Getting started

[Steve]

So what is the best way to get started Mushroom hunting? Doesn't seem like something you'd just want to pick up a book about and try. Is it best to start with a mentor who knows what they are doing?

[Fred Bear]

I am no pro by any means but I think somethings that almost any shoomer will tell you is to look for dead elms. And you should know the difference between a real morel and a fake morel. But that is easy. A real morel has its top connected to the stem, a fake morel does not.
Remember, if the lilacs are bloomin' it's time to go shroomin'

[bigrackmack]

Check this site out.. http://www.michiganmorels.com/
(http://www.michiganmorels.com/)

[FIJI]

My brother, The late, great Larry "The Mushroom Man" Lonik was tops at morel hunting.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40806&highlight=lonik

http://morelmushroomhunting.com/newslettermay2003.html

His books are still available and are a great place to start. If you cant find them, I'll loan you mine.

To be honest, I stick with morels and the other easily identified fungi. "Tree" taught me that it just not worth the risk to push the envelope.
:SHOCKED:

[Boardman Brookies]

I think the best would be to find an old timer, relative or some one with a lot of knowledge. I was basically self taught and find quite a few a year. I think that the best thing, if you don't have a guide is to read as much as possible. About 10 years ago when I first got into shrooming a buddy and I picked a mess of beefsteaks and planned to eat them up. We took a bunch to a local dinner around South Branch and they quickly told us to pitch them. We met an old timer there who showed us a small personal patch, and I have been picking hundreds every year. A great book for beginners and seasoned vets alike is "Morels" by Michael Kuo. Check it out. I am no way a master picker, but would help anyone out who needs it...just don't ask for me honey holes!!!!!!

[unclecbass]

if someone knows how to take a pic from my pics and post it to this thread, I have a great side by side of a real and a false morel that I found growing side by side. Check itout. False morel was alot taller for what its worth. Best way to find shrooms is get out and go for some nice long hikes with your gps. look for hilly areas, ash trees are good spots to start.

[FIJI]

nice pic


http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/medium/False_white_07-2.JPG

[Radar420]

I'd say, in a perfect world, it would be great to follow some type of mentor around to learn the ropes. However, when I found my first batch of morels it was completely by accident while working in someone's garden. Based on pictures I'd seen throughout my life I was 95% certain that they were morels but did some serious research to make sure they were legit - and they were. I think it is pretty hard to mis-identify a morel (though it is possible). Probably the easiest way to distinguish is cut the stem in half and see if it is hollow inside or full of a "cottony" membrane. If it is hollow, then it should be a true morel. The link that Mack posted should have various pics of morels and the shrooms they're often confused with. Once you positively identify that first true morel you won't be fooled by the other types.

If you have any questions, you could probably just post a pic in this section and probably get a pretty good idea of what you have.

I'm like FIJI though in that I stick to the easily identifiable fungi - I really don't want to have to mess with spore prints and the like.

[Radar420]

My brother, The late, great Larry "The Mushroom Man" Lonik was tops at morel hunting.


Yes, he was. I've read quite a bit about Larry Lonik and his finds were simply amazing:SHOCKED:

It seems that Chris Matherly has taken over his station as the foremost authority on morels now and I find his information/research very interesting.

[buckslayermichigan]

ill try to post some pics and see if it works these are wrinkled thimble caps i believe.morel look alikes notice the fuzzy stem and cottony looking inside and detached cap.i find these with the morels i pick.i step on them so no one else will pick them by accident.and please dont eat beefsteaks they are poisonous!
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=74595&ppuser=4883
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=74593&ppuser=4883
ok i messed it up could someone pull these two photos up for me thanks

[Oldgrandman]

Sweet, add another 15 minutes to my evening internet cruise, LOL!
Seriously, great idea!
Always best to have a known consumer of the fungi you seek with you. Morels and hens are about the safest if you understand the basics.
I recommend a good book like a mushroom hunters field guide with pictures also, several out there.
www.mushroomexpert.com (http://www.mushroomexpert.com) is a good source too. A lot of info and many links as well.

[Kearly Shuffle]

Scroll to the middle of this page and I posted some VERY close up pics of the false morel so you can see what NOT to pick! As far as all the other mushrooms, make VERY sure you know what your eating. Going with an experienced shroomer is the best practice! Remember...You only get one chance to eat the wrong mushroom. :(

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226850&page=2

[walleyein]

Has anyone been finding any shrooms yet? I will be checking some spots in about a week. Can't wait for them to be popping up.

[FREEPOP]

Steve, if you go north look in younger growths of popple. Look on the tops of the mounds created by logging. Down south look for apple trees, popples, elms (especially recently dead ones), but they will grow in most any place. Just spend lots of time in the woods (always a good thing) and eventually you should get some spots.

[Ausable Junkie]

All it takes now that We're in mid April, is a few warm nights (lows in mid 50's or better) with the ground moist, and they'll be popping up for sure. Usually happens in late part of this month for us up here. Guessing that Southern Michigan is probably a couple weeks ahead of us on the warmup trend.

[Amuzme2]

Scroll to the middle of this page and I posted some VERY close up pics of the false morel so you can see what NOT to pick! As far as all the other mushrooms, make VERY sure you know what your eating. Going with an experienced shroomer is the best practice! Remember...You only get one chance to eat the wrong mushroom. :(

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226850&page=2


Great Reference Pic's...nice job!


Please pay attention to Kearly's message...

You only get one chance to eat the wrong mushroom

[koby]

and putting up this forum.

As an avid shroomer, Michigan is one of the best states in the nation to find a vast number of choice edible mushrooms, not just the Morel

In my 5 years of hunting, I have found and eaten the following:

Black Morels, Common Morels, Horse Mushrooms, Meadow Mushrooms, Chanterelles (red and yellow), Black Trumpets, Oyster Mushrooms, Lobster Mushrooms, Puffballs of many varieties, Chicken Mushrooms, Hen of The Woods, Sweet Tooth, Parasol Mushrooms, Shaggy Parasol Mushrooms, Blewits, Bricktops, Bears Head Tooth, Honey Mushrooms, and many others.

The best place to start is to get a good mushroom field guide. I like Audubon's and you can find it at any big bookstore for about 20 bucks.

All of the mushrooms ive mentioned above are in the book, with great pics and detailed descriptions.

Just as with fishing or hunting, there is a progression to what can be found at what time of year...and where. The where is the most important.

As the season progresses, i will be on here letting everyone know what can be found, but for now we are approaching BLACK morel season, soon to be followed by the Common or Yellows.

[koby]

Black Morel season in SE Michigan usually starts around Mid-April and lasts until maybe the first week of May.

Once ground temperatures (about 4 inches down) approach 50 degrees overnight, they will begin, with prime fruitings taking place once temps hold above 50.

The best habitat to find "Blacks" is in stands of Big Tooth Aspen that have taken over previously logged out or burned out areas. Within this habitat, there are "micro habitats" that will hold more Morels than others. The ideal situation is smaller trees, 5 inches in diameter or less, with plenty of leaf litter and decomposing branches or logs. Good places to start looking within this habitat are slightly open, where the sunlight can penetrate, such as paths or trails, or at the edge of the Aspen stand where the tree type changes.

Some say they find them in the Pines....I never have.

Early in the season, you should focus on Southerly exposed slopes. As the season progresses the fruitings will progress and eventually the Northern slopes will produce.

Black Morel hunting is much more difficult than finding the big Yellows. Getting down as close to ground level and slowly scanning in a small circle increases your chances to see one dramatically. These things are at times, impossible to see. If youve got a small child...take them with you!!!

When you find your first few, dont pick them right away, but stare at them from a few feet away and try to burn the "pattern" of the mushroom into your brain....and continue to slowly scan the area....you will more than likely find more nearby.

Once youve found them, if youre on a slope, concentrate on that level....go sideways as opposed to up or down, as more often than not that is the level theyre fruiting at, at that particular time.

The key to finding them (once youre in the right area) is SLOW DOWN.

Ill comment on the Yellows later.

koby

[hitech37]

I have over 20yrs picking experience for mushrooms,so far not one pic shown is a false morel! The morels with a pointy top and detached stem is not a false morel,its a half free and very edible.A true false morel is uglier than sin and by no way looks like a morel,rusty in color and misshapen lacking the deep lobs like a true morel. this link is very useful: www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml (http://www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml)

[Oldgrandman]

I have over 20yrs picking experience for mushrooms,so far not one pic shown is a false morel! The morels with a pointy top and detached stem is not a false morel,its a half free and very edible.A true false morel is uglier than sin and by no way looks like a morel,rusty in color and misshapen lacking the deep lobs like a true morel. this link is very useful: www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml (http://www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml)

You gotta be careful calling any mushroom a false morel or even a morel for that fact.
There the verpa and helvella species. Both have morel characteristics and both are called a false morel and eaten by people, atthier own risk. The ugly one you refer to I believe is the beefsteak, helvella esculenta I know as a beefsteak.
But most people I know call the verpa a false morel (aka an early morel in my book but not reccommended), not to be confused with a half free which actually is a morchella species.
More importantly, regional nicknames for their local fungi can also confuse matters as was pointed out to me before.
Get a good feild guide book, it's all in there.
GOOD LUCK!

[Kearly Shuffle]

I have over 20yrs picking experience for mushrooms,so far not one pic shown is a false morel! The morels with a pointy top and detached stem is not a false morel,its a half free and very edible.A true false morel is uglier than sin and by no way looks like a morel,rusty in color and misshapen lacking the deep lobs like a true morel. this link is very useful: www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml (http://www.michiganmorels.com/morels2.shtml)

Hitech37....I posted earlier in this thread a link to another thread that had my pictures of the false morel in it. Here is that link again, and here are the pictures....

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=226850&page=2

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n166/bkearly/5-5-07shrooming002.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n166/bkearly/5-5-07shrooming006.jpg

[walleyeman2006]

id absolutely find some one to help you if your going after anything but puff balls or morels......great addition to the site.....

[Croix Jigger]

All you need is the picture in this thread of the true and false morel, and lot's and lot's and lot's and lot's (well you get the idea) of walkin.