# St. Joseph/ NW.Mo



## kb

Its April so I thought I would start a thread for you hard core morel pickers up in our end of the state. The timber is getting close. You should be able to fill your belly before much longer without needing to drive anywhere. The ground is wet just a little to cool yet. May Apples are up on south slopes. Trees are just starting.


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## morelchef

Good to hear kb, thank you, hope you are doing well. things are looking good here in KC as well.


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## irishblood

Just went out in smithville area still nothing. Hoping with the rain and warmer weather this week coming will be slaying the shrooms soon. Anyone else seeing anything yet??


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## kb

What's up chef? I see we survived another winter. Setting up good so far. This weeks rain and temps should do the job by next weekend around here. Going to go see if I can see a few small ones this morning. Kind of a Easter tradition. When I was a kid my brothers, dad, uncle, grandpa/grandma, would all head for the timber after church. Many of those are gone now but the memory lives on.


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## morelchef

Kb We did survive the winter, and yes it is setting up nicely, lots of rain at the right time. Only thing is it looks like our whole region could pop about the same time. We always go out on easter as well, no luck yesterday. I think we are close and I'm sure there are some little ones under the leaves just waiting for that warm sun to coax them up on through the leaves. Good luck this year. Livewire stayed here yesterday on his way back from a south trip , he is already gone and waiting for daylight and gates to open. We should be filling boxes soon.


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## nwmoshroomer

Hey all !! Getting closer up in NW MO as well. I'm guessing by Sunday/Monday people might be finding really small greys. Temps and moisture are all good, but by all the "mythical" signs we're still 1.5 weeks out. My best estimate for us is that around the 18th we will be in prime of hunting. Good luck all !


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## nannie1970

Waiting patiently for these lovely beauties to pop up. I hope this year proves to be a great year for everyone. Happy hunting, and good luck!


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## kb

Hey NW. here is hoping the rivers don't flood. some smalls are up on SSE facing slopes in very small numbers


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## mushroom2315

Found 20 greys around the maysville area today..


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## nwmoshroomer

I'd like to see some pics mushroom2315 ! I don't doubt you, I just want to have something to look at and salivate about ! congrats ! I'm still thinking at least next Sunday (19th) for us North of 136. Happy Shroomin!


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## kb

NW, You are probably right on next weekend. I hope it rains a little more early next week. It has just barely begun here, 7- 10 days from now will be the best picking. Everything still wet up your way NW?


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## nwmoshroomer

Yes KB, Excellent moisture up here right now. We could even use more if mother nature just kept giving us these gentle rains. No flooding yet and ground temps continue to climb. We're going to have to meet up some time this year. If I'm not out shroomn ', you can always find me at Toot's. Ph. is 660-868-2855. all txt welcome.


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## kb

Well NW I broke my own record for futility today. Drove 525 miles to pick 20 morels. Good thing I enjoy seeing the countryside and wild animals. Checked the spot where me and a few others picked a couple hundred pounds 2 years ago. Picked 5 there. Hit a few other spots and found a few on some elm. Ended up in the strip pits in SE. Kan. and found a handful on cottonwoods. Been 25 years since I had been there. Interesting day. I know there were more there, i was just in the wrong spots. When I head north maybe we can do a hunt.


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## shroomdawg

Damn KB you are a serious shroomer to drive over 500 miles, sounds like the kinda sh!t me and my bros would do but so far we have avoided taking the long ride this year. If we don't get some rain I may be taking a ride to try and find some ground that has gotten some rain.


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## mushroommandan1977

Well after my third time out i finally found the sign that mushroom season is finally starting in our area. I spotted two little guys near the top of a south east hill. I know it's not anything impressive bout just wanted my fellow shroomheads in the area to know the morel has been spotted.


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## kb

ShroomDawg, I don't mind the road miles. I'm ticked off I found so little when I know there were enough out to get some poundage out of the trip. Sounds like I needed you guys to dig around in those strip pits. What I really needed was a boat. Just had to go look cause I'm not getting any younger. At least no skunk. But an average of 5 per 100 miles did not impress my wife.


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## mushroom2315

NW how do i post photos here? kinda new here lol


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## jack

If you are using Photobucket, copy the HTML Code and then paste it to your comment.


<a href="http://s1197.photobucket.com/user/mushroomjack1/media/IMGP0003_zps53c0b2bb.jpg.html" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">







</a>


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## Kirby

<a href=""><img src="" alt="" /></a>


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## nwmoshroomer

Wow KB, If I would of had the weekend off I also would of went south. I haven't even been out yet. I know after I go the first time, I'll be out everyday. Looks like we're getting more moisture this week, we need it. Happy Shroomin' all !


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## kb

NW, I will be calling you later this week most likely. I hate to post to much on here. If your normal places are hitting I may have more places you could check if you don't mind a little driving. Same type of hunting and not that far from you. We are going to be swimming in morels by next week.


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## nwmoshroomer

I'll be waiting on your call. I'm planning on taking as much time off the next couple weeks as possible. I'm always up for a little extra driving to find more morels. My number is still the same. Best of luck down your way. I'm going to start looking at my early spots Thursday evening.


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## kb

hey kb are you the same one I met twice in the middle of nowhere? 1997 up by Canton, S. Dakota do you remember helping a guy with car problems? I just remember your initials and that you lived in St. Joseph. I also remember you sent me to a good morel spot cause your trunk was full already. I saw you again up at the Cave after a big ice storm, don't think you realized it was the same guy. Just checking. Never got to thank you for the morel tip. Never knew this site was here till this year. Plenty wet up north in case you still come this way.


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## kb

small world Pilgrim, Glad to see we are both still alive. Don't remember meeting you at the Cave, but I was in a hurry up there. Morels were everywhere that year. I will be coming north sometime. Maybe we will meet again. Any tips on up north appreciated. good hunting


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## nwmoshroomer

Couldn't wait any longer. Went out for look this morning. Still early up here. I'm guessing 1 more week unless Temps jump. Good luck


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## kb

nw, you are probably right. I went a little north today and found nothing but very small grays. Gonna take a little more time .


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## morelican

Went to Crooked River Conservation Area in Ray County Tuesday. Found five most on the smaller end of the spectrum so decided it was a bit early. This is the first one I found and it was one of the largest.


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## mushroom2315

NW.. found 104 in st. joe today


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## kb

Nice job 2315. Many of those are larger than most I have picked so far in the hills. Did you get those in the bottoms?


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## nwmoshroomer

Very nice 2315. Your around 60 miles south of me. I haven't heard much from people around Cameron yet. Looks like they're starting flush in the St Louis area. So if I have time to go this weekend it'll be south bound.


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## shroom god

that is an ungodly righteous haul, 2315. Very impressive! That's the best report by far in this zone. Any insights regarding soil (sandy or black loam), location (lowland or upland, edge or deep), and other factors (tree type, contiguous vegetation, etc.) 

Nice score! Still waiting for it to happen in Iowa. We're about a week away from what you're showing there. We need rain here!


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## mushroom2315

Found the ones today in the bluffs way up. Didn't find any in lower areas. On the bluffs its pretty well black dirt really loose black dirt. No specific trees mostly around dead fallen trees. Lots of leaf litter. Cameron is a bust right now. I live in Maysville. The 20 I found the other day was at pony express but have been back all week and nothing new.


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## ruthead

Sun is shinin' and gonna try around Cameron this evening. Can anyone say the motherload is coming? I haven't hit one in quite a few years but feel good about this year.


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## ruthead

None last night. Will try again this evening.


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## taterqueen913

These were after the break in the rain today. And all fresh. in ST. Joseph area.


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## kb

TaterQueen, thats pretty much the size I found Friday before the rain Hopefully the rain will bring on even more, a few more days and they will be much larger to. Based on what I saw and the timing of this rain it should be an above average year. But who knows.


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## ruthead

Found 190 in this little patch. Fresh, no bugs and taste great!


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## ruthead

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## nwmoshroomer

nice find rut, I'm heading out this afternoon. Happy Shroomn'


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## taterqueen913

Rut that is sweet! I only dream of those kind of finds. 
I found some really nice talls good size today and yesterday. nothing like that of course! But I'll take whatever I can get.I'm not greedy. And let's face it, Rut even if they DID have bugs...we'd still eat em! lol 

I did find a bunch of ''newbie'' little smaller ones again as well. 

Will try to post the pics here in a few. Phone not cooperating at the moment.


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## taterqueen913




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## mushroommandan1977

Hello everyone I've gone out twice her in saint joseph and found about 40 each time a few really nice size which surprised me with it being so early but they were out in a spot where they were getting plenty of sun im hoping for a long season and a plentiful one as well oh and if anybody is looking for a hunting partner in saint joseph let me know


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## morelican

Took my octagenarian father out to Poosey CA South of Jamesport today. Found exactly 99 morels. I'd say the season is peaking there, most were nice sized and fresh, but a few on the South facing slopes were starting to dry out. Found a few small ones, but not many. Sorry I didn't make it back with the photos, just the morels. :wink:


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## duke

I will be coming through Springfield area on the 30th if anybody has any Morels for sell I'd be interested in buying some. My phone number is 309-883-3057. Looks like they might be at the end of the season by then. Thanks!


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## j10379c

Hey 1977, I plan on taking a day off early next week and would welcome a partner. I usually hunt alone, but would enjoy hunting with someone. Respond if you are interested in a hunt one day next week. :mrgreen:


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## nwmoshroomer

Hope everyone's having a good year so far. I've been to busy at work to get out. Taking off Sunday and Monday to go. I haven't heard of any big hauls in Northern Missouri so far. It's dry, hopefully we get some rain today. 
kb....you must be slaughtering them somewhere, I haven't seen you on the message boards. Happy Shrooming all !!


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## kb

NW. tried to call you a few times. I think I have the right number. They were small your way last Sunday. Hope you do well. Give me a call if your pattern is hitting. 261-0112


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## nwmoshroomer

KB. I seen your calls, sorry was at work. Been a crazy couple weeks, a lot of last minute catering jobs. Was going to take most of this next week off, but have a 250+ people catering this next Saturday. Taking off Sunday - Tuesday now. We got a little shower this morning, but I don't think it's near enough, we've gotten pretty dry up here. I'll try to call you this morning sometime. I managed a 10 minute hunt the other day on the way to work and found 6, 1" to 3". So hopefully it'll be good when I head out. Happy Shroomn' All !


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## ruthead

Any action in nwmo? Been outta state since wed.


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## kb

Mid Season rutland, if you want some they are there. I would call it an average year.


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## nwmoshroomer

I agree w/kb ruthead. With no rain in the forecast until Saturday, I'm guessing this is the last week of them here in NW. I hit 6 spots yesterday. First 5 only yielded around 1 1/2 lbs. The last spot (all maples) yielded a little over 5 lbs and was only there about 45 minutes. But a huge thanks to kb for letting me know what they were finding morels around down around Leavenworth. Going to hit it again today. Happy Shroomn' All !


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## morelican

Found these in my front yard this morning in Independence, MO. I cut a good-sized root on a large elm near the street three years ago to do some landscaping. This is the third year in a row now I have found morels in my front yard. Some of these were growing under some low growing evergreens along my sidewalk.


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## csbrt

I live around bethany and have had zero luck in areas where I usually do really well any ideas?


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## shroomdawg

Hasn't it been dry up yonder, may need a good rain to really get the shrooms poppin where you're at


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## csbrt

We've had a fair share of rain. But quite a few cold nights still below freezing a couple days ago


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## shroomdawg

There ya go, may be the 2-3 nights y'all had down in the low 30's last week that put the skids on the shroom pop, looks like upper 70's to low 80's later this week so maybe that'll get'm goin. :wink:


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## kb

csbrt, I picked some really nice ones just north of you on Sun. They are not real plentiful, you just have to find good elms or in the case of NW some river maples. He lives up your way to. I hit dozens of good elm, but only three had morels. But they were really good.


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## shroom89

No shrooms here in Nebraska. I lived in Lees Summit for 17 years and got spoiled. Nothing here. I am looking to travel back to NW Missouri to do some hunting. Does someone want to go out with me just once to get some. I would be greatly appreciative. [email protected]


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## kb

shroom89, where in Neb. do you live? The cottonwoods are the trees in the Great Plains. Go to your nearest stream, lake, river? Find cottonwoods with dead limbs or have just died. If you live in the Eastern part you can still hit elm if you can find them and cottons. All I know is that buyers are picking up hundreds of pounds in Neb. now, so they have to be there. If you are driving east its close to the end in Lees Summit. You need to aim farther north. Can't go with you but that's how to get some morels.


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## newb87

I live in lee summit and pulled out about 300 total so far this year between 5 trips last night I went out was Monday and pulled about 50 real nice sized greys and blondes. Came across a easy 50-75 that were to far gone and am kicking my self in the arse for not hitting that spot a few days sooner. I'm making one more trip on Friday morning early A.M and headed north as far as I can with out wanting to drive to far. What's the least farthest you think I can get away with going north with the best odds of finding some still in season?


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## kb

weston, blufffwoods, mostly north facing slopes.


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## newb87

Thanks kb! I'm hoping this last attempt tomorrow will be something worth talking about. I might even try and drive a little farther north if I can. Is it still mid season in bluffwoods weston area would you say kb or is getting to the end?


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## kb

Well it is late. that just means there are possibilities of morels on any slope. Just many will be bad. I picked my first morels in town on April 7 and I picked some big north slope ones on the same bluff 2 days ago. been a long season in N. Mo. Look for places down here with less sun. With the warmer temps. and rain coming what is up will get ruined so get them now. You need to get across the Iowa line to see good ones on all slopes in general


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## shroomdawg

Dawg posse is headin north tomorrow towards IA line, may be the last hunt, momma nature gonna let us know.


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## kb

Dawg,go poach some of those good Iowa morels, The hunt never ends, just gotta drive farther. Hey you took that one picture in disguise in St. Joe? I recognize the school in the background.


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## kb

NewB, Look at it this way. I drove over 500 miles in one trip south this spring to pick 20 morels. that sucked. But I did find new places to hunt in the future and ruled out some others. If you like picking morels like I do that is worth something. Go north at least until you hit good lilac blooms still. I know St. Joe still has good ones.


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## shroomdawg

Shhhhh KB, the Dawg has to be keepin his anonymity, but you're right that was taken in St Joe. You may even know who the Dawg is but lets keep that amongst ourselves. :wink:


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## ruthead

So is it over? Found 0 yesterday around Cameron while chasing turkeys.


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## kb

pretty much over here rut, check north facing slopes with cover and you can prob. still get some good ones.


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## newb87

Appreciate all the advice you have given me kb this year, last year and even the year before. i get a good laugh at seeing posts from new mushroom hunters just getting into it for the first time and how frustrated they get from not being able to find any can't understand why like I was when started off. Only being my 5th year and still wet being my ears I learn more and more each year. Each year I find more then the year before and have been lucky enough to even find clusters of 10-15 and even 25 morels all bundled together. 

Update from Fridays adventure I didn't do so well as I decided to go 71 North east of St Joseph instead of staying on 29N like I should have seeing how beautiful the hills looked passing threw about a hour ago. Came back with 20 decent ones but didn't even find thought until i was on the way back in a creek bottom off a dirt road from 71. took a vacation day today and are north bound as we speek. Stopped around hamburg to stretch my legs and took a look around the MO river and only seen 1 nice sized blonde laid over assuming bc of the rain. It's definitely pretty wet up here and hope to have mother nature on my side when I decide to stop when I decide I'm done driving lol. Going to hit the slopes somewhere between Nebraska city and Omaha around the IA NE border. I'll update later if mother nature was good to me today.


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## kb

good luck new, there are some up there. Hope you pick a thousand. Oh, and call me and tell me where you are at, because I have not found that spot this year yet.


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## shroomdawg

Damnit NewB87, you're gettin to close to Dawg stompin ground but ya seem alright so good luck son. :lol:


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## kb

Dawg, any good or did you drown?


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## shroomdawg

Around 6lbs but you could tell it was over, checked the same spots we found fresh stuff on Sat/Sun and not many new shrooms were up so we's calling it a year, ya know we did not really deal with any rain so in that regard the huntin was pretty good conditions.

:wink:


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## kb

OK, time to go look NW. Mo. Ignore the calendar. Global warming must be a reality, since two of the three times in my life picking morels in March around here has happened in the last 5 years. Wish we had not missed the rain yesterday though. The little ones I left need it. Early spots with moisture. Many early spots were too dry.


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## taterqueen913

Yes we definately could've used the rain. My usual first find spots are kicking up dust when you walk, thought I'd take a look-see but nothing so far.


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## kb

Picked almost a half a bushel of morels this evening before it got to dark. Right place at the right time.


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## jeffschre

You lucky bastard. :mrgreen: I'm hoping I can go out this weekend and find something other than May Apples...I may need to up my Tree Identification game


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## kb

What a mess of a season. Best spots I have in the midwest are to dry to pick much if any. Got lucky to get close to #10 so far between bottoms and hills. The season is passing us by I think. Lilacs are in full bloom, dandy lions are seeding, I have had to cut my yard twice. I picked my first 2 weeks ago today. Means that this week will show what there is left to grow. Nothing new, its to dry.


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## newb87

kb thanks for the response I'm used to hunting the bottoms around fallen over cottonwoods but for some reason the bark appears different then the cottonwood's I'm used to seeing. I'm more familiar and educated on my vegetation then I've ever been but still catch my self questioning my self. Top was broken off right above the pic and was at the bottom of a hill close to a creek.


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## newb87

Yikes just noticed I peeled to the wrong topice 8-O 

Sorry gent's


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## huntergatherer

Just walked for 3 hours at lewis and clark sp, one large bunch of false morels, never see that many in one spot, fist sized, not a good day, with my luck I'll reach in the cooler and get a false bud light


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## kb

hunter, beats a stick in the eye. My grandpa used to eat those false ones, guess he was lucky and never poisoned himself. Usually they appear before real morels, this year who knows. I got skunked on a late run out in some bottoms and hills east of me today.


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## huntergatherer

Boy. This has been a strange year, plenty of moisture, soil temps in the low 60s, prime lookng grounds, everything but morels . Oh well can't have everything


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## kb

Season is ending in NW. Mo. I picked my local north slope trees today. 8 lbs last year, same trees only 6 morels this year. South slopes started 2 weeks ago. Anyone still waiting, whats up is up, better find what you can. Worst I have seen it around here in over a decade, maybe two. Just my opinion, but If you somehow find a box full send me a picture. Hope northern states are better.


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## newb87

It's getting dryer and dryer every passing day, have a few spots still holding good moisture that's not to over grown yet. Hopefully this heat will make them pop in thoughs areas, if this rain were hopefully going to get is a good one I have a little hope it will turn things around. It's stayed pretty cool for this dry spell, the soils moist enough a couple inches below the surface it might be enough to turn things around. April 30th will be the last week I'll be in these woods before headed to Iowa for a weekend in thoughs woods.


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## huntergatherer

Hunted hard around mound city for couple of hours this morning, soil temps in the high 60s, found nothing


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## trotline

You may be right kb. Taking dad out Saturday to a couple spots I haven't checked yet along the platte river. Everything is so dry, even the May apples looked a little droopy.


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