Morel Mushroom hunting

[WiscoChiko]

Well I decided I was going to start hunting morel mushrooms. Did some research on where they grow, south side of old elms, old apple orchards ect. I have put on many a mile this last week, and nothing! Getting quite discouraged. I will keep keepn on though. I WILL find some! Anyone in Wisconsin have any fingers in which they could point me in a general direction of a place in which one could possibly find some? Any other tips or words of encouragment?
Peas,
Wisco

 

[PDXcluck]

Hi from a MN/WI transplant! I grew up in Northern MN and went to school in Stevens Point. I didn't start morel hunting until I moved to Oregon but I had a friend who did well around Point, almost exclusively foraging around dead elms.

My only advice is don't go where anyone tells you to go, cause they are probably trying to mislead you! So it goes with morels. I know of no specific locations only that they are indeed in your area.

I would say that specifically looking on the south side of old elms is not crucial. The advice I got from my friend and have since read in several other places is to look for elms that are dead or dying, the best elms are those whose bark has just begun to fall off. Look at the base of the tree and in a radius outward at least 15-20 feet, or as far as the root mass extends as I believe many of the fruiting bodies are coming from the mycorrhizae feeding on the roots. Look under the fallen bark as well.

From all that I have gathered that is the best place to start, though I know they grow in many other places as well. The book 'Morels" by Micheal Kuo is a pretty good resource as are several online forums and mushroom sites.

Keep looking, it is so worth it once you start finding them!!!

One more thing: are you sure they are fruiting there already? It seems like it might be a little bit early, but I know you had a major warm stretch a couple weeks ago which almost certainly started the ball rolling on a first good flush...good luck!