# Help a newbe morel hunter.



## bigair (Apr 16, 2004)

:help: :help: I have been looking for morels for about five years now and have yet to find a single one. I am usually searching while on steelhead and trout fishing forays, but have devoted quite a bit of time only to morel hunting. I think you guys know something I don't, being able to find them all or most of the time. I know that once you know what to look for it would be much easier. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do know what they look like and have looked anywhere from deep woods to clearcuts. I'm not asking for anyone to give away there hotspots, just a little help to get me pointed in the right direction. :help: :help:


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## trout (Jan 17, 2000)

Look for dead elms, Sumac, briars, poplar/aspen
Stay away from clay soils.
Apple trees are a good choice too.
I walked 100 acre spot for two days once before I found three.
After that I was able to locate more in future years.
Keep trying


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## Jumpshootin' (Jul 6, 2000)

> I have been looking for morels for about five years now and have yet to find a single one


Take some kids with you. They'll find 'em all. Lower to the ground and better eyes.
Once you find one, the others will start popping up out of nowhere. I'll just add one thing to what Trout mentioned: check around Black Ash trees also.


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## Linda G. (Mar 28, 2002)

that book was written a long time ago, but it's still worth its weight in gold...

in it you'll find tips like watching areas that 4-5 years ago had some kind of disturbance to the soil, or wildfire burn areas...and that a good white area will produce year after year after year, maybe not as much, but sometimes, when conditions are right, even more. 

It takes moisture to produce any mushroom, so if the weather has been very dry for several weeks, there aren't going to be many morels. If it's been abnormally cold, you're not going to have many, either. But if you have normal (not too much, the spores drown, five days of driving rain would be trouble) amounts of rain, and normal spring temps, they're probably there, somewhere. Heat, over 80 degrees for more than a few days, does em in, too. 

In France they use pigs to find truffles, I have always wondered if that would work for morels...but I haven't wondered that enough to buy a pig... :corkysm55


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## Belair (Sep 22, 2003)

What area are you looking in? I would say that I've typically found them in southern michigan in the first part of may. Northern Lower Peninsula, I typically have a lot of success the weekend before Memorial day. But, as stated already, it really does depend on the weather. I know of a guy who claims he found about 1000 of them last week in southern michigan. Weekend before memorial day last year, I found about 600 in one morning in northern lower. I usually watch for a few good days of rain, and a few nights in a row where the temp is warm.


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## skulldugary (Apr 12, 2003)

We like to look in popal thickets and have about a half a dozen we hunt in.Our best spot is a 60 acre thicket that turns in to hard woods that has a lot of lot rotten logs strewn everywhere and is kind of hilly,the majority of the ones we get there come from the vallies and south facing slops.


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## bigair (Apr 16, 2004)

I have typically been looking in clearcuts that have grown over a bit. Places that I would hunt for grouse or woodcock. Thanks for all the tips. I will definately try them out this year.


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## DOWNTOEARTH (Jan 7, 2001)

You have already had some great advice from your other replys, here is a little more. I have found that morels need sweet loamy soil. You won't find them (except for the occassional odd ball) near Oaks, total piney woods or other acidic type flora. Look for spongy white forest floor. By "white" I mean
tree leaves that turn whitish when old. Like poplar, aspen, etc. By "spongy" I mean the forest floor has lots of decay that creates a spongy feel when you walk on it or poke your walking stick into it. Not wet though, they don't seem to like very wet feet. A good moisture content is essential however.

Keep looking you will find them, and they are worth the hunt.

Been out only twice this year, but the count is over 200. Yum.


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