sure you already know that but I don’t want to be held responsible! 
We had gnocchi with ramps and fiddleheads last night. It was delicious!


----------



## twisted minds

Wendelina said:


> So judging by the ridge in the more mature one.. These look like fiddleheads? Cuz my back yard is infested with them!
> View attachment 17674


Yep, the brown "paper bag" wrapping and the celery stalk type ridged stem sure make them look like that. And the bottom right picture with the dead brown "ostrich feather" pretty much guarantees that it is the edible fiddle head. Pick them before they unfurl, cook and enjoy!


----------



## twisted minds

Dtails said:


> What's your best way to preserve ramps for a later date?


You can also dry them whole, or just the leaves, crumble or grind, and use similar to chives for dips or sauces, or on top of a good baked potato.


----------



## br5

Old Elm said:


> A Sunday morel Tip:
> & Just a friendly reminder, now is a good time to check your car/truck, toilet paper stash. Sometimes mice get into it over the winter or it gets soggy.
> Don’t want ya cutting up your T shirts & using them anymore!


You can tell how much time someone's spent in the woods by the toiletries they take with them. LOL I left my phone, wallet, and a new LED flashlight somewhere in MN on a pile of cr#*. Went back following weekend to find it, and founds it's really hard tracing your steps on GPS.


----------



## MN Morel Dude

Wendelina said:


> So judging by the ridge in the more mature one.. These look like fiddleheads? Cuz my back yard is infested with them!
> View attachment 17674


The indented stalk is also a good sign. I'd be picking them. Grabbed a bag full in the woods behind my house last weekend. Roasted and eaten!


----------



## mustachio

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Ahh don't feel your getting bashed, fluffhead cracks me up, and twisted minds, they are the guard dogs of the sight. Stilz the level headed guy. Hey, can you get sam to post something?


What's up! I think fluffhead would like me, I just need to shave my mustache. It seems to really trigger him (or her). I'm focused on finding new spots. Found one, I don't know if people hunt there, but ticks certainly do. Found ramps and fiddleheads, peeling elms, a few pine stands and a large burnt area. Anyway, good luck, I'm sure you have your spots and will do well, I'm concerned that the younger hunters who stick to the cities will have their spots flooded.

On the note of making videos, I have to say that I work at a school and the kids - who are old enough to know not to eat a mystery shroom - watch my videos and have come up to tell me they found a puffball or a chicken. So we might not be professional mycologists, but we're weird enough to get teenagers to think about going out and hunting. I think it's cool if you can get somebody to seriously think about foraging, these are skills they'll need when the zombie apocalypse starts.


----------



## AIM

MorelMonkey said:


> Hello again everyone! I hope people are getting excited about this year's season.
> 
> The weather has me confusticated, cold temps not warming the soil soon enough this year. A couple years ago I found my first batch on April 26th, but that isn't happening this year. The tree coverage on the other hand is already coming along nicely. Thinking we are still 2 weeks away (at least) for the south metro area. I hope someone posts here if I'm off with my timing. You can never tell with these mushrooms. Here's hoping it warms up into the 70's again soon!


 If my gardens or local woods are any indicator i think the sun might be a big factor this year for the early popping stuff. Have some rental property and others with some tulips in bloom while others hardly popping and thats within 5-10 miles. Soil is very cold to the touch..has to be hardly on top 45+ surprised some transplanted roses are growing nice tho...

By no means am I a expert at all etc just trying to get a feel for the "seasons"


----------



## MayMotherload

AIM said:


> If my gardens or local woods are any indicator i think the sun might be a big factor this year for the early popping stuff. Have some rental property and others with some tulips in bloom while others hardly popping and thats within 5-10 miles. Soil is very cold to the touch..has to be hardly on top 45+ surprised some transplanted roses are growing nice tho...
> 
> By no means am I a expert at all etc just trying to get a feel for the "seasons"


----------



## MayMotherload

I was out tonight for a couple hours, I won't be going out again for at least 10 more days...unless I hit up whitewater state park.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

karoom said:


> I can tell Sam that you'd like for him to get involved in the discussion. We haven't spent much time posting on here in the past but I thought it would be good to try to more this year.
> Your story about the mom and kids was funny, and I'm glad you found my sense of humor relatable. These days I make it a point to stop and talk to fellow mushroom hunters. It can be difficult at first cuz I don't like to acknowledge the fact that there are morels in the area we are both hunting. There are plenty to go around tho and it's fun to actually talk to people that have the same hobby as me, face to face.
> 
> Do you or anyone else on here do any forays? I know Mike Kempenich hosts one or a few, but with a hefty fee. Just curious, and thought it might be fun to go on one this year. We actually went on one several years ago with the Paul Bunyan Mushroom Club in Brainerd and it was a lot of fun!


I have not, but went to a seminar mike had on chants, hedgehog, coral mushrooms etc. Still had to send oldelm a pic to ease my mind on my first chant, now they are so obvious.


Dtails said:


> A few years ago I went a long walking on bike path and finding 20-30 didn't bring my bag. Ended up cutting my sleeves off and making a bag with them... Now I always carry mesh bag knife and so 550 p cord and water... Never know how long I'll be out there heck gotta get lost a few times before you find the right spot


I bought a camelbak hydration pack I have every thing I need. Knife, plastic bags camera fold out doggie bowl water deet ect,ect handy to have everything in one place


----------



## Rebecca Kreuter

tommyjosh said:


> This is the 2019 Minnesota Morel Season.


 When is Morel season and Minnesota


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

tundraking said:


> Big Rob! Good to see ya back.
> One thing I enjoy almost as much as mushroom hunting is seeing all of you that return every year and conversate about our passion. I enjoy getting a hot cup of coffee in the morning and checkin out what people have to say. I don't get involved with much social media anymore (basically cause I like the way it used to be better), but this forum is always enjoyable. Anyway, good to see you all back here for another year!
> 
> I thought I'd bring this up since he was part of last year's forum. In March, Inthewild contacted me and informed me that "Mother Load" passed on. He had a big presence on the forum last year and he offered up sharing his picking spots to people that were having a hard time and loved to share stories with everyone. I don't personally know him, but would have loved the opportunity to meet him. From what I could find, he had a wife and 5 children. Inthewild can probably correct me if I'm wrong.
> RIP Mother Load.


I wish I could have met motherload, he helped people, its just that When morels start to pop I have my own areas that I scouted I have to go to. But I made one exception and I am glad I did. RIP motherload


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

MN Morel Dude said:


> No worries. I live in Winona and we have a ways to go. Ground temp in the woods behind my house (Northern facing slope) was just above 40 late last week. I think your vacation dates will line up nicely. Got a nice batch of fiddleheads this weekend, though!


now I took vacation may 6th,7th. I always get out early, but i do ramps and fiddleheads also.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 17390
> View attachment 17392
> View attachment 17394
> View attachment 17398
> I think I just found my happy place! Pice a basket full of ramps and I didn't even put a dent in the population in this spot.
> View attachment 17400


awesome.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

AIM said:


> So with this week if weather terrorists are right.. We are 2 weeks out in the north metro 4 sure...?


mabey for a good flush, but who knows, could be earlier in some spots, for sure in some spots. But I would guess your right on. geez I am getting that panic feeling I always get this time of year.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

stilz said:


> I haven't found a better foraging channel. Adam is awesome.


I agree.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

i_heart_shrooms said:


> LOL OMG me too Shroomtrooper! I am MEGA paranoid about other people hunting around me to the point where I will just pretend I'm geocaching and keep all my shrooms in a backpack, guard my area and hide the shrooms if I find some when people are nearby, only pick when I think no one is around. HAHA, it takes so long to find'em I can't stand it if someone is up in my space.


Oh ya, I brought my sister out and gave her the talk about no posting pictures with location on, do not tell anyone, do not make it obvious that we are looking for morels. She looked at me like I was crazy, your paranoid. I really had to hammer into her that there are alot of morel hunters especially where we are. later i showed her stumps, a lot of stumps. One person started to push the stump into the ground, thats hard to do. I also told her she cannot come if she doesn't permethrin her cloths. She finally got it, and had a blast, posted a lot of pictures but safely. she wants to go every year now. But she wants to bring her son and his girlfriend this year. i am fine with that, but we will have to have the talk, oh ya, the talk.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

bigrobshroommn said:


> I agree. Leave the Drama at your local high school. Oh yeah, hello everyone. It was a long winter and hopefully the dues are paid in full in the woods this spring!


hey your back, so whats the news?


twisted minds said:


> You can also dry them whole, or just the leaves, crumble or grind, and use similar to chives for dips or sauces, or on top of a good baked potato.


you can dry them ?, I will have to try that. do you have to cook them when you rehydrate them again?


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

I am on jury duty now. 50 of us where taken to a room to sort out who will be this case jurors. If I am picked they said trial could last 2 weeks, OMG it just hit me. Don't even ask whats its about, I can not tell.


----------



## Inthewild

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I am on jury duty now. 50 of us where taken to a room to sort out who will be this case jurors. If I am picked they said trial could last 2 weeks, OMG it just hit me. Don't even ask whats its about, I can not tell.


Oh No!!! Must feel like a punch in the gut. I know it would me. My jury time to be picked is 6-17th. Funny they would pick a guy with no Morals, or no Morels for that matter. Best wishes.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Inthewild said:


> Oh No!!! Must feel like a punch in the gut. I know it would me. My jury time to be picked is 6-17th. Funny they would pick a guy with no Morals, or no Morels for that matter. Best wishes.


good one, Best wishes to you also


----------



## MorelMonkey

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> geez I am getting that panic feeling I always get this time of year.


I know exactly what your saying. I get the same feeling when May comes around and I have a million things going on, family weekends, fishing opener, Mothers Day. How will I ever have enough time!! Am I going to miss the boat?!? Sorry about the jury duty BTW, you should claim emotional distress since you'll be thinking about the woods all day and not the case. Seems legit to me.

Sometimes I need to remind myself "I will have enough time (fate allowing), I won't miss out on all of them, and... there is always next year" but lets be honest thinking about next year is the absolute last reminder.

South Metro Area update - Checked an early spot yesterday, no signs of life yet. The ground was still a bit dry too.


----------



## tundraking

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I am on jury duty now. 50 of us where taken to a room to sort out who will be this case jurors. If I am picked they said trial could last 2 weeks, OMG it just hit me. Don't even ask whats its about, I can not tell.


That BLOWWWS... Just act really crazy, talk gibberish under your breath, and keep repeating the word "morels" "morels" "morels"...


----------



## tundraking

I really like how this spring is coming in!! Nice and slow. It seems like when morels start popping up all over in April it ends up being a blownout season. Definitely could use some of this rain they keep forecasting but never comes. Southern MN is getting hit today so thats good. 
Still have my big trip with Old Mother Hen the 17-19th, which I think is going to be a peak weekend. Also taking my 4 yr old and the new pup. Sounds like a lot of distractions, but should be neat showing my daughter what its all about. Break em in young! Now if I could just get my pointer to lock on morels...!


----------



## morel rat

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I am on jury duty now. 50 of us where taken to a room to sort out who will be this case jurors. If I am picked they said trial could last 2 weeks, OMG it just hit me. Don't even ask whats its about, I can not tell.


What ever the verdict is, tell them you do not agree with there laws and they will let you loose!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

MorelMonkey said:


> I know exactly what your saying. I get the same feeling when May comes around and I have a million things going on, family weekends, fishing opener, Mothers Day. How will I ever have enough time!! Am I going to miss the boat?!? Sorry about the jury duty BTW, you should claim emotional distress since you'll be thinking about the woods all day and not the case. Seems legit to me.
> 
> Sometimes I need to remind myself "I will have enough time (fate allowing), I won't miss out on all of them, and... there is always next year" but lets be honest thinking about next year is the absolute last reminder.
> 
> South Metro Area update - Checked an early spot yesterday, no signs of life yet. The ground was still a bit dry too.


Ya, I try to be organized but I wing it 40% of the time. I love exploring, I get sidetracked a lot.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

tundraking said:


> I really like how this spring is coming in!! Nice and slow. It seems like when morels start popping up all over in April it ends up being a blownout season. Definitely could use some of this rain they keep forecasting but never comes. Southern MN is getting hit today so thats good.
> Still have my big trip with Old Mother Hen the 17-19th, which I think is going to be a peak weekend. Also taking my 4 yr old and the new pup. Sounds like a lot of distractions, but should be neat showing my daughter what its all about. Break em in young! Now if I could just get my pointer to lock on morels...!


This is the best slow warm up I remember. And rain off and on for the next 3 days. Your days are looking great.


----------



## stilz

MayMotherload said:


> I was out tonight for a couple hours, I won't be going out again for at least 10 more days...unless I hit up whitewater state park.


I hiked for 2+ hours yesterday in Scott County. It's quite early and brown yet.


----------



## Sam Segale

Hey everyone Sam here checked a few prime south facing hills. Agree still to early hopefully rain this week will help out. Always open to go out with other enthusiasts. Anyone wanna go and explore let me know. Good luck to all


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Yep, just moved one of my vacation days up another week. This weekend will be sparse more than likely. Too cold yet and rain needs to fall more.

I think middle of May will be when the finds start rolling in more frequently.


----------



## sarahrose

I’m thinking of coming up the week of the 12-16..... but I can really come at any time. I tell my mom to report to me about the lilac bushes , that always seems to be a good indicator. Just patiently waiting at this point...


----------



## Old Elm

sarahrose said:


> I’m thinking of coming up the week of the 12-16..... but I can really come at any time. I tell my mom to report to me about the lilac bushes , that always seems to be a good indicator. Just patiently waiting at this point...


That should be good timing Sarah.
I was down by Winona yesterday and they were up but, tiny on southern exposure early spots. Good luck & cherish the time with your mom too.


----------



## Wendelina

My main motivation for finding morels this year is to replicate this dish I had in Chicago last summer. It was ahhh-mazing


----------



## May madness

Hi everyone chris here long time follower first time poster


----------



## May madness

I'm in Wright county


----------



## May madness

Anyone here if buckthorn got his wrenometer fixed


----------



## AIM

May madness said:


> Anyone here if buckthorn got his wrenometer fixed


 Wtf is that? Lol.


----------



## May madness

AIM said:


> Wtf is that? Lol.


Well you know


----------



## br5

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Yep, just moved one of my vacation days up another week. This weekend will be sparse more than likely. Too cold yet and rain needs to fall more.
> 
> I think middle of May will be when the finds start rolling in more frequently.


Good call, no sense in throwing valuable vacation days away. We're just starting in north central Indiana. My data for last ten years shows season timing for se mn about 20 days after us. That's puts 5/18 in play. Of course mushrooms don't care about my data either.


----------



## br5

AIM said:


> Wtf is that? Lol.


No one is really sure except maybe Old Elm, but what ever it is the design in secret.


----------



## Dtails

May madness said:


> Anyone here if buckthorn got his wrenometer fixed


I was trying to think of that for awhile!! But no clue yet


----------



## AIM

You all either on something i need to get my hands on or on to something.... Hm.


----------



## AIM

br5 said:


> Good call, no sense in throwing valuable vacation days away. We're just starting in north central Indiana. My data for last ten years shows season timing for se mn about 20 days after us. That's puts 5/18 in play. Of course mushrooms don't care about my data either.


I think the data side of each year is kind of cool. How do some of you long time hunters keep it all logged? I assume air temps vs soil and rain + other factors just curious if I was to start... Where? Thx in advance for all of the valuable info.


----------



## AIM

I cant tell you all how excited I am for this year after finding my first lonley 3 patch in a rough season last year. Only other one ive found was years back and was a nice 5"+ yellow while we stumbled upon by accident. Last year was first real time out and love being in the woods. Shit you find even outside of mushrooms is often head scratching and interesting. Lets go!!


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Jon Miller said:


> Newbie (tried half heartedly a couple of times) here looking to head out hunting with my wife (never gone) and my pup. Try and get out of the house for a bit. Are the Morels out yet or did that late winter blast slow them down? I am in St. Michael and would appreciate any general guidance y'all are willing to provide!
> 
> Thanks!
> Jon





Inthewild said:


> Yes, we lost a GREAT guy this year, His passion gave way to his HUGE generosity. Funny, but true story, he had fun planting vegetable and flower seeds during the hunt, knowing someone would pass by and wonder why the heck something like that was growing in the woods. He was just adding more beauty to nature. Another story, after only finding 7 shrooms, a few people walked into the local watering hole and asked what we were up to. We explained our desire for Morels and enticed them to take our findings to enjoy (I'm thinking he didn't quite agree). He had fun giving me grief the rest of the year, like that movie with the paper boy on bicycle saying: I want my two dollars. I miss the Big Guy and know he is watching over me and the rest of us Morel Nuts. Feel free to reply to his Profile. @Mother load


RIP Mother Load. You shall be remembered this season. I will be sure to pour out


Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> hey your back, so whats the news?
> 
> you can dry them ?, I will have to try that. do you have to cook them when you rehydrate them again?


Just getting mentally prepared for this season. Trying to remember which spots to hit and when to hit. Enjoying the buzz on this chat. Also trying to time PTO/vacation/whatever you wanna call it with the bloom! How about you? Whats cracking?


----------



## bigrobshroommn

tundraking said:


> Big Rob! Good to see ya back.
> One thing I enjoy almost as much as mushroom hunting is seeing all of you that return every year and conversate about our passion. I enjoy getting a hot cup of coffee in the morning and checkin out what people have to say. I don't get involved with much social media anymore (basically cause I like the way it used to be better), but this forum is always enjoyable. Anyway, good to see you all back here for another year!
> 
> I thought I'd bring this up since he was part of last year's forum. In March, Inthewild contacted me and informed me that "Mother Load" passed on. He had a big presence on the forum last year and he offered up sharing his picking spots to people that were having a hard time and loved to share stories with everyone. I don't personally know him, but would have loved the opportunity to meet him. From what I could find, he had a wife and 5 children. Inthewild can probably correct me if I'm wrong.
> RIP Mother Load.


Glad to see your back for another. I hope you find the haul!


----------



## bigrobshroommn

i_heart_shrooms said:


> LOL OMG me too Shroomtrooper! I am MEGA paranoid about other people hunting around me to the point where I will just pretend I'm geocaching and keep all my shrooms in a backpack, guard my area and hide the shrooms if I find some when people are nearby, only pick when I think no one is around. HAHA, it takes so long to find'em I can't stand it if someone is up in my space.


Same. I have came out of public areas getting questioned by passerbys. I am like in the back of my mind WTF noneya!


----------



## br5

AIM said:


> I think the data side of each year is kind of cool. How do some of you long time hunters keep it all logged? I assume air temps vs soil and rain + other factors just curious if I was to start... Where? Thx in advance for all of the valuable info.


I start tracking daily high and low temps in early April. The numbers come from weather underground history. Also track precipitation. I then add time when I found mushrooms. This year will be my 10th. I then chart averages against previous years. Also keep detailed notes on what we saw afield. Also track indicators here in Indiana so I can inquire up north to help me understand what's going on outside the woods to better predict timing there. Can't actually say it's better than boots on the ground but I find it fascinating and it's like a count down with interesting data to boot. My quest is to find the holy grail on timing the season. One thing I can conclude is that without proper moisture the season will not be epic.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

I also wouldnt mind meeting up for a hunt this year. I always hunt alone. Maybe learn some new techniques and/or share some. Been doing this for 15 years now but, there is always room for improvement.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Jon Miller said:


> Newbie (tried half heartedly a couple of times) here looking to head out hunting with my wife (never gone) and my pup. Try and get out of the house for a bit. Are the Morels out yet or did that late winter blast slow them down? I am in St. Michael and would appreciate any general guidance y'all are willing to provide!
> 
> Thanks!
> Jon


I have a few ideas for up that way. Never hunted but studied some woods up there. In-Law Grandparents had a place up there along a creek bed.


----------



## Old Elm

br5 said:


> I start tracking daily high and low temps in early April. The numbers come from weather underground history. Also track precipitation. I then add time when I found mushrooms. This year will be my 10th. I then chart averages against previous years. Also keep detailed notes on what we saw afield. Also track indicators here in Indiana so I can inquire up north to help me understand what's going on outside the woods to better predict timing there. Can't actually say it's better than boots on the ground but I find it fascinating and it's like a count down with interesting data to boot. My quest is to find the holy grail on timing the season. One thing I can conclude is that without proper moisture the season will not be epic.


We have plenty of moisture & things are lining up to be a banner year. Finding amazing clusters of tiny little pins, so there should be some incredible bouquets in about 10 days to 2 weeks.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

bigrobshroommn said:


> I have a few ideas for up that way. Never hunted but studied some woods up there. In-Law Grandparents had a place up there along a creek bed.


Figure out a way to contact me privately and I will give you an exact location that should pan out well


----------



## bigrobshroommn

br5 said:


> I start tracking daily high and low temps in early April. The numbers come from weather underground history. Also track precipitation. I then add time when I found mushrooms. This year will be my 10th. I then chart averages against previous years. Also keep detailed notes on what we saw afield. Also track indicators here in Indiana so I can inquire up north to help me understand what's going on outside the woods to better predict timing there. Can't actually say it's better than boots on the ground but I find it fascinating and it's like a count down with interesting data to boot. My quest is to find the holy grail on timing the season. One thing I can conclude is that without proper moisture the season will not be epic.


Thats hardcore science. I like it!


----------



## MayMotherload

I've always gogo when the trees are fully leaved, that's when I've always done my best. Anything before that I just count as bonus morels, didn't get any last year until memorial day weekend last year.


----------



## AIM

Anyone who hits up MI looks like their DNR made a map of the burn spots...

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79237_81034-408642--,00.html

Keep in mind with any burn site to be careful of where chemicals might have been used as a fire retardant. There is currently a bill to ban the use in MN...


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

May madness said:


> Hi everyone chris here long time follower first time poster


Welcome


----------



## shedberg123

Down on the Mississippi River bluffs where I live by La Crosse. Nothing yet here; been a little cold, but with a bit of warmth, should go in the next week to 10 days. Checking my trees where I scored last year; one I found over 150 on one tree so keeping an eye on that one. My private land so no chance of trespassers coming by. The rattlers keep most of them off. Should be a good indicator to get out walking the coulees. Ticks are really bad already this year.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Woke up today in the cities and noticed the ground was nice and soaked from yesterday's rain. Things are looking good for next week. Just need a little warm up and time now.


----------



## ridgerunner

Hey Hunters, Just a thought:

People are pigs. Whenever I go out I find a disgusting amount of garbage in the woods, left by inconsiderate fools. Now I take a garbage bag with me and try to pick up as much trash as I can, kind of giving back to Mother Nature for the blessing of morels. Sometimes I find a morel near a pile of garbage that I would have missed if I hadn't bent over to pick up the junk.

Also, when I run into other morel hunters I have a great alibi for why I am there and always claim I haven't seen any mushrooms! Give it a try and help make up for the litter bug a**holes.


----------



## Old Elm

shedberg123 said:


> Down on the Mississippi River bluffs where I live by La Crosse. Nothing yet here; been a little cold, but with a bit of warmth, should go in the next week to 10 days. Checking my trees where I scored last year; one I found over 150 on one tree so keeping an eye on that one. My private land so no chance of trespassers coming by. The rattlers keep most of them off. Should be a good indicator to get out walking the coulees. Ticks are really bad already this year.



 Funny  Ha Ha Ha


----------



## Old Elm

MayMotherload said:


> I've always gogo when the trees are fully leaved, that's when I've always done my best. Anything before that I just count as bonus morels, didn't get any last year until memorial day weekend last year.


----------



## br5

shedberg123 said:


> Down on the Mississippi River bluffs where I live by La Crosse. Nothing yet here; been a little cold, but with a bit of warmth, should go in the next week to 10 days. Checking my trees where I scored last year; one I found over 150 on one tree so keeping an eye on that one. My private land so no chance of trespassers coming by. The rattlers keep most of them off. Should be a good indicator to get out walking the coulees. Ticks are really bad already this year.


How's moisture?


----------



## br5

Old Elm said:


> We have plenty of moisture & things are lining up to be a banner year. Finding amazing clusters of tiny little pins, so there should be some incredible bouquets in about 10 days to 2 weeks.


That's great news. High and low temps are tracking about as close as I've ever seen to 2009, and that was my best year. After three lack luster years I'm due.


----------



## sarahrose

Well, had a dream about finding morels last night, so shouldn’t be too much longer. Please remember to wear full sleeves, hats, socks over your pants, and lots of permethrin......Lyme disease is no joke, and sucks.....don’t be a dummy like I was 12 years ago out in the woods with flip flops on and no bug protection.....had to learn the hard way....don’t let it happen to you...it’s a miserable painful disease to have, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone....be careful out there all you new hunters!


----------



## Old Elm

sarahrose said:


> Well, had a dream about finding morels last night, so shouldn’t be too much longer. Please remember to wear full sleeves, hats, socks over your pants, and lots of permethrin......Lyme disease is no joke, and sucks.....don’t be a dummy like I was 12 years ago out in the woods with flip flops on and no bug protection.....had to learn the hard way....don’t let it happen to you...it’s a miserable painful disease to have, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone....be careful out there all you new hunters!



That is very good advice, THX’z for sharing it Sarah.


----------



## LoHaze

sarahrose said:


> Well, had a dream about finding morels last night, so shouldn’t be too much longer. Please remember to wear full sleeves, hats, socks over your pants, and lots of permethrin......Lyme disease is no joke, and sucks.....don’t be a dummy like I was 12 years ago out in the woods with flip flops on and no bug protection.....had to learn the hard way....don’t let it happen to you...it’s a miserable painful disease to have, and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone....be careful out there all you new hunters!



I just told my kids this morning that Dad has mushrooms on the brain and I’m going crazy. Daycare is closed tomorrow so we’re going to go for a little hike and see what the woods are looking like. Don’t expect to find anything yet but a hike through the woods is always fun.

BTW - I like your garden art in your profile pic . I have that exact same one.


----------



## Dtails

Ground temp is slowly climbing up.. poked around and the my average was 43.7°f not too shabby... Hopefully some warmer days and keep the moisture in the ground and I'll be happy... Slow and steady


----------



## AIM

Dtails said:


> Ground temp is slowly climbing up.. poked around and the my average was 43.7°f not too shabby... Hopefully some warmer days and keep the moisture in the ground and I'll be happy... Slow and steady


What part of the state? Was going to do the same tomorrow in north Metro 694 loop.


----------



## Old Elm

Has anyone spotted any house wrens yet this year or humming birds?


----------



## AIM

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 18068
> Has anyone spotted any house wrens yet this year or humming birds?


Not a birding expert but have heard and believe to see out back in the woods feeder and bird bath on the ground... My friend had a ruby visit and said to put my feeder out.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

they released me from jury duty, yea. back to work today. Canceled my 6th and 7th vacation thinking I was still going to be on.


----------



## LoHaze

Saw this this morning online


----------



## Dtails

AIM said:


> What part of the state? Was going to do the same tomorrow in north Metro 694 loop.


Central MN


----------



## tundraking

br5 said:


> How's moisture?


SE MN and Metro had a nice soaking rain all day on Tuesday. So that should definitely help.



Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> they released me from jury duty, yea. back to work today. Canceled my 6th and 7th vacation thinking I was still going to be on.


Thats awesome to hear! Now you can schedule your time off a little later when the shrooms will be flushing everywhere!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 18068
> Has anyone spotted any house wrens yet this year or humming birds?



Isn’t that the Wren-O-Meter???

I was waiting for it to show up! I love it!!


----------



## AIM

Soil temps around the garden and woods in the back 45°-48°...


----------



## Walking Shuz

I just got back from Italy where morels are already up and the locals think of them as garbage mushrooms full of sand. Many chefs I talked with said they had never worked with Morels(morchella). Thank fully we know better in Minnesota. The weather outlook is looking good, river flooding is subsiding, and the elusive Morel is soon to arrive.


----------



## AIM

No shrooms but solid scouting...!


----------



## karoom

ridgerunner said:


> Hey Hunters, Just a thought:
> 
> People are pigs. Whenever I go out I find a disgusting amount of garbage in the woods, left by inconsiderate fools. Now I take a garbage bag with me and try to pick up as much trash as I can, kind of giving back to Mother Nature for the blessing of morels. Sometimes I find a morel near a pile of garbage that I would have missed if I hadn't bent over to pick up the junk.
> 
> Also, when I run into other morel hunters I have a great alibi for why I am there and always claim I haven't seen any mushrooms! Give it a try and help make up for the litter bug a**holes.


I completely agree with this. We need to be better about cleaning up other people's trash. Since we are out spending hours looking for mushrooms, why not also spend that time cleaning up where we pick our mushrooms? Makes perfect sense and it's such a great excuse if you don't want to reveal that you're hunting morels.


----------



## karoom

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I have not, but went to a seminar mike had on chants, hedgehog, coral mushrooms etc. Still had to send oldelm a pic to ease my mind on my first chant, now they are so obvious.
> 
> I bought a camelbak hydration pack I have every thing I need. Knife, plastic bags camera fold out doggie bowl water deet ect,ect handy to have everything in one place


I wonder if we went to the same one. We went to his first one I think - the certification course.


----------



## Old Elm

Lisse Michaels said:


> Isn’t that the Wren-O-Meter???
> 
> I was waiting for it to show up! I love it!!


It’s was a long standing deal with 
“Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.


----------



## br5

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 18068
> Has anyone spotted any house wrens yet this year or humming birds?


Just saw first humming bird yesterday, unfortunately I'm 270 miles south.


----------



## br5

Old Elm said:


> It’s was a long standing deal with
> “Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.


Sorry to hear that.


----------



## May madness

Old Elm said:


> It’s was a long standing deal with
> “Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.





Old Elm said:


> It’s was a long standing deal with
> “Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.





Old Elm said:


> It’s was a long standing deal with
> “Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.


RIP Buckthorn I always loved his madness


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

karoom said:


> I wonder if we went to the same one. We went to his first one I think - the certification course.


 just a seminar.


----------



## Chanterelle nut

Hey guys, i need help identifying Elms, any tips or resources?


----------



## LoHaze

Chanterelle nut said:


> Hey guys, i need help identifying Elms, any tips or resources?


Look for trees that look like this


----------



## AIM

Chanterelle nut said:


> Hey guys, i need help identifying Elms, any tips or resources?


Use the eyes :]


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Aaargh! I am getting impatient with this spring. It seems like the thermostat is stuck at the same temperature.


----------



## AIM

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Aaargh! I am getting impatient with this spring. It seems like the thermostat is stuck at the same temperature.


Just peeping the spots it should be or lets hope it is a good year. The feel under the feet is mushy etc no dry BS like last year even right on the flooded Mississippi banks from north metro.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

AIM said:


> Just peeping the spots it should be or lets hope it is a good year. The feel under the feet is mushy etc no dry BS like last year even right on the flooded Mississippi banks from north metro.


True, true. The moisture levels are pretty decent. I've noticed the river valley water level is pretty high too, those floodplains are definitely flooded this year. 

I'm just concerned that I'm using those valuable vacation days properly and am able to find my yearly haul for preservation. I hate having to buy a bundle of morels at $25/lb and get those damn black mountain morels instead of the sweet, succulent midwest yellows from my hunts.


----------



## AIM

i_heart_shrooms said:


> True, true. The moisture levels are pretty decent. I've noticed the river valley water level is pretty high too, those floodplains are definitely flooded this year.
> 
> I'm just concerned that I'm using those valuable vacation days properly and am able to find my yearly haul for preservation. I hate having to buy a bundle of morels at $25/lb and get those damn black mountain morels instead of the sweet, succulent midwest yellows from my hunts.


 If i was able to find a few lousy ones even last year i think it is game on for a long season. We are hungry lol!


----------



## Dtails

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 18360
> View attachment 18358
> 
> Look for trees that look like this


Oh man looks like a good place !!


----------



## Dtails

AIM said:


> If i was able to find a few lousy ones even last year i think it is game on for a long season. We are hungry lol!


 Last year was one of my hardest years... Nothing to celebrate about but helped me find a bunch of other spots I'd never looked at before.. every year is a lesson learned or forgotten!


----------



## HumongousFungus

For tick prevention i use piciridin. Lotion on hands,neck/behind ears. And they spray(which isnt for skin contact) on my jeans and boots! No ticks since i have used this stuff. Can be found at any fleet farm.


----------



## AIM

HumongousFungus said:


> For tick prevention i use piciridin. Lotion on hands,neck/behind ears. And they spray(which isnt for skin contact) on my jeans and boots! No ticks since i have used this stuff. Can be found at any fleet farm.


Fwiw im a big essential oil guy. Not some hipster shit by any means but old folk lore from sage to lemon grass etc. Used some last year* and no ticks.
*Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Catnip, Lemon Eucalyptus, Litsea, Nootka, Arborvitae, and Vanilla (not in vid)


----------



## AIM

Dtails said:


> Oh man looks like a good place !!


Nope MN will not have any morels in spots like that. All dead.


----------



## AIM

Cheers SE .. We waiting 4 you. Nice 2 see sun tonight in spots.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

karoom said:


> I wonder if we went to the same one. We went to his first one I think - the certification course.


I did not get certified,just a mini course.


----------



## LoHaze

AIM said:


> Nope MN will not have any morels in spots like that. All dead.


Huh?


----------



## AIM

LoHaze said:


> Huh?


----------



## LoHaze

AIM said:


>


Haha!


----------



## LoHaze

Went for a hike yesterday with the girls, woods are just starting to wake up. Ramps were just starting to come up, lilacs are just starting to bud, plenty of moisture in the woods. Hoping for a great year!


----------



## stilz

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 18068
> Has anyone spotted any house wrens yet this year or humming birds?


I'm somewhat of a birder. I haven't seen any yet.


----------



## tundraking

Old Elm said:


> It’s was a long standing deal with
> “Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.


WHAAAT...!? 
I thought that he just had a kid last year... How old was he?


----------



## tundraking

AIM said:


>


Man... I wanna go with you, and when we walk past those, you go on ahead, I'll just check them just to make sure...


----------



## Walking Shuz

Chanterelle nut said:


> Hey guys, i need help identifying Elms, any tips or resources?


When looking for morels I usually start by looking up in the woods, not down. I also use my nose. Elms and fresh morels are strong smelling and are unique. Start by looking for relatively tall trees that look like a straw broom that is upside down. The bark will be relatively deep. look for diamond shapes. If an area has burned you might not have a lot to go on. Pay attention to old leaves, Elm leaves have an oval irregular pointed shape. It has teeth on the sides. A picture of a leaf is worth a thousand words so just look at pictures to get a better idea.

I have found morels on the top of hills and by non-dead small tree's but if even if you do find them here you won't find many. It is better to look in lower swampy creeks and river systems. Once you find an elm alive or dead smell the bark, break off a small branch or bud and smell that. Look at the leaves alive and dead. Same with Morels, if you find one spend time looking around you, take pictures, gps coordinates, and smell. Breathe deep and just kind of meditate. If you have a good enough nose you'll eventually be walking through the woods and catch a scent and know that you are in the right area to look. This way you can make larger circles through the woods and cover more ground. 

I find that Morels only produce large numbers within 3-4 years of a tree dying. If you find an Elm that has all the bark stripped off and the wood is really soft and breaking down then it has probably been too many years for that spot, so don't give up. 

One final method that has worked for me is to review areas I've gone at the end of the season. End of May, beginning of June go out and note GPS coordinates of Elms and Cotton woods because they will be kicking out a lot of seed by this time and are a little easier to find. Also any Morels at this point will be a brown gooey mess but the yellows will also be large brown messes that are easier to spot against the green foliage. If you find one, just note the location for the next year.


----------



## morchella ed

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 18360
> View attachment 18358
> 
> Look for trees that look like this


where is that exactly? haha jk


----------



## shedberg123

br5 said:


> How's moisture?


Really good especially for the last snow and rain


----------



## shedberg123

Walking Shuz said:


> I just got back from Italy where morels are already up and the locals think of them as garbage mushrooms full of sand. Many chefs I talked with said they had never worked with Morels(morchella). Thank fully we know better in Minnesota. The weather outlook is looking good, river flooding is subsiding, and the elusive Morel is soon to arrive.


Funny. Heading to Italy in 4 weeks, good to know


----------



## Walking Shuz

shedberg123 said:


> Funny. Heading to Italy in 4 weeks, good to know


If you do happen upon edible mushrooms in Italy note that you may not pick them unless you first go to any post office, pay a ~15 EUR fee and get a receipt that is hand written explaining that it is for mushroom picking. It is only good for one day AFAIK. I've heard other interesting things such as you might have to get mushrooms identified by a professional before they are legal to be ingested. Also that if you happen to pick a mushroom on private property it is not considered stealing and the mushroom is legally yours as soon as it is picked. It is considered trespassing. Italians only care really about two fungi, Porcini and Truffles. Both are out of season right now.


----------



## Demonthrall

Hello, new guy here in Scott Co. Found these today. What are they?


----------



## Old Elm

Demonthrall said:


> Hello, new guy here in Scott Co. Found these today. What are they?


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoscypha_coccinea


----------



## Old Elm

Old Elm said:


> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarcoscypha_coccinea


Scarlet elf cup. Edible, doesn’t always equate to tasty.


----------



## AIM

Old Elm said:


> Scarlet elf cup. Edible, doesn’t always equate to tasty.


On another forum someone was posting about eating pheasant backs... I heard here b4 they are junk...?


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Old Elm said:


> It’s was a long standing deal with
> “Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.


Yes, I remember now that it was Bucky. ☹ God bless him. 

The first year I was on these boards I was lurking, and I remember you guys all talking about that Wren-O-Meter. 

I had NO IDEA what you were discussing, and I seriously thought it was a magical gadget only found in MN.


----------



## Inthewild

Old Elm said:


> It’s was a long standing deal with
> “Buckthorn man” he was the keeper of the “ Wren-O-Meter” regrettably he is no longer with us to enjoy another spring sad to say.


I always enjoyed his chatter. Unique, like the rest of us, RIP @Buckthorn. God Bless


----------



## br5

If Minnesota has a year like Indiana you're in for unbelievable picking. I can't wait. Everyone one I talk with at work and in general is finding them. If you look at postings on Indiana forum pictures tell the story.


----------



## twisted minds

AIM said:


> On another forum someone was posting about eating pheasant backs... I heard here b4 they are junk...?


They aren't junk, just not "top of the food chain", especially seeing as they show up same time as more sought after mushrooms, especially morels. They aren't especially flavorfull, but if they are all you have, can be a decent side dish or accent. The smaller, young dryads will be more tender, than the larger specimens. Think of them like a plain boiled skinless chicken breast on an all you can eat buffalo chicken wing buffet. Which one are you going to choose?


----------



## Old Elm

Inthewild said:


> I always enjoyed his chatter. Unique, like the rest of us, RIP @Buckthorn. God Bless


Hey, sorry if it sounded like, “Buckthorn” is dead. I only meant he’s no longer on the forum, far as I know he’s doing fine, just too busy raising a young family to get on here.


----------



## Old Elm

Lisse Michaels said:


> Yes, I remember now that it was Bucky. ☹ God bless him.
> 
> The first year I was on these boards I was lurking, and I remember you guys all talking about that Wren-O-Meter.
> 
> I had NO IDEA what you were discussing, and I seriously thought it was a magical gadget only found in MN.




Hey, sorry if it sounded like, “Buckthorn” is dead. I only meant he’s no longer on the forum, far as I know he’s doing fine, just too busy raising a young family to get on here.


----------



## Zen

LoHaze said:


> Went for a hike yesterday with the girls, woods are just starting to wake up. Ramps were just starting to come up, lilacs are just starting to bud, plenty of moisture in the woods. Hoping for a great year!


Nothing yet up here yet. Day temps about right ,
But cooling with stubborn snowfalls. Checked ground temp couple days so....around 40 degrees. Night temps 20' to lo 30,' still. Maybe the weekend will start to smarten up! Hoping for a good picking season....NW Ontario just north of Minnesota neighbors. Good luck and let us know when you start finding morels


----------



## AIM

Love the warming today and tonights rain... Rinse & repeat on this forecast too! Anyone heading south for the weekend?


----------



## MayMotherload

AIM said:


> On another forum someone was posting about eating pheasant backs... I heard here b4 they are junk...?


Pheasantbacks are great if they're young and tender in my opinion.


----------



## morchella ed

AIM said:


> On another forum someone was posting about eating pheasant backs... I heard here b4 they are junk...?


You now I passed by them without a thought for years. I knew they were edible, but they just didn't look that good. Last year I had a foray where I only found a few morels but I found some nice young pheasant backs nearby so I cooked them up together and I thought the pheasant backs had a nice texture and picked up the flavor of the butter, garlic and morels they were cooked with, so served to stretch the morels quite nicely. This spring I did the same while camping down in Missouri and I'm not going back, it's great!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Old Elm said:


> Hey, sorry if it sounded like, “Buckthorn” is dead. I only meant he’s no longer on the forum, far as I know he’s doing fine, just too busy raising a young family to get on here.


Whew, thought he went to the big thorn in the sky. Still he was always the first one to post, no show last year. Well took a trip to winona, my son goes to collage there. Called him up and said surprise, I am in winona. Oh dad, finals next week, I am doing a project then meeting with a professor later to go over it, never did get to see him. I understand I should have called, actually I did, but kids only look at texts now a days. Well went snooping around, foliage not much farther along than west of twin cities. Some pockets where. Heard a noise in the brush and kicked up a grouse, pretty cool. My first hike was up a steep hill, wow, my doing body squats at home didn't do much compared to that climb. Felt I sat in the car way too much driving instead of scouting. But it is 2 hours away, my 13 year old dog was tired too.better than going downtown for jury duty. Boy I lucked out there. I would bet money somewhere down there there might be some up, but if you don't know the hot spots, good luck. Well best wishes to all, up early ready to go again.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

morchella ed said:


> You now I passed by them without a thought for years. I knew they were edible, but they just didn't look that good. Last year I had a foray where I only found a few morels but I found some nice young pheasant backs nearby so I cooked them up together and I thought the pheasant backs had a nice texture and picked up the flavor of the butter, garlic and morels they were cooked with, so served to stretch the morels quite nicely. This spring I did the same while camping down in Missouri and I'm not going back, it's great!


I always pass them up also, I should try them this year.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Old Elm said:


> Hey, sorry if it sounded like, “Buckthorn” is dead. I only meant he’s no longer on the forum, far as I know he’s doing fine, just too busy raising a young family to get on here.



OMG, thank you for setting that straight!!!

I thought you really meant Bucky was dead!!!


----------



## Shannon McNew

When exactly should we start looking? I live south of Saint Paul, next to the river and near Wisconsin. Will I find any today if I went out or should I wait? Thanks in advance


----------



## Old Elm

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I always pass them up also, I should try them this year.


----------



## Old Elm

Shannon McNew said:


> When exactly should we start looking? I live south of Saint Paul, next to the river and near Wisconsin. Will I find any today if I went out or should I wait? Thanks in advance


Pretty sure you won’t find any if you stay home.
Best deal is to get out looking & do it often.


----------



## MN Morel Dude

AIM said:


> On another forum someone was posting about eating pheasant backs... I heard here b4 they are junk...?


I'll mess with pheasant backs a little. I've found (through the interweb and on various sites) that you only want to trim along the outside of the fungus. It needs to cut easily or it is too tough and lacks taste. Depending upon the size of the pheasant back I'll only cut up to an inch off the edge. Saute them and they have a watermelon taste to them. I found them to be pretty good but I don't eat a lot. I like to have a little every year. If I'm with friends and we are eating morels I might saute a little pheasant back for everyone to taste. It's hard not to get greedy and want to take more of the pheasant back then just along the edge. I'm guessing that often times people take too much of the fungus and end up eating tough stuff that isn't as tasty. I did that the second time I tried them and almost gave up on them. I went back to trimming the edge and found them to be very good. I would also start with a small amount to begin with as they can cause stomach issues if you get too wild with them.


----------



## Shannon McNew

Old Elm said:


> Pretty sure you won’t find any if you stay home.
> Best deal is to get out looking & do it often.


Well that’s really what I think. I’ve been out looking since 2 weeks ago. I guess my question should be....when do you think I will see them? Lol


----------



## Inthewild

Old Elm said:


> Hey, sorry if it sounded like, “Buckthorn” is dead. I only meant he’s no longer on the forum, far as I know he’s doing fine, just too busy raising a young family to get on here.


That's GREAT news, but not good news. My sentiments remain..
God Bless Buckthorn.


----------



## AIM

Shannon McNew said:


> Well that’s really what I think. I’ve been out looking since 2 weeks ago. I guess my question should be....when do you think I will see them? Lol


I'd bet within the next week we hear some more reporting of finds...


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Shannon McNew said:


> Well that’s really what I think. I’ve been out looking since 2 weeks ago. I guess my question should be....when do you think I will see them? Lol


I found 7 small ones today. Just starting.


----------



## shedberg123

Walking Shuz said:


> If you do happen upon edible mushrooms in Italy note that you may not pick them unless you first go to any post office, pay a ~15 EUR fee and get a receipt that is hand written explaining that it is for mushroom picking. It is only good for one day AFAIK. I've heard other interesting things such as you might have to get mushrooms identified by a professional before they are legal to be ingested. Also that if you happen to pick a mushroom on private property it is not considered stealing and the mushroom is legally yours as soon as it is picked. It is considered trespassing. Italians only care really about two fungi, Porcini and Truffles. Both are out of season right now.


Really interesting, thanks!


----------



## shedberg123

Shannon McNew said:


> When exactly should we start looking? I live south of Saint Paul, next to the river and near Wisconsin. Will I find any today if I went out or should I wait? Thanks in advance


One good tip is start looking when the lilacs bloom. Similar time frame for morels.


----------



## Zen

shedberg123 said:


> One good tip is start looking when the lilacs bloom. Similar time frame for morels.


Right now up here in the Northland the willows leaves green up fors earliest 'cold' growth before lilacs bud heavily. I'm just anxious. It's early. Most years it's mid May with lots of poplar leaf decay in mixed forest I find most of my morel picking before leafy undergrowth takes over. Another indicator for me coincides with fiddlehead finds of ostrich ferns. Also before brachen ferns leaf out is prime time. If it's gonna be a good year, I figure another week and a half predictions for warmer nights. That'll be about right.


----------



## Old Elm

Zen said:


> Right now up here in the Northland the willows leaves green up fors earliest 'cold' growth before lilacs bud heavily. I'm just anxious. It's early. Most years it's mid May with lots of poplar leaf decay in mixed forest I find most of my morel picking before leafy undergrowth takes over. Another indicator for me coincides with fiddlehead finds of ostrich ferns. Also before brachen ferns leaf out is prime time. If it's gonna be a good year, I figure another week and a half predictions for warmer nights. That'll be about right.



Welcome back Zen, hope you have another great year. Looking forward to your posts. 
Are you up by Detroit Lakes area?


----------



## Zen

Old Elm said:


> Welcome back Zen, hope you have another great year. Looking forward to your posts.
> Are you up by Detroit Lakes area?


I'm actually in Ontario. East of lake of the woods.


----------



## Old Elm

Zen said:


> I'm actually in Ontario. East of lake of the woods.


Mostly blacks there? 
Great area for fall trumpets too!!


----------



## Zen

Right, mostly elata and Augustceps black morels. They're much more common than white or yellow ones. I love the spring hunt, but if you know your shrooms for summer and fall it's outstanding and quite variable for edible species around the vast north woods. Other than morels my favourite ones here are chanterelles, pleurotis oysters, bluets, pigs ears, puffballs, corals, bear tooth. Yes, black trumpets are a nice find, but I havent found that many yet.


----------



## Zen

Old elm, off the morel topic, but I forgot to mention Marismius ordeales fairy ring mushroom. have large numbers in my lawn classic ring about 20 ft diameter. After summer rains they pop up. Young fresh ones make a nice cream of mushroom soup!


----------



## yerty

Went down past Red Wing today to a couple spots, no morels, but the fiddleheads are out and even found some decent sized ramps. After 6 hours of scouting even the dog was ready to go home!


----------



## yerty

Did find a pretty fresh hoof though!


----------



## Morelsrfun

Found 20 by lake city this afternoon, all by one tree mid way up the hill. Few of the tops were burnt so they’d been there a few days. Still early and seemed a bit dry near the tops. Strange backdrop to the woods too with the leaves still being light brown and not a lot of vegetation to provide contrast. Rains early in the week should hopefully give us that good early grey pop. Happy hunting!


----------



## AIM

Anyone know a legit ramp seed supplier? Would like to source MN seed and try to sow in woods around backyard...

Havent found a patch locally which i want to keep with same type of growth etc. No prob with other wild onion stuff.


----------



## Wendelina

yerty said:


> Did find a pretty fresh hoof though!
> View attachment 18680


We were in the same place today..I recognize that hoof!


----------



## Duluthforaging

Dtails said:


> Central MN


In central, Duluth area


----------



## stilz

AIM said:


> Anyone know a legit ramp seed supplier? Would like to source MN seed and try to sow in woods around backyard...
> 
> Havent found a patch locally which i want to keep with same type of growth etc. No prob with other wild onion stuff.


Just go forage and replant them in your yard.


----------



## br5

Shannon McNew said:


> When exactly should we start looking? I live south of Saint Paul, next to the river and near Wisconsin. Will I find any today if I went out or should I wait? Thanks in advance


Probably a little early, but it's always good to take a walk in the woods. Watch this forum as well.


----------



## mntammy

Hummingbirds are here. My blood root is also blooming!


----------



## Leo Knight

Look first when you begin to hear lawn mowers.
(If you have really good eyes)
Look last when begin to find tall ones toppled over.

Or, when the apple tress are blooming, can't miss then (unless someone beat you to them).

Alternatively, you can hire a detective to follow a known fungiphile, he''ll even tell you where to go! 

Ah, the detective I mean. 

Polyporus squamosus: PEEL OFF THE BITTER BROWN TOP SKIN. Peel it off even if it's NOT bitter. 
And there are usually so many of them growing in sucsession that I just ignore the caps and pick the tender snouts, which taste better than the older specimens anyway. To me that is, after experimenting.

I finally found some slimy red caps growing on a long dead trunk. But I haven't seen a single Phesants Back pop yet, surprisingly, so maybe the north will morel-peak May 18th this year. 

You heard it here first!


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> Just go forage and replant them in your yard.


I've heard mixed results with transplanting and rather sow a bunch of seed vs a few plants. Sure if I hit a huge crop... Still not the same'


----------



## AIM

Looks like someone had a little luck yesterday...


----------



## Dtails

Duluthforaging said:


> In central, Duluth area


 North of St.Cloud


----------



## Dtails

Soil temps are getting closer... Average is 46.4°F so that's close enough for me. Going to start poking around this week and weekend


----------



## May madness

I think we are still 7 to 10 days out personally


----------



## Duluthforaging

Dtails said:


> North of St.Cloud


Going out today, seeing some signs, looking promising.


----------



## Zen

Dtails said:


> Soil temps are getting closer... Average is 46.4°F so that's close enough for me. Going to start poking around this week and weekend


What part of the state are you?


----------



## Zen

May madness said:


> I think we are still 7 to 10 days out personally


Another sign I look for is when the mosquitoes hatch out. If morels are in full swing, the mosquitoes are thick!


----------



## Duluthforaging

Are there any women in Duluth area that want to go out hunting?  I’m always foraging, it would be nice to have someone to go with!


----------



## AIM

May madness said:


> I think we are still 7 to 10 days out personally


Within the 694/494 loop it is pretty crazy how different some areas are. Lilacs popping and dandelions here or there with green trees while others dry and hardly starting to pop. Down by the rivers/lakes it feels much colder too vs the top of the hills or open spots inside woods you can feel the temp change just walking when Ive been scouting. Going to be pretty "spot" specific this next week... There is hope! Lol.


----------



## Walking Shuz

Saturday near the twin cities I found fiddle heads nearly done already. My morel spots had not started. Pheasant backs were just budding out. They should be ready in a day or two. Morels by mid week to next weekend. I also found a freshly dead turkey. Anyone else find a dead turkey? Soil temps in full sun 60f. Temps in full shade 48. Moisture levels were great everywhere.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Very small ones in Wabasha County on Saturday. Ground doesn't have a ton of vegetation yet (didn't see any Jack in the Pulpits). Ramps are up all over. Bloodroot. Some Spring Beauty. Nettles. Woods are still a bit cool and could use a little more rain, but not too bad moisture.

I left most of the little morels I found and only took about 8-10 small greys. Next week should be better, but I think we are in for a longer season with the rest of May forecasted to be < 70 degree days.


----------



## karoom

I was in Wisconsin and south of the cities this weekend, no morels to be seen but really nice monster fiddleheads and Ramps. The fiddleheads are as big as the ones you can sometimes get Whole Foods for 10 bucks/for maybe 10. Gonna check some hilltops and open spots this week. I can’t help but feel a little jealous of the ones that had luck finding some morels this weekend! Ha! It’s a good sign tho!


----------



## Dtails

Zen said:


> What part of the state are you?


Central MN


----------



## btetzl50

Found 4 small greys today near/around shakopee, southern exposure and forest’s edge. Different location saw ferns almost fully unfurled... damn. 

Replying to someone about ramps, I’ve had great luck replanting in my own yard.


----------



## tundraking

Old Elm said:


> Hey, sorry if it sounded like, “Buckthorn” is dead. I only meant he’s no longer on the forum, far as I know he’s doing fine, just too busy raising a young family to get on here.


Oh Man! Great to hear! His little one should be be ready to hunting by now! Heck, I just had another little sprout (boy) in January, but you better believe I'll be shroomin this spring!
Buckthorn should get back on here so we can give him some crap.


----------



## MeshBag

AIM said:


> Anyone know a legit ramp seed supplier? Would like to source MN seed and try to sow in woods around backyard...
> 
> Havent found a patch locally which i want to keep with same type of growth etc. No prob with other wild onion stuff.


We have a forest filled with them up in northern MN (we call them leaks), we have had success harvesting the seeds and planting them. They will shoot up little black balls/seeds when they are done growing, collect them and plant.


----------



## MeshBag

Picked these in Scott county yesterday, cooked them with green beans and red potatoes last night. These were the tiny ones I found on April 25th on the edge of the woods, went back yesterday and the motherload is popping up in the woods just feet away.


----------



## Dtails

MeshBag said:


> Picked these in Scott county yesterday, cooked them with green beans and red potatoes last night. These were the tiny ones I found on April 25th on the edge of the woods, went back yesterday and the motherload is popping up in the woods just feet away.


Gets me thinking of heading out to one of my early spots today on my way home...


----------



## bradford

Found these yesterday in New ulm , quite a few for so early , I also haven't found any at this spot for the past two years, ended up with 50 on the dot. Lookin like it's going to a be a good year.


----------



## Dtails

bradford said:


> Found these yesterday in New ulm , quite a few for so early , I also haven't found any at this spot for the past two years, ended up with 50 on the dot. Lookin like it's going to a be a good year.[/QUOTE
> 
> my oh my what wonderful day!!! can't wait


----------



## Dtails

bradford said:


> Found these yesterday in New ulm , quite a few for so early , I also haven't found any at this spot for the past two years, ended up with 50 on the dot. Lookin like it's going to a be a good year.


My oh my what a wonderful day!!! I can't wait to start beboppin through the woods!!


----------



## Dtails

I think someone on here gave me an idea how to mess with people by planting random flowers in the woods.. sounds like a great idea to me!!


----------



## Jason Bisping

Hello All!
New to morel hunting and went out a few times so far this year with no luck. I understand its a bit early yet and am wondering this, I live north metro and have looked at a few places (Rice Creek, Long Lake Regional Park, tamarack, Brown's Creek in Stillwater) am I just wasting my time looking around these metro places? Has anyone stumbled across any in those parks or similar places around there? I have found some of the right trees/signs and south facing hills but no luck. Any insight or pointed in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks


----------



## MayMotherload

Jason Bisping said:


> Hello All!
> New to moral hunting and went out a few times so far this year with no luck. I understand its a bit early yet and am wondering this, I live north metro and have looked at a few places (Rice Creek, Long Lake Regional Park, tamarack, Brown's Creek in Stillwater) am I just wasting my time looking around these metro places? Has anyone stumbled across any in those parks or similar places around there? I have found some of the right trees/signs and south facing hills but no luck. Any insight or pointed in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!!
> Thanks


It's still early, especially for that far north. That being said, any long time morel hunter that has found a big patch of old, bad morels knows they cant let that happen again. Early is better than late, at the very least you get fresh air, exercise, and experience.


----------



## AIM

Getting ramp'd up in the woods! lol i know...Most are pretty small or were ate by something but cool to hit a new spot 4 first time and find. Area looks super promising...


----------



## Walking Shuz

Jason Bisping said:


> Hello All!
> New to morel hunting and went out a few times so far this year with no luck. I understand its a bit early yet and am wondering this, I live north metro and have looked at a few places (Rice Creek, Long Lake Regional Park, tamarack, Brown's Creek in Stillwater) am I just wasting my time looking around these metro places? Has anyone stumbled across any in those parks or similar places around there? I have found some of the right trees/signs and south facing hills but no luck. Any insight or pointed in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!!
> Thanks


Unless the good looking areas you have found are on the top of a hill in a open sunny grassy area then it is still a little bit early. It is not too early to be picking pheasant backs, ramps, nettles, and fiddleheads. Stinging Nettles are just about the perfect size around the twin cities right now. Personally I think they have better flavor than spinach. Just blanch them in boiling water for a minute and all the irritant compounds are destroyed. You can also bake/fry them, though I haven't done this. The best part is that not too many people will be upset if you pick a bunch of stinging nettles in your favorite park since it is an invasive weed. The same can not be said about fiddleheads. Once you pick a fern it is gone for the season. Pick a fern clean for 4 years and you very likely kill the fern root/crown.


----------



## Dtails

Found a few devil's urns today. Last spot I checked I took this picture.. just food for thought


----------



## Sam Segale

Thinking of doing a Friday hunt (got the day off) and probably Saturday. I'm in the cities but okay with a little drive. Anyone know how Red Wing is looking? Or good place 2 start. Pretty knew to the whole thing.


----------



## AIM

Sam Segale said:


> Thinking of doing a Friday hunt (got the day off) and probably Saturday. I'm in the cities but okay with a little drive. Anyone know how Red Wing is looking? Or good place 2 start. Pretty knew to the whole thing.


I think you will want to be south of 494 for finding anything substantial. Starting to wake up in the twin cities tho 4 sure! Big difference in the past few days with growth and soil temps in spots with good sun.


----------



## Dtails

AIM said:


> I think you will want to be south of 494 for finding anything substantial. Starting to wake up in the twin cities tho 4 sure! Big difference in the past few days with growth and soil temps in spots with good sun.


Soil temps are jumping fast! Crazy how a day or two can change things so fast.. but apple trees leafs aren't the size of a squirrel ear yet LoL


----------



## AIM

Dtails said:


> Soil temps are jumping fast! Crazy how a day or two can change things so fast.. but apple trees leafs aren't the size of a squirrel ear yet LoL


Noticed about a 8-10° difference from open sandy loam to wooded covered black dirt areas. Gardens are up 2-5° from last check just around 50°F


----------



## bradford

Found about 20 more near new ulm


----------



## LoHaze

Found 6 little babies in the cities today, most were the size of my finger nail. Didn’t pick obviously, still fun to find the little buggers


----------



## Dtails

AIM said:


> Noticed about a 8-10° difference from open sandy loam to wooded covered black dirt areas. Gardens are up 2-5° from last check just around 50°F


Right. Temps are all over the place from mossy high ground and Sandy hills. I'm planning on think we just a warm damp night and a few warmish days. Days getting longer everyday can't change that Fingers crossed no hot spells for the next few weeks!


----------



## stilz

It's really crusty on the southern edges. Still early on the interior. I'm sure we will find a few this week though.


----------



## LoHaze

Yeah, hillsides are getting pretty dry towards the top. Rain will help that’s coming 


stilz said:


> It's really crusty on the southern edges. Still early on the interior. I'm sure we will find a few this week though.


----------



## DaveMack

Jason Bisping said:


> Hello All!
> New to morel hunting and went out a few times so far this year with no luck. I understand its a bit early yet and am wondering this, I live north metro and have looked at a few places (Rice Creek, Long Lake Regional Park, tamarack, Brown's Creek in Stillwater) am I just wasting my time looking around these metro places? Has anyone stumbled across any in those parks or similar places around there? I have found some of the right trees/signs and south facing hills but no luck. Any insight or pointed in the right direction would be greatly appreciated!!
> Thanks


When I worked in Fridley, I would spend my lunch hour hiking along Rice Creek and would sometimes find a dozen or so. It’s pretty heavily traveled, so you need a bit of luck to beat anyone else to them.


----------



## BRB

I had the day off yesterday and decided to poke around the woods near Owatonna. Didn't find any morels, but took home some ramps. Only took a few since I'd never had them and wasn't sure I'd like them. Turns out I do.


----------



## Zen

Night temps below freezing....consistently the past week. Days warming, but darn cold nights!
Does anyone still find morels after a frost ??


----------



## Morelsrfun

I have no idea about the freezing temps question but I know these little booger’s continue to surprise me.

Found quite a few small ones yesterday near Kellogg mn 3/4 up the hill east facing that we’re mostly dried up. Out of 50+ I seen I probably brought home 15 that were eaters, the rest were too small combined with being dried to do much with. I wonder when the original pop happened down here. 

Still very early as I seem to have to walk to 50+ trees before I have found a tree with mushrooms, and they are small and sneaky hiding under leaves.


----------



## mushroommadman

I'm from Missouri. About 10 years ago we had a hard freeze after the morels had started here. It got down to the low 20's just one night and it did all the morels in for that year around my area. Leaves on trees were burnt and early flowers were froze. However, if you went 100 miles north in Missouri that year, the freeze didn't affect the morels because that area wasn't that far along yet. I think that as long as it doesn't get down to lower than 28-30degrees (a hard freeze) they should still come up. It will just burn the ones that are currently up.


----------



## May madness

Checked a early spot today south facing ground temps 50°. Dandelions just showing up should be soon


----------



## May madness

The rain in the forecast and warmer nights next week should be prime


----------



## Lisse Michaels

shedberg123 said:


> One good tip is start looking when the lilacs bloom. Similar time frame for morels.


That’s the sign I go by - Lilacs. My grandmother taught me that lilacs bloom and morels fruit around the same time each year, and if I go by that I’m bang-on right pretty much every year. I’ve also read a lot of info online that seems to confirm this. I do head out as soon as I see leaves on the lilacs because I have a few spots that start earlier and I love to be out wandering in the bush any excuse I get.


----------



## AIM

Nice walk today but dry...


----------



## AIM

Made some ramp butter last night.. Lets hear some uses! Sizzle up you your favorite XYZ veg or meat?


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Found about a dozen today in south metro. In a textbook early spot: South-facing slope along grassy area at edge of woods by dead elms. The soil was really dry and rocky, I was surprised to see them growing!


----------



## Swat1018

Zen said:


> Night temps below freezing....consistently the past week. Days warming, but darn cold nights!
> Does anyone still find morels after a frost ??


I see you are in Ontario. I'm going to western Ontario May 24 for a week of fishing. I'll be near the boundary waters at Little Eva Lake. What is the mushroom outlook you think. Pretty sure there are Morels there.


----------



## Shrookie

Walking Shuz said:


> View attachment 18786
> Saturday near the twin cities I found fiddle heads nearly done already. My morel spots had not started. Pheasant backs were just budding out. They should be ready in a day or two. Morels by mid week to next weekend. I also found a freshly dead turkey. Anyone else find a dead turkey? Soil temps in full sun 60f. Temps in full shade 48. Moisture levels were great everywhere.


 Those look absolutely delicious! Dead turkey not so much, Thanksgiving has passed. Tried pheasant backs last year and thought they were actually not bad. A bit chewy but kinda tasty.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

AIM said:


> Made some ramp butter last night.. Lets hear some uses! Sizzle up you your favorite XYZ veg or meat?


I like putting them under chicken skin, crust up the skin and adds a lot of flavor to the meat


----------



## Hydrallus

So super excited to join the fun. Never had anything foraged really except fiddleheads which we got from the yard on Leech Lake during opener weekend a few years back. Might be too late even that far up north but I’ll be in Duluth this weekend and would be happy to report any spots people can send me for pure recon.

Now my folks live due EAST of the cities in WI and had hoped to hit their forest ASAP for any and all (and just to plot spots on gps) but ramps and ferns especially would be nice!

Identification I’ve been memorizing all winter. Only a little scared of timber rattlers and deer ticks. Haven’t been in their scary woods for a couple decades lol


----------



## Old Elm

Hydrallus said:


> So super excited to join the fun. Never had anything foraged really except fiddleheads which we got from the yard on Leech Lake during opener weekend a few years back. Might be too late even that far up north but I’ll be in Duluth this weekend and would be happy to report any spots people can send me for pure recon.
> 
> Now my folks live due west of the cities in WI and had hoped to hit their forest ASAP for any and all (and just to plot spots on gps) but ramps and ferns especially would be nice!
> 
> Identification I’ve been memorizing all winter. Only a little scared of timber rattlers and deer ticks. Haven’t been in their scary woods for a couple decades lol


“ Now my folks live due west of the cities in WI “ 
Well, last time I checked Wi was due east of the cities. Did something happen overnight?   You may want to carry a compass while out hunting? Ha Ha


----------



## Zen

Swat1018 said:


> I see you are in Ontario. I'm going to western Ontario May 24 for a week of fishing. I'll be near the boundary waters at Little Eva Lake. What is the mushroom outlook you think. Pretty sure there are Morels there.


I'm sure morels grow there. It's a cooler weather area than around here by the comparative open landscape, but I'd guess a couple weeks later?


----------



## Sam Segale

Old elm would you want to go on a hunt Friday or Saturday? Share some more wisdom with me?


----------



## br5

Check out high and low temps along with precip averages compared to 2009. It was by far my best year up north. As you can see moisture is needed, but by looks of radar it's happening now. Let's keep our fingers crossed.


----------



## tundraking

AIM said:


> Made some ramp butter last night.. Lets hear some uses! Sizzle up you your favorite XYZ veg or meat?


Mushroom and ramp, or seafood and ramp omelets!


----------



## tundraking

Swat1018 said:


> I see you are in Ontario. I'm going to western Ontario May 24 for a week of fishing. I'll be near the boundary waters at Little Eva Lake. What is the mushroom outlook you think. Pretty sure there are Morels there.


My biggest haul ever was in Quetico! Big black (fire)morels, biggest one had a top the size of a softball. The island had a fire the year prior. First week of June.


----------



## Swat1018

tundraking said:


> My biggest haul ever was in Quetico! Big black (fire)morels, biggest one had a top the size of a softball. The island had a fire the year prior. First week of June.


Wow, you give me hope! There May 24 - June 1. Just be neat to find a few there.


----------



## stilz

Lilacs are starting to bloom in Dakota/Scott County and this soaking rain is perfect. This weekend should be fun.


----------



## Hydrallus

J


Old Elm said:


> “ Now my folks live due west of the cities in WI “
> Well, last time I checked Wi was due east of the cities. Did something happen overnight?   You may want to carry a compass while out hunting? Ha Ha


Just seeing if anyone is paying attention ha


----------



## LoHaze

br5 said:


> Check out high and low temps along with precip averages compared to 2009. It was by far my best year up north. As you can see moisture is needed, but by looks of radar it's happening now. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
> View attachment 19510
> 
> View attachment 19512
> 
> View attachment 19514


That's intense! But I like it


----------



## kb

Yo, Madman. Thinking of a Minn. trip? Lot of elm up there. Those 10 sacks may not last until next year.


----------



## mushroommadman

Kb, I've been thinking all day today about leaving for Northern Iowa tomorrow. My wife says I better go or I'll regret it. She's right, I'm just not ready to quit just quite yet. Kind of get the feeling she wants me out of her hair and to quit talking about how many pounds I may be missing out on. Find it hard to believe they're already that far, but from what I've seen and heard sounds like that might be the best bet. Haven't ever been able to find the perfect spot in Minnesota. Haven't tried real hard, but I would love to if I had more time and wasn't so far. Seems like there are a lot of places where you're not allowed to hunt them. What latitude up there do you start running into a lot of dead elm again? What are your plans? You heading up that way? What's your thoughts on going above Hwy 20 tomorrow? When I first went to Minnesota, I remember dead elm were everywhere. Thats been probably 12 years ago. Last year went up there last part of May with wife and kids. It got real hot, in the mid 80's, and was real dry so we wound up just seeing the sights instead. We went up to Mankato and didn't really get off the Interstate much.


----------



## sarahrose

I holding off going up until at least the end of next week..... my mom said no lilacs blooming or dandelions yet...


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

br5 said:


> Check out high and low temps along with precip averages compared to 2009. It was by far my best year up north. As you can see moisture is needed, but by looks of radar it's happening now. Let's keep our fingers crossed.
> View attachment 19510
> 
> View attachment 19512
> 
> View attachment 19514


The rain is really soaking in the soil all around the state today! I can't wait for the weekend hunt. I am taking Monday & Tuesday off work to travel around and hunt. It's going to be spectacular.


----------



## AIM




----------



## AIM

AIM said:


>


 Even as a 30 year old.. Fuck music was good b4 this current stuff. I mean talk about a song you can put into 1000+ situations. Here we nerding out over shrooms and music prevails.


----------



## AIM

sarahrose said:


> I holding off going up until at least the end of next week..... my mom said no lilacs blooming or dandelions yet...


All depends where. Many dandelions popping some starting. Mostly lilacs just popping but first highway stuff etc.


----------



## Hoka Hey

Short time listener, first time caller.....

Excited for the hunt this year. Found my first Morel about 10 years ago on a whim. I knew they were around, but had never really looked. After a couple hours looking and finding nothing, there was this beautiful little morel. Right in the middle of the path I was on. That area yielded 40-100 pounds a year. And of course I found more spots......

I haven’t lived in that area, or been on the hunt for the last 5 years. Excited to go. Weather looks ideal for a fairly long season. Actually have a few closer to where I live now that I need to check out.

Never sold them, just shared or bartered what I couldn’t use. An 80 year old couple I knew would just light up with a bag full. Totally worth it. 

Surprised no one has mentioned wild asparagus. Water is to high this year, but the season usually hits mid morel season. I can’t stand cultivated asparagus, but the wild stuff is delicious.

Favorite Morel meal:
Chicken Alfredo pizza, with caramelized onions, garlic, Gorgonzola cheese, peppers, Italian cheese blend, and spinach.
It might sound like a lot of powerful flavors, and it is, but it leaves the taste of the morels intact, rather than covered up. Let me know if you want more specifics on the recipe.

Second favorite recipe: 
Heavily creamed and buttered wild rice soup. Must be made with hand parched rice. If you gathered and processed the rice yourself, it’s even better. Commercial rice, please look for the Red Lake brand. Quick cook. Takes 20 minutes. Native owned and operated. I’ve gone ricing, and if you ever wonder why wild rice is so expensive, trust me it’s cheap. At least the good stuff. 100 pounds gathered turns to 35-40 after its dried, parched, danced, winnowed, and then inspected by hand.

I was thinking I’d take a few days off, but don’t see it happening. Do have Thursday, Friday, Saturday off for the next few weeks. And a huge blood blister on the inside of my little toe. Hopefully gets better the next few days.


----------



## tundraking

mushroommadman said:


> Kb, I've been thinking all day today about leaving for Northern Iowa tomorrow. My wife says I better go or I'll regret it. She's right, I'm just not ready to quit just quite yet. Kind of get the feeling she wants me out of her hair and to quit talking about how many pounds I may be missing out on. Find it hard to believe they're already that far, but from what I've seen and heard sounds like that might be the best bet. Haven't ever been able to find the perfect spot in Minnesota. Haven't tried real hard, but I would love to if I had more time and wasn't so far. Seems like there are a lot of places where you're not allowed to hunt them. What latitude up there do you start running into a lot of dead elm again? What are your plans? You heading up that way? What's your thoughts on going above Hwy 20 tomorrow? When I first went to Minnesota, I remember dead elm were everywhere. Thats been probably 12 years ago. Last year went up there last part of May with wife and kids. It got real hot, in the mid 80's, and was real dry so we wound up just seeing the sights instead. We went up to Mankato and didn't really get off the Interstate much.


Its really just getting started this weekend here in MN, and it sounds like you'd be driving a long ways. If you want to actually find anything of size, you may want to wait till next weekend. I'm sure people will find some early grays this weekend, but again, its just getting started here.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Yes just starting, hiked around for 5 days, I am so tired. Did get about 100 very little ones, a little stressed and with the cold weather coming I picked them. all around 3 different trees, so its still very early.


----------



## fluffhead2

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Yes just starting, hiked around for 5 days, I am so tired. Did get about 100 very little ones, a little stressed and with the cold weather coming I picked them. all around 3 different trees, so its still very early.


 IME, they can survive a light frost. Maybe should have left them there?


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

fluffhead2 said:


> IME, they can survive a light frost. Maybe should have left them there?


they where burnt on top some of them, and had that weird color but maybe I could have left them. At the time we where supposed to get half inch of snow, so I picked them, not the real small ones, so we will see.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Ya it was weird, bottom of a south facing hill, they popped but at the same time like frost burnt on top. So I suspect it would get warmer there during the warmer days but also get the lowland frost at the same spot.


----------



## May madness

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Yes just starting, hiked around for 5 days, I am so tired. Did get about 100 very little ones, a little stressed and with the cold weather coming I picked them. all around 3 different trees, so its still very early.


What part of the state? South?


----------



## Walking Shuz

The rain last night caused the pop to happen in the Twin Cities area. They are too small to pick but by Sunday or early next week they should be prime here. Hopefully central Minnesota will be ready by the following weekend.


----------



## kb

Madman, I am no Minn. expert like the locals. But, if you want elm stick to the SE part. Draw a line from Red Wing over to Austin and stay east of it. If you want to hunt rivers I have no idea what to tell you. I may go above 20 in w. iowa or nebraska tomorrow if I can get away early enough. I don't know about Minn. I think I will wait and see what the picking looks like.


----------



## gilbert801027

I use to live in the TC and would travel down to SE for Morels, but moved east of St Cloud now and I am curious what sort of terrain I should look for? I don't see many Elms here and I hear black morels like Aspen and pines. Not sure if where the blacks territory typically starts. Have 3 little kids so long drives aren't much of an options. Any tips for this general area would be greatly appreciated! thanks


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

May madness said:


> What part of the state? South?


west of twin cities


----------



## AIM

gilbert801027 said:


> I use to live in the TC and would travel down to SE for Morels, but moved east of St Cloud now and I am curious what sort of terrain I should look for? I don't see many Elms here and I hear black morels like Aspen and pines. Not sure if where the blacks territory typically starts. Have 3 little kids so long drives aren't much of an options. Any tips for this general area would be greatly appreciated! thanks


Id be surprised no elms... But even so there is a ton of good land in that area. Lots of streams and parks etc. Stay away from the Oak heavy public stuff but can't imagine morels not popping in spots like Becker city park or hidden lake etc. Plan on scouting more with a friend up there this year.


----------



## AIM

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> west of twin cities


GPS coordinates? I will double check the spots 4 you.


----------



## AIM

Spot I found a few last year is still way behind. Super cold wind off the river and its very high vs same time last year in this area. Middle of twin cities north metro.


----------



## SSSOutdoorsman

Hello all,

I am relatively new to the foraging game, but I am loving it. I have looked for morels the past few years, but never found any (probably because I didn't really put in a lot of effort). This year, though, I want to actually find some morels-hopefully a few pounds! I have done some research, and spent the past few days romping around in the woods looking for elm trees. I found a bunch of ramps (I had never heard of them before reading this forum, BOY was I missing out!), and some tiny fiddleheads. And a plant that looks exactly like the celery that you get in the store, but smaller and with a red stem. I harvested the wild celery, but couldn't find anything online to confirm, so I don't plan to eat it.

Now for my questions: I know that it is still a little early for the morels this year, but I just want to make sure that I am looking in the right spots. I have found some dead elms in forests with other tree species. Is that ideal? Or is it better to look at a smaller section of forest that is primarily elm trees (but most are living)? And should I be focused almost exclusively on elm trees in the woods, or should I look more generally throughout the forest?

Any advice would be much appreciated,
Many Thanks,

SSS


----------



## AIM

SSSOutdoorsman said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I am relatively new to the foraging game, but I am loving it. I have looked for morels the past few years, but never found any (probably because I didn't really put in a lot of effort). This year, though, I want to actually find some morels-hopefully a few pounds! I have done some research, and spent the past few days romping around in the woods looking for elm trees. I found a bunch of ramps (I had never heard of them before reading this forum, BOY was I missing out!), and some tiny fiddleheads. And a plant that looks exactly like the celery that you get in the store, but smaller and with a red stem. I harvested the wild celery, but couldn't find anything online to confirm, so I don't plan to eat it.
> 
> Now for my questions: I know that it is still a little early for the morels this year, but I just want to make sure that I am looking in the right spots. I have found some dead elms in forests with other tree species. Is that ideal? Or is it better to look at a smaller section of forest that is primarily elm trees (but most are living)? And should I be focused almost exclusively on elm trees in the woods, or should I look more generally throughout the forest?
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated,
> Many Thanks,
> 
> SSS


 Any woods with elm are good. There are many different trees which people have found morels but look for elms peeling bark but not 100% dead and work from there. Apple pines ash etc as you have probably read all produce.


----------



## stilz

I'm on the board. It looks bigger in the picture, but it's only about 1" from base to tip. It's early so I'll harvest it in a few days.


----------



## May madness

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> west of twin cities


Thanks troop I'm in Wright county just trying to get my bearings. I'm still 7 days out. In my 10+ years hunting last year was the worst...... I'd take 20 small ones right now I'm starving!!!


----------



## May madness

stilz said:


> I'm on the board. It looks bigger in the picture, but it's only about 1" from base to tip. It's early so I'll harvest it in a few days.
> View attachment 19716


Nice stilzs. You got your morel eye working.


----------



## May madness

AIM said:


> GPS coordinates? I will double check the spots 4 you.


62°n 158°w....... check it out... lol


----------



## Inthewild

May madness said:


> 62°n 158°w....... check it out... lol


Funny and Now that's interesting... Do MORELS grow there???


----------



## May madness

Inthewild said:


> Funny and Now that's interesting... Do MORELS grow there???


That's the big question go there now I'll talk to you in 2 or 3 weeks. Lmfao


----------



## Asilos325

SSSOutdoorsman said:


> And a plant that looks exactly like the celery that you get in the store, but smaller and with a red stem. I harvested the wild celery, but couldn't find anything online to confirm, so I don't plan to eat it.


Was it rhubarb?


----------



## stilz

May madness said:


> Nice stilzs. You got your morel eye working.


I actually had to move leaf litter to even find it. I got out of there carefully cause I don't wanna smoosh the future crop.


----------



## May madness

stilz said:


> I actually had to move leaf litter to even find it. I got out of there carefully cause I don't wanna smoosh the future crop.


I got a feeling with the 10 day forecast this years going to be epic... Watch where you step!!!


----------



## twisted minds

SSSOutdoorsman said:


> Hello all,
> 
> And a plant that looks exactly like the celery that you get in the store, but smaller and with a red stem. I harvested the wild celery, but couldn't find anything online to confirm, so I don't plan to eat it.
> 
> 
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated,
> Many Thanks,
> 
> SSS





Asilos325 said:


> Was it rhubarb?


More than likely it was burdock. Some call it "wild rhubarb". Google it and compare pictures, and don't eat it.


----------



## Asilos325

twisted minds said:


> More than likely it was burdock. Some call it "wild rhubarb". Google it and compare pictures, and don't eat it.


Yikes! I have never run into that, but I just started hunting again. I will have to remember to stay away from that!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

May madness said:


> Thanks troop I'm in Wright county just trying to get my bearings. I'm still 7 days out. In my 10+ years hunting last year was the worst...... I'd take 20 small ones right now I'm starving!!!


good luck, have to work the weekend now. Should be ok middle of next week in my area, hopefully.


----------



## Wendelina

I'm so excited to get out there I'm nearly having panic attacks..

Scouted some possible spots but St Cloud is so oak heavy. Might have to take that advice and drive to Becker and snoop around this weekend.


----------



## AIM

twisted minds said:


> More than likely it was burdock. Some call it "wild rhubarb". Google it and compare pictures, and don't eat it.


Fwiw you can eat the root. Haven't tried and don't plan on it but have seen on many foraging vids..


----------



## gilbert801027

AIM said:


> Id be surprised no elms... But even so there is a ton of good land in that area. Lots of streams and parks etc. Stay away from the Oak heavy public stuff but can't imagine morels not popping in spots like Becker city park or hidden lake etc. Plan on scouting more with a friend up there this year.





AIM said:


> Id be surprised no elms... But even so there is a ton of good land in that area. Lots of streams and parks etc. Stay away from the Oak heavy public stuff but can't imagine morels not popping in spots like Becker city park or hidden lake etc. Plan on scouting more with a friend up there this year.


Thanks! I think it's still a little early up here, but I'll be out this weekend and let you know if I spot any!


----------



## stilz

twisted minds said:


> More than likely it was burdock. Some call it "wild rhubarb". Google it and compare pictures, and don't eat it.


Burdock Tubers are edible.


----------



## br5

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Yes just starting, hiked around for 5 days, I am so tired. Did get about 100 very little ones, a little stressed and with the cold weather coming I picked them. all around 3 different trees, so its still very early.


Just three trees says there's good groups when you find them. That's a good sign trooper.


----------



## KarenE

Where is there a place to hunt mushrooms on public ground near Rochester,mn


----------



## May madness

Wendelina said:


> I'm so excited to get out there I'm nearly having panic attacks..
> 
> Scouted some possible spots but St Cloud is so oak heavy. Might have to take that advice and drive to Becker and snoop around this weekend.


----------



## May madness

Wendelina said:


> I'm so excited to get out there I'm nearly having panic attacks..
> 
> Scouted some possible spots but St Cloud is so oak heavy. Might have to take that advice and drive to Becker and snoop around this weekend.


Get on 94 go to the rest stop by Clearwater decent size woods only looked there one time. Didnt find any but it was late in the year. Worth a try it's close.


----------



## Walking Shuz

SSSOutdoorsman said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I am relatively new to the foraging game, but I am loving it. I have looked for morels the past few years, but never found any (probably because I didn't really put in a lot of effort). This year, though, I want to actually find some morels-hopefully a few pounds! I have done some research, and spent the past few days romping around in the woods looking for elm trees. I found a bunch of ramps (I had never heard of them before reading this forum, BOY was I missing out!), and some tiny fiddleheads. And a plant that looks exactly like the celery that you get in the store, but smaller and with a red stem. I harvested the wild celery, but couldn't find anything online to confirm, so I don't plan to eat it.
> 
> Now for my questions: I know that it is still a little early for the morels this year, but I just want to make sure that I am looking in the right spots. I have found some dead elms in forests with other tree species. Is that ideal? Or is it better to look at a smaller section of forest that is primarily elm trees (but most are living)? And should I be focused almost exclusively on elm trees in the woods, or should I look more generally throughout the forest?
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated,
> Many Thanks,
> 
> SSS


Red stem really does point to Rhubarb. In Minnesota if you find what you think is celery it is very likely Lovage which is related and quite tasty. Burdock when very young also looks like Rhubarb and vaguely like Lovage. Burdock is also edible. Rhubarb you must cook before eating and never ever eat the leaves. For Burdock typically people just eat the root which is a tap root like a dandelion. It could also be cow parsnip if it was growing on the bank of a stream. My personal suggestion is to stay away from anything with a red stem in the wild. Post a picture if you can.


----------



## Walking Shuz

Wendelina said:


> I'm so excited to get out there I'm nearly having panic attacks..
> 
> Scouted some possible spots but St Cloud is so oak heavy. Might have to take that advice and drive to Becker and snoop around this weekend.


https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/compass/index.html
Nenah and Quary park are the two places I'd explore around St. Cloud. The Mississippi is just too developed and non-public. That and I swear that elms have been eradicated from city and county parks even if they were not affected by dutch elm because they cause additional maintenance headaches. Like in the twin cities where I saw both boulevard elms and ash trees replaced with red oak as simply a "precaution." You will have the best luck looking at larger state and federal forest areas that are not "maintained" as well. City and County parks also tend to have "no picking" policies which should include mushrooms.


----------



## sarahrose

Think I’m going to put off coming up until after next week..... seems like that should be right about a good time for them ..... I have my mom still watching for lots of dandelions and lilacs..... seems later this year too..... last year was horrible.... i found some, but it was later, and seems even the most experienced hunter did not do well either.


----------



## btetzl50

got out today, not so much for morels but hit my asparagus and fiddle head spots. This is the latest I've seen asparagus pop. usually mid-late april. I can't wait for early next week!


----------



## Redwolf

Found my very 1st ramps today!! I still haven't found a morel but I'm determined! I have a good feeling this is my year!


----------



## Redwolf

My ramps all washed!


----------



## twisted minds

AIM said:


> Fwiw you can eat the root. Haven't tried and don't plan on it but have seen on many foraging vids..





stilz said:


> Burdock Tubers are edible.


True and true, but original poster said they "harvested" the red "wild celery", not dug up the roots. They didn't know what they had, and didn't post a picture. So I recommended they compare pictures of burdock to what they had, and as always the safe call, if you don't know what you have, don't eat it.


----------



## MayMotherload

KarenE said:


> Where is there a place to hunt mushrooms on public ground near Rochester,mn


I'd try the parks in town, bear Creek, east east park or I've found them along west river parkway along the river, years ago when I lived there. You'd be surprised how many times I've seen people with bags full of morels right in Rochester.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Yes just starting, hiked around for 5 days, I am so tired. Did get about 100 very little ones, a little stressed and with the cold weather coming I picked them. all around 3 different trees, so its still very early.


YAYYYYYYY!!! Thanks, Shroomtrooper, now I know that our season up here should be starting in a week or so! WHOO HOO!!! Maybe I better go check my early spots tomorrow just in case. LOL


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

br5 said:


> Just three trees says there's good groups when you find them. That's a good sign trooper.


yes what I found(very little) for the amount of territory I searched did have some groupings. My previous hot spot had 2 micro morels, so its a ways away in morel days, Ha. I always jump the gun, I cant help it. May 21st should be all out I guess


----------



## treebeardlennon

First find of the year today down in Rice County; about 50 greys and a few blondes. South facing slopes with pretty decent exposure. Lookin forward to a great season!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

SSSOutdoorsman said:


> Hello all,
> 
> I am relatively new to the foraging game, but I am loving it. I have looked for morels the past few years, but never found any (probably because I didn't really put in a lot of effort). This year, though, I want to actually find some morels-hopefully a few pounds! I have done some research, and spent the past few days romping around in the woods looking for elm trees. I found a bunch of ramps (I had never heard of them before reading this forum, BOY was I missing out!), and some tiny fiddleheads. And a plant that looks exactly like the celery that you get in the store, but smaller and with a red stem. I harvested the wild celery, but couldn't find anything online to confirm, so I don't plan to eat it.
> 
> Now for my questions: I know that it is still a little early for the morels this year, but I just want to make sure that I am looking in the right spots. I have found some dead elms in forests with other tree species. Is that ideal? Or is it better to look at a smaller section of forest that is primarily elm trees (but most are living)? And should I be focused almost exclusively on elm trees in the woods, or should I look more generally throughout the forest?
> 
> Any advice would be much appreciated,
> Many Thanks,
> 
> SSS


Hi SSS and welcome! I’m going to give you completely different advice. I do not hunt elms. I’m in Manitoba, so I hunt the SE part of the province and the Northwest Angle (you know, that part of Minnesota that’s up here in Canada, LOL). There are actually very few naturally occurring elms once you get this far north. I exclusively hunt around poplar & birch, and I have also found morels in black spruce bogs and occasionally with pines. My advice to you is when you are new to this sport, check out ALLLLLL the trees and see what works for you in your area. Also make sure to check in areas where trees died in the last few years - I mean places that have been logged or where there’s been a major fire, because morels like to grow in places where the ground has been damaged or disturbed. I find more morels in those types of areas than anywhere else. As for elm trees, I can tell you that I have never in 40+ years of mushroom picking found ANY morels around a dead or dying elm tree, but that’s just me. I live in Winnipeg where we have elms all along the river valley, in every park, and lining pretty much every city street. But I know for sure that in different places elms produce massive numbers of morels because I’ve seen the pictures & videos, so definitely look around elms but don’t discount the other trees if you know what I mean! And good luck to you, I hope you have a very successful season!!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

stilz said:


> I'm on the board. It looks bigger in the picture, but it's only about 1" from base to tip. It's early so I'll harvest it in a few days.
> View attachment 19716


Congrats Stiltz, nice find!


----------



## br5

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> yes what I found(very little) for the amount of territory I searched did have some groupings. My previous hot spot had 2 micro morels, so its a ways away in morel days, Ha. I always jump the gun, I cant help it. May 21st should be all out I guess


When it's close you can check your spots over and over. Add 500 miles to the trip and it makes you fall on your knees at the first patch for the wrong reasons. Did that last year and had to come back. Drove up, hunted about 5 hours and drove home. Got a thousand frequent shroom miles out of it. Once the fever hits and the mother load dreams start all common sense is gone.


----------



## dabigshow00

Hello great mushroom hunters! I am new to the game as of last year and have yet to find that first morel. I spent a couple hours around Lake Elmo in Washington County last night and did not find anything. Have most of the morels found thus far been on hilly southward facing terrain? Lake Elmo does not have a lot of elevation, so is there a good chance that they havn't popped yet there? Thanks


----------



## Wendelina

Walking Shuz said:


> https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/compass/index.html
> Nenah and Quary park are the two places I'd explore around St. Cloud. The Mississippi is just too developed and non-public. That and I swear that elms have been eradicated from city and county parks even if they were not affected by dutch elm because they cause additional maintenance headaches. Like in the twin cities where I saw both boulevard elms and ash trees replaced with red oak as simply a "precaution." You will have the best luck looking at larger state and federal forest areas that are not "maintained" as well. City and County parks also tend to have "no picking" policies which should include mushrooms.


Thanks for the tip! I did check into the picking in county parks around me and in my neck of the woods it's okay as long as you're not selling them... Which I'm not. I just want to eat the little suckers


----------



## Wendelina

Anyone else checking this map daily? Hourly? 
https://www.thegreatmorel.com/morel-sightings/


----------



## Sam Segale

Anyone up for a hunt in red wing today?


----------



## Zen

Lisse Michaels said:


> Hi SSS and welcome! I’m going to give you completely different advice. I do not hunt elms. I’m in Manitoba, so I hunt the SE part of the province and the Northwest Angle (you know, that part of Minnesota that’s up here in Canada, LOL). There are actually very few naturally occurring elms once you get this far north. I exclusively hunt around poplar & birch, and I have also found morels in black spruce bogs and occasionally with pines. My advice to you is when you are new to this sport, check out ALLLLLL the trees and see what works for you in your area. Also make sure to check in areas where trees died in the last few years - I mean places that have been logged or where there’s been a major fire, because morels like to grow in places where the ground has been damaged or disturbed. I find more morels in those types of areas than anywhere else. As for elm trees, I can tell you that I have never in 40+ years of mushroom picking found ANY morels around a dead or dying elm tree, but that’s just me. I live in Winnipeg where we have elms all along the river valley, in every park, and lining pretty much every city street. But I know for sure that in different places elms produce massive numbers of morels because I’ve seen the pictures & videos, so definitely look around elms but don’t discount the other trees if you know what I mean! And good luck to you, I hope you have a very successful season!!


----------



## Zen

Lisse... I pick west of man. In n.w. Ontario.
It's similar in finding morels under a mixed hardwood and evergreens. Biggest find I had was a vast expanse of mature spruce with open areas littered with poplar leaf. I just find them looking even where unexpected without particular tree association. Found them at bases of balsam poplar, near spruce bog, above beaver pond shorelines.....


----------



## Old Elm

Zen said:


> Lisse... I pick west of man. In n.w. Ontario.
> It's similar in finding morels under a mixed hardwood and evergreens. Biggest find I had was a vast expanse of mature spruce with open areas littered with poplar leaf. I just find them looking even where unexpected without particular tree association. Found them at bases of balsam poplar, near spruce bog, above beaver pond shorelines.....


Zen, last time I looked up there, I thought Ont was to the east of Mann,
Did something change?
I am getting old though.


----------



## Zen

Old Elm said:


> Zen, last time I looked up there, I thought Ont was to the east of Mann,
> Did something change?
> I am getting old though.


It's just me trying to keep the secret picking spots on the map.


----------



## Morelsrfun

Found quite a few ( around 125) the past few days around 2 trees near lake city . Have walked quite a bit more without any luck at any other trees. Still feels early but have found a few stragglers low. Has to be very soon down here for the explosion.


----------



## Morelsrfun

Few pictures


----------



## Zen

The night Frost's seem to be finally gone, at least the past couple night in the 40's.
Next days to be warm. Keeping fingers crossed for some showers. If so, I believe around Tuesday they should start popping up here EAST of Manitoba Northland!


----------



## bigrobshroommn

May madness said:


> Thanks troop I'm in Wright county just trying to get my bearings. I'm still 7 days out. In my 10+ years hunting last year was the worst...... I'd take 20 small ones right now I'm starving!!!


2nd warmest May on record ruined my season also.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Morelsrfun said:


> Few pictures


Those are some perfect ones


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

br5 said:


> When it's close you can check your spots over and over. Add 500 miles to the trip and it makes you fall on your knees at the first patch for the wrong reasons. Did that last year and had to come back. Drove up, hunted about 5 hours and drove home. Got a thousand frequent shroom miles out of it. Once the fever hits and the mother load dreams start all common sense is gone.


so true, because the search means more than the find


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

dabigshow00 said:


> Hello great mushroom hunters! I am new to the game as of last year and have yet to find that first morel. I spent a couple hours around Lake Elmo in Washington County last night and did not find anything. Have most of the morels found thus far been on hilly southward facing terrain? Lake Elmo does not have a lot of elevation, so is there a good chance that they havn't popped yet there? Thanks


way good chance they have not showed up, keep at it


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Morelsrfun said:


> Found quite a few ( around 125) the past few days around 2 trees near lake city . Have walked quite a bit more without any luck at any other trees. Still feels early but have found a few stragglers low. Has to be very soon down here for the explosion.


boy, I had the same experience, still early


----------



## Hoka Hey

First foray.
Guaranteed spots. 
Still early. 1 tiny quarter size was all I saw. 

This next week, 10 days should be interesting. But I can remember seasons lasting 3 weeks. This year has that sense, but have to see how it plays out.

Would like to make a couple good harvests, just so I can explore other areas. Seriously spent 100.00 on ingredients for a couple Chicken Alfredo pizzas w/ Morrels. It’s Ramadan, and I work with many Somali Muslims. Would love to send them home with a care package.


----------



## morchella ed

dabigshow00 said:


> Hello great mushroom hunters! I am new to the game as of last year and have yet to find that first morel. I spent a couple hours around Lake Elmo in Washington County last night and did not find anything. Have most of the morels found thus far been on hilly southward facing terrain? Lake Elmo does not have a lot of elevation, so is there a good chance that they havn't popped yet there? Thanks


 Better look out hunting at Lake Elmo, I believe that's Three Rivers Park and they do not allow walking off trails, much less mushroom hunting. If you get caught by a park ranger there, they'll make you dump your bag...and maybe stick you with a fine...So if you're gonna do it anyways, that's up to you, but be aware of the risk! Good luck though, definitely check those south facing slopes this early soil temps are still in the forties and gotta get between 49 and 59 to fruit morels from what i've read and experienced. I'm excited for the season!


----------



## morchella ed

Morelsrfun said:


> Found quite a few ( around 125) the past few days around 2 trees near lake city . Have walked quite a bit more without any luck at any other trees. Still feels early but have found a few stragglers low. Has to be very soon down here for the explosion.


That's great to see! I'm hunting down in that neighborhood over next weekend. Were you still on sunny south facing slopes or did you get down to the river bottoms at all over there?


----------



## Old Elm

morchella ed said:


> That's great to see! I'm hunting down in that neighborhood over next weekend. Were you still on sunny south facing slopes or did you get down to the river bottoms at all over there?


----------



## May madness

Almost 80 by Thursday and Friday.... about to be a explosion!!!


----------



## Zen

May madness said:


> Almost 80 by Thursday and Friday.... about to be a explosion!!!


What part of the state?


----------



## May madness

Zen said:


> What part of the state?


Wright county


----------



## Morelsrfun

morchella ed said:


> That's great to see! I'm hunting down in that neighborhood over next weekend. Were you still on sunny south facing slopes or did you get down to the river bottoms at all over there?


Mostly sunny open areas near the top, found a few midway up the hills but they were more sporadic. All mushrooms have been in elm clusters, have not found them near singular elms all on their lonesome. I may have been just getting lucky. 

I think they will be out more here by Tuesday for sure. Today the woods looked ready, but only found about 30.


----------



## Morelsrfun

Couple pictures from today


----------



## SSSOutdoorsman

twisted minds said:


> True and true, but original poster said they "harvested" the red "wild celery", not dug up the roots. They didn't know what they had, and didn't post a picture. So I recommended they compare pictures of burdock to what they had, and as always the safe call, if you don't know what you have, don't eat it.


I looked at the pictures, and what I found was definitely NOT burdock. It looked EXACTLY like the celery you get in the store (tiny leaflets at the top, each stem had two smaller branches, growing in a circle at the base, etc.), just smaller with red stems. I threw it in the woods (I didn't want to eat it), and when I went to find it for a picture, it was gone-some animal must have eaten it. And, yes-when it doubt, DON'T.


----------



## stilz

I found about a dozen more today. They're about 2-3" tall now.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Morelsrfun said:


> Few pictures[/QUO





stilz said:


> I found about a dozen more today. They're about 2-3" tall now.


good job I am off all week, where should I go? think its going to be the best year yet


----------



## stilz

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> good job I am off all week, where should I go? think its going to be the best year yet


I'm off all week too. I'm not sure where I wanna go.


----------



## jdaniels313

br5 said:


> When it's close you can check your spots over and over. Add 500 miles to the trip and it makes you fall on your knees at the first patch for the wrong reasons. Did that last year and had to come back. Drove up, hunted about 5 hours and drove home. Got a thousand frequent shroom miles out of it. Once the fever hits and the mother load dreams start all common sense is gone.


No truer words were ever spoken!


----------



## AIM

Ramp butter roasted potatoes (about 30mins more to go from that picture. Added a little more as can see lol) were nice with the ribeye steaks... Cheers to all the moms out there.


----------



## Redwolf

Morelsrfun said:


> Couple pictures from today


Awesome!! What part of Minnesota are you in? I'm in the twin cities. I've been looking hard but no luck yet. This is my 2nd year trying. Last year was a bust.


----------



## Tasocd

Hunting all over the last few days, since the heavy rain, down here by the southern border. Nothing. Anyone else down here have luck?


----------



## Morelsrfun

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> good job I am off all week, where should I go? think its going to be the best year yet


I think I’m going to mess around south of home (lake city) today after school. I still think the core belt of mushrooms are still south of me 30-50 miles. A buddy of mine picked a pile by rollingstone yesterday so I’m hoping those big pops are starting to expand further north. Today and tomorrows heat should hopefully get us rolling!


----------



## Morelsrfun

Redwolf said:


> Awesome!! What part of Minnesota are you in? I'm in the twin cities. I've been looking hard but no luck yet. This is my 2nd year trying. Last year was a bust.


I hunt Winona to the cities typically, some years I venture into northern Iowa to trout fish but haven’t made it that way this year.


----------



## Dtails

Was down by Pipestone yesterday and checked a few spots no luck.. all the flooded down didn't help anything


----------



## Peter Frank

Nice day in the woods yesterday in SE MN. Ended up with about 150 morels... 140 of which were under the same tree. Seemed a bit early in most spots that were not south facing. Next weekend should be good!


----------



## Dtails

Peter Frank said:


> Nice day in the woods yesterday in SE MN. Ended up with about 150 morels... 140 of which were under the same tree. Seemed a bit early in most spots that were not south facing. Next weekend should be good!
> View attachment 20228



Nice find!! It's finally time...


----------



## Zen

Anyone finding north of twin cities?


----------



## ridgerunner

Finding a bunch of greys in Dakota County, but no yellows yet. Soil temp is still under 50 so the next couple of days should help.


----------



## Chanterelle nut

Guys any good land or parks in the Redwing area? I got some time off tomorrow so trying to find my first morel really bad.


----------



## stilz

ridgerunner said:


> Finding a bunch of greys in Dakota County, but no yellows yet. Soil temp is still under 50 so the next couple of days should help.


Greys are just immature yellows.


----------



## tonkadad

I went yesterday to my tried and true spot just south of Cologne and was surprised at how early it still is. Virtually no green. No ferns or undergrowth, just brown, dead, dry leaves. Didn't see a single morel, not even a baby. Still no flowering of the lilacs all around my living area (Minnetonka). I think it's at least a week away for that area.


----------



## kennacoconut

Last night I had a dream that I found a motherload... I'm new in town so I'm really just looking around at the parks I visit. Fingers crossed that I find something after work!


----------



## MN Morel Dude

AIM said:


> View attachment 20196
> 
> 
> Ramp butter roasted potatoes (about 30mins more to go from that picture. Added a little more as can see lol) were nice with the ribeye steaks... Cheers to all the moms out there.


I found a nice patch of ramps and will make ramp butter this evening. This is the first time I've ever picked them and I'm looking forward to it! Great pic!


----------



## Shane Hager

Dakota County, just popping up.


----------



## LoHaze

Found 51 today in the cities!


----------



## May madness

tonkadad said:


> I went yesterday to my tried and true spot just south of Cologne and was surprised at how early it still is. Virtually no green. No ferns or undergrowth, just brown, dead, dry leaves. Didn't see a single morel, not even a baby. Still no flowering of the lilacs all around my living area (Minnetonka). I think it's at least a week away for that area.


I think you're going to be surprised on what a couple days of this warm weather is going to do


----------



## Old Elm

May madness said:


> I think you're going to be surprised on what a couple days of this warm weather is going to do


It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


----------



## Zen

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


Is that near mid state?


----------



## br5

kennacoconut said:


> Last night I had a dream that I found a motherload... I'm new in town so I'm really just looking around at the parks I visit. Fingers crossed that I find something after work!


And so far there's no cure known for those dreams except spending time in the woods. I find myself watching same YouTube videos over and over showing huge finds of 20lbs or more. Everyone that puts forth the effort could own that day. I tell myself just one more elm.


----------



## br5

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


I counted 14 in that grouping. That could become my new screen saver at work. That is a very good sign indeed.


----------



## Sam Segale

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


You up for a hunt together Thursday or Friday or over the weekend? Or tomorrow afternoon. I always enjoy hunting with someone else especially with good knowledge.


----------



## Old Elm

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.





br5 said:


> I counted 14 in that grouping. That could become my new screen saver at work. That is a very good sign indeed.





br5 said:


> I counted 14 in that grouping. That could become my new screen saver at work. That is a very good sign indeed.



Actually 19, but I had the advantage of being there. 
I’m finding a lot of nice bouquets this year, way more than normal.


----------



## Inthewild

br5 said:


> And so far there's no cure known for those dreams except spending time in the woods. I find myself watching same YouTube videos over and over showing huge finds of 20lbs or more. Everyone that puts forth the effort could own that day. I tell myself just one more elm.


OK can you explain my dream of finding a red can of Sauerkrat in my dreams? Dam I need to find some Morels.


----------



## twisted minds

br5 said:


> I counted 14 in that grouping. That could become my new screen saver at work. That is a very good sign indeed.


I see 19


----------



## twisted minds

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


Nice


----------



## May madness

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


That's what I'm talking about..... EXPLOSION


----------



## May madness

Nice find by the way


----------



## AIM

MN Morel Dude said:


> I found a nice patch of ramps and will make ramp butter this evening. This is the first time I've ever picked them and I'm looking forward to it! Great pic!


Just went and grabbed some more from all over this spot i got those others. They oddly seem to grow in small patches many 100s of feet apart. Nothing like the huge bunches ive seen but very fun regardless. Going to do some pesto and have 2 nice logs in the freezer.


----------



## AIM

Old Elm said:


> Actually 19, but I had the advantage of being there.
> I’m finding a lot of nice bouquets this year, way more than normal.


Take me hostage. You keep all the finds for all I care lol. Finding those things must be knowledge even worth paying for hell! So beautiful.


----------



## br5

Inthewild said:


> OK can you explain my dream of finding a red can of Sauerkrat in my dreams? Dam I need to find some Morels.


Lol, is there spam too?


----------



## Morelsrfun

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


Jealous!! And happy for you! I haven’t seen clusters like that yet si far, would you mind sharing a very brief/vague description of where you hunt at? I’m in se mn and haven’t seen those clusters yet. Only found about 35 tonight. I’ve only seen the clusters of a couple so far like these(I may have shared them already). That’s a great picture.


----------



## Old Elm

Morelsrfun said:


> Jealous!! And happy for you! I haven’t seen clusters like that yet si far, would you mind sharing a very brief/vague description of where you hunt at? I’m in se mn and haven’t seen those clusters yet. Only found about 35 tonight. I’ve only seen the clusters of a couple so far like these(I may have shared them already). That’s a great picture.


West facing slopes, heavy cover & down lower. 
In the “ Driftless “ area too.


----------



## May madness

GPS coordinates are 62°n 158°w


----------



## Morelsrfun

I wasn’t trying to pry, was just curious how far north or south that was.


----------



## May madness

Just messing with ya. Lol


----------



## Morelsrfun

After reading my questions, I probably deserved that.


----------



## MN Morel Dude

AIM said:


> Just went and grabbed some more from all over this spot i got those others. They oddly seem to grow in small patches many 100s of feet apart. Nothing like the huge bunches ive seen but very fun regardless. Going to do some pesto and have 2 nice logs in the freezer.


Just put two logs in the freezer. Had my wife taste it before getting it in the freezer then saw her lurking around looking for more. I only took enough ramps for a trial run. Hope I find more soon as it looks like we will go through it without a problem. That pesto sounds good!


----------



## MN Morel Dude

Peter Frank said:


> Nice day in the woods yesterday in SE MN. Ended up with about 150 morels... 140 of which were under the same tree. Seemed a bit early in most spots that were not south facing. Next weekend should be good!
> View attachment 20228


Totally agree with next weekend. I've found 32 on southernish facing slopes and my northern facing slopes show no sign of producing yet. Hoping this week's warm up does the trick.


----------



## btetzl50

Was out south of the cities today and got shut out, one SP (where I'm new and havent found any ever) and one county park where I have and was also shut out. Back in the cities I found one small grey in the south metro... Ugh. Grabbed what would be the last of the fiddle heads so still a great day in the woods.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Lisse Michaels said:


> Hi SSS and welcome! I’m going to give you completely different advice. I do not hunt elms. I’m in Manitoba, so I hunt the SE part of the province and the Northwest Angle (you know, that part of Minnesota that’s up here in Canada, LOL). There are actually very few naturally occurring elms once you get this far north. I exclusively hunt around poplar & birch, and I have also found morels in black spruce bogs and occasionally with pines. My advice to you is when you are new to this sport, check out ALLLLLL the trees and see what works for you in your area. Also make sure to check in areas where trees died in the last few years - I mean places that have been logged or where there’s been a major fire, because morels like to grow in places where the ground has been damaged or disturbed. I find more morels in those types of areas than anywhere else. As for elm trees, I can tell you that I have never in 40+ years of mushroom picking found ANY morels around a dead or dying elm tree, but that’s just me. I live in Winnipeg where we have elms all along the river valley, in every park, and lining pretty much every city street. But I know for sure that in different places elms produce massive numbers of morels because I’ve seen the pictures & videos, so definitely look around elms but don’t discount the other trees if you know what I mean! And good luck to you, I hope you have a very successful season!!


I exclusively find morels near dying/dead Elms. Though I have to admin I hunt in the lower half of the state and haven't much searched near birch or poplar trees (do Cottonwoods count as Poplar? Or just Aspen's?). I'm not even sure you can find morels near those types of trees except up North. Do you only find black morels or the yellows too?

I think up North there aren't many elms so that doesn't surprise me if you don't search those trees.


----------



## i_heart_shrooms

Found about 100 on Friday, 40 on Saturday, 8 or so on Sunday (didn't go hunt much because of family events) and about 60 today. Mid-sized yellows on the SE facing slopes, more smaller greys in the deep woods and flat river bottoms. Going out again Tuesday, not quite sure where yet but I have a lot of Areas of Interest on my map.


----------



## morel rat

i_heart_shrooms said:


> Found about 100 on Friday, 40 on Saturday, 8 or so on Sunday (didn't go hunt much because of family events) and about 60 today. Mid-sized yellows on the SE facing slopes, more smaller greys in the deep woods and flat river bottoms. Going out again Tuesday, not quite sure where yet but I have a lot of Areas of Interest on my map.


I have family that lives way up northern Minnesota west of Bemidji an


i_heart_shrooms said:


> I exclusively find morels near dying/dead Elms. Though I have to admin I hunt in the lower half of the state and haven't much searched near birch or poplar trees (do Cottonwoods count as Poplar? Or just Aspen's?). I'm not even sure you can find morels near those types of trees except up North. Do you only find black morels or the yellows too?
> 
> I think up North there aren't many elms so that doesn't surprise me if you don't search those trees.


I have family that lives way up northern Minnesota west of Bemidji and they find blacks in the Poplar and birch as said.. I'm sure you will not find any Elms as they have been dead and gone for quite a few years! if you see Ash I would check them also!
good luck and have fun on ur trip!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

i_heart_shrooms said:


> I exclusively find morels near dying/dead Elms. Though I have to admin I hunt in the lower half of the state and haven't much searched near birch or poplar trees (do Cottonwoods count as Poplar? Or just Aspen's?). I'm not even sure you can find morels near those types of trees except up North. Do you only find black morels or the yellows too?
> 
> I think up North there aren't many elms so that doesn't surprise me if you don't search those trees.


Oh my goodness, I don’t want to sound rude, but did you actually read my entire post?

We have thousands of elm trees in Manitoba. They were planted by European settlers who wanted them as shade trees. The street in front of my house is lined with mature American elm trees that are 100+ years old. I had one in my front yard that died and never produced anything. Not even a honey mushroom in the fall. Our parks and river valleys are full of elms. I don’t search around elms because I’ve never found them to be good host trees up here, not because we don’t have many of them. 

I apologize, I should have clarified - By poplar, I specifically mean Canadian poplar, grey poplar, and white poplar (the aspens). Yes, cottonwoods are also poplars, but most people refer to them as cottonwoods to avoid confusion. 

Yes, we have black morels. Yes, we have yellow morels. We just don’t have as long of a season as you do down south. Black morels fruit first, and about a week after the yellows appear. Some years they overlap and we get them all at the same time. But our season runs a week to a month at the most, then we move into the other summer mushrooms. 

This year we’re warming up really slowly, I saw piles of snow in the bush out at Birch Point on Lake of the Woods on Saturday. And so many prairie crocuses are out still, so the ground is nowhere near morel temps just yet up here.


----------



## Zen

Lisse, here in n.w. Ontario, East of lake of the woods.....trees are bigger and more rocky shield country. Where there is bush similar to your description, mostly poplar/spruce forest and open areas I find most of my morels. 
It's quickly warming up in past few days, lilacs, currants, and similar early leafing shrubs greening up fast with the longer daylength. Already green ground cover obscures the hunt.
I've yet to find morels. Today, after night warm rain might be the ticket, though I wouldn't predict a long picking season. Maybe a prime week before the bush turns into jungle!


----------



## Anokashrooms

On the board in the north metro. Dozens around one prime dead elm. All too small to pick. Probably need to wait another 5-7 days to pick em.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Zen said:


> Lisse, here in n.w. Ontario, East of lake of the woods.....trees are bigger and more rocky shield country. Where there is bush similar to your description, mostly poplar/spruce forest and open areas I find most of my morels.
> It's quickly warming up in past few days, lilacs, currants, and similar early leafing shrubs greening up fast with the longer daylength. Already green ground cover obscures the hunt.
> I've yet to find morels. Today, after night warm rain might be the ticket, though I wouldn't predict a long picking season. Maybe a prime week before the bush turns into jungle!


Yep, I hear you! When I was a kid, we used to pick just over the border in Ontario - Minaki, Kenora, Dryden, and occasionally Rainy River, but not very often. I lived in GTA as a teenager, went to high school in Brampton. Funny, we never picked when we lived in SW Ontario, not really sure why. 

I was going to comment on your previous reply that I’ve always had excellent luck in an area where there’s poplar & birch bark scattered around. Anywhere that wood was skidded out over the winter, or the previous season. I’ve found them in open fields, too, growing right next to dadelions, almost right underneath the leaves. And bogs. I love hunting morels in peat moss, you wouldn’t believe how big they grow. I thought those beer-can size black morels were a myth up here until I found some myself a couple years ago.

I’m currently watching two spots that I know will explode if we get enough rain. And if the ground ever warms up! I was all over SE Manitoba on Saturday, and I couldn’t believe how cold it was out in the bush still. I’ve got my fingers crossed that they’re gonna pop this week!!


----------



## Dtails

Anokashrooms said:


> On the board in the north metro. Dozens around one prime dead elm. All too small to pick. Probably need to wait another 5-7 days to pick em.


Im waiting til Thursday to do anymore pick... Saw one finger sized and got trapped by all the tiniest tiny ones by my feet and people walking and biking around me... Did the old lost dog trick and high tailed out of there Here Sadie Sadie come here lol


----------



## Anokashrooms

Dtails said:


> Im waiting til Thursday to do anymore pick... Saw one finger sized and got trapped by all the tiniest tiny ones by my feet and people walking and biking around me... Did the old lost dog trick and high tailed out of there Here Sadie Sadie come here lol


Ha! Isn’t it funny how dogs run off when potential “predators” are lurking?


----------



## morel rat

Dtails said:


> Im waiting til Thursday to do anymore pick... Saw one finger sized and got trapped by all the tiniest tiny ones by my feet and people walking and biking around me... Did the old lost dog trick and high tailed out of there Here Sadie Sadie come here lol


Good thinking!
I may have to use that line one day...lol


----------



## br5

Morelsrfun said:


> After reading my questions, I probably deserved that.


So to return the favor where abouts you at?


----------



## Morelsrfun

I hunt along the Mississippi from Winona to Hastings roughly. I’ve been in the Kellogg area for the past few days.


----------



## tonkadad

Old Elm said:


> Actually 19, but I had the advantage of being there.
> I’m finding a lot of nice bouquets this year, way more than normal.


What part of the state?


----------



## Zen

Just getting back from a few hours hike in the bush...nothing in the usual spots. Scared up a couple ruffed and sharptail grouse. Kicked a big dried puffball releasing a cloud of spores on the walking trail I'll check later this summer. 

I've convinced myself to hunt every other day and see what nature makes available. Leaf and ground moisture seem ideal. When the brachen sprouts will give me a good hint when they'll pop up. Last year pretty much was a bust around here. 10 years ago was big....whether same conditions predict similar pickings remain to be explored.


----------



## Wendelina

Had a lovely afternoon scouting elm spots. Gorgeous sunny day. No baby shrooms but came across a big fluffy dead animal


----------



## Wendelina

Inthewild said:


> OK can you explain my dream of finding a red can of Sauerkrat in my dreams? Dam I need to find some Morels.


*Sauerkraut*

To see or eat sauerkraut in your dream indicates good health. 
(Source: dreammoods.com


----------



## br5

Zen said:


> Just getting back from a few hours hike in the bush...nothing in the usual spots. Scared up a couple ruffed and sharptail grouse. Kicked a big dried puffball releasing a cloud of spores on the walking trail I'll check later this summer.
> 
> I've convinced myself to hunt every other day and see what nature makes available. Leaf and ground moisture seem ideal. When the brachen sprouts will give me a good hint when they'll pop up. Last year pretty much was a bust around here. 10 years ago was big....whether same conditions predict similar pickings remain to be explored.


2009 was by far my best year as well. I'd like to see a bit more rain up there over next 7 days though. Where abouts you at in MN?


----------



## May madness

I'm on the board.


----------



## May madness

Lots of little little babies didnt pick any. But I'll be back there in a couple days


----------



## stilz

I've found tons of them now. I still haven't picked a single one. This weekend the motherlode is mine.


----------



## Zen

stilz said:


> I've found tons of them now. I still haven't picked a single one. This weekend the motherlode is mine.


Mid state???


----------



## LoHaze

Found about 25 more today. Left about 10 to keep growing


----------



## AIM

Frost burnt ramps? Came across a spot in the cities with tons of this and my buddy in st. cloud sent same looking pictute.


----------



## br5

Wendelina said:


> Had a lovely afternoon scouting elm spots. Gorgeous sunny day. No baby shrooms but came across a big fluffy dead animal
> View attachment 20362


What do you think it was?


----------



## AIM

Only a few LBMs off some cut stumps in sun.. Oddly not even a pheasant back yet around N metro.


----------



## AIM

br5 said:


> What do you think it was?


Probably a deer. Actually after looking closer... Hmm who knows 4 sure

Yeah thats 99% a deer.


----------



## br5

AIM said:


> Probably a deer.


Saw what looked like a fork horn in pic, but fluffy stuff is odd.


----------



## AIM

br5 said:


> Saw what looked like a fork horn in pic, but fluffy stuff is odd.


Just a very fresh find. You wont find any other beat down tall grass or woods etc outside a deer bed.


----------



## twisted minds

AIM said:


> View attachment 20410
> 
> 
> Frost burnt ramps? Came across a spot in the cities with tons of this and my buddy in st. cloud sent same looking pictute.


Those are not ramps. It is white trout lilly.


----------



## sb

AIM said:


> View attachment 20410
> 
> 
> Frost burnt ramps? Came across a spot in the cities with tons of this and my buddy in st. cloud sent same looking pictute.


AIM: The picture is of "Trout Lily".
Comes in other colors too, like yellow, lavendar


----------



## Sam Segale

On the board finally! There a little small but got the first one out of the way.. Now on to bigger, better, and more. Lots more


----------



## AIM

sb said:


> AIM: The picture is of "Trout Lily".
> Comes in other colors too, like yellow, lavendar


Crazy... Very ramp like just no smell.


----------



## Morchella matt

Old Elm said:


> View attachment 20286
> 
> 
> It’s off to a nice slow steady flush.


What a pic! Beautiful


----------



## Nrthwoodslegit

Lisse Michaels said:


> Oh my goodness, I don’t want to sound rude, but did you actually read my entire post?
> 
> We have thousands of elm trees in Manitoba. They were planted by European settlers who wanted them as shade trees. The street in front of my house is lined with mature American elm trees that are 100+ years old. I had one in my front yard that died and never produced anything. Not even a honey mushroom in the fall. Our parks and river valleys are full of elms. I don’t search around elms because I’ve never found them to be good host trees up here, not because we don’t have many of them.
> 
> I apologize, I should have clarified - By poplar, I specifically mean Canadian poplar, grey poplar, and white poplar (the aspens). Yes, cottonwoods are also poplars, but most people refer to them as cottonwoods to avoid confusion.
> 
> Yes, we have black morels. Yes, we have yellow morels. We just don’t have as long of a season as you do down south. Black morels fruit first, and about a week after the yellows appear. Some years they overlap and we get them all at the same time. But our season runs a week to a month at the most, then we move into the other summer mushrooms.
> 
> This year we’re warming up really slowly, I saw piles of snow in the bush out at Birch Point on Lake of the Woods on Saturday. And so many prairie crocuses are out still, so the ground is nowhere near morel temps just yet up here.


I went out today around lowman mn next to rainy river and found a bunch of blacks today


----------



## Nrthwoodslegit

Went out today on the Canada/mn border and found some blacks


----------



## Zen

Nrthwoodslegit said:


> Went out today on the Canada/mn border and found some blacks


Now we're talkin'!


----------



## Nrthwoodslegit

Zen said:


> Now we're talkin'!


Since I started hunting morels up here I learned they are very hearty and show up alot faster than most people think. Took me awhile to find them but when I did I got alot


----------



## sb

AIM said:


> Crazy... Very ramp like just no smell.


AIM: On one of the forums recently someone posted a pic of what they were wondering if it was ramps, just small or immature size.

I realized they were showing a 3 leafed plant that I have in the front of the house: wild "Woods Iris", pic below.

If you just look at the leaves on the left half of the picture below, it sort of looks similar, at first glance, just smaller. But when the plant is blooming, as in the pic -- ta-da, "Woods Iris" without a doubt.

Somehow I never thought of the idea of Ramp, Leek "Look Alikes".


----------



## Elusive Fungi Finder

Old Elm, you’re clearly well versed and experienced. Found for the first time tonight, what I believe to be, half-cap morels. I’m skeptical because after many years of hunting, I’ve never found them. Are you aware of these in the southern metro?

Trying to decipher between that and a false morel. Any tips are appreciated. 

Cheers


----------



## twisted minds

sb said:


> AIM: On one of the forums recently someone posted a pic of what they were wondering if it was ramps, just small or immature size.
> 
> Somehow I never thought of the idea of Ramp, Leek "Look Alikes".
> 
> View attachment 20424


The one look-a-like you need to make sure you don't mistake for ramps is lily of the valley, that is very poisonous.


----------



## mntammy

The purple iris is iris cristata. I have several species like that in my gardens. Hitting the woods tomorrow hopefully morels and seeing some beautiful flowers too(the trout lily someone posted was beautiful). Didn't find anything yesterday in the cities but we hit only one place.


----------



## MayMotherload

Elusive Fungi Finder said:


> Old Elm, you’re clearly well versed and experienced. Found for the first time tonight, what I believe to be, half-cap morels. I’m skeptical because after many years of hunting, I’ve never found them. Are you aware of these in the southern metro?
> 
> Trying to decipher between that and a false morel. Any tips are appreciated.
> 
> Cheers


I've found several half free morels south metro, in my opinion a false morel really doesn't look much like a true morel.


----------



## stilz

Zen said:


> Mid state???


Dakota and Scott counties. Perfect rain coming in too.


----------



## AIM

twisted minds said:


> The one look-a-like you need to make sure you don't mistake for ramps is lily of the valley, that is very poisonous.


Right that is not a worry here but when i found on a island and over 100 miles away + obviously. We are not eating Lily. Never seen ramps like that b4 posted


----------



## AIM

sb said:


> AIM: On one of the forums recently someone posted a pic of what they were wondering if it was ramps, just small or immature size.
> 
> I realized they were showing a 3 leafed plant that I have in the front of the house: wild "Woods Iris", pic below.
> 
> If you just look at the leaves on the left half of the picture below, it sort of looks similar, at first glance, just smaller. But when the plant is blooming, as in the pic -- ta-da, "Woods Iris" without a doubt.
> 
> Somehow I never thought of the idea of Ramp, Leek "Look Alikes".
> 
> View attachment 20424


Those are not really even the same but yesm
Still killer


----------



## AIM

Elusive Fungi Finder said:


> Old Elm, you’re clearly well versed and experienced. Found for the first time tonight, what I believe to be, half-cap morels. I’m skeptical because after many years of hunting, I’ve never found them. Are you aware of these in the southern metro?
> 
> Trying to decipher between that and a false morel. Any tips are appreciated.
> 
> Cheers


 Use eyes.


----------



## morchella ed

Went all around today. Checked out a bunch of prime looking elms in various parks in north metro with no morels. Ran down south to about an hour south of cities and checked a couple southerly facing sunny spots. Found four or five tiny ones and two decent greys about the size of my thumb. The first grey barely registered in my periphery as I peered at the ground under an old elm stooped like a gargoyle. Then BAM! Literally about four feet away a wild turkey flushed! Scared the shit outta me! I continued hunting pleased with the surprise and found the best. Turkey eggs are pretty! I actually kept four, should be a tasty breakfast! It’s weird. I eat eggs and don’t think twice but taking eggs out of a wild turkey nest felt like an invasion. I almost felt guilty doing it. Next I considered 100, 200, 400 years ago would a forager hesitate to harvest eggs with fungi? I am sure stumbling upon those eggs would have incited great gratitude for such a decadent feast. I decided it’s worth it to try it once to commune with nature, tradition, ancestry. Also wtf are those white ass industrial eggs we eat without question anyways. Okay I stop rambling now.


----------



## Morelsrfun

Another 50 last night. Didn’t find many groupings. Need a little moisture down here.


----------



## Wendelina

br5 said:


> What do you think it was?


I couldn't really tell! It resembled a sheep, but I don't know of any sheep in the area. It's surrounded by farms but none of those farms have livestock of any kind.


----------



## tundraking

morchella ed said:


> Went all around today. Checked out a bunch of prime looking elms in various parks in north metro with no morels. Ran down south to about an hour south of cities and checked a couple southerly facing sunny spots. Found four or five tiny ones and two decent greys about the size of my thumb. The first grey barely registered in my periphery as I peered at the ground under an old elm stooped like a gargoyle. Then BAM! Literally about four feet away a wild turkey flushed! Scared the shit outta me! I continued hunting pleased with the surprise and found the best. Turkey eggs are pretty! I actually kept four, should be a tasty breakfast! It’s weird. I eat eggs and don’t think twice but taking eggs out of a wild turkey nest felt like an invasion. I almost felt guilty doing it. Next I considered 100, 200, 400 years ago would a forager hesitate to harvest eggs with fungi? I am sure stumbling upon those eggs would have incited great gratitude for such a decadent feast. I decided it’s worth it to try it once to commune with nature, tradition, ancestry. Also wtf are those white ass industrial eggs we eat without question anyways. Okay I stop rambling now.


I bet that scared the crap outta you! They do not leave their nests easily and when they do, they usually try to get you to follow them away from the nest.

I'm gonna venture to guess that it is highly illegal to collect wild game bird eggs, and even though its not migratory, it may still fall under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 or a specific state law at the least.
But... I'm sure you're just kidding around... right? good good.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Nrthwoodslegit said:


> I went out today around lowman mn next to rainy river and found a bunch of blacks today


Awesome news! That means my preciouses are getting closer!! 

I’m going to scout my spots this afternoon. I have to go on a school field trip & then I’m heading out!!


----------



## tundraking

So I found this great spot last fall and thought I'd take my family to it yesterday by boat up the river. Masses of elm trees scattered all over, living, dying, and dead. Told my wife that this place is beautiful with a great little trail that goes all around for easy walking. I was so excited to show her because although she isn't the biggest fan of traipsing around the woods in search of mushrooms, she loves trees and nature. 
So we get there and start walking and see that the city had apparently come in last winter and completely brush hogged and chainsawed the entire woods around all of the bigger trees, including the majority of the dying/dead elms, in order to reclaim and restore the land or some crap. As if they are going to beat the "invasive buckthorn". Idiots. It's called naturalization. Leave it the F alone! 
It was a saddening moment for us to see that it was so important for the city to destroy all of the natural cover for wildlife just to match their ideal picture of what it should look like in their mind.
Anyway, rant aside, it definitely was not the experience I was hoping for, and I'm not sure if my wife is going to be interested in going out again.


----------



## Zen

Lisse Michaels said:


> Awesome news! That means my preciouses are getting closer!!
> 
> I’m going to scout my spots this afternoon. I have to go on a school field trip & then I’m heading out!!


The Lowman black morel find is promising to know they're ready up here. After reading that post encouged me to check out a spot of woodland adjacent to a stretch of beaver pond meadow that faces a long reach of South facing sun. I'm pretty well convinced blacks will now be there. 
I use trail tape on a stick when I find one, and mark it. Then slowly check away from it in concentric circles and helps not missing those ultra camofauged ones.


----------



## Shrookie

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 20278
> View attachment 20280
> View attachment 20282
> Found 51 today in the cities!


 Awesome! That's encouraging. Reside just north of Twin Cities ( Roseville MN) I went out scouting local for a couple hours yesterday. Didn't find any shrooms but a very pleasant hike and found some areas I want to re-check soon.


----------



## Elusive Fungi Finder

MayMotherload said:


> I've found several half free morels south metro, in my opinion a false morel really doesn't look much like a true morel.


Agreed, thanks Motherload. Have you ever eaten them? Allegedly sweeter than traditional blacks golds and bigs. Supposed to be excellent for roasting meats but I’m too scared to try them without a positive ID


----------



## kb

tundra, did you look anyway? Cutting down trees and brush hogging are great morel producers. All you need are some roots and disturbed soil. I love hunting areas where power lines and pipelines have been put through.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Zen said:


> The Lowman black morel find is promising to know they're ready up here. After reading that post encouged me to check out a spot of woodland adjacent to a stretch of beaver pond meadow that faces a long reach of South facing sun. I'm pretty well convinced blacks will now be there.
> I use trail tape on a stick when I find one, and mark it. Then slowly check away from it in concentric circles and helps not missing those ultra camofauged ones.


LOLOLLLLL... I just do the duck walk through the brambles, making sure that I turn left & right so I spot them all. 

I just checked our ground temps, and I don’t think we’ve had enough days yet in MB, but I’m going to take a look anyways. We’re supposed to get rain this afternoon which I’m sure will flush them out!


----------



## MayMotherload

Elusive Fungi Finder said:


> Agreed, thanks Motherload. Have you ever eaten them? Allegedly sweeter than traditional blacks golds and bigs. Supposed to be excellent for roasting meats but I’m too scared to try them without a positive ID


I have eaten them, they're not as flavorful and obviously mostly stem, but worth picking. Be sure you identify them properly, they are just a morel with half the cap not attached to the stem and a smaller head


----------



## MayMotherload

they should pretty much look exactly like this, everyone I've found is basically the same.


----------



## morel rat

morchella ed said:


> Went all around today. Checked out a bunch of prime looking elms in various parks in north metro with no morels. Ran down south to about an hour south of cities and checked a couple southerly facing sunny spots. Found four or five tiny ones and two decent greys about the size of my thumb. The first grey barely registered in my periphery as I peered at the ground under an old elm stooped like a gargoyle. Then BAM! Literally about four feet away a wild turkey flushed! Scared the shit outta me! I continued hunting pleased with the surprise and found the best. Turkey eggs are pretty! I actually kept four, should be a tasty breakfast! It’s weird. I eat eggs and don’t think twice but taking eggs out of a wild turkey nest felt like an invasion. I almost felt guilty doing it. Next I considered 100, 200, 400 years ago would a forager hesitate to harvest eggs with fungi? I am sure stumbling upon those eggs would have incited great gratitude for such a decadent feast. I decided it’s worth it to try it once to commune with nature, tradition, ancestry. Also wtf are those white ass industrial eggs we eat without question anyways. Okay I stop rambling now.


Ha Ha A them eggs probably have half born Turkey's in them.. enjoy


----------



## br5

Wendelina said:


> I couldn't really tell! It resembled a sheep, but I don't know of any sheep in the area. It's surrounded by farms but none of those farms have livestock of any kind.


That's what I thought it looked like.


----------



## br5

stilz said:


> Dakota and Scott counties. Perfect rain coming in too.


Hope so, looks like you could use some.


----------



## tundraking

morchella ed said:


> Went all around today. Checked out a bunch of prime looking elms in various parks in north metro with no morels. Ran down south to about an hour south of cities and checked a couple southerly facing sunny spots. Found four or five tiny ones and two decent greys about the size of my thumb. The first grey barely registered in my periphery as I peered at the ground under an old elm stooped like a gargoyle. Then BAM! Literally about four feet away a wild turkey flushed! Scared the shit outta me! I continued hunting pleased with the surprise and found the best. Turkey eggs are pretty! I actually kept four, should be a tasty breakfast! It’s weird. I eat eggs and don’t think twice but taking eggs out of a wild turkey nest felt like an invasion. I almost felt guilty doing it. Next I considered 100, 200, 400 years ago would a forager hesitate to harvest eggs with fungi? I am sure stumbling upon those eggs would have incited great gratitude for such a decadent feast. I decided it’s worth it to try it once to commune with nature, tradition, ancestry. Also wtf are those white ass industrial eggs we eat without question anyways. Okay I stop rambling now.





kb said:


> tundra, did you look anyway? Cutting down trees and brush hogging are great morel producers. All you need are some roots and disturbed soil. I love hunting areas where power lines and pipelines have been put through.


Sure did! Everything is so blended up with a lot of areas having 6" of mulched wood, that its hard to tell where the dead elms used to be. I do have a couple GPS waypoints marked and can probably get pretty close to where I remember a good cluster of elm, but man, its just unrecognizable anymore. 
I'll be heading back to try again by myself when I can concentrate more.


----------



## kb

I hear you. I used way points once to find some beaver cut cottonwood that had burned up in a fire. They still had some shrooms even though there was nothing left of them. The next year all the burnt up cottons loaded me up.


----------



## Sam Segale

Shrookie said:


> Awesome! That's encouraging. Reside just north of Twin Cities ( Roseville MN) I went out scouting local for a couple hours yesterday. Didn't find any shrooms but a very pleasant hike and found some areas I want to re-check soon.


I'm in roseville as well been scouting and managed to find a few small greys but if want to hunt sometime lemme know


----------



## Dtails

It could be a good still!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

morchella ed said:


> Went all around today. Checked out a bunch of prime looking elms in various parks in north metro with no morels. Ran down south to about an hour south of cities and checked a couple southerly facing sunny spots. Found four or five tiny ones and two decent greys about the size of my thumb. The first grey barely registered in my periphery as I peered at the ground under an old elm stooped like a gargoyle. Then BAM! Literally about four feet away a wild turkey flushed! Scared the shit outta me! I continued hunting pleased with the surprise and found the best. Turkey eggs are pretty! I actually kept four, should be a tasty breakfast! It’s weird. I eat eggs and don’t think twice but taking eggs out of a wild turkey nest felt like an invasion. I almost felt guilty doing it. Next I considered 100, 200, 400 years ago would a forager hesitate to harvest eggs with fungi? I am sure stumbling upon those eggs would have incited great gratitude for such a decadent feast. I decided it’s worth it to try it once to commune with nature, tradition, ancestry. Also wtf are those white ass industrial eggs we eat without question anyways. Okay I stop rambling now.


Tell me how the eggs where.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

tundraking said:


> So I found this great spot last fall and thought I'd take my family to it yesterday by boat up the river. Masses of elm trees scattered all over, living, dying, and dead. Told my wife that this place is beautiful with a great little trail that goes all around for easy walking. I was so excited to show her because although she isn't the biggest fan of traipsing around the woods in search of mushrooms, she loves trees and nature.
> So we get there and start walking and see that the city had apparently come in last winter and completely brush hogged and chainsawed the entire woods around all of the bigger trees, including the majority of the dying/dead elms, in order to reclaim and restore the land or some crap. As if they are going to beat the "invasive buckthorn". Idiots. It's called naturalization. Leave it the F alone!
> It was a saddening moment for us to see that it was so important for the city to destroy all of the natural cover for wildlife just to match their ideal picture of what it should look like in their mind.
> Anyway, rant aside, it definitely was not the experience I was hoping for, and I'm not sure if my wife is going to be interested in going out again.


Too bad, had a ramp spot that was the same


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Well hiked my butt off today and finally saw a bunch of tiny ones coming up. One spot had a couple real nice ones I brought home.Was in a valley, legs are tired, And I said to myself what are you doing, your wasting your time, kinda on a spot I thought was too cold yet. But at the crest of the hill (I was getting out of there) I see a real nice one. I stop and tell the dog to lay down(he is a great mushroom dog always stays put) and find 7 real nice ones. But a little down the hill, 2 prime elms had none, from what I can tell just too cold, just over the hill more, a little shaded. My problem is I love to explore, sometimes I waste my time, sometimes it pays off.


----------



## Shroom Sir lot

Found little ones today in carver county


----------



## twisted minds

Shroom Sir lot said:


> Found little ones today in carver county


Were you just playing through? Ha ha.


----------



## May madness

twisted minds said:


> Were you just playing through? Ha ha.


 now that's funny lmao


----------



## lolo

This is my first year hunting and I found this little guy today..can anyone confirm that it is a true morel? I'm hesitant because it's more round instead of tall and half of the back was eaten or not fully formed? It is completely hollow. Thanks!


----------



## kb

Hey Trooper you are dead on, exploring is how you find new spots and keep in shape. I try to do as much exploring as I can in the fall also. If I go back to NW Iowa or come up your way much of it will be pure exportation, hoping a little luck and knowledge can hit something special. No good spot lasts forever so I am always searching for another honey hole or two.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Found 15 greys on south slope monday morning. Explored some new promising terrain this afternoon, nothing popping yet there. Went back to Mondays spot and found another 15. Slow start to the season for me. Also found a toilet in the woods. Half of larger bird (Turkey?).


----------



## bigrobshroommn




----------



## twisted minds

lolo said:


> This is my first year hunting and I found this little guy today..can anyone confirm that it is a true morel? I'm hesitant because it's more round instead of tall and half of the back was eaten or not fully formed? It is completely hollow. Thanks!


Yes, that is a morel.


----------



## twisted minds

bigrobshroommn said:


> Found 15 greys on south slope monday morning. Explored some new promising terrain this afternoon, nothing popping yet there. Went back to Mondays spot and found another 15. Slow start to the season for me. Also found a toilet in the woods. Half of larger bird (Turkey?).


Looks like a turkey wing.


----------



## Anokashrooms

lolo said:


> This is my first year hunting and I found this little guy today..can anyone confirm that it is a true morel? I'm hesitant because it's more round instead of tall and half of the back was eaten or not fully formed? It is completely hollow. Thanks!


Good to go. Go back in a couple days and get his friends!!


----------



## lolo

Anokashrooms said:


> Good to go. Go back in a couple days and get his friends!!


 Thank you! Planning on it


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

kb said:


> Hey Trooper you are dead on, exploring is how you find new spots and keep in shape. I try to do as much exploring as I can in the fall also. If I go back to NW Iowa or come up your way much of it will be pure exportation, hoping a little luck and knowledge can hit something special. No good spot lasts forever so I am always searching for another honey hole or two.


true, no good spots last forever. I do some of memory hunting, which can be good and bad.


----------



## yerty

I'm so bummed this year. Went out last weekend and found absolutely nothing, even in SE MN. Now I'm gearing up for a two week long business trip and missing out on all the fun. Think there will be anything left July 1st? Do I just need to take a weekend trip up north? If this truly is the one of the best years, I'll never forgive my boss!


----------



## stilz

The forecast looks great. I'm gonna start picking tomorrow. I


yerty said:


> I'm so bummed this year. Went out last weekend and found absolutely nothing, even in SE MN. Now I'm gearing up for a two week long business trip and missing out on all the fun. Think there will be anything left July 1st? Do I just need to take a weekend trip up north? If this truly is the one of the best years, I'll never forgive my boss!


July? No lol.


----------



## Sam Segale

stilz said:


> The forecast looks great. I'm gonna start picking tomorrow. I
> 
> July? No lol.


Stillz any chance willing to meet up and hunt few places together. Your always on then. I'm out in the woods everyday for hours and have 3 baby greys . I dont know what doing wrong. You could keep anything we find I just like some actual advice in the woods


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Sam Segale said:


> Stillz any chance willing to meet up and hunt few places together. Your always on then. I'm out in the woods everyday for hours and have 3 baby greys . I dont know what doing wrong. You could keep anything we find I just like some actual advice in the woods


Ha, stilz is in mushroom heat now, I know what its like, but don't get frustrated, there just starting in a lot of areas, he is at a warmer location and has scouted well. If you found baby greys there just starting. Good luck


----------



## mntammy

Went SE yesterday. Hit our spots and too early in those areas. Found 12 or so pheasant backs but not into them so we left all of them.


----------



## Wendelina

tundraking said:


> Sure did! Everything is so blended up with a lot of areas having 6" of mulched wood, that its hard to tell where the dead elms used to be. I do have a couple GPS waypoints marked and can probably get pretty close to where I remember a good cluster of elm, but man, its just unrecognizable anymore.
> I'll be heading back to try again by myself when I can concentrate more.


They did that to a wooded area here in St Cloud that used to be University land for observation. About a year ago they cleared the buckthorn infestation and it looks so sad. I've meandered through it but haven't seen any signs of shrooms there. The shredded wood on the ground is super thick. I did get startled by a wild turkey and 2 deer in there, so at least the wildlife still frequent it.


----------



## Wendelina

Anybody know what these are? They're growing at the base of a Maple.


----------



## tundraking

Wendelina said:


> They did that to a wooded area here in St Cloud that used to be University land for observation. About a year ago they cleared the buckthorn infestation and it looks so sad. I've meandered through it but haven't seen any signs of shrooms there. The shredded wood on the ground is super thick. I did get startled by a wild turkey and 2 deer in there, so at least the wildlife still frequent it.


And you gotta be careful in those areas too, because brush mowing is only the first step, then they spray chemical. If its a contractor doing it, they usually stick little flag markers in the ground throughout the sprayed area indicating its been sprayed.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

lolo said:


> This is my first year hunting and I found this little guy today..can anyone confirm that it is a true morel? I'm hesitant because it's more round instead of tall and half of the back was eaten or not fully formed? It is completely hollow. Thanks!


Yes, that is a true morel. Looks like it was a yellow. They sometimes look like that if growing conditions weren’t 100% perfect (Not enough moisture, too hot, frost, too much sun, etc.), but they’re fine to eat as long as they’re not rotten. Way to go, congratulations on your find!


----------



## tundraking

My Mom lives SE MN east of Rochester a ways, and she just had greys appear 2-3 days ago. This heat and humidity is really gonna get them poppin now!
Heading down this afternoon with the camper till Sunday. Its game time!


----------



## tundraking

yerty said:


> I'm so bummed this year. Went out last weekend and found absolutely nothing, even in SE MN. Now I'm gearing up for a two week long business trip and missing out on all the fun. Think there will be anything left July 1st? Do I just need to take a weekend trip up north? If this truly is the one of the best years, I'll never forgive my boss!


Ya..., you may need to take a trip north by June 1st, but who knows, its super late this year! It all really depends on how warm it gets by then. If it stays cool, the season will stretch out, but if it gets too warm it'll be over around mid state. 
Who knows, the end of this month may end up being really good in low lands/flood plains if the water keeps receding...


----------



## Dtails

Wendelina said:


> They did that to a wooded area here in St Cloud that used to be University land for observation. About a year ago they cleared the buckthorn infestation and it looks so sad. I've meandered through it but haven't seen any signs of shrooms there. The shredded wood on the ground is super thick. I did get startled by a wild turkey and 2 deer in there, so at least the wildlife still frequent it.


Looks like St cloud area needs some rain it's close but still a week away I'm thinking Hutchinson area this weekend might find a few


----------



## br5

Morelsrfun said:


> Another 50 last night. Didn’t find many groupings. Need a little moisture down here.


Just looked at weather, looks like its coming over weekend. Hopefully it rains entire weekend, will keep the warriors out of my honey holes.


----------



## br5

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> Well hiked my butt off today and finally saw a bunch of tiny ones coming up. One spot had a couple real nice ones I brought home.Was in a valley, legs are tired, And I said to myself what are you doing, your wasting your time, kinda on a spot I thought was too cold yet. But at the crest of the hill (I was getting out of there) I see a real nice one. I stop and tell the dog to lay down(he is a great mushroom dog always stays put) and find 7 real nice ones. But a little down the hill, 2 prime elms had none, from what I can tell just too cold, just over the hill more, a little shaded. My problem is I love to explore, sometimes I waste my time, sometimes it pays off.


Not saying this applies to MN, but in Indiana this year the amount people were finding was over the top, but elms we're almost void of mushrooms. Ash, sycamores, and apple all produced. I checked a prime elm behind my house too many times to mention and it hasn't produced a single mushroom. Really took me off my game as I'm strictly an elm hunter.


----------



## br5

bigrobshroommn said:


> View attachment 20522


Never found a good patch of porcelain before, I've heard if you wait a week they're probably be a urinal there as well. I really could have used one of those a couple times, beats a cold damp log every day.


----------



## MycoMania

Finally made it into the woods yesterday, found 20 2-3 inchers and a ton of tinies. Open sunny areas, in and out of the woods. Just starting up in southwest and southwest/central MN.


----------



## br5

Sam Segale said:


> Stillz any chance willing to meet up and hunt few places together. Your always on then. I'm out in the woods everyday for hours and have 3 baby greys . I dont know what doing wrong. You could keep anything we find I just like some actual advice in the woods


You hunt mushrooms or trees?


----------



## yerty

stilz said:


> The forecast looks great. I'm gonna start picking tomorrow. I
> 
> July? No lol.


Ugh I meant June haha


----------



## Sam Segale

br5 said:


> You hunt mushrooms or trees?


Not sure what you mean exactly. I hunt for dead or dying elms and at the base or in moss areas on hillsides in the woods.


----------



## tundraking

Sam Segale said:


> Not sure what you mean exactly. I hunt for dead or dying elms and at the base or in moss areas on hillsides in the woods.


Thats good. Just remember that they may not be growing right around the base, could be 10, 20, 30+ feet out from the tree. With real big elms they can produce up to 30 yards away. "Most" of the time they are within 20 feet. 
I don't know about the moss thing, morels do like moss, but usually their still needs to be a dying/dead elm involved.


----------



## br5

Sam Segale said:


> Not sure what you mean exactly. I hunt for dead or dying elms and at the base or in moss areas on hillsides in the woods.


A lot of people walk around with a stick moving foliage around looking for mushrooms. Since your not doing that the odds are in your favor. Now is just comes done to finding good elm concentrations and spending the woods times necessary to establish a bunch of go to spots. I first stated coming up north to hunt in the 80's and now have more places to check than I have time or energy now that I'm getting up in the years.


----------



## Chanterelle nut

Finally found my first elusive morels!!


----------



## Morelsrfun

br5 said:


> Not saying this applies to MN, but in Indiana this year the amount people were finding was over the top, but elms we're almost void of mushrooms. Ash, sycamores, and apple all produced. I checked a prime elm behind my house too many times to mention and it hasn't produced a single mushroom. Really took me off my game as I'm strictly an elm hunter.


I’ve been raised to hunt oak, cottonwoods, pine, birch and of course elms. I started going by myself a lot after high school (I’m in my early 30’s)without my father and have become strictly an elm hunter with my experiences of spending a lot of hours in the woods chasing morels as I’ve typically had a lot of success with hunting primarily elms.

This year I have found most mushrooms by elms like all the years past, however this year I have found a lot more morels by birch trees. In fact on Tuesday I picked 50 with a buddy off of a southwest facing slope in the middle of a dead birch cluster. I think I will continue to try to cover 50-100 elms trees during an outing but I will definitely be much more receptive to peering at other trees as well.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

we


MycoMania said:


> Finally made it into the woods yesterday, found 20 2-3 inchers and a ton of tinies. Open sunny areas, in and out of the woods. Just starting up in southwest and southwest/central MN.


ll nice to hear from you again, congrats


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

tundraking said:


> Thats good. Just remember that they may not be growing right around the base, could be 10, 20, 30+ feet out from the tree. With real big elms they can produce up to 30 yards away. "Most" of the time they are within 20 feet.
> I don't know about the moss thing, morels do like moss, but usually their still needs to be a dying/dead elm involved.


I killed it today, some where 50 ft away. Farthest i have seen them from the host tree. Slope of course


----------



## Hoka Hey

Out for 4-5 hours in a very familiar spot. Skunked. Maybe next week.


----------



## tundraking

Chanterelle nut said:


> Finally found my first elusive morels!!


Great to hear! You put in the time, learned a lot in the past year and its paying off!


----------



## Wendelina

Took another nice hike through some riverbank areas today.. Also skunked, but damn it's nice outside!


----------



## Eskimofo

Wendelina said:


> Took another nice hike through some riverbank areas today.. Also skunked, but damn it's nice outside!


Hi Wendelina! I have a few choice spots around Plymouth if you want to check with me this weekend. 50/50 split. My son who has hunted with me since he was 5 discovered girls as of late. He his 16 and got his first car and .......well 16 and a car. I am beside myself this season LMK


----------



## br5

Morelsrfun said:


> I’ve been raised to hunt oak, cottonwoods, pine, birch and of course elms. I started going by myself a lot after high school (I’m in my early 30’s)without my father and have become strictly an elm hunter with my experiences of spending a lot of hours in the woods chasing morels as I’ve typically had a lot of success with hunting primarily elms.
> 
> This year I have found most mushrooms by elms like all the years past, however this year I have found a lot more morels by birch trees. In fact on Tuesday I picked 50 with a buddy off of a southwest facing slope in the middle of a dead birch cluster. I think I will continue to try to cover 50-100 elms trees during an outing but I will definitely be much more receptive to peering at other trees as well.


Exactly, my go to is still elm, but got my eyes opened this year. I probably won't go to the bottom of a ravine void of elms to check a solitary sycamore but if it's in the elm line I'm working it will get circled.


----------



## stilz

Sam Segale said:


> Stillz any chance willing to meet up and hunt few places together. Your always on then. I'm out in the woods everyday for hours and have 3 baby greys . I dont know what doing wrong. You could keep anything we find I just like some actual advice in the woods


It's early. I just have tons of local early spots.


----------



## shedberg123

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I killed it today, some where 50 ft away. Farthest i have seen them from the host tree. Slope of course


My first indicator trees popped Sunday; saw numerous popping;over 25 about an inch or so all blacks on one tree alone. . I'm waiting until Sunday to hit it hard as I have private land and want to ensure they get a good start before I start foraging. Can't stand the waiting.


----------



## shedberg123

br5 said:


> Exactly, my go to is still elm, but got my eyes opened this year. I probably won't go to the bottom of a ravine void of elms to check a solitary sycamore but if it's in the elm line I'm working it will get circled.


I've been finding a few around dead ash trees also...


----------



## Morelsrfun

Found another 30-40 today in less than an hour. I had to base coach for a baseball game so I was limited in time. Literally went to a spot I’ve never been to on state land, pulled over randomly and just jumped up on a southwest hillside and there they were half way up the hill. 35 miles north of me my brother found a fresh cluster of small ones that started to pop where he was the night before and didn’t find any. He also found a few stragglers on the northwest side. I didn’t get a chance to confirm that today but he’s usually pretty dependable. 

I think some of us maybe have a few early spots that are pretty steady, as we’ve seen some nice pictures. For those who haven’t found any or a ton..... Call me an optimist but I think we have only just begun; hang in there. 

For newer hunters, if you’re struggling to find them, study the forest floor, I hunt for patterns not mushrooms per say when I haven’t found a ton. It’s typically that brainy look they have that breaks the pattern of the forest floor. Sometimes there are so many it don’t matter but once you find a few, you’re eyes will adjust and recognize the different patterns on the ground. Maybe I overthink it but it certainly helps me with that mindset.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

And BOOM, I’m on the board! Found lots of dog peckers today, and about a dozen blacks just peeking out of the leaf litter. These were at the edge of a clearing on an east-facing slope, growing in mixed white poplar, burr oak & red willow. Not an elm tree in sight. I’m loading up my Jeep tonight & heading back out first thing in the morning. WHOO HOOO!!!


----------



## Zen

Lisse Michaels said:


> View attachment 20624
> View attachment 20628
> View attachment 20630
> View attachment 20632
> View attachment 20634
> View attachment 20636
> View attachment 20638
> View attachment 20640
> 
> 
> And BOOM, I’m on the board! Found lots of dog peckers today, and about a dozen blacks just peeking out of the leaf litter. These were at the edge of a clearing on an east-facing slope, growing in mixed white poplar, burr oak & red willow. Not an elm tree in sight. I’m loading up my Jeep tonight & heading back out first thing in the morning. WHOO HOOO!!!


NICE!


----------



## kb

Don't know what kind of birch you are finding them on, but river birch in parts of Mo was the tree of choice this year, for some reason they went crazy in several counties. I am like most of you, elms, elms, gimme more elm, but I have added a bunch of trees to my list to check. My best day this year was on soft maples on a stream bank. Half of my morels on a trip last year were on ash. I always look under cedars now and plum thickets. Oh, and young willow patches early in the season. I will still walk a quarter mile to check a good elm though.


----------



## MayMotherload

I'm still skunked also. Someone told me the elm has to be at least 10 inch diameter... anyone else hear/experience that?


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Zen said:


> NICE!


Thank you!!! I have to admit, I thought I’d get skunked. I had my older sister with me, who doesn’t remember picking morels with our grandmother, and I was praying we’d find at least one. It was a very pleasant surprise!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

MayMotherload said:


> I'm still skunked also. Someone told me the elm has to be at least 10 inch diameter... anyone else hear/experience that?


Yes, I’ve also heard that.


----------



## Wendelina

Eskimofo said:


> Hi Wendelina! I have a few choice spots around Plymouth if you want to check with me this weekend. 50/50 split. My son who has hunted with me since he was 5 discovered girls as of late. He his 16 and got his first car and .......well 16 and a car. I am beside myself this season LMK


Thanks for the offer, but I have to stick close to home this weekend. I have company from out of town. I'm hoping I can talk her into an excursion, and it'll really depend on if we get the storms that are in the forecast. She's a fair weather outdoor fan.


----------



## Wendelina

Lisse Michaels said:


> View attachment 20624
> View attachment 20628
> View attachment 20630
> View attachment 20632
> View attachment 20634
> View attachment 20636
> View attachment 20638
> View attachment 20640
> 
> 
> And BOOM, I’m on the board! Found lots of dog peckers today, and about a dozen blacks just peeking out of the leaf litter. These were at the edge of a clearing on an east-facing slope, growing in mixed white poplar, burr oak & red willow. Not an elm tree in sight. I’m loading up my Jeep tonight & heading back out first thing in the morning. WHOO HOOO!!!


Dang!


----------



## AIM

MayMotherload said:


> I'm still skunked also. Someone told me the elm has to be at least 10 inch diameter... anyone else hear/experience that?


Ones i found in that shit season last year were under a tree i could almost wrap a hand around. 5in for sure but had bigger tree around who knows.


----------



## irtsylle

I got out yesterday, SE MN, mostly elm and birch at 10-15' from the base on sunny slopes.


----------



## Sam Segale

Is there any reason you cant or shouldn't hunt in the rain?


----------



## stilz

Sam Segale said:


> Is there any reason you cant or shouldn't hunt in the rain?


It's kinda miserable, but have at it!


----------



## btetzl50

Sam Segale said:


> Is there any reason you cant or shouldn't hunt in the rain?


Getting out in the rain is best (as long as not a downpour), it keeps the rubes and prying eyes away!!


----------



## btetzl50

Just made soft eggs with morels, ramps, fiddleheads and asparagus. Truly the best time of year!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Sam Segale said:


> Is there any reason you cant or shouldn't hunt in the rain?


If you do, you may find your morels are water logged. Very heavy & they may tend to break & crumble. Definitely don’t put them in a mesh bag when they’re like that.

I love to hunt in the rain. Usually nobody else is out, and I always seem to find a pile of fresh ones that just popped.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Wendelina said:


> Dang!


Don’t get discouraged! You have a much longer season than we do!!


----------



## Dtails

Hutchinson is on the map.. no working for me today plan on doing a big loop down 169 over South of Hutch and up! Giddy up


----------



## Anokashrooms

Found about 30 so far today, west facing slopes. Time for lunch! Pizza and a beer... or two


----------



## Wendelina

Went along the river for a couple hours this morning. I may or may not have abruptly tested the waterproof claim on my hikers I was crossing a bog on a log and suddenly it sank and one for was knee deep in the mud. I had my handy walking stick to stabilize things







and that's the only reason I wasn't mud up to my armpits. By the time I got back to the truck 30 min later, must of the mud had fallen off. Can't say this little hobby isn't exciting!


----------



## Wendelina

Lisse Michaels said:


> Don’t get discouraged! You have a much longer season than we do!!


I know ours really have even started yet. I'm just too excited!


----------



## LoHaze

Did pretty well today! Found about 150, 78 on one tree. It was awesome, they just kept going. Crappy part is a lot of them are starting to crumble a little. My biggest one tree haul . All the others are nice and fresh. Have fun picking!


----------



## stilz

I found about 2lbs today.


----------



## Old Elm

stilz said:


> View attachment 20718
> View attachment 20720
> I found about 2lbs today, plus Chanterelles are popping!


Those aren’t Chantrelles! Wrong time of year, they don’t grow in clusters or out of wood.
Probably golden oyster’s


----------



## Anokashrooms

stilz said:


> View attachment 20718
> View attachment 20720
> I found about 2lbs today, plus Chanterelles are popping!


These are NOT chants! Don’t eat!!!


----------



## Anokashrooms

Just went to my honey hole that had 50-100 pins and babies a couple days ago. Someone beat me back. 100+ stumps, got 8 little ones...


----------



## kb

lohaze, what is that stuff they were growing in? young willows?


----------



## kb

Rain Hunting? As long as it is not blowing horizontal. Thunderstorms, hail, can be a problem. Desperate people do desperate things. My tolerance of bad weather increases in proportion to the amount of morels I expect to find.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 20712
> View attachment 20714
> View attachment 20716
> Did pretty well today! Found about 150, 78 on one tree. It was awesome, they just kept going. Crappy part is a lot of them are starting to crumble a little. My biggest one tree haul . All the others are nice and fresh. Have fun picking!


nice, I found a huge one myself, and micro ones too all within 200 yards


----------



## stilz

Old Elm said:


> Those aren’t Chanterelles! Wrong time of year, they don’t grow in clusters or out of wood.
> Probably golden oyster’s


Thanks! I was confused myself. I thought they were in summer. There were many clusters like that. I may have to go back next week to ID and grab.


----------



## EvilMushroom123

found these little babies wednesday.


----------



## Morelsupport

Haven't posted much but I checked my spots in Hennepin County and nothing yet but I know a few have found some here and there! I think I'm heading South tomorrow and try some new areas and hopefullly don't get rained on too much.


----------



## Old Elm

Morelsupport said:


> Haven't posted much but I checked my spots in Hennepin County and nothing yet but I know a few have found some here and there! I think I'm heading South tomorrow and try some new areas and hopefullly don't get rained on too much.


Good luck & keep us posted of your findings.


----------



## MorelMonkey

First and foremost: Latest update for the Twin Cities metro area, picked an F-ton today, monster yellows, around 40+ under two trees next to each other. It's weird, some spots are booming others are just starting or have grey's that have poped up and then wither/die. Pics below.

Here are my concern: I have found several tree's over the years that have produces numerous mushrooms. When I find these trees, and pick the mushrooms under them, the next year that tree is almost always a void of mushrooms (maybe one or two but substantially less than the previous year). The tree I found these big yellows under today I have checked in previous years and found nothing.

Now that I have foraged a boat load from these trees, should I expect next year to produce nothing or few? Have many others experienced this same phenomenon? Picking a bunch under one tree only to have that same tree produce diddly squat next season.

Am I decreasing the likelihood of discovering fruited bodies by picking them all the previous season? Are these tree's/fungus colonies reciprocal? Do they bloom again in future years or die off since they've been pillaged? It would seem that when I find a banner year tree, and pick that bounty, the next year is always a bust. Thoughts?


----------



## Morelsupport

MorelMonkey said:


> First and foremost: Latest update for the Twin Cities metro area, picked an F-ton today, monster yellows, around 40+ under two trees next to each other. It's weird, some spots are booming others are just starting or have grey's that have poped up and then wither/die. Pics below.
> 
> Here are my concern: I have found several tree's over the years that have produces numerous mushrooms. When I find these trees, and pick the mushrooms under them, the next year that tree is almost always a void of mushrooms (maybe one or two but substantially less than the previous year). The tree I found these big yellows under today I have checked in previous years and found nothing.
> 
> Now that I have foraged a boat load from these trees, should I expect next year to produce nothing or few? Have many others experienced this same phenomenon? Picking a bunch under one tree only to have that same tree produce diddly squat next season.
> 
> Am I decreasing the likelihood of discovering fruited bodies by picking them all the previous season? Are these tree's/fungus colonies reciprocal? Do they bloom again in future years or die off since they've been pillaged? It would seem that when I find a banner year tree, and pick that bounty, the next year is always a bust. Thoughts?
> 
> View attachment 20754
> 
> View attachment 20756


Nice work, I'm no pro and find a few here and there but I have experienced the same thing. 2 years ago under a good elm I found a few, last year nothing, and this year we will see. I've seen it in other locations where I have found them in Hennepin County which is why I'm venturing elsewhere to find different spots. Good for you for finding the one's that you did!


----------



## little fish

No morels yet but I have some pheasant backs in my back yard are they worth picking?


----------



## Zen

First one.....
typically near a rotted moss coated poplar stump

Marked for later picking


----------



## Zen

First of my Northland blacks....the Siberian pear tree is just starting green buds


----------



## jashroomer

little fish said:


> No morels yet but I have some pheasant backs in my back yard are they worth picking?


Found and tried some for the first time here in Indiana, the were ok nothing special, probably try more next year.


----------



## Zen

First of my Northland blacks....the Siberian pear tree is just starting green buds

Lilac bush barely leafing out....a good week before it blossoms...
First morel seen....it's May 17!


----------



## Morelsrfun

Found another 40 in about an hour on a new chunk of woods in se mn . All by birch (I think) except for 6. Unreal, got extremely lucky. Stay in the woods! You’ll come across them.


----------



## Tim Bodin

Hey, I almost feel guilty sharing this, like I didn’t deserve it, but yesterday I hunted for abt 40 mins with friend...skunked...this aft I looked for 30 mins alone. Look what I found! If you live in western suburbs of Cities, look under your feet. They are out there!


----------



## May madness

Anokashrooms said:


> Just went to my honey hole that had 50-100 pins and babies a couple days ago. Someone beat me back. 100+ stumps, got 8 little ones...


Samething happened to me found some Tuesday. Went back today talked to a guy on his way out.... bushwacked stumps everywhere. But I found 20 he missed


----------



## sb

Tim Bodin said:


> View attachment 20772
> Hey, I almost feel guilty sharing this, like I didn’t deserve it, but Look what I found! . . . look under your feet. They are out there!


You've nailed a prime principle that few are able to talk about . . . . well, because they find Morels under this tree, or that condition or this or that. Why . . . because that's where they look. 

A good example is finding Morels under Pine trees. Most people don't find them there . . . . because they don't look there. Every 2-3 years I"ll look/search online and find people finding Morels under Pine trees. Me . . . I never find them there . . . . well . . . because I never look . . . . ha! . . . hmnn.

I do look in my back yard . . . . because I salt it with trimmings, wash water, etc. . . . and yes, I find them there. . . . because I look, expecting to find them. 

Is there a morel to this Morel search?


----------



## stilz

MorelMonkey said:


> First and foremost: Latest update for the Twin Cities metro area, picked an F-ton today, monster yellows, around 40+ under two trees next to each other. It's weird, some spots are booming others are just starting or have grey's that have poped up and then wither/die. Pics below.
> 
> Here are my concern: I have found several tree's over the years that have produces numerous mushrooms. When I find these trees, and pick the mushrooms under them, the next year that tree is almost always a void of mushrooms (maybe one or two but substantially less than the previous year). The tree I found these big yellows under today I have checked in previous years and found nothing.
> 
> Now that I have foraged a boat load from these trees, should I expect next year to produce nothing or few? Have many others experienced this same phenomenon? Picking a bunch under one tree only to have that same tree produce diddly squat next season.
> 
> Am I decreasing the likelihood of discovering fruited bodies by picking them all the previous season? Are these tree's/fungus colonies reciprocal? Do they bloom again in future years or die off since they've been pillaged? It would seem that when I find a banner year tree, and pick that bounty, the next year is always a bust. Thoughts?
> 
> View attachment 20754
> 
> View attachment 20756


I've noticed the exact same thing with my spots.


----------



## AIM

Last night was the first time this year in the woods with the mosquitoes starting... Must be close to prime time'


----------



## rodneyp64

MorelMonkey said:


> First and foremost: Latest update for the Twin Cities metro area, picked an F-ton today, monster yellows, around 40+ under two trees next to each other. It's weird, some spots are booming others are just starting or have grey's that have poped up and then wither/die. Pics below.
> 
> Here are my concern: I have found several tree's over the years that have produces numerous mushrooms. When I find these trees, and pick the mushrooms under them, the next year that tree is almost always a void of mushrooms (maybe one or two but substantially less than the previous year). The tree I found these big yellows under today I have checked in previous years and found nothing.
> 
> Now that I have foraged a boat load from these trees, should I expect next year to produce nothing or few? Have many others experienced this same phenomenon? Picking a bunch under one tree only to have that same tree produce diddly squat next season.
> 
> Am I decreasing the likelihood of discovering fruited bodies by picking them all the previous season? Are these tree's/fungus colonies reciprocal? Do they bloom again in future years or die off since they've been pillaged? It would seem that when I find a banner year tree, and pick that bounty, the next year is always a bust. Thoughts?
> 
> View attachment 20754
> 
> View attachment 20756


The harvesting of the morels has nothing to do with whether they will come back under the same tree next year or not. When the mycelium that actually produces the mushrooms senses that their host tree has died it goes into fruiting mode and if the rain & temps cooperate you score big if not nothing. Every time i have found a patch of big mushrooms past their prime and leave them I never find any there the following year. 30-40 years ago you could get 3-4 years of picking around those big elms. Now you are lucky to 2 years in a row


----------



## Morchella matt

Sam Segale said:


> Is there any reason you cant or shouldn't hunt in the rain?


Don't run into many humans


----------



## br5

Morchella matt said:


> Don't run into many humans


Nothing better than pulling into parking lot on public ground and you're the only one going into the woods. Really like rain coming in over weekend, should slow down woods traffic some. I start my vacation this Thursday and am hoping with the couple of warm days followed by rain that season will get a jump start to other sides of hills.


----------



## Walking Shuz

I picked a few dozen. But found plenty of tiny greys that had dried up and broke off. It is a slower more even season than last year. Hopefully the rain we get the next 8 days will make the late season mushrooms pop. I worry all the rain will spoil the mushrooms currently up. I'll be checking out Douglas county this weekend.


----------



## WestMetroJS

Question, I'm going camping up around the Duluth area near june 20th, does anyone know if they'll still be up? I don't really know the area.


----------



## Shhhroom Doom

Old Elm said:


> Those aren’t Chantrelles! Wrong time of year, they don’t grow in clusters or out of wood.
> Probably golden oyster’s


I agree. Also, chantelles will come up singularly from the ground, not in mass growths on bark.


----------



## little fish

Are these pheasant backs? 
Are they good to eat?


----------



## morel rat

little fish said:


> Are these pheasant backs?
> Are they good to eat?


Yes you have pheasant backs..
as far as eating them some people like them and some not so much, the young ones are spose to be good and the big ones you just use the out side part as its more tender.
you can look them up on youtube


----------



## Mushroom Old Man

Coming to southeast Minnesota next week any pointer


----------



## Mason

Walking Shuz said:


> I picked a few dozen. But found plenty of tiny greys that had dried up and broke off. It is a slower more even season than last year. Hopefully the rain we get the next 8 days will make the late season mushrooms pop. I worry all the rain will spoil the mushrooms currently up. I'll be checking out Douglas county this weekend.


Where and when shuz? I'm on douglDo county, I would love to meat up sometime.


----------



## Morelsrfun

Boom!


----------



## stilz

I found another lb. today myself! I also found $40 under an elm, no shit.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Wendelina said:


> Went along the river for a couple hours this morning. I may or may not have abruptly tested the waterproof claim on my hikers I was crossing a bog on a log and suddenly it sank and one for was knee deep in the mud. I had my handy walking stick to stabilize things
> View attachment 20698
> and that's the only reason I wasn't mud up to my armpits. By the time I got back to the truck 30 min later, must of the mud had fallen off. Can't say this little hobby isn't exciting!


The price we all pay to forage. Your situation is just a remind of the dangers we encounter as a wager for the prize..... some fresh morchella. I tripped over some hidden abandoned barbed wire as I was descending down into a steep ravine. I watched my life flash in front of my eyes as I supermanned into trouble. Somehow I grappled a smaller tree. The other bank of the ravine had about 25/30 morels waiting to be harvested.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

It seems that things are just starting to begin. Haven't been out since Wednesday. Thursday’s high temps must have popped this round. Is everyone still finding them on south facing slopes.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

stilz said:


> I found another lb. today myself! I also found $40 under an elm, no shit.


40 bucks is like scoring a couple pounds. Just earned yourself some money for some ribeye’s.


----------



## Tim Bodin

bigrobshroommn said:


> It seems that things are just starting to begin. Haven't been out since Wednesday. Thursday’s high temps must have popped this round. Is everyone still finding them on south facing slopes.


I'm finding them on east slopes. It may be the heavy tree cover where I am looking, even without leaves, has meant the morning low angle sun has warmed the east face more than the south face. Not an expert, will keep looking. I found a lot more today. Posted a pic of a tray of them yesterday, found another 2 trays again (eg, 2-3 gallons) in about 30 minutes. Cleaning and dehydrating right now as fast as I can! Best luck to all!


----------



## br5

Morelsrfun said:


> View attachment 20858
> View attachment 20852
> View attachment 20854
> Boom!


What a beautiful hual, those are some big shrooms.


----------



## Tim Bodin

Tim Bodin said:


> I'm finding them on east slopes. It may be the heavy tree cover where I am looking, even without leaves, has meant the morning low angle sun has warmed the east face more than the south face. Not an expert, will keep looking. I found a lot more today. Posted a pic of a tray of them yesterday, found another 2 trays again (eg, 2-3 gallons) in about 30 minutes. Cleaning and dehydrating right now as fast as I can! Best luck to all!


By the way, they are laying underneath those nasty 1-2' tall buckthorn seedlings, with decaying wood and leaves all around.


----------



## br5

stilz said:


> I found another lb. today myself! I also found $40 under an elm, no shit.


Wow Stilz, I lost that last year. I'll send you my address. I did actually lose my wallet in 2012 with $87, credit cards, and ID. Also lost really nice LED flashlight and phone in same spot. Lesson is never keep valuables in back pack with toiletries.


----------



## shedberg123

Up at 3:45 Am today to fish a bass tournament in La Crosse and got home at 4 PM. Asked my lovely wife if she had the juice, I barely did, to do a quick 2 hour foray behind the house before the massive storms came in. Voila. Glad we did! 170 total; the yellows would have been destroyed before we go back out Tuesday; great call.


----------



## stilz

Great pull!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Picked a 5-gallon pail & a full basket of blacks in about an hour today. I can’t believe how big they are this year! It must be the slow thaw. All of these were found growing in mixed burr oak, white & black poplar with some red willow. I can’t wait to get out again tomorrow!


----------



## Morelsrfun

Lisse Michaels said:


> Picked a 5-gallon pail & a full basket of blacks in about an hour today. I can’t believe how big they are this year! It must be the slow thaw. All of these were found growing in mixed burr oak, white & black poplar with some red willow. I can’t wait to get out again tomorrow!
> View attachment 20908
> View attachment 20910
> View attachment 20912
> View attachment 20914
> View attachment 20916
> View attachment 20918
> View attachment 20920
> View attachment 20922
> View attachment 20924


That’s awesome.


----------



## Morelsupport

Found a few in a new spot. Not great but not terrible. First time to Winona County, long drive! They were south hill, burned area, 2 different spots. Prob only 20, maybe 1 pound? I'd post pics but not liking this attachment system on here.


----------



## Shane Hager

Lisse those are awesome pics. Nice find.


----------



## AIM

So odd the local woods only have some tiny LBMs popping but not a pheasant or morel yet. Time to venture out a bit it sounds like game on.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Hey, I have a question, has anyone found black morels growing out of the moss at the base of trees? I don’t really know how to describe it. It was almost as if they were fruiting directly from the roots, it was so weird. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Maybe should say never noticed it.


----------



## Zen

Lisse Michaels said:


> Hey, I have a question, has anyone found black morels growing out of the moss at the base of trees? I don’t really know how to describe it. It was almost as if they were fruiting directly from the roots, it was so weird. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Maybe should say never noticed it.


Yes, I've found several like that, at the mossy base of balsam poplar and even spruce.

What a great haul you made! I just found my first yesterday. Tomorrow and Monday I'm hitting the bush hoping they'll be big and numerous.


----------



## Walking Shuz

Mason said:


> Where and when shuz? I'm on douglDo county, I would love to meat up sometime.


Hi, I'm only in Alex for the weekend sorry. But I can tell you morels do not appear to be up yet. The ground had plenty of moisture but it is too cold. I did however find a really nice area to pick ramps! I had a dinner of lake county meats serloin, sauteed ramps, asparagus from my back yard and a nice mix of twin cities area morels, pheasant backs, and shiitakes. The pheasant backs were picked when they were just budding out and were very tender. Just missing fiddleheads :-( I love spring!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Zen said:


> Yes, I've found several like that, at the mossy base of balsam poplar and even spruce.
> 
> What a great haul you made! I just found my first yesterday. Tomorrow and Monday I'm hitting the bush hoping they'll be big and numerous.


The area I was in yesterday is normally swampy. Not a bog or fen kind of swampy, but poor-draining with a tendency to have soft, squishy “puddles” that accumulate leaf litter. 

As I walked through, I was surprised at how dry it was for that type of terrain. Didn’t see anything. Decided to turn around and head back towards my car. 

Then I saw them. They were on the south side of the trees, either growing right out of the moss at the base of the tree, or the exposed roots. 

All black poplar. That seems to be the hot tree this year. Big, beautiful, heavy morels. About half were still unfolding, so I know they just popped. It’s so funny how quickly they appeared, I had been through there on Thursday and nothing.


----------



## Adamjp

I have been following along as a guest on here for a few years to try and learn and figure out timing. I have never had much luck. Until this year.


----------



## Adamjp

I always thought I was just not seeing them. It was nice to find an area where there were lots! Taught me that you can see a lot of them by just scanning. Then you can go slow and really cover the area to find them “all”.
More in a couple hours this year than my previous 2 years of trying!!!


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Adamjp said:


> I have been following along as a guest on here for a few years to try and learn and figure out timing. I have never had much luck. Until this year.


Welcome and glad to hear that you are successful!


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Adamjp said:


> I always thought I was just not seeing them. It was nice to find an area where there were lots! Taught me that you can see a lot of them by just scanning. Then you can go slow and really cover the area to find them “all”.
> More in a couple hours this year than my previous 2 years of trying!!!


Nice haul. You are in the board! What region of the state did you find those? What kind of terrain?


----------



## Shane Hager

Question, I exclusively hunt dying elms but have been skunked so far this year in my old spots. If I start trying different trees (ash, birch, poplar, etc) do I look for that same dying feature or do they pop up under healthy trees?


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Adamjp said:


> I have been following along as a guest on here for a few years to try and learn and figure out timing. I have never had much luck. Until this year.


Congrats


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Lisse Michaels said:


> Hey, I have a question, has anyone found black morels growing out of the moss at the base of trees? I don’t really know how to describe it. It was almost as if they were fruiting directly from the roots, it was so weird. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Maybe should say never noticed it.


Seems moss holds water pretty good mabey, found alot like that especially in dryer years


----------



## br5

Adamjp said:


> I always thought I was just not seeing them. It was nice to find an area where there were lots! Taught me that you can see a lot of them by just scanning. Then you can go slow and really cover the area to find them “all”.
> More in a couple hours this year than my previous 2 years of trying!!!


Good for you, even seasoned hunters are anxious about getting that first one so they can get "the eye of the mushroom"


----------



## fluffhead2

I wonder if all the rain and cool weather will push out one more flush of blacks in the metro.


----------



## kb

shane, the others do not require actual dying to produce in most cases. I do believe some type of root damage/tree stress is involved in many cases though. Drought stress, wind and lightning damage, insect. Some trees the trigger is just not as obvious as a dead elm. Just my opinion.


----------



## kb

lisse, looks like a swamp I picked out of in N. Mo. last year that had dried out. Full of skinny poplars. the water had come back up and some were in the bottom of pools. Naturals not blacks. Darn things grow in weird places.


----------



## Sam Segale

fluffhead2 said:


> I wonder if all the rain and cool weather will push out one more flush of blacks in the metro.


I'm in the cities and have never found a black ever. Do you mind if I ask what city? I'm in roseville but search kinda all around here, without great luck I always drive south. Also curious if the rain last few days in cities if it will destroy the mushrooms?


----------



## stilz

fluffhead2 said:


> I wonder if all the rain and cool weather will push out one more flush of blacks in the metro.


I've never found a black in the metro.


----------



## Morelsupport

br5 said:


> Nothing better than pulling into parking lot on public ground and you're the only one going into the woods. Really like rain coming in over weekend, should slow down woods traffic some. I start my vacation this Thursday and am hoping with the couple of warm days followed by rain that season will get a jump start to other sides of hills.


I did the same thing yesterday!


----------



## Morelsupport

Lisse Michaels said:


> Picked a 5-gallon pail & a full basket of blacks in about an hour today. I can’t believe how big they are this year! It must be the slow thaw. All of these were found growing in mixed burr oak, white & black poplar with some red willow. I can’t wait to get out again tomorrow!
> View attachment 20908
> View attachment 20910
> View attachment 20912
> View attachment 20914
> View attachment 20916
> View attachment 20918
> View attachment 20920
> View attachment 20922
> View attachment 20924


Impressive!


----------



## Morelsupport

Morelsrfun said:


> View attachment 20858
> View attachment 20852
> View attachment 20854
> Boom!


Wow, nice!


----------



## Morelsupport

Old Elm said:


> Good luck & keep us posted of your findings.


Thanks, tried a new spot and got lucky finding about 20 that I picked and left a few small one's to grow. Is there an easy way to post photo's on this site? I tried but it's not easy the way they have it set up.


----------



## btetzl50

I hope to get out for a bit after work this afternoon. I've been grinding all season so far... onesy twosey, only down in red wing with inthewild did i even find a small haul of twenty or so.


----------



## stilz

I'm going out once the rain lets up. There is a frost advisory tonight. Hopefully, the temp stays a couple of degrees higher and doesn't fuck up the pigs out there.


----------



## Adamjp

bigrobshroommn said:


> Nice haul. You are in the board! What region of the state did you find those? What kind of terrain?


SE MN I was on the top of the ravines from the field edges to about 1/4 the way down. Most of them came from a small area of a north and west facing slope.


----------



## MycoMania

My areas south of the cities have been really productive. Tried a few spots in the south and east metro yesterday and hit just a few small greys. About 8 pounds total so far.

Noticing lots of big aspen stands in the IGH area and north, thinking about setting time aside next year to come out a little early and try for blacks.

Taking a few days off with weather as it is.


----------



## Thepictishforagers

Have been lurking for awhile now! We are super antsy to find some morels!!! But im guessing its to cold in WC mn .. And super rainy all weekend.. Didnt stop us..May have found old or early hen of the woods?? Looks almost identical..will take pics the next time were there












.. We did however discover our first pheasant back! And lots of asparagus.. Any ideas what this little orange cluster is???


----------



## br5

Just got a call yesterday from a buyer here in Indiana telling me that he was leaving to head up to SW Wisconsin. When he leaves it's out of micro climate flushes and poundage is available. He also hunts private ground he has. I'll send updates as I get them.


----------



## stilz

I spotted a couple of dead elms at a park from the road and found 1/3 lb.


----------



## May madness

stilz said:


> I spotted a couple of dead elms at a park from the road and found 1/3 lb.


Nice sometimes you got to think out of the box


----------



## May madness

I hit a public spot in the rain this morning found a lb no one else there. Left 50 or so small ones there really easy to spot with the leaf litter pounded down from the rain


----------



## Morelsrfun

Only found about 15 this morning, heading back out now hopefully have some better luck


----------



## HumongousFungus

Will the morels I've left to grow be ok overnight tonight? Highs of 45 lows of mid 30's


----------



## May madness

HumongousFungus said:


> Will the morels I've left to grow be ok overnight tonight? Highs of 45 lows of mid 30's


I left at least 50 the size of my pinkie. I dont ever pick small ones I think they'll be fine. Check back in a few days if they dont survive there like little seedlings!!!


----------



## br5

HumongousFungus said:


> Will the morels I've left to grow be ok overnight tonight? Highs of 45 lows of mid 30's


Not liking mid 30s just depends how long it lasts. Woods generally holds heat, and I've found them plenty of times with temps in upper 30s low 40s in the morning.


----------



## Nrthwoodslegit

Went out again along the Canada border and found more blacks still early


----------



## Nrthwoodslegit

Lisse Michaels said:


> Hey, I have a question, has anyone found black morels growing out of the moss at the base of trees? I don’t really know how to describe it. It was almost as if they were fruiting directly from the roots, it was so weird. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. Maybe should say never noticed it.


Found many like that here south of fort Francis Ontario


----------



## fluffhead2

Sam Segale said:


> I'm in the cities and have never found a black ever. Do you mind if I ask what city? I'm in roseville but search kinda all around here, without great luck I always drive south. Also curious if the rain last few days in cities if it will destroy the mushrooms?


 I am not telling, sorry.



stilz said:


> I've never found a black in the metro.


 The first time I found them I was not even looking for morels. I just happened to look down and see one peeking out from beneath some leaves. They are hard to see and are generally smaller than yellows and grays.


----------



## AIM

fluffhead2 said:


> I am not telling, sorry.
> 
> The first time I found them I was not even looking for morels. I just happened to look down and see one peeking out from beneath some leaves. They are hard to see and are generally smaller than yellows and grays.


 well duh.


----------



## Wendelina

There were a LOT of people out in the rain today in the public parks around here. Can't imagine they were all looking for shrooms. Didn't see anyone else carrying any, so if they were, they got skunked too.


----------



## AIM

Wendelina said:


> There were a LOT of people out in the rain today in the public parks around here. Can't imagine they were all looking for shrooms. Didn't see anyone else carrying any, so if they were, they got skunked too.


Birding season? Seen many with binoculars around the neck lol.


----------



## Wendelina

I use binoculars at times too  

But no, the ones who weren't looking at the ground were probably Pokemon hunting. No one seemed to be looking up.


----------



## Morelsrfun

Got lucky again


----------



## morchella ed

Had great luck Thursday, Friday, Saturday hunting in SE Mn. Found a variety..sunny south and eastern slopes had nice blondes, some getting to be big footed morels, still northern slopes or deeper into the valley we found tiny yellows and greys. Left a lot to grow bigger, hope the cold temps tonight don’t kill them all! Excited to get back out next weekend as I think we have another week or even two before it starts to wind down!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

fluffhead2 said:


> I am not telling, sorry.
> 
> The first time I found them I was not even looking for morels. I just happened to look down and see one peeking out from beneath some leaves. They are hard to see and are generally smaller than yellows and grays.


Ahh, you can tell me buddy. I don't know if I have or not, If I did it would be the first couple years when I didn't know the difference.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Morelsrfun said:


> View attachment 21020
> View attachment 21022
> View attachment 21024
> Got lucky again


killing it again. I just picked up 1-6 on each of my hit and run spots, tho they add up.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

Found a nice secluded spot with micro morels coming up, I wonder if the weather will ruin it


----------



## Morelsrfun

Yeah wondering everyone’s opinion on that. An old timer that I chat with during the season claims that as long as it’s nit two nights in a row we should be ok, anyone else have input on cold nights?


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

morchella ed said:


> Had great luck Thursday, Friday, Saturday hunting in SE Mn. Found a variety..sunny south and eastern slopes had nice blondes, some getting to be big footed morels, still northern slopes or deeper into the valley we found tiny yellows and greys. Left a lot to grow bigger, hope the cold temps tonight don’t kill them all! Excited to get back out next weekend as I think we have another week or even two before it starts to wind down!


At least 2 weeks, saw micro morels coming up and a good 10 day growing period, deep north facing not even starting, tho I have not checked really.


----------



## Dtails

Wendelina said:


> I use binoculars at times too
> 
> But no, the ones who weren't looking at the ground were probably Pokemon hunting. No one seemed to be looking up.


This rain should help out the St.Cloud area can't wait to get out this week and next week good luck


----------



## Wendelina

Dtails said:


> This rain should help out the St.Cloud area can't wait to get out this week and next week good luck


That's what I'm hoping for! I have permission to be on some private land that produced a bunch of huge hens last fall and there's a portion that's all old and dying elms. I'm hoping for good things there!


----------



## tundraking

MayMotherload said:


> I'm still skunked also. Someone told me the elm has to be at least 10 inch diameter... anyone else hear/experience that?


Definitely NOT true. I'll find them under 3-4 diameter dying/dead trees as well. They are usually just greys, but good all the same! Just found a bunch of greys this last weekend under a 3 dead elms that were no more than 3 inches in diameter.




MorelMonkey said:


> First and foremost: Latest update for the Twin Cities metro area, picked an F-ton today, monster yellows, around 40+ under two trees next to each other. It's weird, some spots are booming others are just starting or have grey's that have poped up and then wither/die. Pics below.
> 
> Here are my concern: I have found several tree's over the years that have produces numerous mushrooms. When I find these trees, and pick the mushrooms under them, the next year that tree is almost always a void of mushrooms (maybe one or two but substantially less than the previous year). The tree I found these big yellows under today I have checked in previous years and found nothing.
> 
> Now that I have foraged a boat load from these trees, should I expect next year to produce nothing or few? Have many others experienced this same phenomenon? Picking a bunch under one tree only to have that same tree produce diddly squat next season.
> 
> Am I decreasing the likelihood of discovering fruited bodies by picking them all the previous season? Are these tree's/fungus colonies reciprocal? Do they bloom again in future years or die off since they've been pillaged? It would seem that when I find a banner year tree, and pick that bounty, the next year is always a bust. Thoughts?
> 
> View attachment 20754
> 
> View attachment 20756


Nope. It doesn't work like that. Like Rodneyp64 said, when the tree starts dying, its usually just a 2-3 year span that you'll find morels around it, but conditions still have to be right. There are the random cases where you'll actually find a few morels a 4th year or perhaps even years later, but nothing that amounts to much. In general, you get one real good fruiting one year, and then a few the next 2 couple years, thats it. 

I've been doing this for over 35 years, and although supposedly good practice to spread spores, there is absolutely no evidence that it does anything for that spot except waste good morels. Take em while you can. Spread the past prime ones, and move on to other spots. Good Luck!


----------



## morel rat

tundraking said:


> Definitely NOT true. I'll find them under 3-4 diameter dying/dead trees as well. They are usually just greys, but good all the same! Just found a bunch of greys this last weekend under a 3 dead elms that were no more than 3 inches in diameter.
> 
> 
> 
> Nope. It doesn't work like that. Like Rodneyp64 said, when the tree starts dying, its usually just a 2-3 year span that you'll find morels around it, but conditions still have to be right. There are the random cases where you'll actually find a few morels a 4th year or perhaps even years later, but nothing that amounts to much. In general, you get one real good fruiting one year, and then a few the next 2 couple years, thats it.
> 
> I've been doing this for over 35 years, and although supposedly good practice to spread spores, there is absolutely no evidence that it does anything for that spot expect waste good morels. Take em while you can. Spread the past prime ones, and move on to other spots. Good Luck!


I believe you are spot on!!!
I have noticed the same as you are saying over the years of hunting!
Good luck to all


----------



## tundraking

morchella ed said:


> Had great luck Thursday, Friday, Saturday hunting in SE Mn. Found a variety..sunny south and eastern slopes had nice blondes, some getting to be big footed morels, still northern slopes or deeper into the valley we found tiny yellows and greys. Left a lot to grow bigger, hope the cold temps tonight don’t kill them all! Excited to get back out next weekend as I think we have another week or even two before it starts to wind down!


Hey, you didn’t happen to be hunting with another couple guys and 4 boys, were you...? I met a group down there on Saturday. I was with my Mom and daughter...


----------



## tundraking

Had a great weekend SE MN! Found some yellows that were past prime and some little greys that were too young to pick. 
There’s been plenty of pics being added, but thought I’d throw a few up as well. The fourth pic is a rare example of a few morels popping up out of the hole from a very old fallen elm that is obviously way past it’s prime... Lol. No other dying/dead elms nearby. Pretty uncommon, but it’s crazy how that still happens.


----------



## br5

Morelsrfun said:


> View attachment 21020
> View attachment 21022
> View attachment 21024
> Got lucky again


I'll say and most of them really fresh. I can hardly stand it, waited whole month and actually entire year for this Thursday. Every year as I walk into my spots I'm kind of melancholy, on one hand I'm about to do one of my favorite hobbies and on the other hand I know it's only for three or so days and then another year of waiting. As I've gotten older the waiting another year goes much faster than I'd like.


----------



## Morelsrfun

br5 said:


> I'll say and most of them really fresh. I can hardly stand it, waited whole month and actually entire year for this Thursday. Every year as I walk into my spots I'm kind of melancholy, on one hand I'm about to do one of my favorite hobbies and on the other hand I know it's only for three or so days and then another year of waiting. As I've gotten older the waiting another year goes much faster than I'd like.


I’ve been truly blessed this year and been more brave asking for permission on private land as well. I walk every night for at least 2 hours but now in the prime I go til dark almost after work. I have had a very good year so far but I’ve put the miles in. My hands and arms show that as they look like I jumped in a den of ferocious cats and took a beating.

It’s a short season but that’s what makes it worth it to get out there and find them. I agree that melancholy is an appropriate word, nothing worse than when you know the season is over. I think we still have some time until we are searching the deep north ravines and chasing the final morels out of the woods. I’ll be out again today and will post whatever I find, unless it’s bugging some folks. I don’t want to brag or taunt anyone, just want to provide hope for those out chasing their first find!!!


----------



## Morelsupport

I'll be heading out on Wednesday, Thurs, and Friday this week. If anyone wants to meet up to look, send me a message. I found some in SE but don't know if I'll drive that far again (possible) so I'm looking at places around Hennepin and a little bit south. I'm open if you want to find a neutral place, looking for new spots currently and got lucky in SE.


----------



## Shane Hager

Spent a few hours in Cannon Falls and got mostly skunked. Very frustrating as I found probably fifty elms that looked prime . Is it too late for South facing slopes that far South?


----------



## stilz

Found another 3/4 lb. Anyone wanna buy em? I am morel'd out.


----------



## Deaner

Shane Hager said:


> Spent a few hours in Cannon Falls and got mostly skunked. Very frustrating as I found probably fifty elms that looked prime . Is it too late for South facing slopes that far South?


I also went there near the trail. I got about 1 1/4 lbs. but it was all from a second pass because I found many stumps. It was on public land so I'm not complaining. Just need to be there first next year.


----------



## kb

I second rodneyp on that. It sucks to go back to a loaded tree from the year before and pick 6 but that's why new spots and trees are needed. How many times have we checked that dang patch of timber in S. Kan. since 2013 rp? Someday? I suppose you saw that post in W. Iowa, I got to go back for another look. Prob. Wed.


----------



## sarahrose

Found 4 today..... south metro..... northern metro was a total bust, even though I found pheasant backs that were past prime, and oysters...... maybe I’m too late? Too early?? My spots are burned out.....


----------



## br5

AIM said:


> Birding season? Seen many with binoculars around the neck lol.


I think old elm takes binoculars, does anyone else use them? If so what's furthest you've spotted morels. Has anyone tried a drone?


----------



## Dtails

found 5 today cut the big left the rest... Hopefully come back to more and bigger ones


----------



## Morelsrfun

Did decent, my older brother had double. Picked when I found the tree then disappeared and came back with a pile... not a bad day though, I think 72 in my bag.

I think we’re waiting on a new pop. I think the southeast sides have another pop in them, saw a lot of small ones today; It is possible the western sides and points will pop simultaneously with it as well. Still waiting to find them in the lowlands. It is possible we will have an extended year. Good luck everyone!!


----------



## Mason

Hey all I'm horrible at finding morals, but I have to say northern Douglas county hasn't popped yet. Or my spots suck.


----------



## Dtails

Mason said:


> Hey all I'm horrible at finding morals, but I have to say northern Douglas county hasn't popped yet. Or my spots suck.


Keep your head up! Keep finding new areas boat landing public Parks Lyon Parks walking paths rest stops over grown unused public grounds flower gardens with mulch and make a point to stay positive. After that 1st one you'll be able to find the right niche and figure things out! Good luck


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Skunked today. Found 2 at the tail end of a 2 & 1/2 hr journey. Passed a couple half morels and thought about some fresh wood duck eggs as they fled from their nest when startled. Carried on. Found the two in a lower area off some SSE slopes, There was also some stumps. Too early for that spot. Also found a few micro’s.


----------



## Shane Hager

stilz said:


> Found another 3/4 lb. Anyone wanna buy em? I am morel'd out.


Check your profile page, I'm interested.


----------



## Tim Bodin

These things are strange! I lucked out this year in one concentrated area, got maybe 200 over several days on an east facing slope, maybe 100 yds x 30 yds. Today I expanded my seek area in adjacent slopes facing all directions. Covered maybe 10x as much territory and didn’t see even ONE aside from that concentrated original area, which is now depleted. 

What was different about that concentrated area? I can only think of two things.....there were several huge trees cut last summer from the spot, either disturbing the soil or chemistry, or they simply allowed a flush of sun into a normally shady area....or.....there was maybe 10 years of brush dropped into that spot, up until about 6 yrs ago. Don’t fully understand...sure is mysterious!


----------



## stilz

bigrobshroommn said:


> Skunked today. Found 2 at the tail end of a 2 & 1/2 hr journey. Passed a couple half morels and thought about some fresh wood duck eggs as they fled from their nest when startled. Carried on. Found the two in a lower area off some SSE slopes, There was also some stumps. Too early for that spot. Also found a few micro’s.


Almost everything I have found has been higher up on SSE or SSW facing slopes. My lower and flat spots haven't even started yet. Lots of morels, strange year.


----------



## fun gus

stilz said:


> View attachment 20718
> View attachment 20720
> I found about 2lbs today.


Golden oysters. No pic of underside, but gills are fluted and white, cap is all white under the skin. Grows in pods on dead tees. Bright yellow like this pic is in a sunny spot. Pale under less light. Very tasty. If any orange it’s not an oyster. Silver dollar size are my favorite. Popular for home spore kits that have become invasive in Midwest. Just showed up In my Iowa Woods two years ago.


----------



## stilz

fun gus said:


> Golden oysters. No pic of underside, but gills are fluted and white, cap is all white under the skin. Grows in pods on dead tees. Bright yellow like this pic is in a sunny spot. Pale under less light. Very tasty. If any orange it’s not an oyster. Silver dollar size are my favorite. Popular for home spore kits that have become invasive in Midwest. Just showed up In my Iowa Woods two years ago.


I've found a few clusters in Dakota and Scott county here. They are pretty prime right now.


----------



## AIM

Still nada here for me in North metro but being found in spots. Went to a cleared creek that has been baking away with moss on edge of logged area... Last years river spot... New city park area... All prime seeming but not even a pheasant back. Tiny LBMs  

What a odd spring.


----------



## Shroomikaze

stilz said:


> I've found a few clusters in Dakota and Scott county here. They are pretty prime right


----------



## Shroomikaze

68 by big dead co9ttenwood !


----------



## Shroomikaze

how do you know if their past their prime?


----------



## br5

Shroomikaze said:


> how do you know if their past their prime?


They start turning a darker brown, get crumbly, and stink. Not necessarily in that order. If you zoom in on my avatar picture the one that's pointing at my heart is about there.


----------



## BRB

This is my first season looking for morels, and I have to say my hat's off to you folks who find a lot of them. I've spent many hours walking the woods over the last two weeks, from Meeker county down past Rochester and near Owatonna. It wasn't until yesterday afternoon I finally found one, back home in Hennepin county. Only one. That's not to say I'm deterred; I'm having a great time in the woods and plan to keep at it. I'm seeing all kinds of interesting things!


----------



## Walking Shuz

Mason said:


> Hey all I'm horrible at finding morals, but I have to say northern Douglas county hasn't popped yet. Or my spots suck.


I agree with you Mason, I think that Douglas CO is a bit too cold yet. St. Cloud is just starting so Alexandria area will probably pop this next weekend. My suggestion is to follow the long prairie river. Also go to Carlos State park and look around there. It is legal to pick mushrooms and berries, but not plants, in state parks. My gut says that Carlos area and maybe Ida area would be productive. Oh! I almost forgot Roger M Holmes wildlife management area has a small amount of woods that could be productive. It is completely surrounded by prairie grass and fields so it should warm up fast. I do remember there being a lot of dead trees. There is a parking area, from that area look across the road. Then on the parking area side follow the road to the south until you get back to grass. Follow the edge of that and you can get around the swampy area and the river. The forest on the east side of the river is dry. Bring an instant read thermometer like thermapen and look for ground temps of ~55F. Good luck!


----------



## Walking Shuz

Shroomikaze said:


> how do you know if their past their prime?


This is a spoiled morel that I found a good week after the season ended last year May 30th(Twin Cities area). I feel that last year was quite a bit different than this year.


----------



## LoHaze

Is this a false morel?


----------



## tundraking

fun gus said:


> Golden oysters. No pic of underside, but gills are fluted and white, cap is all white under the skin. Grows in pods on dead tees. Bright yellow like this pic is in a sunny spot. Pale under less light. Very tasty. If any orange it’s not an oyster. Silver dollar size are my favorite. Popular for home spore kits that have become invasive in Midwest. Just showed up In my Iowa Woods two years ago.


I've really want to find some goldens! I was hoping to come across some last weekend SE MN, and almost thought I did at one point, but when I got up to them it was a lot of really fresh chicken of the woods. Still a bonus!


----------



## tundraking

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 21178
> Is this a false morel?


Yep, that's exactly what it is. Thanks for posting the pic so others that don't know can learn.


----------



## sarahrose

Found 2 tiny unpick-able morels, some devils urns, and a baseball size chunk of chaga!! Seems too early and too cold yet.....even though I see tons of pheasant backs, and these little purple weeds I usually relate to the morels being around, but I don’t know......my mom is a little sick right now, so her tromping through the woods isn’t so fun for her I bet...☹


----------



## trumzee

Shane Hager said:


> Spent a few hours in Cannon Falls and got mostly skunked. Very frustrating as I found probably fifty elms that looked prime . Is it too late for South facing slopes that far South?


Shane Hager - I also looked near Vasa/Welch, Belle Creek and a WMA off Cty Rd 6. Only 2 fresh yellows. Tired of seeing good trees and no morel.


----------



## trumzee

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 21178
> Is this a false morel?


Yep a false morel - Gyromitra - Saw quite a few of em near Pine stumps in Wabasha County last week. Don't Eat!


----------



## morchella ed

tundraking said:


> Hey, you didn’t happen to be hunting with another couple guys and 4 boys, were you...? I met a group down there on Saturday. I was with my Mom and daughter...


Naw man, it was just me and my wife and occasionally when she behaved we included our dog!


----------



## LoHaze

tundraking said:


> Yep, that's exactly what it is. Thanks for posting the pic so others that don't know can learn.


Thanks! Figured it was, didn’t pick it. I’ve just never seen one before


----------



## Walking Shuz

Just got back before the rain hit this afternoon. One more day and I think the first flush of morels in my area will be done. There is usually a second flush that happens in the colder spots for a week after it warms up. That said I did OK even if my season is over. This is my third picking. ~1lb 6 oz


----------



## AIM

Ramp pesto cauliflower ravioli... Mmm!


----------



## ceilvb

Also went in the twin cities area just before rain.. found one yellow on a little one hour jaunt, some mature pheasant and some baby pheasant. Went in where I found the one morel but didn’t see any more. Checked my spots south of here yesterday, but just a couple of half free morels. Not sure if I should abandon spots south and focus on tc and north metro this weekend, getting a soil thermometer tomorrow to try and narrow this down


----------



## bigrobshroommn

BRB said:


> This is my first season looking for morels, and I have to say my hat's off to you folks who find a lot of them. I've spent many hours walking the woods over the last two weeks, from Meeker county down past Rochester and near Owatonna. It wasn't until yesterday afternoon I finally found one, back home in Hennepin county. Only one. That's not to say I'm deterred; I'm having a great time in the woods and plan to keep at it. I'm seeing all kinds of interesting things!
> 
> View attachment 21170
> View attachment 21172


The fossil makes it worth while. That is pretty sweet!


----------



## Walking Shuz

AIM said:


> Ramp pesto cauliflower ravioli... Mmm!
> View attachment 21194


As I was eating dinner tonight I thought about posting it as well. No pic but I made quinoa with fresh morels and ramps. I topped it with a pinch of truffle salt and a drizzle of wild mushroom and sage infused olive oil. A Brau Brothers Bancreagie washed it all down nicely.


----------



## stilz

tundraking said:


> I've really want to find some goldens! I was hoping to come across some last weekend SE MN, and almost thought I did at one point, but when I got up to them it was a lot of really fresh chicken of the woods. Still a bonus!


I found my clusters growing on fallen elm trees.


----------



## AIM

Walking Shuz said:


> As I was eating dinner tonight I thought about posting it as well. No pic but I made quinoa with fresh morels and ramps. I topped it with a pinch of truffle salt and a drizzle of wild mushroom and sage infused olive oil. A Brau Brothers Bancreagie washed it all down nicely.


I dont even like the taste of morels as much as the hunt lol. Im a shroom fan but they are unique. A little too nutty or something i dunno. Lol hope to find a ton to experiment. 

Pouring and windy as hell.


----------



## Inthewild

AIM said:


> I dont even like the taste of morels as much as the hunt lol. Im a shroom fan but they are unique. A little too nutty or something i dunno. Lol hope to find a ton to experiment.
> 
> Pouring and windy as hell.


Hey are you Bill Clinton? I smoked weed but I never inhaled. lol
I LIKE Morels and everything to do with them


----------



## AIM

Id love a BJ in the office.. So in that regard we might have something in common.. Lol. Morels are a great treat just unique. I need more time with them. Love to cook so will see.


----------



## Shane Hager

ceilvb said:


> Also went in the twin cities area just before rain.. found one yellow on a little one hour jaunt, some mature pheasant and some baby pheasant. Went in where I found the one morel but didn’t see any more. Checked my spots south of here yesterday, but just a couple of half free morels. Not sure if I should abandon spots south and focus on tc and north metro this weekend, getting a soil thermometer tomorrow to try and narrow this down


Keep us posted, I'd be interested in hearing the soil temps.


----------



## Inthewild

Shane Hager said:


> Keep us posted, I'd be interested in hearing the soil temps.


Right now, don't worry about bout ground temps. Look to moisture laden land south east facing on a Prime tree. Moss may be the key. Sun accessabilty needed.


----------



## btetzl50

How many days should you allow before hitting a spot again? I know it would depend on weather (sun/rain) as well...


----------



## stilz

AIM said:


> I dont even like the taste of morels as much as the hunt lol. Im a shroom fan but they are unique. A little too nutty or something i dunno. Lol hope to find a ton to experiment.
> 
> Pouring and windy as hell.


I'm with you. I almost never eat mushrooms. I hike 40 miles a week and I'm very curious so the hunt is just fun. Plus, I make a few hundred bucks and meet like-minded peeps.

Are any of you into gardening? I'm a pretty serious organic gardener. Gardening led me to become a forager.


----------



## stilz

btetzl50 said:


> How many days should you allow before hitting a spot again? I know it would depend on weather (sun/rain) as well...


I hit mine 4-7 days after.


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> I'm with you. I almost never eat mushrooms. I hike 40 miles a week and I'm very curious so the hunt is just fun. Plus, I make a few hundred bucks and meet like-minded peeps.
> 
> Are any of you into gardening? I'm a pretty serious organic gardener. Gardening led me to become a forager.


I dabble in it every year. Don't have the room/time to go hard but love eating fresh produce. Planted my own aspargas this year.


----------



## stilz

I always have tons of extras during the season.


----------



## mascadcar

Walking Shuz said:


> As I was eating dinner tonight I thought about posting it as well. No pic but I made quinoa with fresh morels and ramps. I topped it with a pinch of truffle salt and a drizzle of wild mushroom and sage infused olive oil. A Brau Brothers Bancreagie washed it all down nicely.[/QUOT


Whatever happened to just putting them on a ribeye and washing it down with a Budweiser?


----------



## AIM

mascadcar said:


> Whatever happened to just putting them on a ribeye and washing it down with a Budweiser?


Why ruin a good steak?!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

stilz said:


> I'm with you. I almost never eat mushrooms. I hike 40 miles a week and I'm very curious so the hunt is just fun. Plus, I make a few hundred bucks and meet like-minded peeps.
> 
> Are any of you into gardening? I'm a pretty serious organic gardener. Gardening led me to become a forager.


wow you don't eat them, I am shocked. I have 50 pepper plants ready to put in ground, some tomatoes.


----------



## Walking Shuz

stilz said:


> Are any of you into gardening? I'm a pretty serious organic gardener. Gardening led me to become a forager.


I container garden herbs and peppers. I have a flower garden which includes, hops, raspberries, purple asparagus, and stinging nettles. Otherwise I have to forage blueberries, mulberries, mushrooms, onions, sumac, cat tail roots, etc. 

That said I have to agree that exploring and thrill of the hunt is the most fun I have foraging. I also teaching people about the little things that have value to passer-by's as I am foraging is a ton of fun.

Last year there were a dozen kids near an area I was gathering morels from. They must have been given some task to photograph nature as they all had tablets and were snapping away. So I took the time to introduce them to the state mushroom, the state flower, the state bird(the mosquito). Of the three they were all quite taken up by the huge yellow morels, the size of their hands, the most.

Would any of you have as much fun foraging if you couldn't share your experiences with at least one other person?


----------



## shedberg123

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 21178
> Is this a false morel?


YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## AIM

Hiding like hell in a spot I never would have thought to look... Not a single big or any real tree around. Was heading back after a little hike and saw on sitting by the path in the grass. On the board w some feshies!

694/East River Rd


----------



## stilz

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> wow you don't eat them, I am shocked. I have 50 pepper plants ready to put in ground, some tomatoes.


The morels not really. Once every couple years. I give them to family that love them and sell some. Now peppers and tomatoes I grow and eat a lot of. 

Anyone else notice it's pretty dead out there after that first flush? Hmmm.. The soil temp is about 52F around here so let's hope we get another.


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> The morels not really. Once every couple years. I give them to family that love them and sell some. Now peppers and tomatoes I grow and eat a lot of.
> 
> Anyone else notice it's pretty dead out there after that first flush? Hmmm.. The soil temp is about 52F around here so let's hope we get another.


Well just finding my firsts around and spots are not even all that grown in. I think we might have a nice long season assuming no major heat spike. Still shocked where i found these today. This hill would have been cooking for weeks now. So weird.


----------



## AIM

Read a lot here and around online but how do you pro finders keep your morels? Currently just in fridge in paper bag.


----------



## twisted minds

AIM said:


> Read a lot here and around online but how do you pro finders keep your morels? Currently just in fridge in paper bag.


For short term storage, that is about best way, just make sure you DON'T wash them before you put them in fridge. Just straight from woods into bag into fridge. Depending on condition of mushroom, should keep a week or so, maybe longer.


----------



## AIM

twisted minds said:


> For short term storage, that is about best way, just make sure you DON'T wash them before you put them in fridge. Just straight from woods into bag into fridge. Depending on condition of mushroom, should keep a week or so, maybe longer.


Yep no wash just brushed off lightly and into the cold. These feel very fresh but plan to dry etc. 

Thank you!


----------



## kb

they keep longer, just gently turn them every couple of days,top to bottom. The best are the double thick freezer paper bags, just roll it down on top, open once every day for fresh air. As long as they go in the fridge fresh tight gilled, 2 weeks can be done. Hard to find the paper freezer bags. Just my opinion. And TM is right never wash them.


----------



## AIM

Gave my buddy some with a little ramp pesto. Didn't waste any time doing work lol!


----------



## br5

stilz said:


> I'm with you. I almost never eat mushrooms. I hike 40 miles a week and I'm very curious so the hunt is just fun. Plus, I make a few hundred bucks and meet like-minded peeps.
> 
> Are any of you into gardening? I'm a pretty serious organic gardener. Gardening led me to become a forager.


Doing my first organic garden this year. Put everything in 5 gallon buckets with wicking system in bottom. Anxious to see how everything grows. Tomatoes are about two feet tall.


----------



## br5

stilz said:


> The morels not really. Once every couple years. I give them to family that love them and sell some. Now peppers and tomatoes I grow and eat a lot of.
> 
> Anyone else notice it's pretty dead out there after that first flush? Hmmm.. The soil temp is about 52F around here so let's hope we get another.


Normally that means they're into them.


----------



## br5

AIM said:


> Read a lot here and around online but how do you pro finders keep your morels? Currently just in fridge in paper bag.


I rinse them off and put them in an uncovered bowl. Water is the enemy as it causes them to go soft. 5 days or so and you need to go to plan B. Eat or dry.


----------



## br5

Heading up tomorrow at four am, should be in woods around noon MN time. Very excited, just hope I can sleep.


----------



## Old Elm

br5 said:


> Heading up tomorrow at four am, should be in woods around noon MN time. Very excited, just hope I can sleep.


Have a good time picking, you should do great!! Bring lots of bags too.


----------



## Wendelina

AIM said:


> View attachment 21248
> 
> 
> Gave my buddy some with a little ramp pesto. Didn't waste any time doing work lol!


That looks amazing


----------



## Wendelina

My shroom guru just found her first micro morel yesterday in our neck of the woods. Central Minnesota just starting now... if it ever stops raining


----------



## Redwolf

I went out with my hubby and our young son today. Skunked again! We covered several miles with no luck. I had an awesome family day in the woods. But honestly by the time we left I was feeling pretty damn discouraged.


----------



## Inthewild

Thanks @btetzl50 it was an awesome day by some standards. Snake coward kinda. lol


----------



## AIM

Wendelina said:


> That looks amazing


We don't play when cooking... Always good eats


----------



## AIM

Redwolf said:


> I went out with my hubby and our young son today. Skunked again! We covered several miles with no luck. I had an awesome family day in the woods. But honestly by the time we left I was feeling pretty damn discouraged.


 Felt that way for 2 years before finding this site. Enjoy the hunt.


----------



## btetzl50

Inthewild said:


> Thanks @btetzl50 it was an awesome day by some standards. Snake coward kinda. lol


Just call me Indy...

Always a good hunt with ya.


----------



## Redwolf

AIM said:


> Felt that way for 2 years before finding this site. Enjoy the hunt.


I definitely enjoyed the woods. I just have morel fever lol. I forgot to mention I saw my 1st ever skink today! It was awesome!


----------



## Morelsrfun

A buddy and I found about 40 last night. 4 cars at a state spot I check a few times a year. So folks are out. Found a half an a antler shed, nice 10 pointer. Saw my fifth snake of the year up on the hills, that’s about enough of that. 

Still haven’t found them in the lowlands in our area so I’m thinking we still got some time!


----------



## tundraking

AIM said:


> Read a lot here and around online but how do you pro finders keep your morels? Currently just in fridge in paper bag.


I'm sure I'll be shunned for saying this, but this is my experience with preservation.
I've kept them unwashed, and washed, in paper bags, plastic ziplocks, containers, and it just hasn't made any big difference at all. 
If I do wash them, I use the spray nozzle, clean them and set them on napkins or a towel, let them air dry for an hour or so, then put them in a storage device. If I use a container or ziplock, I lay down paper towel inside first to soak up moisture. I do this to all of my summertime shrooms and they keep very well. If they're in good condition going in, they'll be in good condition coming out in a week or even two. I mainly do this because then they are ready to cook with, and I'm not letting all the tiny bugs continue to nush on my mushrooms.
Paper bag also works very well because it breaths and keeps them from retaining moisture around them. I only do this if I don't wash them first, but again I personally like my mushrooms clean before storing.
The one thing I don't do anymore is soak them in water. They puff up like a sponge and hold on to grit and sand.

In past years, I've vacuum sealed portions and froze. It does work great, but upon thawing they become very watery and soft, as everything does when frozen. Last year I finally dehydrated them and I think that's the way to go for long term. They really do get a stronger aroma when dried!


----------



## Walking Shuz

AIM said:


> Read a lot here and around online but how do you pro finders keep your morels? Currently just in fridge in paper bag.


This. I dehydrate anything older than a week or two.


----------



## br5

Old Elm said:


> Have a good time picking, you should do great!! Bring lots of bags too.


Thanks, just finished breakfast in Rockford, about half way there. Normally carry enough bags to carry 15lbs. You think that's enough?


----------



## sarahrose

Been tromping around the woods the last couple days.... nothing.... the typical signals I usually look for are there, but the shrooms are not.... lilacs seem to be only half bloomed, but the dandelions are all over.... I’ll give it another day or so then I’m done, I can’t take this weather.... I’m a whiner when it comes to no sun... I need it for my mental health which is why we no longer live in MN..... it takes a tuff human being to live in this state I tell ya.....so I applaud you hearty people...) I just need sun.... attaching a picture of those little purple weed flowers that I usually look for to see if the time is right...... I have some private land I’m saving for next week after the warmer weekend, so maybe I’ll get lucky there, although, it’s a bit north of Stillwater, so we shall see...... good luck peoples..... and stay warm and dry..)


----------



## MayMotherload

Got 53 this morning.


----------



## Dtails

How big is big enough for one to harvest? I'm just curious to see what everyone else does.. for depends on the condition but 2.5 -3" is minimum size (finger sized)


----------



## MayMotherload

Dtails said:


> How big is big enough for one to harvest? I'm just curious to see what everyone else does.. for depends on the condition but 2.5 -3" is minimum size (finger sized)


For me it depends on access, if I can access them and nobody else can I leave smaller ones. If I'm hunting public I pick any size.


----------



## stilz

I just found 6. They seem slightly past prime, but still good. It's really slow out there...


----------



## Zen

MayMotherload said:


> Got 53 this morning.
> View attachment 21258


What part of the state?


----------



## Dtails

MayMotherload said:


> For me it depends on access, if I can access them and nobody else can I leave smaller ones. If I'm hunting public I pick any size.


Totally agreed lol.. it's just fun sometimes seeing people with 1/2"ers


----------



## May madness

Dtails said:


> How big is big enough for one to harvest? I'm just curious to see what everyone else does.. for depends on the condition but 2.5 -3" is minimum size (finger sized)


My rule of thumb is size of my thumb it's in the bag smaller than that leave it lay


----------



## May madness

I hit a spot yesterday I found 20 a week ago. Found 25 more my 8 year old son found 15 of them all by himself. Hes been going with me since he was 5. I was pretty proud


----------



## LoHaze

AIM said:


> Read a lot here and around online but how do you pro finders keep your morels? Currently just in fridge in paper bag.


I always clean mine before I put them in the fridge. I do a quick soak, just a minute or two, then use the hand sprayer on each one and shake as much water off as I can then set on a towel for an hour so. Then I put in a paper bag and lay damp paper towels over them. Then I redampen the paper towel as needed. They stay nice and fresh for about 2 weeks


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> I just found 6. They seem slightly past prime, but still good. It's really slow out there...


Got 5 today pretty small and fresh. One half free.


----------



## btetzl50

Grabbed two, each from a different tree north of Hudson, wi. Asparagus is still slow growing up there too.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Below average weather is stunting things. Complete opposite from last May the 2nd warmest. We need some warmer average Temps and some sunshine to make things pop. C’mon mother nature help is out!


----------



## Morelsrfun

Buddy photo bombed me, we had fun though. About 120+\- Found a couple really nice trees. I feel like southeast sides are about done by me. No work tomorrow, gonna let them bake until about 1 then I’m going to experiment away from southeast sides. Good luck everyone.


----------



## May madness

I hit another public spot today after work before I go out of town for the weekend. Forgot my bag at home. 35 under one tree.












had to make do with what I had. Ya snooze ya lose!! Lol


----------



## AIM

From st. Cloud area.. They out but its slow work.


----------



## shroomsearcher

There's always a way to haul your shrooms out of the woods. Even if you have to take off your pants!


----------



## mntammy

Did pretty well South of the cities. Morelsrfun I might of seen you and your buddy?? Did you have golf clubs in hand?? Shroomers everywhere to the south! On one hill a half free, a gray, and 15 ft away some blondes and pheasant backs. I wish our spots in the cities would fruit.


----------



## jg010682

AIM said:


> View attachment 21292
> From st. Cloud area.. They out but its slow work.
> 
> View attachment 21290


Been trying around st cloud the last couple days but havent found anything accept ramps and pheasant backs what has been working for you ive been looking at lots of dead elm but not even one yet


----------



## harvey lovejoy

Had good success in Wabash County today. Just counted and paper bagged them. I don't wash them ever and use a normal grocery paper bag (roll up the top) with a damp paper towel inside and refrigerate them or store in the garage if temp allows. Works for me! My older brother (78) and I (72) can't go as good as we used to, but we got right at 200 that weighed just over 9lbs today. Mostly blondies and some greys. South and Southeast facing slopes. Many were in that plant that looks like a umbrella. We are hunting in hills and valleys. Most seem to be within 50 yards of the top. Prickly ash territory. No ticks yet.


----------



## AIM

jg010682 said:


> Been trying around st cloud the last couple days but havent found anything accept ramps and pheasant backs what has been working for you ive been looking at lots of dead elm but not even one yet


No idea man same around the north metro these are just from my buddy who i told keep hunting any sunny moss on that same pheasant back area and he killed it.

The big batch i found would be early here had some thumbs popping but keep eye out.


----------



## AIM

harvey lovejoy said:


> Had good success in Wabash County today. Just counted and paper bagged them. I don't wash them ever and use a normal grocery paper bag (roll up the top) with a damp paper towel inside and refrigerate them or store in the garage if temp allows. Works for me! My older brother (78) and I (72) can't go as good as we used to, but we got right at 200 that weighed just over 9lbs today. Mostly blondies and some greys. South and Southeast facing slopes. Many were in that plant that looks like a umbrella. We are hunting in hills and valleys. Most seem to be within 50 yards of the top. Prickly ash territory. No ticks yet.


Sounds right. Not even a mosquito yet lol so weird


----------



## May madness

I have found alot in moss this year. Moss has been the key.


----------



## AIM

They are waiting for us.


----------



## May madness

AIM said:


> Sounds right. Not even a mosquito yet lol so weird


I just saw a flock of are state birds in my yard. Not a tick yet though...little fuckers don't like it when it's wet.


----------



## May madness

AIM said:


> View attachment 21298
> 
> 
> They are waiting for us.


That looks priceless


----------



## AIM

May madness said:


> That looks priceless


I cant tell you how many around if it pops like other parts of the US we are so fucking on it will be silly. I found one by accident just pulling some ramps and no joke just right next to my thumb when digging.


----------



## twisted minds

harvey lovejoy said:


> Had good success in Wabash County today. Just counted and paper bagged them. I don't wash them ever and use a normal grocery paper bag (roll up the top) with a damp paper towel inside and refrigerate them or store in the garage if temp allows. Works for me! My older brother (78) and I (72) can't go as good as we used to, but we got right at 200 that weighed just over 9lbs today. Mostly blondies and some greys. South and Southeast facing slopes. Many were in that plant that looks like a umbrella. We are hunting in hills and valleys. Most seem to be within 50 yards of the top. Prickly ash territory. No ticks yet.


That's awesome to hear, hope I'm still able to get out and about when I'm in my 70's. And those "umbrella" plants are most likely mayapples. The mayapples are just starting to flower in spots in S.E. Minnesota, so hopefully a few more weeks left to pick.


----------



## AIM

Found my first morels under those last year makes sense.


----------



## May madness

Alot I have found this year have been by trees I normally wouldn't check. Either never produced or past prime. I take a peek and boom. All that rain has dropped ground temps. I found pins a week ago that are still pins. We need a couple days of sun and 70+ to get the lowlands and deeper in the woods to get rolling. DAM YOU BUCKTHORN!!! My arms look like I was locked in a closet with 50 starving cats. Its funny when people ask you what did you do to your arm?....... if they only new


----------



## AIM

https://www.weather.gov/ncrfc/lmi_soiltemperaturedepthmaps

Still cold... Other cross reference looks like temps peaked and been killed with no sun and moisture.


----------



## May madness

AIM said:


> I cant tell you how many around if it pops like other parts of the US we are so fucking on it will be silly. I found one by accident just pulling some ramps and no joke just right next to my thumb when digging.


I got to a spot yesterday with my 8 year old. I stop start staring around.... he says dad there's one 6 inches from my foot. Way to go boy.


----------



## sarahrose

I have a friend who is taking me down to some private land she has access to in cannon falls on Monday... is it too late to head that far south???


----------



## morchella ed

Found these near red wing last night. Some in lowlands (those smaller beautiful blondies) also on west facing slopes (the big greys and yellows)


----------



## AIM

sarahrose said:


> I have a friend who is taking me down to some private land she has access to in cannon falls on Monday... is it too late to head that far south???


Doubt that. Good luck!


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

MayMotherload said:


> For me it depends on access, if I can access them and nobody else can I leave smaller ones. If I'm hunting public I pick any size.


And how much you have, left a lot of smaller ones since I did real well the last 2 days


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

LoHaze said:


> I always clean mine before I put them in the fridge. I do a quick soak, just a minute or two, then use the hand sprayer on each one and shake as much water off as I can then set on a towel for an hour so. Then I put in a paper bag and lay damp paper towels over them. Then I redampen the paper towel as needed. They stay nice and fresh for about 2 weeks


usually I split and quick swish them in a large bowl of water then dehydrate . I was so tired this last time I just split them and dehydrated them.


----------



## Morelsrfun

mntammy said:


> Did pretty well South of the cities. Morelsrfun I might of seen you and your buddy?? Did you have golf clubs in hand?? Shroomers everywhere to the south! On one hill a half free, a gray, and 15 ft away some blondes and pheasant backs. I wish our spots in the cities would fruit.


It is possible, he was using a golf club as a walking stick, where were you located?


----------



## Morelsrfun

harvey lovejoy said:


> Had good





sarahrose said:


> I have a friend who is taking me down to some private land she has access to in cannon falls on Monday... is it too late to head that far south???


nope, I’m further south and still hammerin them.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Morelsupport said:


> Impressive!


Thank you! They’re popping up everywhere this spring. I hope it stays cool until July and I can keep picking morels.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Nrthwoodslegit said:


> Found many like that here south of fort Francis Ontario


Thank you! I was starting to think I’m losing it. I don’t think I’ve ever noticed it before. My hubby & I were picking in mixed boreal forest, and all the black morels were found growing on the exposed roots or at the base of black poplar. Maybe it’s because those poor trees are going to die because it’s been so dry the last few years?


----------



## br5

Here is what I found in first 36 minutes, which just happens to be the same thing I found in first two hours. Found about 3 lbs at same tree I picked over a hundred small ones on last year. SE has popped but alot of them are getting some age. Didn't get much time in unfortunately, getting ready to head back in for the day.


----------



## br5

Also had four tics. This why I wear white pants, so I can pick them off. They're also treated with permethrin.


----------



## Dtails

sarahrose said:


> I have a friend who is taking me down to some private land she has access to in cannon falls on Monday... is it too late to head that far south???


Nope I'd say game on! Wilmar and Spicer are just got going but still lots of smallers ones


----------



## Dtails

got these next a to park bench lol even left 10 to grow going to back to check on some others I found but left to grow hope they are still there


----------



## tundraking

Heading up to Itasca tomorrow for a week. Though I've accidently found black morels before, I'm gonna try my hand at purposely finding them this time. I really don't know the first thing about them besides throw out everything I know about other morels... If you have tips, it would be much appreciated! Good Luck out there!


----------



## BRB

I was driving around for work today and noticed a big dead elm near the road. Decided to crane my neck a bit as I drove by to see if there was access, and saw a guy in a blue raincoat approaching the tree. Too late! Can't wait to get back out this weekend.


----------



## Dtails




----------



## Dtails

Found 20 more... Still need some humidity and sun to get things really moving! Found about 15 others that need more time! Starting to see molds ones too so pick what you can while they last


----------



## Lisse Michaels

tundraking said:


> Heading up to Itasca tomorrow for a week. Though I've accidently found black morels before, I'm gonna try my hand at purposely finding them this time. I really don't know the first thing about them besides throw out everything I know about other morels... If you have tips, it would be much appreciated! Good Luck out there!


Tundraking, I can give you tips for black morels! I’ve picked over 50 lbs of blacks this week.

Black morels love poplars. Trembling aspen. All varieties. This year I’m finding them in black poplar, and I’m sure it’s probably the same further south. They’re on the south side of the trees. Look for areas that are kind of swampy with heavy leaf litter. They like to grow in the low spots where water puddles. 

I’m going out again tomorrow, and I’ll take detailed pictures of the terrain for you. I can’t believe how many black morels there are this year. It’s not just me, everyone seems to be finding piles of them, and they’re huge! I’ve been consistently finding ones that are 6” tall. I’m sure you’ll do great!!!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

I went out for an hour today, and picked another basket of black morels. I was so sad, it started pouring rain and the temperature dropped real quick, so I had to leave. But I’ll be back out there tomorrow morning!


----------



## AIM

Lisse Michaels said:


> View attachment 21334
> 
> 
> I went out for an hour today, and picked another basket of black morels. I was so sad, it started pouring rain and the temperature dropped real quick, so I had to leave. But I’ll be back out there tomorrow morning!


Would you say these taste the best? Ive read that somewhere i think...


----------



## Lisse Michaels

AIM said:


> Would you say these taste the best? Ive read that somewhere i think...


OK, I’m going to apologize ahead of time because this sounds so gross, but they taste great if you can get past the smell of them! They stink like dirty ass!!! And not everyone can smell how raunchy they are. 

I think the flavour is deep, rich, earthy, nutty, and really mushroomy, which I don’t think is the way dirty ass tastes, but I can’t say I know from experience. LOL

I find black morels need onion to really bring out the flavour. My Baba used ramps if she had them, or green onion & leek, sautéed in butter & covered with that Ukrainian scalded cream sauce that would make a hairball taste amazing. 

I’m not great at making that Ukrainian crack sauce, so I make perogies, cream of morel soup, morel salt, morel & bacon salt, and morel & shallot cream cheese. 

Some people say one black morel can flavour an entire dish. I’ve been spoiled and think it’s more like six to twelve black morels. 

As for yellow morels, I think they smell completely different. They have a light, sweet smell, almost like honey. It’s beautiful. I think the taste is milder, and I love them pan-fried in butter with a tiny little bit of garlic & salt. 

I can’t really say which tastes superior. I too, have heard & read that black morels taste better, but I guess that’s just an opinion?? It’s such a matter of personal preference. Some people really cannot get past the smell of black morels and gag at the thought of eating them. Other people just go crazy stupid wild for them. And I also know many people who will never touch a yellow morel, saying they are bland compared to black morels. 

Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so chatty tonight.


----------



## AIM

Lisse Michaels said:


> OK, I’m going to apologize ahead of time because this sounds so gross, but they taste great if you can get past the smell of them! They stink like dirty ass!!! And not everyone can smell how raunchy they are.
> 
> I think the flavour is deep, rich, earthy, nutty, and really mushroomy, which I don’t think is the way dirty ass tastes, but I can’t say I know from experience. LOL
> 
> I find black morels need onion to really bring out the flavour. My Baba used ramps if she had them, or green onion & leek, sautéed in butter & covered with that Ukrainian scalded cream sauce that would make a hairball taste amazing.
> 
> I’m not great at making that Ukrainian crack sauce, so I make perogies, cream of morel soup, morel salt, morel & bacon salt, and morel & shallot cream cheese.
> 
> Some people say one black morel can flavour an entire dish. I’ve been spoiled and think it’s more like six to twelve black morels.
> 
> As for yellow morels, I think they smell completely different. They have a light, sweet smell, almost like honey. It’s beautiful. I think the taste is milder, and I love them pan-fried in butter with a tiny little bit of garlic & salt.
> 
> I can’t really say which tastes superior. I too, have heard & read that black morels taste better, but I guess that’s just an opinion?? It’s such a matter of personal preference. Some people really cannot get past the smell of black morels and gag at the thought of eating them. Other people just go crazy stupid wild for them. And I also know many people who will never touch a yellow morel, saying they are bland compared to black morels.
> 
> Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so chatty tonight.


Love it.


----------



## Dtails

Lisse Michaels said:


> OK, I’m going to apologize ahead of time because this sounds so gross, but they taste great if you can get past the smell of them! They stink like dirty ass!!! And not everyone can smell how raunchy they are.
> 
> I think the flavour is deep, rich, earthy, nutty, and really mushroomy, which I don’t think is the way dirty ass tastes, but I can’t say I know from experience. LOL
> 
> I find black morels need onion to really bring out the flavour. My Baba used ramps if she had them, or green onion & leek, sautéed in butter & covered with that Ukrainian scalded cream sauce that would make a hairball taste amazing.
> 
> I’m not great at making that Ukrainian crack sauce, so I make perogies, cream of morel soup, morel salt, morel & bacon salt, and morel & shallot cream cheese.
> 
> Some people say one black morel can flavour an entire dish. I’ve been spoiled and think it’s more like six to twelve black morels.
> 
> As for yellow morels, I think they smell completely different. They have a light, sweet smell, almost like honey. It’s beautiful. I think the taste is milder, and I love them pan-fried in butter with a tiny little bit of garlic & salt.
> 
> I can’t really say which tastes superior. I too, have heard & read that black morels taste better, but I guess that’s just an opinion?? It’s such a matter of personal preference. Some people really cannot get past the smell of black morels and gag at the thought of eating them. Other people just go crazy stupid wild for them. And I also know many people who will never touch a yellow morel, saying they are bland compared to black morels.
> 
> Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so chatty tonight.


Was supposed to head up north to big falls but plans changed hopefully next weekend will still be good!!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Dtails said:


> Was supposed to head up north to big falls but plans changed hopefully next weekend will still be good!!


I honestly think you’re going to be OK next weekend up north. I can’t believe the ground is so cold in some places. I’m not complaining, though, it’s been a lot of years since I’ve seen a season like this.


----------



## br5

Up and ar it, will be on SW sides today, SE sides have been hit hard and anything left is getting past prime. Found more stumps than I would like yesterday. Probably have 7-8 lbs so far, which isn't a bust, but for SE MN is nothing to brag about. Got into really fresh ones yesterday, hoping we can nail it today or find that elusive mother load tree.


----------



## Wendelina

Lisse Michaels said:


> OK, I’m going to apologize ahead of time because this sounds so gross, but they taste great if you can get past the smell of them! They stink like dirty ass!!! And not everyone can smell how raunchy they are.
> 
> I think the flavour is deep, rich, earthy, nutty, and really mushroomy, which I don’t think is the way dirty ass tastes, but I can’t say I know from experience. LOL
> 
> I find black morels need onion to really bring out the flavour. My Baba used ramps if she had them, or green onion & leek, sautéed in butter & covered with that Ukrainian scalded cream sauce that would make a hairball taste amazing.
> 
> I’m not great at making that Ukrainian crack sauce, so I make perogies, cream of morel soup, morel salt, morel & bacon salt, and morel & shallot cream cheese.
> 
> Some people say one black morel can flavour an entire dish. I’ve been spoiled and think it’s more like six to twelve black morels.
> 
> As for yellow morels, I think they smell completely different. They have a light, sweet smell, almost like honey. It’s beautiful. I think the taste is milder, and I love them pan-fried in butter with a tiny little bit of garlic & salt.
> 
> I can’t really say which tastes superior. I too, have heard & read that black morels taste better, but I guess that’s just an opinion?? It’s such a matter of personal preference. Some people really cannot get past the smell of black morels and gag at the thought of eating them. Other people just go crazy stupid wild for them. And I also know many people who will never touch a yellow morel, saying they are bland compared to black morels.
> 
> Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so chatty tonight.



I'm dying at your description 

This Ukrainian crack cream sauce sounds awesome. My grandfather was Ukrainian and they put cream sauce on everything.


----------



## tundraking

Thanks Lisse! That gives me a great place to start. I’m excited to go find me some dirty ass black morels!!!


----------



## Amlebarr

First time posting here. Will be going out today. My family and i have been going out nearly every day checking the last few weeks and have only found 2 little ones. Very discouraging but hoping to find some today!


----------



## AIM

Can anyone ID?


----------



## Adamjp

Anybody have news from ottertail or Douglas county?


----------



## Wendelina

AIM said:


> View attachment 21348
> 
> View attachment 21354
> 
> View attachment 21350
> 
> 
> I found a few patches of those today too. Watching to see if anyone answers
> 
> 
> Can anyone ID?


----------



## Wendelina

I think I've looked at every elm tree within a 10 mile radius of St Cloud in the past 48 hours, and I can spot an acorn cap from 10 away feet away. Put on 10 miles of walking today between the 4 wooded parks. 10!! But did I find a morel?
Noooooo!!

It seems like I should have stumbled across one by accident at least... Other people are at least finding micros in the area.
*Heavy sigh*
I'm stubborn and I don't give up easily. Planning to spend the entire day in areas south of me tomorrow. Somebody send me some good juju.


----------



## sarahrose

Wendelina said:


> I think I've looked at every elm tree within a 10 mile radius of St Cloud in the past 48 hours, and I can spot an acorn cap from 10 away feet away. Put on 10 miles of walking today between the 4 wooded parks. 10!! But did I find a morel?
> Noooooo!!
> 
> It seems like I should have stumbled across one by accident at least... Other people are at least finding micros in the area.
> *Heavy sigh*
> I'm stubborn and I don't give up easily. Planning to spend the entire day in areas south of me tomorrow. Somebody send me some good juju.


You’ll find some..... seems we need more heat to make them grow more.... sending some good vibes your way..


----------



## stilz

AIM said:


> View attachment 21348
> 
> View attachment 21354
> 
> View attachment 21350
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone ID?


Could be Deadly Galerina. Hard to tell...


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> Could be Deadly Galerina. Hard to tell...


I think you are correct. For sure not a honey shroom.


----------



## Mason

I'M in Douglas county. I looked this morning, then went down to pope county and worked my way back to miltona. Just got back. NO MORAL'S. Pheasant backs as far as the eye can see, but not a single moral.


----------



## Morchella matt




----------



## Morchella matt

27 yesterday, 74 today.  oh happy days.


----------



## Amlebarr

We had some luck today! My 5 year old even found his first morel and i think we got him hooked! Going out again tomorrow.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

AIM said:


> View attachment 21348
> 
> View attachment 21354
> 
> View attachment 21350
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone ID?


I found those too! No idea what they are. I picked a couple and I’m going to spore print them.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Wendelina said:


> I'm dying at your description
> 
> This Ukrainian crack cream sauce sounds awesome. My grandfather was Ukrainian and they put cream sauce on everything.


Right??? You know what Ukrainian crack sauce I’m talking about! I swear to God, I can eat that stuff with a spoon. I don’t need anything else.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

tundraking said:


> Thanks Lisse! That gives me a great place to start. I’m excited to go find me some dirty ass black morels!!!


Tundraking, here’s a few pictures. Things warmed up quickly after all the rain we got yesterday, so there’s lots of green shoots coming up. Edges of clearings are white poplar, red willow (red-osier dogwood), some beaked hazelnuts, changing to black poplar further in with an occasional scrubby oak. 

They grow in the leaf litter where the forest is dark & cool. But they also like to be near the edge of a clearing, kind of in part sun, part shade. If you do find them growing out in the open, they are often really big, tops misshapen, and burned by the sun. Their cell walls are thinner than yellow morels, so they are more delicate IMO. The third picture is of the leaf litter. It’s easy to recognize: thick, kind of half-way broken down, crunchy when dry. There’s a swamp about a mile up the road, and this whole area is squishy on a wet year. Not great land for farming, but suitable for cattle. Fourth picture shows four morels growing around the old stump of a tree. Also check along game trails, because I’ve often found them growing along the sides.


----------



## twisted minds

AIM said:


> View attachment 21348
> 
> View attachment 21354
> 
> View attachment 21350
> 
> 
> 
> Can anyone ID?


Fairy rings perhaps, (marasmius oreades)? Hard to tell for sure just from picture, but looks like it.


----------



## br5

Got into a patch of big foots yesterday. Probably about 15 around a big elm, half were rotten. Ended with another 3 lbs. Back home now recovering from 8 hour drive. Will unpack cooler later today and post some pics of the find. I'm guessing we got close to 10lbs total. Feel like we were a week late, but I needed to wait on my son to get time off. Took a picture of him in a pristine valley. Made some great memories.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

twisted minds said:


> That's awesome to hear, hope I'm still able to get out and about when I'm in my 70's. And those "umbrella" plants are most likely mayapples. The mayapples are just starting to flower in spots in S.E. Minnesota, so hopefully a few more weeks left to pick.


Seriously, are the may apples flowering this year? Now I’m REALLY excited! The last few years our spring has been too warm too quickly, so no flowers and no may apples. I love may apple jelly!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Wendelina said:


> I think I've looked at every elm tree within a 10 mile radius of St Cloud in the past 48 hours, and I can spot an acorn cap from 10 away feet away. Put on 10 miles of walking today between the 4 wooded parks. 10!! But did I find a morel?
> Noooooo!!
> 
> It seems like I should have stumbled across one by accident at least... Other people are at least finding micros in the area.
> *Heavy sigh*
> I'm stubborn and I don't give up easily. Planning to spend the entire day in areas south of me tomorrow. Somebody send me some good juju.



Wendelina, check out other host trees besides elms. Please don’t limit your search to just elms, because you’ll find morels around poplars.


----------



## wade

Lisse Michaels said:


> OK, I’m going to apologize ahead of time because this sounds so gross, but they taste great if you can get past the smell of them! They stink like dirty ass!!! And not everyone can smell how raunchy they are.
> 
> I think the flavour is deep, rich, earthy, nutty, and really mushroomy, which I don’t think is the way dirty ass tastes, but I can’t say I know from experience. LOL
> 
> I find black morels need onion to really bring out the flavour. My Baba used ramps if she had them, or green onion & leek, sautéed in butter & covered with that Ukrainian scalded cream sauce that would make a hairball taste amazing.
> 
> I’m not great at making that Ukrainian crack sauce, so I make perogies, cream of morel soup, morel salt, morel & bacon salt, and morel & shallot cream cheese.
> 
> Some people say one black morel can flavour an entire dish. I’ve been spoiled and think it’s more like six to twelve black morels.
> 
> As for yellow morels, I think they smell completely different. They have a light, sweet smell, almost like honey. It’s beautiful. I think the taste is milder, and I love them pan-fried in butter with a tiny little bit of garlic & salt.
> 
> I can’t really say which tastes superior. I too, have heard & read that black morels taste better, but I guess that’s just an opinion?? It’s such a matter of personal preference. Some people really cannot get past the smell of black morels and gag at the thought of eating them. Other people just go crazy stupid wild for them. And I also know many people who will never touch a yellow morel, saying they are bland compared to black morels.
> 
> Sorry, I don’t know why I’m so chatty tonight.


That is some Really Excellent Reporting @Lisse Michaels. Thank You


----------



## Inthewild

We're waiting for Thee Recipe! Please share. Thanks ITW


----------



## Wendelina

I


Lisse Michaels said:


> Wendelina, check out other host trees besides elms. Please don’t limit your search to just elms, because you’ll find morels around poplars.


Have been it's just not popping time around here it seems. I've been through a couple heavy poplar areas this week. Not a sign of them there either. Maybe this week now that is warmer.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Do you check ground temperatures in your area? And rainfall amounts? I’ve been finding this year that the ground is really cold in some places. I’m wondering if that’s what you’re running into??


----------



## Lisse Michaels

wade said:


> That is some Really Excellent Reporting @Lisse Michaels. Thank You


I giggled so hard writing that post. It was time for a good belly laugh.

I could have been even more descriptive, but I don’t want to get booted from the boards for being foul-mouthed. @wade


----------



## wade

Lisse Michaels said:


> I giggled so hard writing that post. It was time for a good belly laugh.
> 
> I could have been even more descriptive, but I don’t want to get booted from the boards for being foul-mouthed. @wade


 * No Harm no Foul
* Don't ask Don't tell
* Don't fart Don't smell
* Don't sweat the small stuff
* Don't worry be Happy now !


----------



## Wendelina

Lisse Michaels said:


> Do you check ground temperatures in your area? And rainfall amounts? I’ve been finding this year that the ground is really cold in some places. I’m wondering if that’s what you’re running into??


I think that's the issue here. It was just getting to 50° when the rain happened and it dropped again.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Wendelina said:


> I think that's the issue here. It was just getting to 50° when the rain happened and it dropped again.


Yes, that’s probably what it is. We have places where the ground is 65 F, and 25 miles away at a higher elevation it’s 47 F.

The rain will bring the frost out of the ground, so it will get colder before warming up.


----------



## stilz

I found 1/2 lb. today.


----------



## Wendelina

Almost stepped on this little guy in the woods today


----------



## 23566

Lisse Michaels said:


> Do you check ground temperatures in your area? And rainfall amounts? I’ve been finding this year that the ground is really cold in some places. I’m wondering if that’s what you’re running into??


----------



## br5

Got up this morning and started prepping the shrooms. Wet weight came in at 12.75 lbs. Took them out of the bags and sorted by size and freshness. Took the old ones to a new spot behind my house to seed the area. Not sure it works but with all I found in my year this year why not?


----------



## twisted minds

Lisse Michaels said:


> Seriously, are the may apples flowering this year? Now I’m REALLY excited! The last few years our spring has been too warm too quickly, so no flowers and no may apples. I love may apple jelly!











They are down in SE Minnesota, Western Wisconsin area.


----------



## AIM

Lisse Michaels said:


> Do you check ground temperatures in your area? And rainfall amounts? I’ve been finding this year that the ground is really cold in some places. I’m wondering if that’s what you’re running into??


Yes 100% on ground cover etc. Hit a ton of spots even 1 that produced last year and it's way behind. Water levels in metro are very high as well. Soggy with minimal heat. Found 1 lone ranger on about 10 miles between 2 peeps. Yet some super fresh seeming oysters..


----------



## AIM

Little guy i flipped over off a dead log with others. 99% sure good... Any idea? Noticed 3 kinds of them but this seems to be most obvious vs death.


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> I found 1/2 lb. today.


FU 

Where? Ha! North metro just feels early but holy hell will there some greenery to deal with. That single random on was off same path as other a few days ago. Nothing else around and 30+ peelers checked. None of my morels have been found off dead trees this year its weird as hell.


----------



## stilz

AIM said:


> FU
> 
> Where? Ha! North metro just feels early but holy hell will there some greenery to deal with. That single random on was off same path as other a few days ago. Nothing else around and 30+ peelers checked. None of my morels have been found off dead trees this year its weird as hell.


South metro, Murphy Hanrehan. I think this week will be good in the metro. Another hard dose of rain tomorrow, then warming back up.


----------



## AIM

stilz said:


> South metro, Murphy Hanrehan. I think this week will be good in the metro. Another hard dose of rain tomorrow, then warming back up.


Yeah finna get dumped on until thurs really. Lets hope for a good weekend. My buddy and I have found 2 nice patches from here to st. cloud. Otherwise couple stragglers. First devil urns and pheasant back for days from tiny to huge.


----------



## AIM

AIM said:


> View attachment 21478
> View attachment 21466
> 
> 
> Little guy i flipped over off a dead log with others. 99% sure good... Any idea? Noticed 3 kinds of them but this seems to be most obvious vs death.
> 
> View attachment 21482
> View attachment 21484


These are my friends pics and do not give anyone the idea to eat similar etc


----------



## Morel of the tree story

Lisse Michaels said:


> View attachment 21414
> View attachment 21416
> View attachment 21418
> View attachment 21420
> 
> 
> Tundraking, here’s a few pictures. Things warmed up quickly after all the rain we got yesterday, so there’s lots of green shoots coming up. Edges of clearings are white poplar, red willow (red-osier dogwood), some beaked hazelnuts, changing to black poplar further in with an occasional scrubby oak.
> 
> They grow in the leaf litter where the forest is dark & cool. But they also like to be near the edge of a clearing, kind of in part sun, part shade. If you do find them growing out in the open, they are often really big, tops misshapen, and burned by the sun. Their cell walls are thinner than yellow morels, so they are more delicate IMO. The third picture is of the leaf litter. It’s easy to recognize: thick, kind of half-way broken down, crunchy when dry. There’s a swamp about a mile up the road, and this whole area is squishy on a wet year. Not great land for farming, but suitable for cattle. Fourth picture shows four morels growing around the old stump of a tree. Also check along game trails, because I’ve often





wade said:


> * No Harm no Foul
> * Don't ask Don't tell
> * Don't fart Don't smell
> * Don't sweat the small stuff
> * Don't worry be Happy now !


Longtime listener, firsttime writer... my wife and I have learned a lot over the past several years, thanks to all who have taken the time to share their knowledge and excellences. So we've decided to join the community too.

We found about 25 black morels up by Grand Rapids a week ago. Mostly around dead and dying poplars. It's always surprising how early the black morels start emerging. The first few years we were too late, thinking that the yellows had to be done down south before the blacks started popping. This year we headed north first. Even found 6 nice yellows under a dead birch which had some old saddle backs on it.

This past weekend we headed to SE and ran into some bigfoots.... ended up with another pound of nice yellows and a few more that were past their prime.

Then yesterday, my wife found three of the nicest greys I've seen- right in our North metro backyard! They were under a white pine, with no other trees to blame for it, other than possibly an old juniper bush we removed about 4 years ago. A big yellow popped there last year.

So this year we found the morel trifecta; blacks, yellows, and greys. Except we would have expected to find them in the opposite order. Anyways, thank you for being part of this community. We're glad to now be part of it too.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Wendelina said:


> Almost stepped on this little guy in the woods today
> View attachment 21454


Awwwwwww, and how sweet is that?

I’ve never found one of those while picking morels!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

twisted minds said:


> View attachment 21464
> 
> They are down in SE Minnesota, Western Wisconsin area.


YESSSSS! I have to go take a peek out by my buddy’s place. I haven’t had may apple jelly in six years! ***happy dance***


----------



## Morel of the tree story

Besides a nice morelling knife and a wide brimmed hat, we don't go into the woods without our foot gaiters. The best ones we've found are the Outdoor Research Bug Out gaiters, pre-treated with permethrin. They're light tan in color so you can see the ticks. They also help keep other hitchhikers such as seeds from catching a ride. Spray your pants with permethrin (let dry before wearing them) tuck your pant cuffs into your socks, secure your gaiters over everything, and watch the ticks climb DOWN and jump off. I had stage 2 lyme disease 15 years ago, never again!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Another question. I keep hearing this name “bigfoot”. I’ve never heard that word around here, only from pickers in the USA. Are those just the really big yellows? Like these?


----------



## twisted minds

Lisse Michaels said:


> Another question. I keep hearing this name “bigfoot”. I’ve never heard that word around here, only from pickers in the USA. Are those just the really big yellows? Like these?
> View attachment 21502
> View attachment 21504
> View attachment 21506
> View attachment 21508


Yes, just a "nickname" for the big trunked typically late season yellows.

Better than the nickname the half-frees morels have


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Morel of the tree story said:


> Besides a nice morelling knife and a wide brimmed hat, we don't go into the woods without our foot gaiters. The best ones we've found are the Outdoor Research Bug Out gaiters, pre-treated with permethrin. They're light tan in color so you can see the ticks. They also help keep other hitchhikers such as seeds from catching a ride. Spray your pants with permethrin (let dry before wearing them) tuck your pant cuffs into your socks, secure your gaiters over everything, and watch the ticks climb DOWN and jump off. I had stage 2 lyme disease 15 years ago, never again!


I would love a set of those! I’ve got the regular black gaiters from OR, I use them bowhunting & snowshoeing. I treated mine with permethrin, but it sure would be nice to have them ready to go.

I swear by permethrin on the clothes & boots, and picaridin on exposed skin. I giggle when I see the ticks run down my pants instead of picking them off the back of my neck.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

twisted minds said:


> Yes, just a "nickname" for the big trunked typically late season yellows.
> 
> Better than the nickname the half-frees morels have


Thanks! Those guys were just sitting out in the open, asking for someone to come get them. And about 10 ft away in the bush were black morels. I’ve found big yellows before, but not like these. I didn’t think we got these monstrous things up here.


----------



## Zen

Lisse Michaels said:


> Thanks! Those guys were just sitting out in the open, asking for someone to come get them. And about 10 ft away in the bush were black morels. I’ve found big yellows before, but not like these. I didn’t think we got these monstrous things up here.


----------



## Zen

10 days ago I found the first small black of the season up here in Northwestern Ontario. I marked it to see if it would get bigger. It's still there about 3 times the size. I finally found bunches 2 days ago ready for some serious picking when I'll go out tomorrow. Had two nice rains with warm temp between...ideal conditions, but the green ground growth starting to make it more challenging to see them. The brachen ferns are unfurling, do it's now time!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Zen said:


> 10 days ago I found the first small black of the season up here in Northwestern Ontario. I marked it to see if it would get bigger. It's still there about 3 times the size. I finally found bunches 2 days ago ready for some serious picking when I'll go out tomorrow. Had two nice rains with warm temp between...ideal conditions, but the green ground growth starting to make it more challenging to see them. The brachen ferns are unfurling, do it's now time!


Congrats Zen! It sounds like it’s time for you!! Can’t wait to see some pictures!!


----------



## Zen

AIM said:


> View attachment 21478
> View attachment 21466
> 
> 
> Little guy i flipped over off a dead log with others. 99% sure good... Any idea? Noticed 3 kinds of them but this seems to be most obvious vs death.
> 
> View attachment 21482
> View attachment 21484


One productive year...I was a very rainy late May into June finding both morels and oyster mushrooms... Pleurotis (oysters) grow prolifically at these times on rotting poplar and poplar logs on the ground.


----------



## Shrookie

Lisse Michaels said:


> I would love a set of those! I’ve got the regular black gaiters from OR, I use them bowhunting & snowshoeing. I treated mine with permethrin, but it sure would be nice to have them ready to go.
> 
> I swear by permethrin on the clothes & boots, and picaridin on exposed skin. I giggle when I see the ticks run down my pants instead of picking them off the back of my neck.


I started using the permethrin last year and have yet to find a tick on me when wearing treated clothes and boots. Haven't tried the picaridin, does it repel mosquitoes? They were pretty thick yesterday when I was out hunting with my nephew.We found a bunch of yellows and a few greys. 88 in total. Last year we found a total of four so we were extremely happy!


----------



## Nrthwoodslegit

Found a couple pounds of blacks today


----------



## kb

good old permethrin. seems like yesterday I discovered that stuff, but was probably 15 years ago, used to be hard to get sometimes. You know you can buy the concentrate in animal stores, mix up some slightly stronger stuff for the boots and gaiters. They die real quick. I do think they put some bonding agent in the human stuff for clothes but I have never noticed a difference. Lisse, congrats on a great year it looks like! A question: Is the terrain/environment around you like the stuff in Boundary Waters?


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Shrookie said:


> I started using the permethrin last year and have yet to find a tick on me when wearing treated clothes and boots. Haven't tried the picaridin, does it repel mosquitoes? They were pretty thick yesterday when I was out hunting with my nephew.We found a bunch of yellows and a few greys. 88 in total. Last year we found a total of four so we were extremely happy!


Good for you guys, congrats on the find! I’m really happy for you guys! It’s been a 

Yes, picaridin repels mosquitos. I’m allergic to DEET, so I had to find an alternative. It is a little more expensive than other repellants, but totally worth it. It doesn’t even really smell bad. The smell kinda reminds me of microwave popcorn.

Also great for fishing!


----------



## shroomsearcher

Lisse Michaels said:


> Thanks! Those guys were just sitting out in the open, asking for someone to come get them. And about 10 ft away in the bush were black morels. I’ve found big yellows before, but not like these. I didn’t think we got these monstrous things up here.


Like @twisted minds said, a late season morel, and the biggest of the year. Taxonomic name used to be _Morchella crassipes, _but who knows now with all the DNA research that's happened and new nomenclature. I'm in NE Ohio and the biggest one I've ever found was 14" tall and weighed close to a pound all by itself!



Shrookie said:


> I started using the permethrin last year and have yet to find a tick on me when wearing treated clothes and boots. Haven't tried the picaridin, does it repel mosquitoes? They were pretty thick yesterday when I was out hunting with my nephew.We found a bunch of yellows and a few greys. 88 in total. Last year we found a total of four so we were extremely happy!


Found out about Permethrin 3 years ago and haven't seen a tick since! Used to have to hunt for it, but it's easy to find now. Every WalMart in town carries multiple packages of it. And Picaridin is also good. Keeps skeeters off, also repels ticks but won't kill them, and keeps off blackflies if you have those. Man! When we'd go fishing in Canada I hated the blackflies! Tiny little things, but they would welt you up big time!

I used to come out of the woods just crawling with critters! Gotta love those advancements in chemistry!


----------



## morchella ed

Another solid weekend: these guys are from Saturday and Sunday. Saturday was just one or two here and there but all very large. Sunday had almost all under one tree(about 80)


----------



## morchella ed

Oh shoot posted before finishing uploading the pics! Here’s them


----------



## Shrookie

Lisse Michaels said:


> Good for you guys, congrats on the find! I’m really happy for you guys! It’s been a
> 
> Yes, picaridin repels mosquitos. I’m allergic to DEET, so I had to find an alternative. It is a little more expensive than other repellants, but totally worth it. It doesn’t even really smell bad. The smell kinda reminds me of microwave popcorn.
> 
> Also great for fishing!


Thanks for the info on that Lisse, not crazy about spraying a bunch of DEET repellent. Especially when fishing. I'll try the picaridin. who doesn't like popcorn anyways?


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Shrookie said:


> Thanks for the info on that Lisse, not crazy about spraying a bunch of DEET repellent. Especially when fishing. I'll try the picaridin. who doesn't like popcorn anyways?


We take a week every year & head way far up north to fish - Baker’s Narrows (Flin-Flon), Cranberry Portage, Neso Lake, or Clearwater Lake (Opaskwayak/The Pas). The mosquitos & horseflies could carry you away, they’re so thick up there. My husband couldn’t believe how well it worked to keep the bugs away, I got bonus points for buying it. BAHA HA HAAAAA


----------



## Lisse Michaels

shroomsearcher said:


> Like @twisted minds said, a late season morel, and the biggest of the year. Taxonomic name used to be _Morchella crassipes, _but who knows now with all the DNA research that's happened and new nomenclature. I'm in NE Ohio and the biggest one I've ever found was 14" tall and weighed close to a pound all by itself!
> 
> Found out about Permethrin 3 years ago and haven't seen a tick since! Used to have to hunt for it, but it's easy to find now. Every WalMart in town carries multiple packages of it. And Picaridin is also good. Keeps skeeters off, also repels ticks but won't kill them, and keeps off blackflies if you have those. Man! When we'd go fishing in Canada I hated the blackflies! Tiny little things, but they would welt you up big time!
> 
> I used to come out of the woods just crawling with critters! Gotta love those advancements in chemistry!


BAHA HA HAAAAAA, yes, the black flies! Midges. No-see-ums. Whatever you want to call them. I sometimes think they’re worse than ticks. The further north you go, the worse they get. 

I usually buy equine permethrin when I’m in ‘Murica. I have a thing for Tractor Supply stores. (Don’t even ask, I love the fact they have EVERYTHING!) Closest thing we have to Tractor Supply is Peavey Mart. Meh.

My uncle was a chuck wagon driver & raised thoroughbreds, we used permethrin spray in the stables to control horse flies and stable flies. Like @kb mentioned, you can buy the concentrate at a lot of farm supply type stores, follow the instructions in the bottle to dilute it. It’s a lot cheaper that way, but you do have to re-apply more often.


----------



## Lisse Michaels

kb said:


> good old permethrin. seems like yesterday I discovered that stuff, but was probably 15 years ago, used to be hard to get sometimes. You know you can buy the concentrate in animal stores, mix up some slightly stronger stuff for the boots and gaiters. They die real quick. I do think they put some bonding agent in the human stuff for clothes but I have never noticed a difference. Lisse, congrats on a great year it looks like! A question: Is the terrain/environment around you like the stuff in Boundary Waters?


Thanks, kb! It’s been a great season so far, and I’m just getting ready to head out for the day AGAIN. We had frost a couple nights ago, so I’ve got my fingers crossed!

Yep, Boundary Waters is exactly like SE Manitoba. Canadian Shield, huge granite rocks, boreal forest, water everywhere, and clouds of bugs. The land changes as you move west, by the time you get to the SW part it starts to look like North Dakota & Montana. Flatter, tall grass prairie, and a tiny bit of badlands. To the north it’s more trees, lakes, and rocks, but so very wild & beautiful. ❤

I also buy permethrin that’s meant for animal use. My uncle bred horses, and we used permethrin equine spray in the stables. I’ve found you have to re-apply it after a few washes, but no biggie. It’s way more economical that way, because for some stupid reason it’s expensive up here. I paid $29 CAD (about $20 USD) for the Sawyer version at Cabela’s, and it was only a 16-oz bottle. I bought a 32-oz bottle of concentrate at Tractor Supply for $12 USD, and it makes well over a gallon diluted and works just as well.


----------



## harvey lovejoy

Anyone been in Wabasha county lately?


----------



## Demonthrall

Put me on the board for my first year!


----------



## 23566

Just found on my lunchtime hike in the cities. I’ll head back out later to find its friends. Lots of deer tracks though, so Bambi might have beaten me to them.


----------



## Morelsrfun

Wabasha county is northwest-west tops, low southeast. Some southeast may still be going. 



harvey lovejoy said:


> Anyone been in Wabasha county lately?


----------



## shroomsearcher

Lisse Michaels said:


> BAHA HA HAAAAAA, yes, the black flies! Midges. No-see-ums. Whatever you want to call them. I sometimes think they’re worse than ticks. The further north you go, the worse they get.
> 
> I usually buy equine permethrin when I’m in ‘Murica. I have a thing for Tractor Supply stores. (Don’t even ask, I love the fact they have EVERYTHING!) Closest thing we have to Tractor Supply is Peavey Mart. Meh.
> 
> My uncle was a chuck wagon driver & raised thoroughbreds, we used permethrin spray in the stables to control horse flies and stable flies. Like @kb mentioned, you can buy the concentrate at a lot of farm supply type stores, follow the instructions in the bottle to dilute it. It’s a lot cheaper that way, but you do have to re-apply more often.


Lisse, I noticed that you said you're allergic to DEET. Back in the day we'd just slather on the Muskol when fishing in Canada. Until one day when my friend noticed that his thumb and forefinger were sticking to the handle of his spinning reel. A closer inspection revealed that the DEET on his fingers was melting the plastic paddle of the handle! Needless to say we stuck our hands and arms in the water and washed that stuff off immediately. 

Talk about scary. We used to glom enough DEET on us to alter our DNA! Never again. So I guess I'm also allergic to DEET!

BTW, back in the day my buddy used to raise horses, and board them for others in his stable. I was not raised around horses, my Grandma had a milk cow. But I really took to horses. I saw many a high strung, nervous Nellie go into that stable and come out a calm, well adjusted horse! Why? Because of all the people who would stop by. I swear my buddy knew everybody in the south county! 

Anyway, one time I was at the stable visiting the horses when I got bit by a horsefly. It about knocked me on my ass! It hurt so bad!


----------



## Morelsupport

Been out the last 2 days, found about 20 today and 75 today which came out to a little over 2 pounds. I'd post pics but I hate the setup they have on here. Still haven't figured it out yet lol! Hope to go out a few more times before the season is over.


----------



## jg010682

i finally found some not sure how many but its enough for a good meal anyway!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

shroomsearcher said:


> Lisse, I noticed that you said you're allergic to DEET. Back in the day we'd just slather on the Muskol when fishing in Canada. Until one day when my friend noticed that his thumb and forefinger were sticking to the handle of his spinning reel. A closer inspection revealed that the DEET on his fingers was melting the plastic paddle of the handle! Needless to say we stuck our hands and arms in the water and washed that stuff off immediately.
> 
> Talk about scary. We used to glom enough DEET on us to alter our DNA! Never again. So I guess I'm also allergic to DEET!
> 
> BTW, back in the day my buddy used to raise horses, and board them for others in his stable. I was not raised around horses, my Grandma had a milk cow. But I really took to horses. I saw many a high strung, nervous Nellie go into that stable and come out a calm, well adjusted horse! Why? Because of all the people who would stop by. I swear my buddy knew everybody in the south county!
> 
> Anyway, one time I was at the stable visiting the horses when I got bit by a horsefly. It about knocked me on my ass! It hurt so bad!


I know exactly what you’re talking about! Almost any repellant will melt plastic. And paint, too. When I was about 10, I was hosing down my niece with Deep Woods Off right beside my Dad’s brand new shiny red truck. (We were on a family fishing trip & getting chewed up by skeeters.)

Well, it was a little windy that day, and I didn’t know any better. The overspray drifted onto the paint of my Dad’s truck, and it started peeling. I’m lucky, I didn’t get in that much trouble, but he was so upset.

BAHA HA HAAAAA... OK, I love the story about the Muskol! That stuff is so nasty smelling. But I have a question! Did you guys catch any fish while using Muskol? I’m curious, because when I started dating my husband, I showed up for a fishing trip and he hollered at me that I better not have any Muskol, Deep Woods Off, or anything with DEET because the fish won’t bite.

I don’t know if that’s true, I’m 47 years old & I’ve been fishing with my Dad as far back as I can remember. We always used DEET. It’s only been the last 15 years or so that I developed the allergy. I actually get hives so bad that they blister. It’s terribly painful. 

I do love horses. I haven’t been around them for many years now, and I miss that time of my life. I used to help out every summer until I went to college & adulted up. 

Only one horsefly bit you? You’re lucky, the bites are quite painful. My hair is down to the middle of my back, and I wear it in a ponytail or braid out in the bush. Horseflies love long hair like that, they will chase it. We have horseflies out already, there were a bunch buzzing around my head today. But I wanted those morels that were growing in the hazelnut bushes. BAHA HA HAAAAA


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Went out with my hubby again today. At first we found nothing. After about two hours, we were getting pretty discouraged. 

Then I spotted some verpas. Followed them down a game trail, and the black morels started again. YIPPEE!!!

We headed a bit further south, and my hubby suddenly did a u-turn in the middle of the road, nearly giving me whiplash. Then I saw why. There were yellows growing about 100 ft across the ditch. We were on a fire road, and had to get across that ditch full of water to snag them. 

I think we walked about a mile back once we found a place to cross the ditch. The freakin’ things were everywhere. We cleaned up and headed home. Just weighed them and we’ve got another 30 lbs. I can’t believe how this year is turning out!


----------



## Shrookie

shroomsearcher said:


> Like @twisted minds said, a late season morel, and the biggest of the year. Taxonomic name used to be _Morchella crassipes, _but who knows now with all the DNA research that's happened and new nomenclature. I'm in NE Ohio and the biggest one I've ever found was 14" tall and weighed close to a pound all by itself!
> 
> 
> 
> Found out about Permethrin 3 years ago and haven't seen a tick since! Used to have to hunt for it, but it's easy to find now. Every WalMart in town carries multiple packages of it. And Picaridin is also good. Keeps skeeters off, also repels ticks but won't kill them, and keeps off blackflies if you have those. Man! When we'd go fishing in Canada I hated the blackflies! Tiny little things, but they would welt you up big time!
> 
> I used to come out of the woods just crawling with critters! Gotta love those advancements in chemistry!


----------



## Shrookie

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 21586
> View attachment 21586
> View attachment 21588
> View attachment 21590
> i finally found some not sure how many but its enough for a good meal anyway!


Nice pics jg, congrats. Definitely enough for a good meal! Especially if you have some fresh fish to go with it, lol. couldn't help but notice the spool of Trilene in the pic


----------



## Shrookie

Lisse Michaels said:


> Went out with my hubby again today. At first we found nothing. After about two hours, we were getting pretty discouraged.
> 
> Then I spotted some verpas. Followed them down a game trail, and the black morels started again. YIPPEE!!!
> 
> We headed a bit further south, and my hubby suddenly did a u-turn in the middle of the road, nearly giving me whiplash. Then I saw why. There were yellows growing about 100 ft across the ditch. We were on a fire road, and had to get across that ditch full of water to snag them.
> 
> I think we walked about a mile back once we found a place to cross the ditch. The freakin’ things were everywhere. We cleaned up and headed home. Just weighed them and we’ve got another 30 lbs. I can’t believe how this year is turning out!
> 
> View attachment 21592


----------



## Shrookie

Wow! That is a fine mess of morels! Thanks again to you and everyone else for chiming in with advice and info. I'm a total rookie at this, but completely addicted. I've luckily only run into those little black flies a couple times but they are god-awful! this was like ten or twelve years ago. Trout fishing with a buddy in Wisconsin and they were so thick that we bagged it after about an hour and a half , even though trout were biting really good. Wish I would've discovered these better insect repellents earlier...


----------



## Shrookie

Morelsupport said:


> Been out the last 2 days, found about 20 today and 75 today which came out to a little over 2 pounds. I'd post pics but I hate the setup they have on here. Still haven't figured it out yet lol! Hope to go out a few more times before the season is over.


Nice score man! good for you! Also having some difficulties posting pics but will keep trying. good luck to everyone hunting! I think I might have another week here in north metro twin cities. just glad I actually found some this year!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Shrookie said:


> Wow! That is a fine mess of morels! Thanks again to you and everyone else for chiming in with advice and info. I'm a total rookie at this, but completely addicted. I've luckily only run into those little black flies a couple times but they are god-awful! this was like ten or twelve years ago. Trout fishing with a buddy in Wisconsin and they were so thick that we bagged it after about an hour and a half , even though trout were biting really good. Wish I would've discovered these better insect repellents earlier...


Thank you, we hammered them yesterday. We’re discussing if we’ll do it again today. I’ve been out almost every day for two weeks. But I don’t think they’re going to last with the heat we’re supposed to get this week. ***sigh*** 

There always seems to be clouds of black flies when the trout are biting. We ran into that last year in June when we were fishing northern Manitoba. My daughter was screaming in the boat, you’d think she was covered in leeches or something. But the fish we caught, even with her hollering at the top of her lungs.


----------



## LoHaze

Lisse Michaels said:


> Went out with my hubby again today. At first we found nothing. After about two hours, we were getting pretty discouraged.
> 
> Then I spotted some verpas. Followed them down a game trail, and the black morels started again. YIPPEE!!!
> 
> We headed a bit further south, and my hubby suddenly did a u-turn in the middle of the road, nearly giving me whiplash. Then I saw why. There were yellows growing about 100 ft across the ditch. We were on a fire road, and had to get across that ditch full of water to snag them.
> 
> I think we walked about a mile back once we found a place to cross the ditch. The freakin’ things were everywhere. We cleaned up and headed home. Just weighed them and we’ve got another 30 lbs. I can’t believe how this year is turning out!
> 
> View attachment 21592


Nice score!


----------



## 23566

Last night I found a good heap more at a park in the west metro I suspected would be good. Well — as soon as I rounded a corner on the trail I saw a fellow morel hunter. (Sorry to blow up your spot, my guy!)
I’ll be out again today - yesterday’s heat is really starting to dry them out so us Cities hunters have only a bit more time. I might try to head up North again on Saturday. We found so many at parks north of Wilmar.


----------



## LoHaze

Went out for one last hunt for season yesterday. Picked about 30 or so, was probably about 2 lbs. Another good season for me. Ate morels 6 times, gave some away to a few people and I have 3 full quart jars dehydrated. Think I picked around 300 total


----------



## Lisse Michaels

LoHaze said:


> View attachment 21594
> View attachment 21596
> View attachment 21598
> View attachment 21600
> Went out for one last hunt for season yesterday. Picked about 30 or so, was probably about 2 lbs. Another good season for me. Ate morels 6 times, gave some away to a few people and I have 3 full quart jars dehydrated. Think I picked around 300 total


You did great this year!

I love that brush with the morel shaped handle! May I ask where you got it?


----------



## LoHaze

Lisse Michaels said:


> You did great this year!
> 
> I love that brush with the morel shaped handle! May I ask where you got it?


Thanks! It would have been a stellar year if I found some when I took my girls out ( 5 & 3). We did find some ramps and asparagus together though. We did find some together last year. They both absolutely love morels!

My wife and girls got it for me from Forest to Fork in St Paul.


----------



## ksmorelhunter

Lisse, congrats on your finds! What county are you in?


----------



## wondergrrl16

Total newbie here, but ended up stumbling upon my first morels in Dakota County yesterday. One question I have, the biggest of the bunch is a little dried out and fragile in some places (crumbled a bit in my bag). Does this signal it may be past its prime? When do you consider a morel too old to consume?
View media item 198


----------



## Walking Shuz

I thought we might be done in the Twin Cities after all the cold rain we have been getting. I was wrong. I was able to pick a new flush today so far 1lb 11oz. However I ran out of bag because they were so big! I will need to run back out after work. If anyone around the Twin Cities has given up, don't. I am also finding them a lot more spread out so search a wider area around your honey holes. I found them 50 yards away from where I normally do. I suspect any area is fair game now. I found top and bottom of hills and in all directions. Poplar and Elm. Mosquito's are out too! ;-)


----------



## kb

She is in Canada ksmorel. Go back to work. I-29 closed on me again last night so I went to work. Thinking of a Canada run ?


----------



## stilz

Walking Shuz said:


> I thought we might be done in the Twin Cities after all the cold rain we have been getting. I was wrong. I was able to pick a new flush today so far 1lb 11oz. However I ran out of bag because they were so big! I will need to run back out after work. If anyone around the Twin Cities has given up, don't. I am also finding them a lot more spread out so search a wider area around your honey holes. I found them 50 yards away from where I normally do. I suspect any area is fair game now. I found top and bottom of hills and in all directions. Poplar and Elm. Mosquito's are out too! ;-)


Not over at all. I got a couple of lbs today. They were in open fields, inner forest, slopes facing every direction. Still lots of young ones too.


----------



## stilz

wondergrrl16 said:


> Total newbie here, but ended up stumbling upon my first morels in Dakota County yesterday. One question I have, the biggest of the bunch is a little dried out and fragile in some places (crumbled a bit in my bag). Does this signal it may be past its prime? When do you consider a morel too old to consume?
> View media item 198


If they're crumbling I don't eat them. I eat the younger prettier ones that are solid.


----------



## Achin4morelbacon

Finally found a few today!


----------



## Lisse Michaels

ksmorelhunter said:


> Lisse, congrats on your finds! What county are you in?


Thank you! These were found in Lake of the Woods County. I live in Canada. @ksmorelhunter


----------



## shroomsearcher

Lisse Michaels said:


> I know exactly what you’re talking about! Almost any repellant will melt plastic. And paint, too. When I was about 10, I was hosing down my niece with Deep Woods Off right beside my Dad’s brand new shiny red truck. (We were on a family fishing trip & getting chewed up by skeeters.)
> 
> Well, it was a little windy that day, and I didn’t know any better. The overspray drifted onto the paint of my Dad’s truck, and it started peeling. I’m lucky, I didn’t get in that much trouble, but he was so upset.
> 
> BAHA HA HAAAAA... OK, I love the story about the Muskol! That stuff is so nasty smelling. But I have a question! Did you guys catch any fish while using Muskol? I’m curious, because when I started dating my husband, I showed up for a fishing trip and he hollered at me that I better not have any Muskol, Deep Woods Off, or anything with DEET because the fish won’t bite.
> 
> I don’t know if that’s true, I’m 47 years old & I’ve been fishing with my Dad as far back as I can remember. We always used DEET. It’s only been the last 15 years or so that I developed the allergy. I actually get hives so bad that they blister. It’s terribly painful.
> 
> I do love horses. I haven’t been around them for many years now, and I miss that time of my life. I used to help out every summer until I went to college & adulted up.
> 
> Only one horsefly bit you? You’re lucky, the bites are quite painful. My hair is down to the middle of my back, and I wear it in a ponytail or braid out in the bush. Horseflies love long hair like that, they will chase it. We have horseflies out already, there were a bunch buzzing around my head today. But I wanted those morels that were growing in the hazelnut bushes. BAHA HA HAAAAA


Come to think of it, we did catch fish but I think we'd have to have been totally inept to not catch fish in the lakes we went to. Started out fishing Lakes Kipawa and Ostaboningue in Quebec, then switched to Lakes Oba and Kabinakagami in Ontario. However, I had a small spray bottle of scent killer (usually used for deer hunting) in my tackle box. I would spray it on my hands and rinse them in the lake after applying the DEET. I don't know what my buddies did, but my paddle handles did NOT melt! 

I can understand why horseflies would like long pony tails or braids. They resemble a horse's tail. Just like we eventually learned about black flies. At Lake Oba we were talking with the outfitter and were complaining about how bad the blackflies were that year. He looked us up and down and asked us why all the outfitters up there wore khaki colored clothing. We didn't know, and he told us it's because blackflies are attracted to the colors blue and black. And there we were all in blue jeans, and two of my buddies were wearing black and gold Pittsburgh Steelers shirts! The next year we showed up in khaki or army surplus olive drab!


----------



## Nrthwoodslegit

Went out and got some more blacks....been a great year along the mn/Canada border


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Went on a spur of the moment nature walk with the wife and kids not prepared to forage at all. We’re talking a paved bike trail. Ended up finding 17 beatiful blondes 3 of them big foots all around 1 tree next to a raging creek in a valley in the open. Finally had a chance to show the kids what its all about. One of the bigfoots grew up with half of a walnut shell stuck to it.


Nrthwoodslegit said:


> Went out and got some more blacks....been a great year along the mn/Canada border
> View attachment 21634
> View attachment 21636
> View attachment 21638


siamese black?


----------



## bigrobshroommn

bigrobshroommn said:


> Went on a spur of the moment nature walk with the wife and kids not prepared to forage at all. We’re talking a paved bike trail. Ended up finding 17 beatiful blondes 3 of them big foots all around 1 tree next to a raging creek in a valley in the open. Finally had a chance to show the kids what its all about. One of the bigfoots grew up with half of a walnut shell stuck to it.
> 
> siamese black?


----------



## Lisse Michaels

Nrthwoodslegit said:


> Went out and got some more blacks....been a great year along the mn/Canada border
> View attachment 21634
> View attachment 21636
> View attachment 21638


Awwww, those are beautiful! Great find! They were still coming up along the Canada/MN border up here in Manitoba, too. I was out for about 5 hours today and found huge blacks that were just emerging.


----------



## stilz

I have just over 1 lb available if anyone wants to buy it. PM me.


----------



## Shrookie

Walking Shuz said:


> I thought we might be done in the Twin Cities after all the cold rain we have been getting. I was wrong. I was able to pick a new flush today so far 1lb 11oz. However I ran out of bag because they were so big! I will need to run back out after work. If anyone around the Twin Cities has given up, don't. I am also finding them a lot more spread out so search a wider area around your honey holes. I found them 50 yards away from where I normally do. I suspect any area is fair game now. I found top and bottom of hills and in all directions. Poplar and Elm. Mosquito's are out too! ;-)


----------



## Shrookie

Good to hear that! I've been hunting metro Twin Cities area last couple weeks with no success. found some nice ones up in Isanti county last Sunday but so far that's been it. Definitely gonna keep hiking and looking....


----------



## jg010682

Found 14 more last night!


----------



## Bradshaw

Could anyone help me identify what this is??


----------



## bigrobshroommn

It is primetime. Get out today! It is supposed to be mid to upper 80’s tomorrow!


----------



## sarahrose

I so thought I would be running into a big crop of shrooms, but nope..... just 20 or so here and there.... so many other hunters out there. Hunted with my mama, gave them all to her, hunted with a girlfriend, gave those all to her.... still waiting to hit the mother load, but if it doesn’t happen, that’s ok ..... there is always next year. My season total so far is right around 100 shroomies...


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

I have found so many this year, I am tired and still first thing in the morning I think of where I am going to pick. What a great year, timing and scouting is everything.Even before work I hit a couple of hit and run spots and I keep finding them. What is wrong with me, ha I have the fever. But I knew it would be a epic year. I always want 4-5 dried quarts at the end. I have 15, and I have given away and eaten plenty. Go to the spots that are north side now, or deep saddles. they are still out there.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

bigrobshroommn said:


> It is primetime. Get out today! It is supposed to be mid to upper 80’s tomorrow!


agree


----------



## jg010682

found 42 around one tree tonight 91 altogether!


----------



## jg010682

Are those other 2 pics elm oysters?


----------



## UncleBenBob

Newb here. New to the thread . NO LUCK HERE! In central minnesota near avon. Searched a huge woods and nothing. Lots of dead trees, some elms. Is it too early for them to pop up in the deep woods? Or am i just getting unlucky? Going to try along some streams tomorrow. Good luck everyone. I have yet to find my first find!


----------



## jg010682

Im in the stc area and have been finding most of mine around the edges of the woods yet like within 60 yards of the edge but i wouldnt hesitate to look deeper if it looks good


----------



## LoHaze

Thought I was done for the year, lol! Found 22 today, all but one were from one tree. Today’s hunt kicked my butt, my legs are shot


----------



## bigrobshroommn

Chicken of the woods? Please reply.


UncleBenBob said:


> Newb here. New to the thread . NO LUCK HERE! In central minnesota near avon. Searched a huge woods and nothing. Lots of dead trees, some elms. Is it too early for them to pop up in the deep woods? Or am i just getting unlucky? Going to try along some streams tomorrow. Good luck everyone. I have yet to find my first find!


keep huntin. It will pay off. Patience is a virtue! Tried 3 new areas today. Struck out at the 1st to and killed it at the 3rd!


----------



## bigrobshroommn

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 21662
> View attachment 21664
> View attachment 21666
> Found 14 more last night!


Mama and baby


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

UncleBenBob said:


> Newb here. New to the thread . NO LUCK HERE! In central minnesota near avon. Searched a huge woods and nothing. Lots of dead trees, some elms. Is it too early for them to pop up in the deep woods? Or am i just getting unlucky? Going to try along some streams tomorrow. Good luck everyone. I have yet to find my first find!


heard there starting up there, keep looking


----------



## jashroomer

So, a week from today I will be on Pelican Lake up in Orr, does that area see many morels. Only there one night then heading to Sand Point Lodge on the Canadian side. I believe years ago we found some up near Internation Falls in early June on a fishing trip.


----------



## Reid2018

Went to Frontenac State Park again on the 19th due to our fortune there last year. Got 18 in total with a slightly larger party this time.


----------



## bigrobshroommn

bigrobshroommn said:


> Chicken of the woods? Please reply.
> 
> keep huntin. It will pay off. Patience is a virtue! Tried 3 new areas today. Struck out at the 1st to and killed it at the 3rd!


----------



## Dtails

UncleBenBob said:


> Newb here. New to the thread . NO LUCK HERE! In central minnesota near avon. Searched a huge woods and nothing. Lots of dead trees, some elms. Is it too early for them to pop up in the deep woods? Or am i just getting unlucky? Going to try along some streams tomorrow. Good luck everyone. I have yet to find my first find!


They aren't in the woods yet check slopes but they are moving fast!


----------



## Dtails




----------



## Dtails




----------



## Dtails

Seeing past prime one and a lot of stressed ones but still finding tiny ones looking all over every other day.. would anyone think twice about eating one that something nibble on? Lol saw a dam red squirrel running with one in his mouth chased him off my spot only to find all my babies ones from a 10 days ago were gone or chewed on?? Any thoughts Anyone?


----------



## jg010682

beet my record from yesterday 54 under one tree was 60 something though i left some old ones there! Wish i could keep walking but got to go watch my kid graduate! Ya no more child support i meen yay my kid is all grown up


----------



## twisted minds

Bradshaw said:


> Could anyone help me identify what this is??


Was there a burn recently there? Looks like a scorched giant grape vine.


----------



## Bradshaw

twisted minds said:


> Was there a burn recently there? Looks like a scorched giant grape vine.


No, has not had any burn in a very long time


----------



## AIM

Dtails said:


> Seeing past prime one and a lot of stressed ones but still finding tiny ones looking all over every other day.. would anyone think twice about eating one that something nibble on? Lol saw a dam red squirrel running with one in his mouth chased him off my spot only to find all my babies ones from a 10 days ago were gone or chewed on?? Any thoughts Anyone?


Deer eat them.


----------



## Shrookie

Bradshaw said:


> View attachment 21758
> 
> No, has not had any burn in a very long time


----------



## Shrookie

That's weird! No clue what the hell that is. Certainly does like it was partially burnt, whatever it is. That's some Blair Witch looking shit...


----------



## stilz

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> I have found so many this year, I am tired and still first thing in the morning I think of where I am going to pick. What a great year, timing and scouting is everything.Even before work I hit a couple of hit and run spots and I keep finding them. What is wrong with me, ha I have the fever. But I knew it would be a epic year. I always want 4-5 dried quarts at the end. I have 15, and I have given away and eaten plenty. Go to the spots that are north side now, or deep saddles. they are still out there.


I stopped looking cause I've had way more than my fill.


----------



## Morelsrfun

I just looked back at pictures and I found my first morel May 4th! It’s june 1 and I’m still hunting, it’s unreal.

Yesterday in our area red wing to lake city, 3 of us each filled our bags on mid level northern slopes in just one ravine! 

Pulled a bonehead move though, I always carry my mushrooms in my backpack(when they fit). Yesterday they weren’t, so I set them down and took a drink.....never picked them back up assuming they were in the backpack‍♂

Hopefully there still ok this morning when I get back out there. If I can even find them we were a long ways from the vehicles. Keep hunting, think we still have a week, deep ravines and bottoms are still dormant for the most part, I have seen micros starting to pop down low in the flats.


----------



## Redwolf

Very strage looking I don't know what it is but its got an ugly spider on it.


----------



## Mason

How do I attach pictures to this site?


----------



## Mason

oyster mushroom???


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

stilz said:


> I stopped looking cause I've had way more than my fill.


I just cant stop, everyware I stop I get some and there so big now. A Lot of people are going to be happy with some dehydrated morels this year. Saw a old timer picking asparagus in the ditches, had a nice chat and gave him a little bag of morels, I guess I have had my fill also. but so many people stop looking now I go back and get the ones they miss which are pretty big now. Saw some fresh smaller ones today also, good year.


----------



## Shroomtrooper 1

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 21752
> View attachment 21754
> View attachment 21756
> beet my record from yesterday 54 under one tree was 60 something though i left some old ones there! Wish i could keep walking but got to go watch my kid graduate! Ya no more child support i meen yay my kid is all grown up


nice


----------



## twisted minds

Mason said:


> View attachment 21780
> oyster mushroom???


Sure looks like it from your picture.


----------



## UncleBenBob

Bradshaw said:


> View attachment 21758
> 
> No, has not had any burn in a very long time


Seen those in the woods as well. They were by a bunch of ferns. Perhaps dead ferns without the leaves?


----------



## Shoreview Spore Dude

It's not a Chicken of the Woods. It looks like a Little Black Foot or Hexagonal-Pored Polypore.


----------



## stilz

Mason said:


> View attachment 21780
> oyster mushroom???


Yes.


----------



## jg010682

found a few more today with my brothers then we came home and barbequed!


----------



## AIM

Mason said:


> View attachment 21780
> oyster mushroom???


Yeah but dont grab if sun baked. Not bad meh needs good cooking for any flavor.


----------



## Mason

Well I'm done with morels. I haven't seen one for 3 years. They just don't exist here.i will check back when the summer mushrooms are in season. Take care all!!!


----------



## Wendelina

AIM said:


> Deer eat them.


Damn deer


----------



## sarahrose

Think I’m done for the season..... got some good exercise and found a few shrooms...... but good god are the ticks getting thick out there, along with the mosquito population.... I think my total for the season was right around 200 shrooms..... found my first ones in poplar trees..... so that was fun!! Hope everyone had fun and found a few!! Last photo is a false morel..... even found a peckerhead this year!!!! I’ve only ever found 2 of them before!!


----------



## Wendelina

I've been skunked again this weekend, but we were looking up north near Wadena. Had a perfect piece of forest.. Some had been logged out about a year ago, apple trees, lots of dead elms, big patch of white pine... And nothing. It's pretty dry up there even though it's been raining. Back to searching around Cloudy town this week.


----------



## MN Morel Dude

I'm calling it a season in Winona. I went out yesterday and picked 2 dozen and left no less than 3 dozen in the woods due to being too old. That almost killed me. Big, beautiful, morels everywhere and they were all old. I have two spots that go as late as any that I know of and they are now turning out old mushrooms. 
It has been a great year, however. I don't weigh what I find but we ate a ton and I dehydrated many with a couple of big bowls left to deal with tomorrow. Consistently hit small batches and missed a huge batch when I had to leave the woods early to go to a retirement party only to find out later that that group I was with hit huge on a slope. 
Made my first batch of ramp butter this year which was a success so I'll make sure to pick ramps next year as I find them. I left most behind in order to preserve the batch.
I'll check the woods behind my house one more time and maybe one other spot but I believe we are done after the two high 80s days. 
I have not kept up with the website most of the season due to being in the woods and work. One huge positive that I took away is the number of students I teach who sent me their morel pics. It's great to have a common bond and to "compete". 
Looking forward to watching the progress up "nort" and hoping that you all find huge batches up there!


----------



## tundraking

Lisse Michaels said:


> View attachment 21414
> View attachment 21416
> View attachment 21418
> View attachment 21420
> 
> 
> Tundraking, here’s a few pictures. Things warmed up quickly after all the rain we got yesterday, so there’s lots of green shoots coming up. Edges of clearings are white poplar, red willow (red-osier dogwood), some beaked hazelnuts, changing to black poplar further in with an occasional scrubby oak.
> 
> They grow in the leaf litter where the forest is dark & cool. But they also like to be near the edge of a clearing, kind of in part sun, part shade. If you do find them growing out in the open, they are often really big, tops misshapen, and burned by the sun. Their cell walls are thinner than yellow morels, so they are more delicate IMO. The third picture is of the leaf litter. It’s easy to recognize: thick, kind of half-way broken down, crunchy when dry. There’s a swamp about a mile up the road, and this whole area is squishy on a wet year. Not great land for farming, but suitable for cattle. Fourth picture shows four morels growing around the old stump of a tree. Also check along game trails, because I’ve often found them growing along the sides.


Thanks for all the great info! Had a great week up north. Spent about 5 hours foraging, found a couple black morels, but that was it. So needless to say I have not figured out the blacks yet. It was still fun to walk around northern woods though! 
They definitely have a pungent odor for sure...


----------



## tundraking

Went out for a couple hours around home and hit a new spot. Found a nice pile of shrooms including some very fresh oysters! 
This hot weather is going to put an end to the season around here pretty soon, but there are still plenty out there to be collected. The northern hills and ravines still feel like the soil is cold, didnt have a thermometer, but there may still be a few fresh flushes happening in those spots this week, as well as deep woods.


----------



## UncleBenBob

Getting skunked around avon and st cloud. Must be doing something wrong . Going to check some county parks in hope of finding my first of the year! Good times but mosquitos are getting thick. Suprisingly only 3 woodticks so far!


----------



## jg010682

UncleBenBob said:


> Getting skunked around avon and st cloud. Must be doing something wrong . Going to check some county parks in hope of finding my first of the year! Good times but mosquitos are getting thick. Suprisingly only 3 woodticks so far!


 dead elm and live white ash if you can find a chunk with then in it you should find some


----------



## Dtails

And Ash will do too but freshly dead.. pines oaks heck just start moving through the woods! Get them before the critters do!


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## Jeff Eirich

Never went morel hunting before but got super lucky and found a good 15-20 big ones at a customers house.. I did the right thing and told him that I found them he never knew he had them.. So I picked them and handed them over.. Oh well I will just have to find my own..


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## Shrookie

Mason said:


> Well I'm done with morels. I haven't seen one for 3 years. They just don't exist here.i will check back when the summer mushrooms are in season. Take care all!!!





Jeff Eirich said:


> Never went morel hunting before but got super lucky and found a good 15-20 big ones at a customers house.. I did the right thing and told him that I found them he never knew he had them.. So I picked them and handed them over.. Oh well I will just have to find my own..


 I've never hunted anywhere but public lands and parks, but in your shoes I would've done the same thing. I hope mushroom karma rewards you ten-fold next season!


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## jg010682

well i hate to do this to you guys but here 40 something more! Elm and white ash found them all thats what i look for and as you can see it works find forest with lots of both in them


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## Shane Hager

North slopes in Bloomington still producing. Even some small ones. Topo maps are such a help for newbies like me.


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## tundraking

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 21850
> View attachment 21852
> View attachment 21854
> well i hate to do this to you guys but here 40 something more! Elm and white ash found them all thats what i look for and as you can see it works find forest with lots of both in them


Now that's a late season giant! Congrats on the find. 

I'm suppose to be getting the house and yard ready for my own birthday party this weekend, but all I want to do is go shroomin!!...


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## mntammy

Our late spot in the cities just started popping. Picked 2 dozen grays and yellows. 3 were babies! This spot is in heavily wooded area and not much sun.


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## Chanterelle nut

Enough for family !!


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## jg010682

Chanterelle nut said:


> Enough for family !!


what part of the state are you hunting in? Just curious im in the st cloud area and still finding them.


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## tundraking

It was another great day. I got out for a couple hours and found some hogs! Biggest I’ve found. These were all on west facing hillsides, partial sun. Didn’t find anything in north facing and deep woods yet. Found a spot everyone dreams of in deep woods and there wasn’t anything there yet.


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## br5

Just for next year's season history, you all started finding them in Southern MN about the 15th of May, still going now. Wade found them in Indiana for almost 28 days. It's been a good year, I'm eating the last of my fresh ones tonight and will finish them off by Saturday. They've kept for 11 days so far. Will start summer season with Kokomorel in July sometime.


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## Morel of the tree story

What a year... and it's not over yet. We just found another nice grey popping in our backyard, east facing slope, north metro. Congrats to all who found some this year! Best in recent memory for sure.


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## bigrobshroommn

tundraking said:


> View attachment 21870
> It was another great day. I got out for a couple hours and found some hogs! Biggest I’ve found. These were all on west facing hillsides, partial sun. Didn’t find anything in north facing and deep woods yet. Found a spot everyone dreams of in deep woods and there wasn’t anything there yet.


You’ve had 2 great back to back days. Metro?


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## tundraking

bigrobshroommn said:


> You’ve had 2 great back to back days. Metro?


North of the metro. I live in Elk River, so I'm hunting around here. Maybe a little cooler than the metro?... The metro averages 5-10 degrees warmer than outside the metro. Also, you can find virgin ground if you're thrifty. I'm hunting public, but its not the most obvious public places you can find with walking trails and all of that.
Not sure what these temps are gonna do. It may shut down north facing before it starts up here. We'll see though. 
If I were in the metro, I'd head straight for river bottoms. Its the coolest place besides north facing, and I'd think humidity is higher closer to the river. I would just walk and get away from anything near public access, no matter how tempted. I could always hit them on the way back to the car. I'd also look for side access points where a road is adjacent to the public, then park nearby on a street or something so I could access spots that most people don't get to. Just my two cents...


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## Dtails




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## Dtails

Found about 15 more and this huge one I left.. probably one of the my best years still finding babies but they are getting stressed fast more rain cooler temps might push me back til father's day! Hopefully... But boy am I running out of room but I'll find more if need lol


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## AIM

Been building a fence so no hunting here but my buddy said he found 10 in st.cloud last night not even hunting for them lol. Checked my one spot from last year and nada still by the river but finally filling in with greens so lets hope they pop again.. Been and odd but fun season! Wish i would have had time to get out this past week tho...


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## tundraking

AIM said:


> Been building a fence so no hunting here but my buddy said he found 10 in st.cloud last night not even hunting for them lol. Checked my one spot from last year and nada still by the river but finally filling in with greens so lets hope they pop again.. Been and odd but fun season! Wish i would have had time to get out this past week tho...
> View attachment 21890
> 
> View attachment 21894
> View attachment 21892


AIM, Looks great! Don't know if you're married, but that would win me a lot of points with the wife, so its probably worth missin some shroomin time.


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## Dtails

tundraking said:


> AIM, Looks great! Don't know if you're married, but that would win me a lot of points with the wife, so its probably worth missin some shroomin time.


I agree.. use them wisely!! Hunting season is getting closer haha


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## AIM

tundraking said:


> AIM, Looks great! Don't know if you're married, but that would win me a lot of points with the wife, so its probably worth missin some shroomin time.


Thanks! This was for a rental property I manage. No wifey here so just more points for the bank account haha!


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## Bushwacker

Is this an oyster mushroom?


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## AIM

Bushwacker said:


> Is this an oyster mushroom?


Id say so but no expert here. Found on stumps or dead wood like that 4 sure.


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## Bushwacker

Thanks, went back tonight to grab it and had to leave it. Got old and soggy really fast.


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## tundraking

Yep, they do that, and bugs love them. Those looked perfect when you took the picture! 
Just had teriyaki oyster mushroom and pea pods with bacon and onion over rice for dinner last night. So good!


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## tundraking

Picked another pound of morels yesterday on west facing wooded. Had to leave a couple dozen that were past prime.


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## Wendelina

My first morel find ever! Found 6 around a small living elm on shady forest edge right in St Cloud along the river. At least now I know I can find them! A couple were pas







t prime, so perhaps it's time to head deeper into the woods?


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## jg010682

Wendelina said:


> My first morel find ever! Found 6 around a small living elm on shady forest edge right in St Cloud along the river. At least now I know I can find them! A couple were pas
> View attachment 21926
> t prime, so perhaps it's time to head deeper into the woods?


 nice maybe i will have to go looking some more thought they would be done around st cloud i havent found anything except rotten ones the last few days


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## Chanterelle nut

Hey tundraking, if this 90 deg days continue i think we should start our summer edibles forum again, can't wait for my chanterelles!!!!! (To be honest i still like them better than morels)


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## Old Elm

Chanterelle nut said:


> Hey tundraking, if this 90 deg days continue i think we should start our summer edibles forum again, can't wait for my chanterelles!!!!! (To be honest i still like them better than morels)


Oh, Amen to that brother!

Pretty sure tundra know by probably doesn’t know much about Chant’z.


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## jg010682

Already one step ahead of ya i started one! Lol


Chanterelle nut said:


> Hey tundraking, if this 90 deg days continue i think we should start our summer edibles forum again, can't wait for my chanterelles!!!!! (To be honest i still like them better than morels)


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## Old Elm

jg010682 said:


> Already one step ahead of ya i started one! Lol


You started one W/O permission!
Where is it & what’s it called?
For Minnesota?!?


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## Lost in woods

Bushwacker said:


> Is this an oyster mushroom?


Does look like oysters. Spring ones I find on birch or aspen often smell like black licorice which is another indicator. Always verify with at least 3 characteristics before first try though. I do think they are tasty especially if sautéed in butter with salt garlic salt and pepper and then grilled to carmelize


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## br5

AIM said:


> Been building a fence so no hunting here but my buddy said he found 10 in st.cloud last night not even hunting for them lol. Checked my one spot from last year and nada still by the river but finally filling in with greens so lets hope they pop again.. Been and odd but fun season! Wish i would have had time to get out this past week tho...
> View attachment 21890
> 
> View attachment 21894
> View attachment 21892


Look awsome. I really enjoy doing those type of projects especially when they turn out right.


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## br5

tundraking said:


> AIM, Looks great! Don't know if you're married, but that would win me a lot of points with the wife, so its probably worth missin some shroomin time.


That's right never can have too many kitchen passes.


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## br5

Chanterelle nut said:


> Hey tundraking, if this 90 deg days continue i think we should start our summer edibles forum again, can't wait for my chanterelles!!!!! (To be honest i still like them better than morels)


Never had chanterelles but this is my year. Kokomorel started a summer thread here in Indiana. We haven't seen a 90 degree day yet, not really much in the 80s either. Wierd how much hotter it is that far up north.


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## mntammy

Picked about 2 pounds deep in the woods yesterday. Only 2 were past prime. They were in heavy wooded areas.


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## Chanterelle nut

Hey br5 i have an awesome place just south on indianapolis for chanterelles if you are interested.


br5 said:


> Never had chanterelles but this is my year. Kokomorel started a summer thread here in Indiana. We haven't seen a 90 degree day yet, not really much in the 80s either. Wierd how much hotter it is that far up north.


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## tundraking

Old Elm said:


> Oh, Amen to that brother!
> 
> Pretty sure tundra know by probably doesn’t know much about Chant’z.


Lol! Oh boy... You guys are too funny! 

Been super busy this week gettin worked like a horse, just had a big backyard party yesterday/night as well, so I’ve been distracted.
I was just comin on here to start a summer page, but jg beat me to it! 

Pretty excited to get the summer rolling!


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## Wendelina

Sauteed up the last of my morels and cooked the eggs in the butter. Dang they were good!


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## mntammy

I dried some morels yesterday and put them in a mason jar for later. Should they be put in the refrigerator? Any thoughts would be appreciated.


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## Wendelina

They'll keep at room temp for about 6 months in a jar. For longer storage you can put the jar in the freezer.


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## mntammy

Wendelina said:


> They'll keep at room temp for about 6 months in a jar. For longer storage you can put the jar in the freezer.


Thank you


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## Shroomtrooper 1

dried mushrooms will keep for years


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## shroomsearcher

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> dried mushrooms will keep for years


Yep! I have morels from 2 years ago that I dehydrated. I keep them in the small, paper lunch bags at room temp and they are perfectly fine!


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## Shrookie

Wendelina said:


> My first morel find ever! Found 6 around a small living elm on shady forest edge right in St Cloud along the river. At least now I know I can find them! A couple were pas
> View attachment 21926
> t prime, so perhaps it's time to head deeper into the woods?


 That's awesome Wendelina, Congrats! I found my 1st morel last year and only found 4 of them in total the whole season. Enough to get me hooked...I did better this season, found a mess of them couple weeks ago hunting with my nephew. I found a few this evening in the woods in Little Canada MN. but unfortunately they were mostly toast. Kept two big ones that were salvageable. Might have to try the egg and morel scramble, looked good. Thanks to everyone on this forum for sharing their information and knowledge! It has been most helpful to this shrookie. Can't wait to try to find some chantrelles!


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## Mason

I found the remnants of two morels yesterday. They would have been monsters. Too bad. Anyways, what is the link for the summer shrooms forum? A new crop of oysters are out, and I found the first chicken of the season!!


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## mntammy

Shroomtrooper 1 said:


> dried mushrooms will keep for years


Thank you


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## jg010682

found 4 morels today all were past prime


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## tundraking

jg010682 said:


> View attachment 21966
> View attachment 21968
> found 4 morels today all were past prime


Those look perfect for drying though!! They're already half way there! Just had one of my biggest last night. It was in that condition. I just got it wet to let it rehydrate for a few minutes before cooking.


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## jg010682

tundraking said:


> View attachment 21974
> View attachment 21976
> 
> 
> Those look perfect for drying though!! They're already half way there! Just had one of my biggest last night. It was in that condition. I just got it wet to let it rehydrate for a few minutes before cooking.


looks like you need a bigger pan just about. Lol


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## jg010682

I just crumbled up the one and spread it around by some of the trees around there hopefully there will be more in there next year


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## fungal

Mason said:


> I'M in Douglas county. I looked this morning, then went down to pope county and worked my way back to miltona. Just got back. NO MORAL'S. Pheasant backs as far as the eye can see, but not a single moral.


Any luck this year? Went out this morning only found some lady slippers.


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