# Success!!



## Whopper 24 (Sep 7, 2017)

Decided to take a walk into a spot where I usually find some blacks... took my Hawkeye 8 yr old daughter along. Didn’t take long, and we spotted a couple. Milled around and picked some, left some, ended with 27, just enough fill up the skillet. 
Wish I understood why and where the blacks grow... few old dead elms, oak leaves, cherry, autumn olive around...? 
Hillsdale county


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Whopper 24 said:


> Decided to take a walk into a spot where I usually find some blacks... took my Hawkeye 8 yr old daughter along. Didn’t take long, and we spotted a couple. Milled around and picked some, left some, ended with 27, just enough fill up the skillet.
> Wish I understood why and where the blacks grow... few old dead elms, oak leaves, cherry, autumn olive around...?
> Hillsdale county


Congrats!

My best spot was changed...

The sweet spot was the mounds of ancient/long downed great trees that were barely noticeable humps. That goes back to tree types before those existing after/currently....
Even though the current tree specie when I was doing so well was a factor. (I hope that makes sense).
Did you noticed the characteristics of the ground underfoot?
My best picking ,you sink into the surface more than other areas. Almost a extra porous loam condition. So much that footprints were noticeable.

We pick the fruit of an underground growth that spreads out.
What is underground and conditions where it thrives the best after the mycelium gets established is key to consistency. In my opinion.
Over the course of time it gets spread through spores , and other colonies get established , IF conditions favor what needs to grow underground. Plus temps. , plus amount of rain.

Soil p.h. , moisture, acidity of trees near...
Your cherry and elm are likely related to your success. Poplar is good too though you didn't mention any.
It has been only on banner years I've picked in (small/second growth) oaks near good black producing areas. And with lots of rain.
Did the rain reduce acidity? Or just encourage fruiting because it was one last needed ingredient (beyond basic survival) that triggered fruiting?


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## Whopper 24 (Sep 7, 2017)

Thanks for the feedback Waif... I found the spot by accident looking for grays by a dead elm couple years ago... walked up and found big old blacks.. the soil is not super soft, more gravel/sand


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Whopper 24 said:


> Thanks for the feedback Waif... I found the spot by accident looking for grays by a dead elm couple years ago... walked up and found big old blacks.. the soil is not super soft, more gravel/sand


You have a lucky elm! L.o.l..

A gal brought me a bunch of whites once from beach sand.
I washed and washed and washed, and crunched sand anyways.
She asked if I wanted more and despite their being morels , I turned her down...


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

My guess is a live ash close by


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## esgowen (Feb 27, 2011)

Could also be the cherry trees ..ive had limited luck with blacks around the cherry trees but have found some..


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## esgowen (Feb 27, 2011)

Waif said:


> You have a lucky elm! L.o.l..
> 
> A gal brought me a bunch of whites once from beach sand.
> I washed and washed and washed, and crunched sand anyways.
> She asked if I wanted more and despite their being morels , I turned her down...


I had a buudy who used get a bunch in a Christmas tree farm ..same way filled with sand .


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## baycountyhunter (Apr 15, 2014)

Waif said:


> You have a lucky elm! L.o.l..
> 
> A gal brought me a bunch of whites once from beach sand.
> I washed and washed and washed, and crunched sand anyways.
> She asked if I wanted more and despite their being morels , I turned her down...


do you own an air compressor? Just blow out the sand next time.


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## Whopper 24 (Sep 7, 2017)

Hit my black patch again today, found 15 more. Need some sunshine.


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## Hook and Ladder (Mar 1, 2019)

Hey Whopper those would taste good with some walleye if you have any.


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## Whopper 24 (Sep 7, 2017)

Nah I’m fresh out lol!! didn’t get to fish today, but did well Monday and Tuesday trolling out of Bolles


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## Hook and Ladder (Mar 1, 2019)

We jigged blades both days and did well also. Hopefully get in a couple more before planting.


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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)

My spots for blacks in metro Detroit are associated with decaying black cherry, tulip poplar and overall mature hardwoods. Not like I get a lot- but it’s cool to get em 15 minutes from home.


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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)




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## DanSS26 (Jul 10, 2008)

Grinnell said:


> My spots for blacks in metro Detroit are associated with decaying black cherry, tulip poplar and overall mature hardwoods.


Decaying black cherry? I thought they grew around live black cherry. Am I wrong?


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

DanSS26 said:


> Decaying black cherry? I thought they grew around live black cherry. Am I wrong?


Probably are feeding on both live and decaying trees. I read where they are uncertain many years ago, haven't revisited my interest in that for some time now. I seem to remember they are not parasitic to any trees though. My experience is practical and I just go with it, and listen to what I hear that sounds credible.


OK as I was about to send this I dug up what I read about them. here is a quote from the mushroomexpert.com site. Click on the words saprobic & mycorrhizal for the feeding processes for black morels.

You can see how little is really known about them, evident by the lack of any viable farming of them.



> *Description:*
> 
> 
> Ecology: Possibly saprobic and mycorrhizal at different points in its life cycle; growing alone, scattered, or gregariously under hardwoods, including white ash, green ash, and tulip tree; March through May; widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains.


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## Grinnell (Nov 20, 2019)

DanSS26 said:


> Decaying black cherry? I thought they grew around live black cherry. Am I wrong?


Honestly I have no idea. This spot was just a fluke. I found it in June. Was birdwatching and walking the dog and I saw a huge rotten morel standing like a Christmas tree. Upon closer inspection it was a black! So for the past 8? Years I’ve hit it with success. There’s a giant decaying black cherry on a hill and downhill a flat with compact leaf litter and almost no other plants. There are some giant grape vines there- but no telltale signs like an ash tree... same thing in a spot three hundred yards from there- rotten cherry with rows of morels posting up right along side of it.


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