Morel Season

[eustace]

It is Morel season, and the way things are going at work that might be all I can afford to do. No license required, just fuel for the trip. If you find more than you can eat or preserve you can make some good money selling your over stock.

The day before yesterday I found about 20 in my yard and today there is no work at work and I was told to take the day off, so here I go.

Any body else a Morel lover out there. I will post how I did and where most seem to be.

[Rollin with Rolland]

Ya eustace, I'm with you. Mmm....morel season. I started a thread last year but only a handful of us are hunters. I'm used to the midwest, where I have found many. I have actually only found 2 technically in WA. Now Northern Idaho....that's a different story....

Anyway, on the east side there, It seems like the morels are a little more plentiful. Or, it could be I'm just to much of a rookie on the westside... I've been looking casually for the last week, but nothing. I think it is tougher where I am because of the latitude(48.5)+elevation factors....It seems they come quick, and leave quick here. Very small window. And, there are so many micro climates, your never really sure when and where. I guess I just need more years under my belt...

Happy hunting and good luck....let's hear some reports (:-# ) and see some pictures!!

BTW...what does everyone do for preservation?? I usually just sun dry my extras,and put them in jars lightly sealed. But I have really wanted to try "smoking" them. (not that kinda smoking them...but over a maple fire say, or hickory, or walnut...:chef: )

What's typically the eastern season, and what's typically the western season??

[eustace]

I never even heard of smoking them, that peaks my intrest.

I dehydrate them sometimes, but, usually my extended family (esp Grandmother) are right there for my extras.

Well I found more in my yard Monday than I did all day. I whent up north and looked in a last year fire and found a couple. I looked in a last year clear cut and found a couple. I looked all over, I think I will give till weekend after next. It has been unseasonally cold this spring.

[curado]

i have had my moral season already i get the early. heres picks

[swedefish4life1]

Not Shroms:cyclopsan I survived that as well:colors:

[curado]

put these puppies on steakes now thats tasty. that 1st pic that moral was 9 inches tall

[Rollin with Rolland]

CAREFUL CURADO!!!

Neither of those are morels.

Here is a great site Morel mushroom hunting.

Those are both edible (somewhat) cousins of morels, but NOT MORELS! The first is called a "half free" or Verpa genus. Very much edible. The second looks like a false morel. Not recommended to eat, but plenty of people do. Causes problems w/some people. MAKE SURE YOU GOT A FOR SURE ID ON THE SHROOMS YOU INTEND TO CONSUME!!! Don't want to mistake a death cap ([-o< ) for a shaggy mane.

But, glad to hear you're into hunting. Just be careful. Here are a couple of river bottom yellow morels from last may...

[curado]

lucky for me my neighbor said they are morels and they hunt the same grounds as i do. they just look like the poisonious ones because they are small. thanks for watching out for me though.

[wolverine]

Growing up I spent several years in Michigan where hunting Morels in the spring is darn near a religion. Here in WA I've found them in cottonwood stands above flood level along the rivers and in clear cut areas at higher elevations. Very short season (at least for me) on the wet side. On the dry side I've done reasonably well in areas that burned the previous year.
To preserve them I split, clean, blanch, and either can or freeze.

[Rollin with Rolland]

lucky for me my neighbor said they are morels and they hunt the same grounds as i do. they just look like the poisonious ones because they are small. thanks for watching out for me though.

NO SIR. They do not look like the poisonous ones, because there are no poisonous "ones". The false morels cause some indigestion and what not, but not poisonous in the traditional sense unless you want to get technical. Those are almost certainly false morels. (the second two) The pictures I posted are of mushrooms only about 3" high. The growth pattern (short, no/small stem, and large "cerebral" top are dead giveaways for a false morel.) I can't say 100% without direct observation/study, but I'd say with my experience 98% sure... . I don't claim to be right all the time, but because your neighbor said they were morels, doesn't make them morels!! Just be careful....

[fishaholictaz]

I have to agree with RR those aren't morels#-o

I used to go cut fire wood and pick morels in eastern OR. when I was 16 and 17 made over $150 every trip into the woods:-"

[SPARKY101]

I like chantrelles..they be yummy..cut and eat,dont wastes the flavor of natural:cheers:

Hey check this site out..look in the odd gallery

http://www.wyomingoutdoorsradio.com/

[davidwat1]

Growing up I spent several years in Michigan where hunting Morels in the spring is darn near a religion. Here in WA I've found them in cottonwood stands above flood level along the rivers and in clear cut areas at higher elevations. Very short season (at least for me) on the wet side. On the dry side I've done reasonably well in areas that burned the previous year.
To preserve them I split, clean, blanch, and either can or freeze.

I grew up in Ohio (Sorry Wolverine, but a tried and true Buckeye transplant I am):cheers: and I haven't had morels since(18 yrs), but they are absolutely one of my favorite things to eat! If anyone has surplus and they want to sell a few, please PM me! BTW Wolverine, I have to admit to get the really big morels, we'd have to make the trip up North!:-"

[eustace]

On our way up to see my nephews up at Waitts Lakes this morning we stopped and checked a few places that should have had Morels but, still no luck. I have heard of people finding them in north Idaho, so now I am wondering if I am a ltttle late. I don't think so (hope not), as I said before I will spend a good day looking next week one more time.

[Rollin with Rolland]

Let's not say the "L" word eustace.. I talked to a guy in my area last night about his hunting season this year, and......HE SAID THEY ARE DONE!! He has been hunting my area for a long time, and he said he found some two weeks ago, but very few since. Well, It was kinda a cold winter, so it's hard for me to believe it's already LATE. I'll keep searching. I guess if I hit the motherlode I'd say it was to late also...... I think mushroom hunters are as bad as anglers at lying....

[eustace]

LOL, you should have seen the Morel that got away, it would have been the new world record I am sure of it.

My bud and I whent fishing again today and looked around a little bit late this afternoon for some. We did't find any Morels but, we find a patch of Califlower mushrooms and they are prety good. If I had a digital camera I would show what they look like. I haven't seen any Beefstakes either so I don't think it is to late. Also here on the est side you can follow them up the mountians, I have found them in mid june above Priest Lake Idaho in the past.

[noclothes1]

The top pic are Verpas. Also, if they were morels you should cut them above ground, not dig them up. Another easy way to tell if it is a morel is to cut it open. it will be hollow inside.

We drove over the mountain a couple weekends ago but only found 2 morels (morchela elata). I bet this last weekend was great where we went.

Hunt in recently burned areas. (3 years or newer) The morels love the calcium carbonate that leaches from the ash.

[Rollin with Rolland]

well, noclothes, sounds like our best bet is eastside or elevation now. Obviously the skunk cabbage is bloomed, and lilac's are well on there way in our area. I'm thinking around 3K might be ok now, maybe even 3,500 ft. I'm taking a trek "up" to check this week/weekend. Cross my fingers....:chef:

[racfish]

Swerde you old fashioned guy.Its spelled SHROOMS!!!! I survived those days also.Wait!! I'm still surviving them.The Kent /Auburn valley was the popular hunting grounds for manure piles.I used to go get eating ones around Fall.Down near Shelton area off Hiway 101.Are those not morels?

[swedefish4life1]

Pulling shrooms:-# eating them I would not call hunting maybe the Chasing butter fly and net crowd!:-$ :chef:


Here are 3 pickers who will share:cyclopsan :colors: