Morels 2021

[H20fwler]

I hunted them around Fort McCoy and south through the driftless region when I was stationed there. It depends largely on the weather, but I would normally start finding them around the first or second week of May. Eau Claire would be about a week behind.

That is cool....I was stationed there in the mid 80's for a few months!
Thank you for your service.

 

[H20fwler]

The wife went looking at the Little Woods today while I am stuck at work. I wasn’t sure if the cold snap and snow last week had finished the shroom season off or not....I guess not.

 

[ruskbucks]

Does anyone hunt them in western Wisconsin (Eau Claire area)? I'm interested in giving it a try this year but could use some pointers regarding timing.

-John

There are lots of old wives tales as far as trimming goes. One is the morels are up when the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear. One thing that I have done is take pictures of other plants when I found morrels to try to match the same timing. It is close to the same time every year. In se WI it's usually 1st to 2nd week in May they start.

 

[John-W-WI]

There are lots of old wives tales as far as trimming goes. One is the morels are up when the oak leaves are the size of a squirrel's ear. One thing that I have done is take pictures of other plants when I found morrels to try to match the same timing. It is close to the same time every year. In se WI it's usually 1st to 2nd week in May they start.

Thanks for the reply (and others as well). The one time I did find them around here the lilacs were just starting to bloom. I'll have to watch the other tips offered here (I like the picture idea).

-John

 

[Bill Loser]

Youngest found a nice bunch of grays before this cold snap. View attachment 34557

I know this sounds crazy but we almost got tired of eating shrooms the last couple days!
We had a big popcorn bowl full of grays and one of half frees in the fridge and dehydrated them today to save for this winter. Internet said just soak in warm water ten to fifteen minutes and cook?

Amazing how they shrink down.

View attachment 34558View attachment 34559

I dehydrated a bunch a few years back. I ised milk to rehydrate them then used the milk and broken up shrooms and made small batches of cream of mushroom soup. Yum

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

Going to be another drawn out season for morels around here unless we get some rain. I usually start finding them around 5/6 but we have been cold and haven had shit for rain in over a year. We got 2 inches last September, October was dry and frost came early. The only rain we have gotten this year has been barely enough to make the road wet.

 

[H20fwler]

The biggest certainty I have seen with finding shrooms as to when they emerge in my area is ground temp, needs to be 50-55f.

 

[Hoytvectrix]

The biggest certainty I have seen with finding shrooms as to when they emerge in my area is ground temp, needs to be 50-55f.

I had a friend in grad school who was doing her MS Thesis on morel mushrooms. She said the biggest indicator for Morels was surface soil temperature. I'm sure this also coincides with a number of our other observations such as wild flowers and certain tree species blooming. I think the temperature and moisture conditions much be very specific for morels though, because it seems like some years I find them on slightly north-facing slopes and on other years only on slightly south-facing slopes, when those some other indicators are found everywhere regardless.

 

[Big Nasty]

Found 30 pounds today in NE KS. Couldn’t pick 5 pounds or so because they were too old. Things are starting to wind down for here. On to Iowa next week!

 

[H20fwler]

Right now

 

[H20fwler]

Good morning at the Little Woods

 

[H20fwler]

Last three posts are a time line

 

[River-X]

That is awesome! Nice finds. Nothing happening around here in South Central WI yet. We could use some rain to help it warm up the ground temps

 

[H20fwler]

Youngest son right now turkey hunting in southern Ohio and filling up a Tundra 75 with big yellows.

 

[roymunson]

That frying pan picture is what my evening looked like last night. It's a good way to live.

 

[H20fwler]

Wife and I today at Little woods for a couple hours.




still getting a mix but seems like big yellows are coming on.

 

[H20fwler]

Youngest son just got home from southern Ohio. He found over 20 pounds!!! And one shed antler...didn’t shoot a turkey.
Reminds me of early 70’s when the elm trees where dying here.

 

[Mortenson]

Got several pounds today. Not many small ones. Had to leave some giants out there.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

my son found about a half pound yesterday in southern minnesota

 

[John-W-WI]

Keep the reports coming, they are getting closer to me!