They call basketball March Madness - well just let the warm weather hit at the beginning of spring and round here in Indiana, it’s Morel Mushroom Madness. Walk into a store, a bar, or get a few locals gathered at a garage sale and they start talking Morel Mushrooms – how much so & so got, where they found them (they lie about that part), how big they are etc…I never knew folks could talk so much about a mere mushroom. But a morchella mushroom, is not an average mushroom, oh no, a morel mushroom can only be obtained during a certain time of year. And to date, they can Not be cultivated successfully; (plus they cannot be mistaken for something that will cause an agonizing death) so they are highly prized and fervently sought after. Those in the know (and with the Eye) guard their secret mushroom haunts and hunting abilities.
This would be considered the Morel Motherload –
I could only dream about stumbling across something like this!
Many of the people who stopped by for the garage sale (after spying the beautiful wooded setting) asked if we had been out hunting for morels. “Not yet, but as soon as this sale is over it’s the 1st thing on our agenda.” Steve headed out 1st while we were still manning the sale and came back with two. They were Huge! I was so excited, I couldn’t wait to get out there and start hunting. After the sale we decided to check in the opposite direction, and cover the front part of the woods first. We searched & searched to no avail. So we headed back to the area where he found the first two and Bingo I found my 1st morel.
And not too far away another one!
After that my luck ran dry and I resorted to photographing other types of fungus.
Do you see him sitting in that log? This is it up-close. Like some deformed figure.
While watching this cute little snail truck across this log,
This little guy was much easier to shoot than that bubblebee
Steve scored three more!
I would have been happy with my two shrooms, but my friends graciously sent me home with the whole lot.
The biggest was 6” including the stem, about 4” for just the head. 7 mushrooms total - more than enough to get my morel mushroom fix.
So are you a Morel Mushroom Hunter?
Leave me a comment & tell us how you fared.
I heard it was a bumper crop this year!
Ciao!
Hi I am from Ontario and I am a morel hunter. This has been one of the best seasons yet. I have picked over a few hundered morels this year. some very large. in total about 6 to 7 pounds worth. If you give me your email i can send you picks of the haul
ReplyDeleteI heard it was a good one! Congrats on your haul. You can email me from profile/about me page.
ReplyDeleteLove your pictures! Almost done with my short documentary about morel mushroom hunters. Let's be friends! :)
ReplyDeleteFor sure Bill. When & where can we view your documentary?
DeleteAfter working on a film about mushroom hunters last year, I'm anxious to hunt for myself this year.
ReplyDeleteAh, you developed the morel fever - hard not to. What's the title of your film?
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