# Looking Forward



## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

randall729 said:


> thank you. I would be in an old mixed hardwoods. has sandy loam soil and thick leaf cover. there is hilly ground. had trouble last spring cause of a ruptured disc but can walk better now since disc taken out. now I be able to climb the hills better for a look-see. I'll watch the you-tube you sent with the message. thank you so much. like you say mushrooms aren't as reliable every year. (not like the paycheck I got last May and will again show up this May?)


That youtube link is my signature, homage to Cripple Creek near where I spent much of my youth not to mention a dam great tune, it's not about morels..... 

.....GOOD LUCK TO YA!!!


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## randall729 (Feb 18, 2015)

Oldgrandman said:


> That youtube link is my signature, homage to Cripple Creek near where I spent much of my youth not to mention a dam great tune, it's not about morels.....
> 
> .....GOOD LUCK TO YA!!!


didn't get a chance to listen. had to go to the soo. but saved the youtube in my bookmarks bar. thank you. i'll listen to the tune fur sure. RRB


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## randall729 (Feb 18, 2015)

john warren said:


> amen to that. some grow out by my pines in the back yard,, since the snow has melted off that area i must have checked it 6 times,lol. i know it won't be long. i'm going to run an extension cord out there with my electric fry pan and some butter,, will set the pan so as i cut the morrels stem it will instantly drop into the hot butter and begin to cook.
> 
> also the white pine bolettes won't be too far behind them. :fish2:


went to the soo today. got me a southern michigan county maps guide. shows public and private lands, trails. now will keep my eyes out for the mushroom book. also if I remember from 15 yrs ago? M.S.U. extention office had a book for like $6.? had pictures. RRB


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

randall729 said:


> went to the soo today. got me a southern michigan county maps guide. shows public and private lands, trails. now will keep my eyes out for the mushroom book. also if I remember from 15 yrs ago? M.S.U. extention office had a book for like $6.? had pictures. RRB


 


My GO TO book for ALL mushrooms. A must have IMO.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/National-Audubon-Society-American-Mushrooms/dp/0394519922/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427384588&sr=8-1&keywords=MUSHROOM+BOOK"]National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides): NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY: 9780394519920: Amazon.com: [email protected]@[email protected]@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/[email protected]@[email protected]@51YJPZB0VXL[/ame]


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## JAA (Oct 6, 2004)

Oldgrandman said:


> The habitat for morels is not carved in stone.
> 
> As any veteran can testify. Quite often the best looking habitat does NOT produce, while at other times the most unlikely habitat DOES produce...and it can be here one season, gone the next season or so on.....  &%$#*@!?
> 
> But generally, an old orchard, popplar stand, or old mixed hardwood forest with varying ground cover is a good start.....


Boy you can say that! I found a few bags of whites, Growing right next to a strip of operating rail road track in macomb county, Not a tree in sight, you just never know Went back the following year nothing nada guess it was a 1 year deal. J


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## randall729 (Feb 18, 2015)

JAA said:


> Boy you can say that! I found a few bags of whites, Growing right next to a strip of operating rail road track in macomb county, Not a tree in sight, you just never know Went back the following year nothing nada guess it was a 1 year deal. J


Maybe cause last year I struck out, I should go ahead and look around again. We did see other hunters getting some and spotted a few picked stems. Very few though. There's GOT to be something in this forest. Thank you members for all the pointers. It is appreciated.


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## randall729 (Feb 18, 2015)

Sprytle said:


> My GO TO book for ALL mushrooms. A must have IMO.
> 
> National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides): NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY: 9780394519920: Amazon.com: [email]Books


Book store in the Soo might have one I can look at whenever I get downtown. I know they have other Audoban books and guides.


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Sprytle said:


> My GO TO book for ALL mushrooms. A must have IMO.
> 
> National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms (National Audubon Society Field Guides): NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY: 9780394519920: Amazon.com: Books


That's "THE BIBLE".


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)




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## randall729 (Feb 18, 2015)

Sprytle said:


>


Teasin' me. Now I really want to head downstate. Very nice . Hope I'll be able to send in pics. the lower pic #3 is called blacks? I understand that the different color mushrooms appear at different times like a week apart?


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

randall729 said:


> Maybe cause last year I struck out, I should go ahead and look around again. We did see other hunters getting some and spotted a few picked stems. Very few though. There's GOT to be something in this forest. Thank you members for all the pointers. It is appreciated.


Tell ya what, PM me the spot coordinates of "this forest" and I'll come on up and see what I can do and report back, free of charge.....


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## randall729 (Feb 18, 2015)

Oldgrandman said:


> Tell ya what, PM me the spot coordinates of "this forest" and I'll come on up and see what I can do and report back, free of charge.....


BIG place room for everyone. 540322 acres. coor. are where i beenlooking. according to the map. 43.48 degree N by 86.10 degree W or 43.85 degree N by 85.95 degree W. (last coor. might be Baldwin Office?)

Manistee Forest - much of the forest had been abandoned by logging companies after being logged off a century ago.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

Morels _can_ be found in about any habitat (I've found some in sand dunes!), but I look for specific trees for scouting. I personally look for ash, elm, or apple trees (in that order) and avoid woods with heavy oak populations. I also avoid places that have flooded, even if it only flooded a handful of times over the years. This is just my guide, nothing is set in stone or out of the question. Strangely enough, by best spot for yellows is a 40 acre property that was planted with alternating rows of white pine and mixed hardwood about 25 years ago. The yellows grow right in the pine straw....it's strange. 

Once you find a productive spot, legwork & timing are everything. Some of my places are so early that they are done producing before other spots of mine have started producing. This early/late pattern of my known spots seems to be pretty consistent for me over the years.


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

I had a post on FB come up from three years and it was a few blacks I found on 3/29/12. That was a wierd year. Last season was phenomenal. Hopefully this one is too.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

Nice! One year I found one on April 1st and it was really dried out, I'm sure it had been up for a couple days. My second earliest was April 3rd, and I think I found a small batch on that day.

I don't think that is happening this year!


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## Boardman Brookies (Dec 20, 2007)

Nope not this year! We got about two inches of snow today.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

Start of the warm April rains today!! Wont be long now......


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

Yep, I _might_ go look tomorrow in one of my early spots. It's probably too early, but you never know.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)

hypox said:


> Yep, I _might_ go look tomorrow in one of my early spots. It's probably too early, but you never know.


 

You (and your cat) always seem to get em before anyone else I know!!! Good Luck!


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)




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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

Sprytle said:


> You (and your cat) always seem to get em before anyone else I know!!! Good Luck!


I just put new batteries in her tracking collar


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Sprytle said:


>


I'm sorry but that cute feline is not checking out a delectable morel but is investigating who peed in her spot.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

petronius said:


> I'm sorry but that cute feline is not checking out a delectable morel but is investigating who peed in her spot.


I bet she has found 4,000+ morels. That's a lot of pee....:lol:


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

hypox said:


> I bet she has found 4,000+ morels. That's a lot of pee....:lol:


I think you have posted before about your morel sniffing cat. (Cats like to sniff a lot of things). What type of training regimen did you put Princess through? Is there a special boot camp or vocational school I can send my stray to so I can make him earn his keep?

That is one productive cat. Make sure you treat her right and give her extra treats after the next foray.


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## hypox (Jan 23, 2000)

petronius said:


> I think you have posted before about your morel sniffing cat. (Cats like to sniff a lot of things). What type of training regimen did you put Princess through? Is there a special boot camp or vocational school I can send my stray to so I can make him earn his keep?
> 
> That is one productive cat. Make sure you treat her right and give her extra treats after the next foray.


She naturally did it, no training necessary. For whatever reason, she flips out over gold bond triple medicated lotion (green bottle) as well. If you have that on, she'll hunt you down and eat your flesh. We can't even have a bottle of that stuff in the house. Maybe that's an indicator of morel finding tendencies?....dunno.

I think the best I could offer is cloning her for ten or twenty thousand bucks, whatever the going rate is.


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## Sprytle (Jan 8, 2005)




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