The Psychology of Morels

If you are a morel hunter or know anyone who does, than you are probably well aware that morels do a strange things to people. Often this is called "morel fever" and although I doubt you will see it in the latest edition of the physician's handout, it is a well-known and experienced phenomenon. And there is a clear theoretical explanation for this which I derive from years of observation and personal experience.

For those who have taken a basic psychology class in high school or college, you may have seen or heard of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. I won't bore you with all the details because you can read for yourself, but this theory basically says that humans focus on their needs in a specific order. First focusing on basic needs to live, like eating, drinking and sleeping. Once these are satisfied, we focus on safety such as housing and other comfort needs, only moving on to emotional needs like love and companionship once safety needs are satisfied, and so on and so on.

Well I doubt Maslow ever knew a morel hunter because come morel seaosn his hierarchical pyramid would clearly look like this. Come April in Missouri, most hunters will shun the most basic needs including food, sleep, and even sex in an effort to check out that next tree or patch of woods. Only when our bellies and our freezers are full of tasty morels do we start to remember and address the other needs.

I would even reckon that somewhere at sometime morel hunting has played a hand in more than one divorce. I have often heard rumors, but never seen this verified. If anyone knows of such a case please do share. I do not of relatives who no longer speak to each other for previous raid into personal spots. Sometimes even blood isn't thicker than morels.