Morel hunting

[waterninja]

For those of you on this forum who enjoy mushroom picking, this could be a good year for us. I have read 2 interesting articles on "Outdoor Hub" recently that has got me a little excited. First there was the report of the fellow who was harvesting MONSTER size Morels (13" high 5" bases). the pic of his harvest really got my mouth watering.
2nd article says that this year is supposed to see the biggest harvest possible for Morels in "the history of the world". I guess a huge brush fire in the NWT will mean a huge crop of Morels there. How or if this will help us at all in AB I don't know, but pickings have been slim the last couple years around here (at least for myself and other pickers I know).
I know it's early to start thinking about Morels, but if and when they appear please post to let us know.

[The Fisherman Guy]

Pretty early yet, but always good to get excited about! I usually find them in early June here in Southern Alberta.

Last year was my best year yet for volume, not much for size however. My largest was just popping when I found it, a large Golden. If I had left it overnight, it would've been fully up - I would guess about 6-8" high.

Last year I found my first Herecium, in a very unlikely place, while scouting for deer. I have been on the lookout for it since I started mushroom hunting, and was quite surprised when I found it. Absolutely, incredible. Fried in just butter, it tastes very much like Dungeness crab meat, and flakes similarly. Does not preserve well however.

[The Fisherman Guy]

A good friend introduced me to mushroom hunting, and I am thankful he did. It's a yearly ritual that I quite look forward to.

[Wild&Free]

Can't wait.

[Dmay]

I don't think anybody can accurately predict anything about those damn morels.....I sure can't. Mind you, large burned areas would definitely make one optimistic for this year, but nothing like that around here....

[happy honker]

Last year in my spots, it was pretty bad for Morels....but later in the season, amazing for Red Caps and Old Mans Beard...which are not only delicious...theyre just about the coolest looking mushrooms around.

Can't wait to get out again this year.

[Dmay]

Originally Posted by happy honker

Old Mans Beard...

Never heard of anything called that....curious, what are they?
Don't want to miss out on anything if they exist around here....

[nast70]

Would someone have similar luck in cut blocks as burned areas? I know a few fresh cut blocks from last year that may yeild.

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by nast70

Would someone have similar luck in cut blocks as burned areas? I know a few fresh cut blocks from last year that may yeild.

Fires and cut blocks aren't the same to fungus. if the area produced morels before being harvested for timber then the ground disturbance would promote fungal reproduction and the fruit which we call mushrooms. if not then I'd take a walk through it with a camera to shoot wildlife with. fires promote morel growth from the convection drawing spores into the area and the abundance of nutrients released/not being consumed by the competition.

[diggerrigger]

Originally Posted by The Fisherman Guy

A good friend introduced me to mushroom hunting, and I am thankful he did. It's a yearly ritual that I quite look forward to.

I can say the same as a couple of my friends got me hooked . Mid season picking I sometimes wish they would have hooked me on crack instead ! Finishing a days work and rushing home to change and drive out to scan the forest floor until dark is a hobby (read addiction) I never expected but I love it .

Cut blocks and burnt areas aside I had some real luck in the flood areas west of Calgary . Thought the spores would have been washed away.

[waterninja]

Main rule of thumb for me is wooded areas where cattle have been grazing. Don't know of any places that have had recent fires.

[billycap]

I hunt cut blocks almost exclusively and the treasure is mostly in the small areas they use to skid the logs out. I find as many on these trails as i do in the rest of the cut block.

[Tundra Monkey]

I know a few people who pick these in the summer. They make $500-$1200 per day.

It's supposed to be a banner year up here for them.....an area almost the size of Alberta burned up here last year so it should be good.....as long as she don't light up again

A fairly accessible area for you Southern guys to come up and pick. The Mackenzie highway/Ft. Simpson highway. It would be worth the trip if you like these shrooms. I'm sure Omega50 would be interested!!!!!

[Alexey]

Originally Posted by Tundra Monkey

A fairly accessible area for you Southern guys to come up and pick. The Mackenzie highway/Ft. Simpson highway. It would be worth the trip if you like these shrooms.

Unfortunately still too far from Calgary.

[happy honker]

Originally Posted by Dmay

Never heard of anything called that....curious, what are they?
Don't want to miss out on anything if they exist around here....

here it is, sorry, can't remember the technical name, and can't find my book at the moment.
It's about the size of my hand with fingers spread, and I found a bunch of them later in the summer under poplar deadfalls in wet areas.
delicious.

[grouse_hunter]

Is anyone here a member of the Alberta Mycological Society? I'm planning to attend every foray in my parts. I've sharpened my mushroom hunting knife already!

[The Fisherman Guy]

Originally Posted by happy honker

here it is, sorry, can't remember the technical name, and can't find my book at the moment.
It's about the size of my hand with fingers spread, and I found a bunch of them later in the summer under poplar deadfalls in wet areas.
delicious.

Don't take mushroom ID's from strangers online, but the mushroom pictured is of the Herecium family.

[bessiedog]

The old mans beard or goats beard is a hericium.

My kids and I have been picking them for a few yard now.

Aug-sept is best for the south... A few days after a rain. They grow off of older fallen poplars or aspens.

Very very yummy.

Fried up with butter... Add as a side to a BBQ elk steak. And you'll have an incredible meal.

[North]

When is the season to go out? I am dying to get some hiking in and think this would be a fun reason to go hiking. Always better when you are looking for something.


I am in Sundre, are there picking opportunities in the foothills?

[CaberTosser]

Morel hunting hmmmm? What is a suitable firearm & cartridge for morel defence?

[Dmay]

Originally Posted by happy honker

here it is, sorry, can't remember the technical name, and can't find my book at the moment.
It's about the size of my hand with fingers spread, and I found a bunch of them later in the summer under poplar deadfalls in wet areas.
delicious.

Okay, thank you. I pick and eat those every year, just hadn't heard that name before.....but yes, they are very delicious. Usually late August or early September before we find any around here....

[Kim473]

Originally Posted by The Fisherman Guy

Don't take mushroom ID's from strangers online, but the mushroom pictured is of the Herecium family.

Good information to follow. Only eat what you know for sure ! The wrong ones can make you very sick or kill you.

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

Morel hunting hmmmm? What is a suitable firearm & cartridge for morel defence?

A good knife is all you need for morels, bear spray for pre seasoning can also be applied. Morel awareness is something most people completely lack, even with tutelage. I was constantly following friends and new pickers protecting their back as they unsuspecting walked past several sneaky morels waiting to ambush.

for momma moose and her new born calf however... something big with stopping power.

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by North

When is the season to go out? I am dying to get some hiking in and think this would be a fun reason to go hiking. Always better when you are looking for something.


I am in Sundre, are there picking opportunities in the foothills?

Morels are late spring early summer bloomers. once overnight temps are consistently 5-10c is when I start checking. Earliest harvest I've had was mothers day, latest 2nd week of June. short growing season once they pop out lasting 5-10 days, depending on weather. day time temps over 24 they don't like, warm night's don't help, unless there's a high dew point as well.

there's a couple of threads from previous years with lots of good info, do a search. Best bet is to meet up with an experienced picker to show you what's what.

[Kim473]

Originally Posted by Wild&Free

Morels are late spring early summer bloomers. once overnight temps are consistently 5-10c is when I start checking. Earliest harvest I've had was mothers day, latest 2nd week of June. short growing season once they pop out lasting 5-10 days, depending on weather. day time temps over 24 they don't like, warm night's don't help, unless there's a high dew point as well.

there's a couple of threads from previous years with lots of good info, do a search. Best bet is to meet up with an experienced picker to show you what's what.

My step father used to start looking east of Edmonton mid / end of may or so. I never payed much attention as to what was good but have a good Idea what to pick. I will however ask Ninja to double check and make sure I don't pick some bad shrooms.

[Wild&Free]

Originally Posted by Kim473

My step father used to start looking east of Edmonton mid / end of may or so. I never payed much attention as to what was good but have a good Idea what to pick. I will however ask Ninja to double check and make sure I don't pick some bad shrooms.

It's a common misconception that mushrooms are lethal, very few will outright kill a person, however the vast majority cause gastrointestinal distress sometimes very severe.

That being said, I only eat what I'm sure of, and being far from an expert that's Morels, Some Boletes, shaggy manes, and puff balls.

[happy honker]

I was out shed hunting this weekend east of Edmonton.
Very dry in the bush again this spring. (yes it's a little spongy from snow melt, but not nearly what I'd call "wet") ...really dry.

I hope we get some good April showers to help conditions for Morels this year.

[billycap]

Been a warm spring here overall but the last 10 days have been cold with freezing night time temps. I have a special spot i nicknamed the mound and it consistently sprouts 2-5 morels every year about 10 days before the rest show up. Its in a hardiness zone 4a. All the other zones in the 3's i checked had nothing yet. Am going to head up the lake tomorrow for a nights camping and a taste of some hardiness zone 5. The falseys are pretending to be golden morels this year and they are just starting to poke threw. Wont be long now folks!

False morels






The mound gave up 3 keepers and 2 releases lol









And one very purple unkown:



good luck and happy hunting

[waterninja]

Congrats Billycap on finding some of those elusive buggers. We are still a couple weeks away at least around here.

[waterninja]

Originally Posted by Kim473

My step father used to start looking east of Edmonton mid / end of may or so. I never payed much attention as to what was good but have a good Idea what to pick. I will however ask Ninja to double check and make sure I don't pick some bad shrooms.

Thanks for the vote of confidence Kim, but I am by no stretch of the imagination an expert. I am pretty confident on identifying the more common ones like Morels and redtops, however.