Hot Hunting Hurrah

Found a few more today in the hot dry wind wondering where the heck spring went. Did we even get a full two weeks of spring this year? At several points I thought it was June and I should be looking for trumpets. If this heat keeps up the trumpets and chants might show up in early May, but I digress...

Several were nice, fat and leaning over like these tasty twins. About 15 percent were showing signs of age or drying out. I also found 4 morels that I didn't even bring home because when I picked them they were already starting to rot and had that unwelcomed sight of white mold inside. I crumbled these up and scattered their remains in hopes they will help seed next year's stock. No beer can sized ones yet and unless we get some rain on Friday, I fear there may not be many this year. Jon did find one that was easily 3/4 of a can so there is still hope

All in all I came up with 102 total when I got home, a handful of which went immediately into the drying rack because they were over half dried already. Here were the rest.

Not sure what Camoshroomer and Jon picked exactly. Most morels hunters don't count their money at the table, if you get my drift. I'd bet we pulled 200 to 225 in about 4 1/2 miles and 4 hours of walking and looking. In spite of the heat, it was still a good trip.

If anyone is starting to hit the hills and have success, please let me know. If the hills don't come alive soon it may be time to head north.

Get Them While They're Hot and Before They're Not

Sorry no post for a few days, but when I haven't been working, I have been trying to spend all the time I can in the woods picking before it is too late.

They are getting a lot bigger as you can see from the photos below. And in my southern spots the heat is not only making them big (where they begin to fall over and rot) but it is also drying a lot of them out. Also, the finds are dwindling. Camoshroomer and I only pulled about 150 total between us on Sunday. Meaning many people are picking and no new ones are showing up.

I was hoping my northern spots which seemed to flush a little later and were much smaller would be slower to ripen. When I went out and checked a spot yesterday that I hadn't walked in a week, they were much bigger (2 to 4 inches) and unfortunately about 1/4 of them were either dried up or showing signs of being on their way. Despite the depressing signs, I did manage to find 40 in under an hour, which I thought was good since I wasn't even planning on hunting that day, but managed to stop at a spot on the way back from a trip for work.

I fear that my lowland spots have stopped producing due to the lack of rain and the heat will not only help finish off the ones that are up but has brought ground temps too high so that no more flushes will occur. In a couple more days I could easily see going out and finding more bad ones than good and there is nothing more depressing than stumbling across a fine patch of rotten morels. At least you can take solace in the fact that it most certainly spored out so you can check it next year.

Now keep in mind that I am not saying that this is the case for Missouri or even my entire area. This is for the lowlands. I heard of reports in the last few days of finds of fresh grays in the hills, Hopefully, if we get some rain and cooler temps by the weekend, the hills, bluffs and other hardwood areas will come on strong.

Time to carry a bigger ruler.

How many? Look close, I didn't see the little guy until I cut them off.

Breaking in a Rookie

For me one of my favorite things about morel hunting is getting new people hooked on the madness. Even if you don't eat the things, all it takes is a good day to get the morel adrenaline flowing and there is no going back.

So when Jon mentioned that someone who attended our mushroom class last fall was wanting to go hunting, I figured it wouldn't hurt. Now don't get me wrong, I won't take just anyone along on our morel hunts. I mean morel spots are sacred and I and many other morel hunters have been burned by "friends" who swear they will not return to your areas but find knew ones, only to be caught red handed in your prime hunting grounds next year. I mean c'mon if someone is nice enough to show you the ropes, please show respect. There are plenty of other woods out there and there is no need to cheat and literally bite the hand that fed you.

Because of the acts by these lowly few, a person must be well trusted by me before I'd consider letting them come along in spring. The rest of the year is another story because the competition is so low. I'd take anyone out and I don't care if you use my patches of say chants or others, because there are more than any one group can pick.

Anyway back off my soapbox, so we took Anthony out for his first hunt. It was a beautiful day and it was fun having a large hunting party compared to my usual lonesome self. The day flew by. Camoshroomer met us about mid-day and I'd say we all did pretty good. I am not sure on the final count for everyone else. I pulled in just over 120, bringing my two-day total to over 300. Anthony of course being newest found the fewest, but it was still a good two hands full. Regardless of the actual numbers, I think this picture says success better than any pile of morels on a table ever could.

Anthony with his first finds. (photos for this post by Jon Rapp)

Success - A Perfect Day in the Woods

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and since I am beat from a day in the woods, here are a few thousand words for tonight.

Getting much longer in the pits.

Some larger than usual grays.

A nice cluster of 5

This was one of the biggest at about 5 inches.

This was a real pain in the butt money tree. It had 19 around it amidst razor sharp blackberry brambles.

Total haul for me 180. The smaller pile was when I was by myself in the morning and the larger pile was when I was joined by camoshroomer in the afternoon (his pile is not shown, but I know he got at least 60). It was a beautiful day in the woods.

Just to see I wore a pedometer while I was hunting and according to it I took 18, 262 steps. So that works out to be about a mushroom every hundred steps and it is only April 8.

Morel Hunting is Like Voting - Do it Early and Often

Although my day was full with work and making my way to the polls for local elections, I managed to sneak out about an hour early and hit a spot I checked on Saturday. I didn't see anything in the spots I had checked over the weekend, so I walked back to an area I hadn't checked in over two years. Boy am I glad I did. There were tiny morels in several spots. Most were singles, but there were a few twins starting to make their appearances, like this nice pair of small yellows. All in all, it was a great day to be in the woods. Things are setting up nicely and with more rain and cooler temps on the way, I would say we are off to a fine start.

As I was taking this photo, I nudged a few leaves with my sleeve and to my surprise there was another set of twins hiding beneath. Just to give you an idea of how well hidden and out of sight these fellas can be this early in the season. Here is the before and after shot.

BEFORE

AFTER

It was nice to find these tiny little grays still leaning over taking a nap. It also supports the fact that grays and yellows are the same species. They just change color based on stage of development and/or environmental conditions. These two pairs were not but 10 inches from each other, yet one was clearly yellow and the other clearly gray. The only difference was one pair was exposed, one was not. I left the gray ones behind, well covered, of course. I'll go back and check and see what color they are on my next visit.

You may notice that the pair of grays are leaning over. In fact, many of the ones I found today were still bent over and waking up. I suggest walking very lightly in your proven spots or you may be stepping on your chances for a good future harvest

Only 6 of the 25 or so that I uncovered were bigger than this little fellow, so that is all I took home. To be honest, I normally wouldn't have picked the others since they were only about 1 1/2 inches, but I just had to get a small taste. Mainly to satisfy my hunger for fresh ones, but also because I am a firm believer that having morels coursing through your system is a sure-fire way to locate more.

So, if you are in the woods keep a close eye out because most are just starting to peek through the leaves. They are a little easier to spot. Some are a little rusty in color from the cold night temps, the warm dry winds, or possibly a combination of the two. Not sure how they get that color, I just know that on this one, the "rust" was only on the exposed surfaces. Lots of those teeny tiny squirming varmints in these fresh ones, but a little extra protein never hurt anyone.

It's Only Just Begun - Finding the First Morel

After hunting a few hours on Thursday and most of the day Friday and Saturday and finding nothing, it sure was a pleasant surprise to see this little guy today. I wasn't planning on doing any hunting this afternoon, in fact I probably should have been working, but the weather and photos from Camoshroomer had me ducking out early and heading down some familiar back roads.

I only picked this one little guy and not because he was of any size at just under two inches. Actually it is my tradition to always pick the first one I see no matter what size. I dry it and place it in a small jar that I will carry with me in my bag for good luck next year. I started this tradition about 6 years ago and have always found my first within the first week of April. Everyone has their own little morel hunting superstitions. I'll have to save that topic for another post, because I have some good stories about hunters only going counterclockwise around trees and some of the other quirky things we do.

They are very small and it will take a few days more for them to get big enough to spot easily. I left quite a few behind to grow in several spots. At least I think that will grow and probably fairly quickly at first, if the weather forecast holds. Lots of hot humid weather which in my experience really increases their growth. I expect there to be good pickings by the weekend.

If you can wait, then that is the time to start. If you are like me and you just have to get out there, keep a close eye out around suspect trees because there is a good chance there could be something there but very small.

What is it that makes finding that first morel such a special rite of spring each year? It is almost a magical experience as you glance a hint of that unique pitted-pattern that after only a few days of searching in vain, becomes ingrained in your brain. For me it is always the same. I spot it while scanning the ground as always, so my eyes have to backtrack and I literally do a double, triple or sometimes even a quadruple take. After that I simply staring at it for at least fifteen seconds asking myself is this real. With the realization comes the satisfaction of knowing that they are here, that the season is on. And that is really why finding that first one means so much. It is the anticipation of waiting all winter dreaming of morels. Heck, if you have never found one before, then you have been waiting you're whole life. The anticipation must be deafening. To finally see, hold, and smell that first morel. Quite honestly words cannot describe the feeling. It is truly something that MUST be experienced.

Morels for some while most get skunked (some literally!)

I keep getting reports and checking from the boards I need to update my maps. Here is a photo sent by Shane Jr. from Hillsboro, MO. Way to go Shane Jefferson County will be on the map when I update it tomorrow night. Thanks for sending me the report and photo. Makes me a little jealous. Oh what am I saying it makes me a lot jealous.

I have been out the last few days finding no morels. On Thursday the first day I actually looked I spent an hour just working my way to my patches. I had to work around and wade a few sloughs in the woods that were backing up with flood waters shooting down from the north. After finally getting to my spots, I looked extra careful and did not see a thing.

To add insult to injury on the way back I literally got skunked, as I came face to face with one of the little varmints not four feet away. I saw him turn tail. To run or to spray I will never know because I was not about to stick around and find out. I took off in the other direction as fast as my out of shape legs could carry me (remember it was my first day in the woods and I was on the way home). Luckily I escaped but I took that as a sign and headed back to my Jeep.

Today I went out with Camoshroomer for a few hours scouting to no avail. Meeting up with a larger group of morel hopefuls tomorrow, so who knows we may just be able to turn up one or two yet. Although many signs are right (redbuds and dogwoods are budding, my forsythia is in full bloom, and many trees are already showing their green leaves) things seem a week behind for morels, but this good rain has some promise as long as the rivers don't rise too much more.