How To Hunt and Find Mushrooms

One of the funnest things that I enjoy is finding and hunting for mushrooms.  Many states across America claim to be the mushroom capital of the world.  Actually mushrooms can be found in many places.  This article explains how to find and hunt mushrooms.

1.  The odd-looking fungi may be found at the base of elm or ash trees, and sometimes even beneath logs deep in the woods.

2.  The early part of each spring you can hunt for a certain elusive type of fungus known as the morel mushroom.  It is important to know when these type of mushrooms can be identified.

3.  The best time for mushrooms is early April to late May, depending on where you live.

4.  Morel hunting requires a keen eye and a walking stick for turning over brush and the like in the woods. Morels appear to be social mushrooms, concentrating in patches should a searcher be lucky enough to come across one.  Insect repellent is also a good idea.

5.  As a rule of thumb, if you find one you’ll find several.

6.  One thing to watch for, however, is the so-called “false morel,” an impostor that bears more than a passing resemblance to its real counterpart.

7. The only true way to tell them apart is to cut them open. A real morel is hollow inside, while a false one is not.

8.  I always use an onion sack to collect morels, this helps to spread their spores around as you are looking for them. 10# orange or onion sacks are the best, and when they get full I empty the mushrooms into a sack or cooler at the car or camp, then go back out. If they get too heavy in your sack, the morels on the bottom will get crushed, that is why we use smaller bags to collect with.

9.  I find whites also on the edge of the forest while driving along, but don't forget the power lines that are cut through stands of hardwoods. You can walk these with ease and you can really find some BIG Whites at the edges of these areas. Also apple orchards and stands of dead elm seem to give up white morels. The BIG problem is finding these spots!

10.  I like to wait for a good warm rain, then if the good Lord is kind, a few nice warm sunny days and then hit the woods hard. The second and third days after a WARM rain is the prime time to hit your favorite spots. This will produce usually works good, but I have always done well on those 2nd and 3rd days. (This goes for both white and black morels.)

11.  Always use a sharp knife for cutting off your mushrooms.  Twisting and pulling will break them up.

12.  Hunting mushrooms is also a fun time for the family to get outdoors.  The more eyes you have looking, the better off you are.  It also provides good outdoor exercise with a purpose.

sources;  Excerpts for this article were taken from Morel Mushroom Hunting Tips

Comments (0)