Any Mushroom Hunters out there?

[Guest]

This really has nothing to do with open water but I thought I would see if there are any other Mushroon Hunters on this Forum. I start Turkey Hunting next week and then it is Mushroom hunting. Anyone been out yet or found any. When I lived in Iowa we would have been filling the bags already. Anyone else?ScottS

[Guest]

When I was over in England all the locals told us it was the perfect time to harvest shrooms in some of the local pastures. They had it down to a science.......but I think those mushrooms were different than the ones you are talking about......

[Cliff Wagenbach]

I usually start hunting morel mushrooms around the second week of the stream trout season up here on "da Range".
Catch a few brookies and maybe find a few morels after! Great eating!!
Cliff

------------------
Cliff's Guide Service
CliffsGuideService-LakeVermilion.com
Lake Vermilion
Phone: (218) 753-2005

[MnSportsman]

I'll start looking more this week. This chillier weather probably slowed the growth down some, but hopefully they'll be popping up around here soon.Then, it's almost a contest to be the one who gets them first, but after giving them a chance to grow to a decent size. You have to check on them & hope no one else gets them before you do.
My mouth started watering as I typed this...

[Guest]

I am very interested in learning more about harvesting wild mushrooms, what is a good resource for learning about the most common edible wild mushrooms? particularly, I am very familiar with wild morels, does the false morel closely resemble the edible morel?

[Guest]

Pick up "The Audubon Society Field Guide To Wild Mushrooms"They have color plates that really help you identify the right mushrooms.

A couple years a go we had morels growing in my back yard.It was great,the only thing was that they grew right on the property line.It was a race to get home from work to beat the neighbor to them.I haven't had much luck other than that in the metro area.I think its a popular sport and am usually beat to the best patches.I have tried other varieties of wild shrooms and they were very good.

[Guest]

Hay man like just don't eat the wrong ones man!

Before ya know it them turkeys will start takling back to ya.

Nothing is worse then getting tree'ed by a flock of chatty turkeys man, woooooo bummer.

[Bodyman]

Nothing like a paper bag full of morels to make me smile. I look forward to this every year as much or more than fishing or hunting openers. There are many spots around the Metro that produce morels as long as the weather cooperates. I concentrate on areas with dead elms.Small stands or large single trees along public roadways are my main sources.

The false morels are very easy to distiguish from the real thing if you find one(their not very common) Here's a link to some picks of false morels
Happy picking
http://nt2.advant.com/kuocgi2/morels/falsemoreltypes.html

[JIGSTER]

Snow What a bummer!!The shrooms won't be poppin' for awhile.The moisture is a good thing though, after this we need some warm days and nites.People I talk to claim when the lilacs bloom go look for a shroom.Might be a bunch of talk, seems to work!Any other theories?? Walleye,Venison,Morels and a cold one!!Don't get much better!!

Have a good one, Jigster

[DARK30]

I TRIED TO FIND SOME LAST YEAR BUT IT WAS SUCH A CRAZY SPRING. NOW WE GOT A SNOW STORM GOING THROUGH. I MAY GET OUT NEXT WEEKEND AROUND PRESTON, MN. IF THE TROUT ARE LOCK LIPPED, I'LL GIVER ANOTHER SHOT.

I KNOW ONE THING....THOSE MORELS ARE GOOD FRIED IN BUTTER ON A CAMPFIRE!

------------------
cast,cast,cast,cast......

[Buckets]

We used to go out for a brown shroom when I was a kid, the 'good' ones were always by hard wood stumps and had a " web " under them. Used to get them by the washtub and bucket fulls ! will have to give it a try again while my mom is still around to help get the right ones .. They sure are good too with onions !!

[Guest]

I was down by Red Wing yesterday fishing and I could tell they are much closer to seeing mushrooms that I am in Central MN. But, this snow today is going to put things back a little. A few more sunny days and we should start getting some reports in from Southern MN. So, when you start finding them, post it here. It will be interesting to track the progress North.

As for good resources, I usually only hunt Morels and there are all the resources you need on the net. Do a search of on the word Morel and you will get more info then you really need. After a little reading it will take some strong legs and patience. Good luck.ScottS

[Valv]

I am originally from Italy. Mushrooms there are a big deal. My only concern is having somebody that will certify they are not poisonus. Every year there were many articles on newspapers of people dying or getting very sick because of bad mushrooms. There are "stations" there where you can have them checked from an expert (just like a DNR CO office) and have your peace of mind. I wish there is something like that here too, I really like good fresh ones.
Be very careful when you eat them.

Val

[Guest]

That is a good idea!

I bet if you made a call or 2 you could find a DNR expert willing to look them over. Maybe even a park person in some regions would have the knowledge to be of help.

I bet most of the DNR folks in the regions were they are found do a bit of mushroom hunting themselves.

Good thinking!

------------------
Backwater Eddy..><,sUMo,>

Backwater Guiding
"Ed on the RED"
(701)-281-2300
[email protected]
http://home.talkcity.com/ResortRd/backwtr1/index.html

[Guest]

Better yet, when you find a bunch, give me a call and I will help you look them over, cook them and EAT THEM!!!!! HEHE

But seriously, there are great sites on the web that have very good pictures of edible mushrooms and the ones that you "don't want to eat" I pretty much stick with Morels-- tough to go wrong there.ScottS

[Guest]

Going to visit back in Indiana Friday - Sunday and hope to find a couple bread sacks full during the trip. The big yellow morels should be starting to pop. Dead elms with the bark just starting to slide off the tree seem to be the best spots. A little egg wash, seasoned flour, fried in a cast iron skillet. Breakfast of Champions.

[nunzio]

Venison chops and morels, does it get any better? Now my mouth is watering..I knew reading/typing this was a bad idea !! -nunzio

[Raven]

bump

[Guest]

Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, So pretty much; if it is cone shaped, and earthy in color, and looks like a morel, it is a morel? Looks like there are a lot of good resources on the web, and I think a field manual is a great idea too. I have also heard there are classes in the metro area, to learn how to ID all sorts of edible mushrooms.

[Guest]

If you have never mushroom hunted or are just getting into it here are some tips. The best place to start is in the woods obviously. After a rain when the nights are in the 40's for several days. Start with South facing slopes, they warm up the fastest. I target dead elm trees and ash, but I never pass up any dead tree. If you find one, keep looking in the area, there will be more usually. The day after a rain is also a good time to go out. Later in the spring, North facing hills are better, as they stay wet longer and the mushrooms tend to last longer when they are not baking in the sun. When you find some just break them off but don't pull them all the way out.

As for a bag, you want to use a mesh type of bag so the spores are able to fall back to the earth. This will provide you with more mushrooms in the future. Oh, and don't forget fence lines. Even though there are not trees along them, there may have been in the past and they have been cut down. The roots are still in the ground from the old trees and that it the important thing. Just some tips to get you started.ScottS

[nunzio]

Is anybody having any luck finding morels yet?? We still have 20 degree night time lows.. -nunzio

[Guest]

I live in central Iowa and we've been picking them for about 2 weeks now. Found approx. 5lbs last night on the flats and south facing slopes.

[Guest]

I have been keeping an eye on your weather in Iowa and I figured you should be finding them already. Todays rain should only help. As for MN, probably a little early, atleast in Central MN. I will start looking in some of my "early spots" next week. Again, it takes 3-4 nights in the 40's along with many other things to really get things going. Keep the reports coming!!ScottS

[nunzio]

Glad to hear that they are starting... I live in northern Mn., so I 've got awhile to wait yet. In fact we have an inch of snow with more falling!! -nunzio

[nunzio]

Hey, how are the fungus foragers doing? How far north have they started appearing? It's warming up finely, at least the snow has been gone for a couple of days. -nunzio