Morel Hunting...

[morelnmusky]

eyesorbust Way up there sweet Im still scratcing here i hope i didnt get skipped GOOD LUCK SHROOMERS

[MOBY RICHARD*]

I'm surprised they're up already that far North, those varieties must be more cold resistant...or the shallower, more sandy and rocky soils and subsoils, warm faster and hold the heat...if they have'nt grown substantially within a few days, its time to harvest...if the tips start to dry, they aren't likely to amount to much more...

A lot of those up there, are of a smaller variety, and yes a few critters do dine on them...more often I see where a bear or deer has layed them over inadvertently, by walking by, if they are on the least of a path...then the ants can get inside and start to mess them up...people tend to knock them over or even step on them without even noticing...even those out looking and knowing what there looking for...not that I have ever done that ...

Of course most disappear when another hunter comes through and doesn't want to wait for you to come back and get them...and then the ever cursed naieve lawn mowering fanatics, will take out a nice patch in the corner of a yard...mowing should be banned during the Season...

It's time to check the whole Metro Area and even parts a little North...reports are they are showing up here and there all over that area...cooler shady spots will follow warmer semi-sunny spots...but any where in the State, it wouldn't hurt to give a little look see in known areas...

[eyesorbust]

went and checked on the little buggers today and they have all dried up on top. we had 40 mph winds yesterday. it still seems dry in the woods. when i picked them the stems were not hollow is that a concern?

[sparcebag]

Ever hear of the False Morel?? Google it.All morels are Hollow dont eat any that arent!

[updecreek]

yes that sounds like a false morel dont eat......

[Meaney]

went out morel hunting at my parents this weekend over in wisconsin. Saturday evening in the 20 minutes we were out before the rain came me and my mother found roughly 50 greys. Today, me and pops came across another 50 or so, roughly 15 being yellows.

[Meaney]

oh..and also got eaten by the badger again!! we have a sweet spot 10 yards from a badger hole...

[eyesorbust]

goolgled it, and yes the dead give away was the cottony fiberish inside. learn something new eveyday. they just did not look right. i guess we do not havthem tis far north yet

[harvey lee]

I just got done with some sauted ones and a nice juicy steak. Boy, that first meal every year is great. Now, one needs to go and find more to dry.

[updecreek]

how do you dry them for how long? and then after you dry how to store them? do you rehydrate them with water before cooking? heres a recipe my friend told me dry morels then blender to powder morels. mix powder with club crackers then dip walleye in egg then cracker/morels blend fry in oil/butter. the rest is history... i tried havery recipe but used potato flakes,eggs then fry heres video.

[harvey lee]

I dry them in a dehydrator and then place them in 1 quart mason jars and seal the top. Then, when I take some out to use, I rehydrate them in milk for a few hours.

As far as how long to dry, for me it depends on how many trays I have going at one time. I dry them until they are fairly firm to the touch.

[toddb]

eyesorbust,

I found these in my yard yesterday by an old popple stump. I live in thief river so they should be popping up by you soon.

[schr0563]

What's the best tactic for actually spotting morels on the ground? Do you guys get on your hands and knees and comb through the leaf litter inch by inch to find these little buggers? I have searched some dead standing elm groves for the last 3 years and have never found a single morel. Either I'm not looking close enough, or there just aren't any there. This is in the Eden Prairie/Chanhassen area.

[harvey lee]

No, I slowly walk through the brush with a long stick in my hands and move the cover around. I can usually see the yellows fairly wasy but the smaller greays are tough ones at times. One just needs to find the right location. Only way is to keep checking different spots and it will happen. I personally like to check around dying elms, on a south slope with prickly ash. That seems to be where I have my best luck but, I have also found them in other locations also.

The elms that I try to locate are the dying ones where the bark is starting to fall off. Not the totally dead ones that look like they have not had any bark on them for years.

[schr0563]

The elms that I try to locate are the dying ones where the bark is starting to fall off. Not the totally dead ones that look like they have not had any bark on them for years.

This is an interesting observation. The places I have been looking without any luck have elms that have been dead for quite some time (no bark left at all). It sounds like I should start looking elsewhere.

[Meaney]

What's the best tactic for actually spotting morels on the ground? Do you guys get on your hands and knees and comb through the leaf litter inch by inch to find these little buggers? I have searched some dead standing elm groves for the last 3 years and have never found a single morel. Either I'm not looking close enough, or there just aren't any there. This is in the Eden Prairie/Chanhassen area.

HAHA, my best tactic is to NOT look for them...seems I find more when im not looking for them.

[weimaraner guy]

Found 11 pounds of yellows and greys looking Friday thru Sunday down by Peterson, MN.. Looked around Dover, MN. today and had no luck. Could use some rain since south slopes are getting dry.

[updecreek]

welcome first post about 11 pounds........i found 15 pounds of well i cant tell you that but it came out of a dark alley deep in the heart of dakota county.....

[MOBY RICHARD*]

I was away checking spots, enjoying the outdoors, glad you figured out not to eat those...if you can please post pictures so other know what not ot eat...

The true False Morels, should not even be taken into a closed area, as the fumes or whatever are condsidered somewhat toxic, depending on concentration...

There are those that smugly profess to eat them, but the toxins can accumulate in the body, or the body loses tolerance over time, and then suddenly, poof one day they keel over...

So study the pictures carefully, True Morels will have the spongy with holes look amd the hollow stem and head...

The False Morel will have more of a folded smooth sponge look, not hollow all through, and usually a lot heavier for their size...

Once you understand the two different looks, it is difficult to mistake one for the other...

Well, I didn't find any yet, in the Cambridge-North Branch and East areas I checked, too cold at night yet, I think...

Did get a bonus surprise though today...First Fawn of the season...I thought it was too early this year, but some times I get an early one or two...

I saw Mama go off up ahead, and thought little of it, 'til a moment later the little one popped up and started trailing around and licking some wet grasses...very unusual behavior for a newer fawn...

I thought at first it was a little Coyote trailing around, and waited 'til it bedded down again, to be sure it was a fawn, walked up on it, and oops, a little closer than I had marked, I was looking ahead and not seeing it, when I almost stepped on it...

It let out the loudest, sharpest, single, "MOMM " I ever heard, and stumbled off to another spot...

I kept walking my circuit around the corner of a rise, and wouldn't you know it, here comes ol' stumbles, over the top and down, and beds down right next to my path, about 100 yards on...

So I went on, passed right by sayin' Howdy, and on my way...

It was much larger than expected, and far more adventurous, so I would expect it was a little buck, and I know I will watch it grow...if it didn't ring the dinner bell for the Coyotes... in the den about 100 yards away...

[MOBY RICHARD*]

Welcome weimaraner guy, to FM, sorry about the blast off you first received...

I see you found these over a period of three days, and then didn't find any...there's no good reason to doubt your finds...

I don't know of any Weimaraner people of bad character...so don't be discouraged and please keep posting...

[Johnsonator]

Moby, I have been looking in the cambridge area and haven't found any yet either. Let me know when you spot your first ones in this area.

[Jameson]

South of the Metro today, maybe 3 pounds.

[jparrucci]

Alright, this is my 3rd year now searching for these mystical creatures. I have yet to find a sinlge one after many, many hours of looking. All I find is wood ticks. I've searched all over the south metro in the AV, Burnsville, Rosemount, Eagan area in parks, and have yet to find a single one. If anyone can point me in the right direction, or willing to go out and help me, that would rock. If somebody wants to email me with a park or area that you have found them before (I don't need somebodies seceret spot, but at least somewhere in my area that I can at least stumble into a few). I'm free most weekenights from 6pm on. You can email me at jparrucci at yahoo dot com. Any help would be appreciated. I'm starting to think these things don't exist.

[Powerstroke]

This has been my first year out looking and of course I havne't found any. I spent the weekend turkey hunting in So. Central MN and found none. I know my trees and am very woods savvy. I guess I figured I'd find at least one. I didn't see a single mushroom, period.

Any thoughts? I also live in the SW metro so maybe I should look closer to home too.

[fishorgolf]

Nobody gives up there mushroom spots It's like given up your BBQ recipe. "nothin good even comes of it"

But seriously. The hardest thing you will ever do is find the first one. get's much easier after that.