# Northeast Iowa



## mioticmushroom (Apr 9, 2013)

Hello, I have been reading this board for some time. I am however a new member, I am a biology student in northeast Iowa and am becoming extremely involved in the mycology field. Originally I come from the northeastern united states, but since coming here I have become addicted to mushy hunting, and have been fairly successful. Found about 70 Lbs. last year and 60 the year before. I'm doing some work in recording the conditions which facilitate Morchella growth in the area and have been compiling data on direction, slope, soil moisture content, soil temp, air temp, and nutrient levels (to name a few). My hope is to run linear regressions and find the graph overlaps in order to predict a probability of morels in an area based on current conditions. I am excited for the season to start, hopefully the weather cooperates. Good luck to everyone! If anyone has any questions for me feel free to ask, and also i'm always up for a partner to hunt with.


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## duke (Mar 1, 2013)

So what do your formulations for this year look like and what part of Iowa are you in, Mio?


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## mioticmushroom (Apr 9, 2013)

My work is not finished unfortunately, i'm still gathering a larger sample base in order to obtain mare accurate results. I do have a good idea of what sort of conditions have produced the best results however. I'm not exactly sure what you are asking if you could be slightly more specific I can help to the best of my knowledge.


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## mioticmushroom (Apr 9, 2013)

I am about as northeast Iowa as you can get.


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## judy j (Nov 7, 2012)

Miotic Mushroom: Wow! What U/college are you at? Decorah? What have you found so far? I know the results would be preliminary but I'd like to hear your observations. Thanks.


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## duke (Mar 1, 2013)

I have hunted Morels north of Dubuque and over in the Muscoda area of Wisconsin. I figure you should have Morels in about 3 or 4 weeks. As I am the event chairman for the SCMMF&amp;OS on the 4th &amp; 5th I probably won't be heading that way until around the 11th of May, if you are interested in trying the Wisconsin area or just around you let me know and maybe I can make it up to Iowa. [email protected]


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## baddogbetsy (Apr 9, 2013)

No chance MioticMush got 70 lbs of morels last year in NE Iowa....not enough rain. That's a heck of a lot of morels and it just didn't happen.....


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## mioticmushroom (Apr 9, 2013)

Judy: Without proper equipment some of the results will most likely be useless to you, however I can give you some basic information. I do not want to disclose my exact methods as I would like to publish my work first (Don't need anyone beating me to the punch lol.) 
Soil Moisture- seems to be within a range of 21-39% low to mid 30's are the majority with a few anomalies.
Elevation- Not enough samples for this to become a significant number yet.
Soil Temperature (Taken at 2",4",6" in Celsius) - This obviously is going to change depending on the time of season especially at the shallowest depths which vary the most. @ 2" early season soil temps started at around 8.5 and got up to around 13 towards the ladder of the season. 4" 8.8-12. 6" 8.3-11.5. Once I get everything in graph form it will be much more informative.
Humidity- 43-70
Air Temp.(Degrees F)- Varying by location and day anywhere from ~49-82 (last year was strange as everyone knows especially in comparison to this year. I cant wait to see how this year effects the data. 
Direction from tree- Only valid when coupled with the GPS mapping I've done.
I would love to supply more information when I can recording these readings is time consuming and in accordance with the University I can only use samples from public locations and locations which I have signed permission. Which can be difficult to find enough land to hunt anyone who provided me with permission I gave a few pounds of Morels to upon completion of the day. Obviously I did not record every time I went out last season, sometimes I do enjoy not having to carry a 50 Lb. pack around and being able to just hunt and enjoy nature.

These readings will likely change but with the small (relatively) amount of data I have there are already some patterns.
Upper Iowa is the University.

Betsy- I suppose I understand your skepticism but just because you didn't spend the required amount of time in the timber and get more than a mile off the beaten path where everyone picks clean doesn't mean someone else didn't.
I assure you that 70 Lbs. is not an over estimate. I put the time required to do so in and have no reason to exaggerate. As far as not enough rain? different soil varies in its ability to maintain moisture based on particle size, slope, temp, and many many other factors. Point being there will always be somewhere which has maintained suitable levels, and that is only one variable in a very complex statue of required conditions. 99% of the people hunting Morels don't have a clue to be honest and that is fine, it is just as fun to hike around the woods and take a non-science perspective on it. Then again do people know why they grow near certain species of trees, or why they only stay for a few years, or why they even pop and do not stay in a mycelium or sclerotia stage of their life cycle so that you walk over them for years without one ever popping up? and hundreds of other questions. Well some of us want answers I have put in quite a lot of research and although there are experts with tons and tons more knowledge than me I feel I have a firm grasp on the basics of the elusive morel's nature. Does this increase my efficiency, well I believe so. 

I appreciate the interest and if anyone has any specific questions I will try my best.


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## shroomhawk (Apr 5, 2013)

Hmmm.. College credits for hunting morels. Where did I go wrong? Good luck MioticMushroom. I'm anxious to see your data.


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## kwards (Apr 10, 2013)

Oustanding reading, I too have been studing movements and growth of morels. For about 30 years now...lol. I am in eastern Iowa and hunt 3 different counties here. I have 38 acres that I am the only one that hunts. I can tell where they will most likely be the next year. I would welcome you to hunt and study in a controlled enviroment.


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## missourishroommate (Oct 17, 2012)

Bad Dog Betsy, I picked almost 50 lbs in NE IA last year and I live in KC MO. I picked 20 lbs by myself in 1 Sunday afternoon.

Just thought I would back the guy up...

Good luck ShroomMates!
Mitch


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## mustard (Apr 3, 2013)

Hey Miotic,

Very interesting you are attempting to measure and quantify your observations. I am currently in Ames, but travel a lot through NE during the season. I'm not sure how to send messages on this board, but would definitely be down to meet up once things start popping.


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## baddogbetsy (Apr 9, 2013)

Mitch, I'm not saying it's not possible. Most years I sell between 50-75 lbs and I hunt alone. That being said however, I am a bit skeptical because this is a 2nd year hunter and only has access to public land. Combine that with the poor weather conditions last spring and I simply don't believe him. It's not a big deal. If he's telling the truth then kudos to him. From your pic, I know that you are an experienced moreler as am I :wink: and your reports are not as hard to believe! Now when CyclingShroomer says he had found a zillion - I believe him w/out hesitation

Come on ground temps!!! BDB


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## duke (Mar 1, 2013)

@ BDB how much do you sell your Morels for? You can e-mail me at [email protected]


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## baddogbetsy (Apr 9, 2013)

last year it was $30/lb because of the scarcity...generally early season grays $25 and as season and the morels get larger the price goes down.

I'll save your email Duke


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## missourishroommate (Oct 17, 2012)

DBD, I look that "seasoned" huh  

I agree with you on Cycling Shroomer! He puts in some miles...

Anywho, I am heading to Southern Oklahoma within the hour for four days of Morel pickin! May the spores be with me!!!

Good luck ShroomMates!
Mitch


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## baddogbetsy (Apr 9, 2013)

Aged like a fine wine.....since I'm older than you!! 

Dang, how fun!!! My dream spring is to start in Tennessee and finish in Michigan some year!!

Good luck :roll:


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## duke (Mar 1, 2013)

@BDB starting in the south and working my way to Canada is exactly what I am going to do as soon as my grandson graduates from High School in the spring of 2017. My wife is going to do vendor shows all winter and I am going to do mushrooms all year and especially Morels all spring! :idea:


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## kspaz06 (Apr 24, 2013)

Ok i've been hunting Morels since i was big enough to ride on the front rack of the four wheeler. In a nut shell 25 years. One of the greatest hobbys any one can look forward too. MioticMushroom caught my atention with finding so many morels at his location. I beleive him cause out all my years of hunting rule of thumb find the dieing elm and if your looking at the lilocs when there blooming you should be shrooming. Now that wasnt the case last two years. 80% of the ones i found last two years were on steep hills with patches of limestone under red ceder trees, spots where there wasnt an elm anywhere near. If im correct thats the kind of ground you find up in the northern corner of Iowa. So Miotic dont know if im right or not but my theory 
1: With the low moisture in the ground, ceder hold enough moisture in the ground on drier year to support mushrooms but on normal years when theres normal rain/moisture its to wet for them to grow.
2: With the moisture around the rocky steep hill that support ceder Heated up like an oven with the lime rock absorbing heat and pushing it in to the ground.
Can any one support these thoughts or am i just over thinking this???


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## morelmargaret (Apr 15, 2013)

we went north last year for one weekend, with two small boys and picked a LOT of yellows, equaling at least 25lbs for hiking 3-4 hrs. It is very possible and yellows add up fasttttt!


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## mioticmushroom (Apr 9, 2013)

Kas, Unfortunately my research is specifically directed towards conditions which facilitate the growth around elms. However there is some research in the effects of flooding the mycelium, if i remember correctly flooding the system has been known to cause morels to come out of the sclerotia stage of the life cycle which allows for the fruiting body "part that you pick" to fruit. This combined with the ability of certain soil types to maintain an optimal temperature can play a role in the variation of locations from year to year. One other thing to think about is the fact that certain tree species grow in varying soil pH levels. Often evergreens seem to be in a more acidic soil region I really have not spent any time looking into this but it is an interesting factor. Its the people like you which keep asking questions that make science such an amazing tool Keep It Up!


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## [email protected]@dy (May 4, 2013)

Good morning, On April 30th I went mushrooming with my brother, sister in law and sister. Welive in western Iowa but hunted west of I-29 near Blair, Nebraska. It was about 72 degrees and in 2 hours we found 782 small greys. Whoo-Hoo! The next day it snowed. Crazy spring here. We are still in a cold snap but are getting rain so will go out again about Wed. May 8th, after we have several warm days. Happy hunting!


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## mnmorelseeker (May 4, 2013)

Anyone out in Northcentral/Northeast IA lately. Looking to drive south and check it out, but I was unsure how this last storm has affected the conditions there? 

Anyone been out in Mason City or Charles City area??


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## mioticmushroom (Apr 9, 2013)

found about 50 small greys in northeast Iowa this afternoon. Only went out for about an hour and a half. They are not abundant yet but definitely out.


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