Morel Mushrooms

[tap33]

Has anybody been finding any morels yet???

[Dmay]

Not yet....checked last night....think the ground is still too cold up here.

In 2006 and 2007, we found the first ones on May 12.....but they're later this year I guess.

[hunt_and_fish]

mmmmm morels....I love morels.

[slingshot]

I was wondering if there are mushrooms that look like them but arent.I have seen a few that looked like them last year but was not sure so did not touch.If anyone knows a fail safe way of identifieing them it would be appreciated

[Dakota369]

Get the proper mushroon identifying book before you try and eat anything you find growing wild. There is a type of mushroom that looks very much like a morel that is poison. You should be able to get a mushroom book from any book store......

[John Spartan]

Better still to find a friend that is an experienced morel mushroom picker and invite them to go morel picking with you.

[Dark Wing]

Check out this site it will explain the difference between the edible morels and false morels. http://thegreatmorel.com/

[Cabot]

Morels,

Do they only grow in the spring? What kind of environment do they prefer or grow best. Mushroom hunting (not the magic ones) is something I've always wanted to try. This thread is giving the want to go and do it.

People seem to rave about them quite a bit. Who here has ever tasted them? Are they really that different than your average household store bought mushroom?

Cabot.

[TheClash]

if you are comparing them to your average store bought white button money's mushrooms..then yes, a world of difference....

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Ok I got a smart ***** comment here , not to put a damper on your mushroom party but how in gods green earth can you eat something that friggen ugly.Just my 2 cents.

[hunt_and_fish]

Originally Posted by BIGBADJOHN

Ok I got a smart ***** comment here , not to put a damper on your mushroom party but how in gods green earth can you eat something that friggen ugly.Just my 2 cents.

Johny,

The simple answer is - they taste really really good (in my opinion anyway).

The ass end of a cow (or deer, elk or moose for that matter) doesn't look too hot either but once it's prepared right, it can be pretty hard to beat. Same rule applies to morels.

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

Chop small enough and it all looks the same.

Makes Campbell's mushroom soup taste like excrement once you've had cream of morel soup and portobello mushrooms on a steak are just not the same. They can ruin you for life. They do have a lot of flavour so it doesn't take much for a rookie palette.

[Appletree]

They are really, really worth the effort of finding them (and identifying them correctly, I've found false morels that were scarily close to the real thing). Also, I've found them in midsummer once or twice (July), but they're mostly a spring item.

Oh, by the way, the asparagus is up in the Edmonton region; my girlfriend and I picked ~1.5lbs of feral stuff within city limits on Monday.

[Redfrog]

Originally Posted by slingshot

I was wondering if there are mushrooms that look like them but arent.I have seen a few that looked like them last year but was not sure so did not touch.If anyone knows a fail safe way of identifieing them it would be appreciated

It's supposed to be an adventure what's the worst that can happen? if you get someone else to try them.?

[unclebuck]

Have you checked any recent burns? The black morels are the finest of all, found in recent wildfire burns. They are showing and the spring eating is just fine, especially with the moose and venison from the freezer!!!!!

[Redfrog]

Are they in the south/central prairie land, or only in "da bush"

[TheClash]

Originally Posted by BIGBADJOHN

Ok I got a smart ***** comment here , not to put a damper on your mushroom party but how in gods green earth can you eat something that friggen ugly.Just my 2 cents.

imho pigs aren't all that nice to look at either...but they sure are tasty....mmmm bacon...

[gube]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

Are they in the south/central prairie land, or only in "da bush"

Basically they are found in the bush close to low lying areas with lots of leaf litter. The black tops which come out a bit later and grow much larger in size can sometimes be found out in the open and along ditches. I remember my folks taking me out to pick these tender tasy morsels every spring starting back when I was about 6 years old. Talked to my Mom on Mothers day and she said they are not out yet as the ground is to cold. The time to start looking is when the poplar leaves start to show, which by looking today I'm starting to see some greenery happening. I would imagine after this hot spell on the weekend there should be a good growth spurt of these tasty shrooms.
Oh and by the way they are only around for about 2 to 3 weeks max.

[Dmay]

All mushrooms are edible.......once.





Checked some more secret spots last night...none yet.

[Reeves1]

Been picking them for about 45 years ! Yum ! I'll have to get out for a walk in the next couple days. Best places I've ever found are Poplar bushes. (symbiotic relationship )
Best to start looking soon....because when the grass starts growing in these areas, they are next to impossible to find.

[Cabot]

Hey guys!

Went out and spent last Saturday and part of Monday with my kids trying to find them Morel Mushrooms but no luck. I'm not too sure where to look for them.

Have any of you find some?

Cabot

[Reeves1]

I'm not too sure where to look for them.

See post above.


Was going to go today.....been raining all day.
After the rain there'll be a short period of time to make a good haul....then the grass will likely be too high.
I watch the Poplar trees for when the buds start poping. Then is the time to start. By the time the leaves are fully out, the grass in these Poplar bushes tends to be tall as well. Although still out there, they become too hard to find. Unless you know areas that are densely populated with them. Each year you'll find these areas...

One more tip. Due to the physical nature of them, they hold dirt well. Take and use a knife and cut off above ground before you bag them.

The best way I like them...gently fry with a strip or two of Hickory smoked bacon !

[Cabot]

Thanks Reeves,

Raining here as well, but I'm going out after work tomorrow to retrieve some birch I cut last weekend for heating.

Happy searching!

Cabot.

[FallAirFever]

I have seen these ugly things in the bush a few times! I would have never guessed they were this great tasty treat! We used to go shrooming with my aunt and uncle years ago, but that was for red-tops and shaggy manes. I am going to have to keep my eyes open for some if I happen to be out and about after this rain stops! MMMM fresh mushrooms in garlic butter

[claas]

Picked Three pails last night, they popped up in all my favorite spots.

[Reeves1]

Which part of the Province ?

[claas]

I'm in Lloydminster, I was picking them just south west of town about 20km.
Worked the wetter spots in the cow pastures, grass is short and they seem to like the extra water. Never found to many in the higher spots.

[Dark Wing]

It's a bumber crop season guys, picked a couple of ice cream buckets full of blacks in an hour.

[Redfrog]

Anyone finding puffballs? I've only found little guys. In B.C. i used to find them in the 6-10 inch diameter range.

[Dr. Fish]

So wetter/lower areas with poplar trees mixed in? Man I have been doing a ton of hiking and actually looking for shrooms but have had zero luck. Mind you this is my first season looking for them. So do I have to hit the really thick cover to find them, you know were the rabbits and bush chickens live? If there is a symbiotic relationship between the poplar trees and morels can I tell which tree is infected just by looking at it?