# Found some Half Free's



## Catfishingfreak (Sep 6, 2008)

I've never found any half free's before so I was kinda hesitant on keeping them. I brought them home and looked at pictures and compared them to the false morels. After an hour of research I was sure these were half free's. I got out the flour, seasoning and butter and fried 5 of them up. Kinda scary talking that first bite :lol:. Well I did wake up this morning and no sickness  so I guess I'm good to go! There were tons of these all over the woods so I guess I'll have to go back and pick a bushel of them today. I also found a few black and yellows. I would like to find a false morel so I could see the difference between them in person rather than a photo. The half free's seem to be about half the taste of the real morels but they still taste really good and are plentiful right now. I might have to try putting them on some homemade pizza this weekend! Good luck pickin'
CF


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## 2PawsRiver (Aug 4, 2002)

Thought the exact same thing this morning. Fried mine lightly dusted with flour and seasoning in olive oil yesterday. They were great and I'm still alive.:lol:

I didn't leave a bunch out there, but have hopes of finding more.


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## Catfishingfreak (Sep 6, 2008)

2PawsRiver said:


> They were great and I'm still alive.:lol:


We survived! :coco:


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## twohats (Oct 1, 2004)

Catfishingfreak said:


> We survived! :coco:


Same here. I just had my first half frees last night. Picked more today.


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## Nealbopper (May 28, 2008)

Can someone please post a picture. I will look them up also but would like to see pictures also. Thanks in advance.


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## Radar420 (Oct 7, 2004)

Nealbopper said:


> Can someone please post a picture. I will look them up also but would like to see pictures also. Thanks in advance.


check this thread and also the 'sticky' at the top of the page.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=287072


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## Catfishingfreak (Sep 6, 2008)

Nealbopper said:


> Can someone please post a picture. I will look them up also but would like to see pictures also. Thanks in advance.


These are half free. Make sure you see the sticky at the top of this page to see the difference between half free and false. They look almost the same until you cut them open.


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## fasthunter (Sep 15, 2006)

This must be a good year for half-frees I found a couple as well. They are pretty good IMO.


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## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

I picked around 300 over the weekend!

It looks like a good year for them, my spots are producing about twice as many as last year. Many are very large, nice meaty caps. Found a new spot yesterday, 100 nice fresh ones!

14 greys too!


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## All TIME ANGLER (Mar 14, 2008)

Nice work John!! 
I found about 20 blacks up near the Big Man over the weekend. 
I'd like to see what half frees look like/taste like -care to trade a few?


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## StumpJumper (Nov 13, 2001)

This is a false morel, Verpa Bohemica. The cap pops right of the stem very easily and is not attached halfway up like a Half Free. They also have white pithy stuff inside the stem. 

I've seen lots of people picking these too but I wouldn't eat them. They can make you sick.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

About the best way I can explain what a half free is, (like I did to my buddy who keeps stepping on them :rant: :banghead3) is when you slice them in half you'll see a hollow spot between where the stem connects and the tip of the cap. No hollow spot, toss em. Often they look just like the verpa. No sense in NOT being careful though.....


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## knockoff64 (Oct 14, 2001)

All TIME ANGLER said:


> Nice work John!!
> I found about 20 blacks up near the Big Man over the weekend.
> I'd like to see what half frees look like/taste like -care to trade a few?


Sure!

I'll trade a half free for a black anytime. I've got some big fresh caps set aside, most are already dried.

Give me a ring.


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