Morel season is coming

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

Hello bros, I’d like to share yet another hobby of mine. I am a mushroom hunter and, the Morel Mushroom season is fast approaching. Morels are a real treat to the wild edible mushroom hunter. These mushrooms are my favorite, not only to eat but the hunt is incredibly fun and challenging. Morels are natural treasures that call to me every spring, “come find us Blood Axe”, LOL. It is a great and very addictive past time for those who enjoy the great outdoors.

The growing season for the morels is notoriously short. where I’m from the season might only last one week, so one must be ready for harvest, morels wait for no man. Morels grow in the mid to late spring when the ground starts to warm up after the long winter. It can be hard to predict thier arrival but it usually is when the smaller green plants in the area spring to life. The larger trees will have buds just starting to open up into a leaf, then I better be looking. Another good sign that it is morel season is the arrival of dandelion and, lilac blossoms and, the young poison ivy shoots will also be noticeable. Like most mushrooms they will grow not to long after a good rain.

Morel mushrooms can be mysterious in where they choose to grow. They grow out of the ground in wooded areas. They feed on the roots of dead or very old trees. In my neck of the woods the morels seem to prefer dead or dieing elm trees. I also find a lot near old cotton wood trees, and older poplar or aspen stands. They might grow next to many other types of trees as well. Many times they like to grow around bodies of water. They usually won’t grow right next to a lake or river but in the woods not to far away. The soil I find them in is usually a light fluffy soft soil with some sand mixed in, not heavy compacted soil with a lot of clay. They are not easy to find and they like to hide and blend in with the leaf litter.

There are some dangers to take seriously when hunting morels. One must know the other lookalike mushrooms in thier area. There are some lookalikes that are poisonous. In my area there are two main false morel lookalikes the Gyromitra and the Verpa Bohemica both contain a poison similar to rocket fuel believe it or not. They have more of a brainy look to them where the real morel has more of a honeycomb look. Once one has found a true morel it is hard to mistake them. True morels will always be hollow on the inside but that is not a fool proof method of identification as some lookalikes will also look hollow. Another danger when hunting is the boom of wood ticks in the spring. Where I live we have deer ticks that will give you Lymes disease if bitten. It is no joke and can be a very serious illness especially to dogs. Best leave your dog at home. I always tuck the bottom of my pants into my socks to prevent ticks from reaching my anckels or legs. It also helps to keep your shirt tucked in and to stop hunting and inspect yourself often for ticks. The morel season also coincides with Poison Ivy growth which can be a very serious problem for some people. I have had poison ivy so much in my life that I’m almost immune to it but, it is best to try and avoid contact.

Morel mushrooms are delicious to eat. They have a meaty flavor and a unique texture that is very appealing. My favorite way to cook morels is always fresh on the same day found, or shortly after. I like to fry them in butter with onions or wild Ramps(a wild onion) which one can also find in the woods during morel season. The morels have a nice flavor that shouldn’t be covered up with a lot of seasoning just a little salt and pepper. If the morels are dirty with soil and bugs just try to gently blow or brush them off. Do not wash them off with water. I made the mistake of using water to wash them once and I ended up with morel soup in the frying pan instead of nice golden brown sautéed mushrooms. The water gets trapped in the nooks and crevices of the morel and, is released when cooking making for a less enjoyable meal.

Well I know I’ll be in the woods, morel hunting in not to long. I will post a short YouTube video about 10 min. for those who might be interested but are new to morels. For those morel hunters here good luck and have fun this season.

Back off Barbie!

[It’sallbsParticipant]

You have to know what you are doing with mushroom picking some edible mushrooms look similar to ones which are very poisonous.

http://www.leavemeansleave.eu

[UntamedParticipant]

I hate mushrooms!
They’re nothing but fungus. Yuk!

Don't let them Blame, Shame or Tame you!
Give 'em NOTHING, not even an answer!
#GenderSegragationNow!

[CarnageParticipant 22113]

i like moshrooms, they have good taste, some even raw, laminated a bit of lemon, olive oil, spark of salt, voila.

To those following me, be careful, I just farted. Men those beans are killers.

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

Untamed wrote:

I hate mushrooms!
They’re nothing but fungus. Yuk!

I agree mushrooms are not for everyone, but I would guess that you would enjoy morels. They are quite different from most other mushrooms. They have a dryer more firm texture than other kinds of mushrooms. They are not as mushy and slimy after cooking. The flavor is also unique. If you ever get the opportunity to try a morel, I would take it, even if you hate mushrooms in general.

Back off Barbie!

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

It’sallbs wrote:

You have to know what you are doing with mushroom picking some edible mushrooms look similar to ones which are very poisonous.

For sure caution must be taken. A lot of people have died eating the wrong mushroom. It is important for new mushroom hunters to have an experienced buddy to help with identification. Research must be done first.

Back off Barbie!

[Bob1775Participant 164]

These grow in my back yard last year I found a 5 gallon bucket full of them.They are delicious

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

Bob1775 wrote:

These grow in my back yard last year I found a 5 gallon bucket full of them.They are delicious

Nice, that would be a site to see. I’d be in mushroom heaven.

Back off Barbie!

[TsarParticipant 393]

F~~~ing winter wont stop and is ruining the season were I am at

“A time is coming when men will go mad, and when they see someone who is not mad, they will attack him, saying, ‘You are mad; you are not like us.'”

[Bob1775Participant 164]

The first year I found them while mowing grass and managed to save just a few.last spring I waited and had a path through my back yard full of them.ill take pics and try to post if I can.im not sure of the difference but some where gray in color and others in a orange color.

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

Bob1775 wrote:

The first year I found them while mowing grass and managed to save just a few.last spring I waited and had a path through my back yard full of them.ill take pics and try to post if I can.im not sure of the difference but some where gray in color and others in a orange color.

Yep there are two main kinds of morel. The grey ones are called black morels and, the tan brownish ones are called yellow or golden morels.

In my experience the yellow morels can get pretty big compared to the blacks, I’ve found some whoppers when the conditions were right.

Hopefully your morels will keep coming back every year. Sometimes it seems they take a year or two off from certain spots.

Would love to see your pics if possible. There must be a certain tree nearby feeding them.

Back off Barbie!

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

Tsar wrote:

F~~~ing winter wont stop and is ruining the season were I am at

Same over here. Still cold as a witch’s tit.

Back off Barbie!

[Bob1775Participant 164]

Yeah I have an elm on one side of my yard and last year the old lady next door cut down a dead walnut and ground the stump that might have had a lot to do with it.i had them growing here and there in the yard but the majority where straight east of the old elm tree

[Capslok SpelczechParticipant 108]

Excellent post, Blood Axe. I’ve hunted morels for over 40 years myself, but about all I can tell folks is, the little f~~~ers are elusive.

The weather has to be JUST right, growing season is short, and I have walked back to the same spot where I found a dozen morels growing the year before and found none. I’ve also found a metric s~~~load of morels growing in a place where none grew for 40 years.

About the best tactic I’ve found is to walk every afternoon I can, starting around the third week in April, for as far as I can. The longer and farther I walk, the better I do.

I always cut the mushrooms loose (rather than pull them up) and leave the stems in the ground, so they’ll hopefully grow back next year. I also carry my harvest in a mesh sack like you used to buy onions in at the grocery store, so the spores will spread throughout the woods as I walk.

I split mine long ways, and then soak them in strong salt water for about 6 hours. That seems to draw all the bugs off of them. Then I rinse them, dry them on paper towels a little bit, shake them up with some salt and pepper and flour, and pan-fry them like I would french fries.

I’ve never tasted anything like them before, and they always take me back to being a very small boy and hunting them with my grandfather and my dad.

I never felt the need to take a selfie of myself with my catch, upload it to Instagram, or discuss it on Facebook either. It’s just for me.

"Higgins: Magnum, feed the lads, would you? There are steaks in the freezer. [Magnum makes an excited face] Very well, you can have one too."

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

Capslok Spelczech wrote:

Excellent post, Blood Axe. I’ve hunted morels for over 40 years myself, but about all I can tell folks is, the little f~~~ers are elusive.

The weather has to be JUST right, growing season is short, and I have walked back to the same spot where I found a dozen morels growing the year before and found none. I’ve also found a metric s~~~load of morels growing in a place where none grew for 40 years.

About the best tactic I’ve found is to walk every afternoon I can, starting around the third week in April, for as far as I can. The longer and farther I walk, the better I do.

I always cut the mushrooms loose (rather than pull them up) and leave the stems in the ground, so they’ll hopefully grow back next year. I also carry my harvest in a mesh sack like you used to buy onions in at the grocery store, so the spores will spread throughout the woods as I walk.

I split mine long ways, and then soak them in strong salt water for about 6 hours. That seems to draw all the bugs off of them. Then I rinse them, dry them on paper towels a little bit, shake them up with some salt and pepper and flour, and pan-fry them like I would french fries.

I’ve never tasted anything like them before, and they always take me back to being a very small boy and hunting them with my grandfather and my dad.

I never felt the need to take a selfie of myself with my catch, upload it to Instagram, or discuss it on Facebook either. It’s just for me.

Thanks Capslok. You have many more years of morel experience than I. Morel hunting is the highlight of my spring. I have to hunt those things, I can’t help myself. I’m a morel fool. Well it’s good to hear from you Capslok good luck this year. Hope you find a bushel of them.

Back off Barbie!

[Bob1775Participant 164]

I just spotted 6 just starting to grow in my back yard by elm tree they are about the size of a quarter.northern Indiana…👍👍👍

[Blood AxeParticipant 1179]

That’s awesome, they came back. Hope you get even more. Good eye Bob.

It’s still to cold over here. They will be popping up in not to long though, central Minnesota.

Back off Barbie!

[Bob1775Participant 164]

So far they haven’t gotten any bigger.im not sure if rain would help or not.i took one ☝️ f my sons out there so he could see what they look like so hopefully he found it interesting.hoping to find more for sure.happy hunting to you to.👍

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