# Morel ???'s



## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

I see all these posts about morel success. I'm heading north in a couple of weeks and would like to take the kids out looking. Can you experienced hunters spread some advice on finding them, cooking them and what ones are bad? Are the stems edible or just the tops? Any thing else I need to know? Thanks.....


----------



## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

Pretty scientific for plain folk like me but a great start. Thanks.....


----------



## YPSIFLY (Feb 13, 2001)

Pat,

I have had my best luck in sandy soils, near dead elms. A large number of the shrooms I have found were on slopes as well.

If you can find an old orchard, there's a good chance you'll find 'em there too.

My experience has been that you might spend some time before you find that first one. Especially if you are hunting new turf. But once you find one, you'll start finding a bunch.

The whole mushroom is edible. I like to cut them at ground level rather than just pull them out. A new 'shroom might grow back in its place. It also keeps a lot of grit off of your harvest.

Soak them in a salt water solution for about twenty minutes or so to get out all the little bugs. As far as cooking, I like to split them and then fry them in butter with a little salt and pepper. That's the best way to enjoy both flavor and texture.

Good luck!


----------



## SALMONATOR (Jan 7, 2003)

Pretty much ditto to what YPSI said, only I like to soak them in the salt water for 24 hours (just to be on the safe side) and add flour to the salt & pepper mix. Fried in butta' and fagettaboutit!!

Al


----------



## Zofchak (Jan 10, 2003)

Look under dead or dying Elms and fruit trees. You can spot elms easily because their branches seem to point up as opposed to the side. The bark also falls of dead elms easily look around and right next to the tree. If you know of any overgrown orchards where the trees are dying and the brush is almost impassible try there first... Good luck...


Also You might want to check MichiganMorels.com for more info...


----------



## Erik (Jan 17, 2000)

I like rolling hillsides and dead elms with lots of moss growing on the ground and up the tree stumps. The moss is something I really key into no matter where I hunt for them. Seems like theres always moss growing around good mushroomy spots.
I slice mine in half and wash them in cold salt water. Slugs like to crawl up into the caps and the salt water helps to get them out. No escargo with my morels please 
They seem to go really good with any kind of steak, but especially venison. Saute them in butter, deep fry them in batter, even just steaming them with a little salt and pepper works. Sauteed in garlic butter over some juicy venison steaks is just about as good of eatin as eating can get. 
As for indentification, just stick to the common morels and avoid the funky ones and you'll be fine. Common morels have a hollow stem and cap, and the caps attach to the stem at the base of the caps. They do not over hang like a toad stool. They look like little brains, or sponges. They can be black, grey, yellow, or white, and can range in size from very small, size of your finger nail, to very large, as big as a 20oz mountain dew bottle. Some can get even bigger, but it is not very common.
Hope this helps. Good hunting


----------



## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

That all helps. Thanks. Now hopefully the last two more weeks. That's when I get back up north. I'm also off work Thursday and Friday so I may get to check some areas not too far from here that I believe should hold some.


----------



## MIBow (Feb 10, 2000)

Kids love finding mushrooms! It is a great family activity. 

I have been looking for ash trees and seem to find shrooms around the bases of the large ones. The dead elms are a good location too. We have been having good luck where there are "stands" of skinny young elm trees.

type morel mushroom into your search engine and you will find a great bunch of material on what to look for as far as the various types of good and bad mushrooms. 

I used to think that you had to go north to find mushrooms, but have found that anywhere there is a small woodlot or old orchard might have some treasure! They can be anywhere and I am sure will really be popping up with this nice warm weather after all the rain the last couple days. 

Good Luck, be ready to have some mushrooming partners with the kids!!


----------



## duckman#1 (Sep 22, 2002)

We're heading back up to Mesick tomorrow for one last pickin, I haven't herd much of "big" pickin's in the U.P. is there any towns know for good Morel numbers in the U.P. like what Mesick is down here?


----------



## Ed Michrina (Dec 25, 2002)

There is a few Gm employees that pick them In the GM wood at 12 mile and Mound In Warren. I was tempted to look myself


----------



## tangleknot (Oct 8, 2001)

Thanks for all the great info. I found my first morel by a dead elm today!


----------



## kingfisher2 (Mar 22, 2001)

Sara. nice yellow!!!! 

I don't know if anyone mentioned it Pat, but make sure the stem is hollow.....the stems that are "solid" are false ones and they can get you sick....

Happy picking...

Marc


----------



## SteelFisher (Aug 29, 2002)

I finally found some last night in northern oakland county. 150 grays ranging from 2 to 4 inches. First time out, probably beginners luck.


----------



## gunrod (Jan 16, 2001)

> I don't know if anyone mentioned it Pat, but make sure the stem is hollow.....the stems that are "solid" are false ones and they can get you sick....


Thanks Marc, I knew I heard something along those lines in the past. That's the type of info I needed. I'm off tomorrow and Thursday and have the kids while the wife is out of town for the weekend. I was thinking of taking them out for some pickin'. They won't eat them but should enjoy going. I'll eat there's.


----------



## duckman#1 (Sep 22, 2002)

we just got back from Mesick, we picked 12lbs today. Looks like the blacks are just starting to come to the end of their peak.
Still some fresh ones, but for the most part their large and will start drying by next week.
We did find about 20 small greys.
If your thinking of going, better make it soon


----------



## duckman#1 (Sep 22, 2002)

Trout, get up to Mesick! you'll be glad you did come this fall when your pulling out a bag of dried Morels to go with venison or salmon. I just had a buddy go up and he never hunted for Morels before, he got 40. I'm sure you can do better but aleast he got a meal.


----------



## StumpJumper (Nov 13, 2001)

2-3 weeks left up there still have the greys and yellows.


----------



## wildchild (Apr 10, 2003)

I have been looking everywhere for mushroom. 
I was mowing my lawn on tuesday and found 4 yellows in my yard


----------

