mushroom hunting

[wilas101]

I know there will be the inevitable "shroom" jokes but I don't suppose it can be helped.

I'm just wondering if anyone on here does much mushroom hunting this time of year?

[CosmicPal]

I haven't planned on it, but if you let me go mushroom hunting with you I promise to bring the orange juice.

:D

[jspchief]

I usually get out a few times. I'll go out the next warm day we get here in IA. We finally got the rain needed to get those suckers popping earlier this week.

[BigChiefFan]

Are these magic mushrooms? LOL?

[shakesthecat]

I usually get out a few times. I'll go out the next warm day we get here in IA. We finally got the rain needed to get those suckers popping earlier this week.


Yep, that rain was nice. I think we're a few weeks away around here though.

[Phobia]

I'm going tomorrow. Got my new rifle all ready to go, too.

[wilas101]

I was thinking about going this evening. just wondering if anyone has found any yet. the rain was good but it seems like its still been a bit cold at night. /shrug

[BigChiefFan]

I've nver done it, but I've seen signs that say no mushroom hunting allowed. I always thought that was bizarre. Again what kind of mushrooms?

[NewChief]

I've nver done it, but I've seen signs that say no mushroom hunting allowed. I always thought that was bizarre. Again what kind of mushrooms?

Morels, I imagine.

[wilas101]

morels are the most sought. there are some other edible kinds but I don't usually mess with them because I'm convinced I will die. I don't care what the missouri department of conservation tells me.

[jspchief]

Yep, that rain was nice. I think we're a few weeks away around here though.Last weekend's temps were enough to get them going, but it was too dry I think. With that soaker we got on Monday, a good 70+ degree day should do it.

For those that don't know, we're talking about Morels. They are a delicacy, and only grow for abour 5 weeks per year.

[shakesthecat]

morels are the most sought. there are some other edible kinds but I don't usually mess with them because I'm convinced I will die. I don't care what the missouri department of conservation tells me.


You should. Hen of the Woods are absolutely delicious.

[JimNasium]

Last spring we had some threads on this subject. I seem to recall someone posting some pics of some enormous specimens.

[BigChiefFan]

Cool. Guess this is a pretty big deal to some. I've seen lots of "hunters" out and about lately.

[NewChief]

Cool. Guess this is a pretty big deal to some. I've seen lots of "hunters" out and about lately.

Yeah, it's a big deal, especially around Missouri. I've never done it, but I would like to. It seems to me that people are pretty secretive about where their favorite "patches" are.

For the hunters: the mushrooms come back in basically the same spot every year, right?

[CosmicPal]

I seem to recall someone posting some pics of some enormous specimens.

Yea, they moved it to the Girly pic thread

[Mike Grose]

I ususally hunt for them late in the day on unsuccessful turkey hunts. My son and I are visiting a buddy on his farm this weekend. We'll probably do a little hunting this weekend.

I won't eat the things but love any excuse to be in the woods.

[shakesthecat]

Yeah, it's a big deal, especially around Missouri. I've never done it, but I would like to. It seems to me that people are pretty secretive about where their favorite "patches" are.

For the hunters: the mushrooms come back in basically the same spot every year, right?


Eh, more or less. I hunt the same 3-4 spots each year. All the spots have one thing in common, a bunch of dead elm trees.

[bsp4444]

I looked a little last Saturday, but didn't find any. I've heard some people are finding the little greys that precede the morels by a week or so, so this weekend should be about right.

[BIG_DADDY]

Last weekend's temps were enough to get them going, but it was too dry I think. With that soaker we got on Monday, a good 70+ degree day should do it.

For those that don't know, we're talking about Morels. They are a delicacy, and only grow for abour 5 weeks per year.

You guys got me wanting to try these mushrooms. I have no idea where to get them or if they even grow out here.

[Iowanian]

This weekend I'll chase Turkey tom, and if he dies, or I can't find him.......I'll go check the Morell Honey Hole and see if they're up yet..........

jsp is right........this rain the past couple of days; when it hits 80 degrees they'll be popping. I'm thinking its still a week off before they're going in Iowa.

[Iowanian]

BD...they're all over the Pacific Northwest.....I know they find HUGE ones.....alot of hunters follow the Forest fires from the previous year.

Wash, batter and fry them.............they're awesome. too many will have you pooing through a screen cleanly though.

If I thought they'd travel.........I'd overnight some to you. You can buy them, and depending on the year, they seem to go from 8-$16/pound around here.

[wilas101]

I don't know about california but I read somewhere the morel season in the pacific northwest was like 3 months.

I don't guess that does you much good but I thought it was an interesting fact. :)

[jspchief]

You guys got me wanting to try these mushrooms. I have no idea where to get them or if they even grow out here.

I don't know if they can be found in your area or not. I'm willing to bet some nicer restaraunts in California will be offering them on their menu as a delicacy for a short time though.

You used to be able to sell them to the grocery stores in Des Moines for $14 a pound, then they would turn around and sell them for $20 a pound. The FDA cracked down though, because there's no way to regulate it.

[Chest Rockwell]

You guys got me wanting to try these mushrooms. I have no idea where to get them or if they even grow out here.

I'm not sure if they grow out your way either, but you'll be able to find them in any gourmet/specialty food store. Unfortunately, they'll most likely be dried. I've seen them (dried) in stores out here (Colorado) for around 4-7 bones for a quarter ounce. Yup, you read that right, somewhere between $3-400 a pound. I'm actually planning a trip back to the family property in MO this weekend to hunt.

[wilas101]

If I thought they'd travel.........I'd overnight some to you.


We've frozen some before for use later in the year. I suppose if you could figure out how to get them shipped so they'd stay frozen it would be a possibility.

They aren't quite as good after being frozen as they are fresh but they're still pretty friggin good.

[Iowanian]

I've prepped and frozen them..........and then cooked them through the year. You're right...they're alright, but not as good as fresh.

I wonder if there is a good way to overnight them, without having them get busted up? Wrap them in wet paper towels inside a butter tub, secured in a box?

Would the heat get them and shrivel in a day?

[jspchief]

We've frozen some before for use later in the year. I suppose if you could figure out how to get them shipped so they'd stay frozen it would be a possibility.

They aren't quite as good after being frozen as they are fresh but they're still pretty friggin good.

Actually, you could store them loosely in a brown paper bag with a damp paper towel for several days. As long as they didn't get drop-kicked in shipping, they'd probably survive just fine.

A bit of warning for those that have never tried them. They contain a chemical that's harder on some than others. I can eat them with no problems, but some people get brutal runs from them. i suggest eating them in moderation the first time you try them.

[wilas101]

hahaha... yeah, good advice jspchief.

The last thing we need is negative rep from BD for giving him the sh*ts.

[Iowanian]

Thats what I was saying earlier...........Eat too many in your first sitting, and get the Atomic-Apple splatters.

[wilas101]

The wet paper towel idea might have some merit. Any plastic container with some rigidity might do the trick if they're packed well in it and the container in turn packed well inside a box.

I'd be interested to know how it goes if you try it.

Unless, by the grace of god, I find a boatload this year and am in a position to actually have enough to try a shipment.

[Iowanian]

If I stumble into the motherload this year, I'll hook you up BD.

[eazyb81]

My family has some land outside the Columbia, MO area, and apparently there is a big patch where Morels grow. A neighbor of ours has found the patch and has offered us half of everything he finds if he can keep harvesting them from our land. My uncle is building a cabin out there and will be moving there in a month or two, so obviously he will want to find the patch of land they grow on. Does anyone have any ideas on how we can find where the neighbor is getting the mushrooms, and "undercut the competition"? :hmmm:


Sidenote: I've never actually tasted morels, and I don't like mushrooms to begin with. Do they taste like regular store bought mushrooms? Do you think I will like them?

[wilas101]

of course we left off the best part of mushroom hunting.




Making your wife/girlfriend check you for ticks after you get home.

[BIG_DADDY]

If I stumble into the motherload this year, I'll hook you up BD.

Thanks, since you said there out here I'll start asking around. The coastal hills usually has a boatload of mushrooms but I don't know if that climate is where you would find morrells

[Iowanian]

Look for areas where there has been a forest fire in the past couple of years BD....thats all I can tell you about that area.

here..........Look for shag bark hickory trees, particularly dead or dying trees. I also look along river and creek bottoms, Railroad ROW banks, under and or around Rural bridges....Look on the South facing hill tops and other areas that get alot of sun exposure.

[ptlyon]

Ah yes - where is my Morel thread? Somebody turn on the search and find it, will ya?

Anyway, here is what I watch, a progress map:

http://www.bluewillowpages.com/mushroomexpert/morels/maps/progress_maps.html

And, if you click on "This Site's Discussion Board" you can read other peoples findings all over the country.

I would also recommend sending one dried morel to their collection project, which is located up on the top. I have and it is interesting. They communicate back to you even. Pretty interesting stuff if you are really into morels. They are basically trying to learn what makes them tick.

Here is a link to one that I sent in:
http://nt4.advant.net/scripts/kuocgi3/mdcp/view.pl?04220402

There are also tips on the link above. In the discussion thread they are finding them in central and west central IA. Time to go get 'em boys!!!

[ptlyon]

People say the best way to preserve them is to put them on a plastic screen in the sun and let them dehydrate naturally, the rehydrate them in water when you want to use them. Check the link I provided - mucho info!

[chiefs4me]

I told you all last week that it was to early for them......but my brother did go this past weekend and found a half of bag full. So looks like it's time to kick the hubby out the door back home for my shrooms...

[BIG_DADDY]

Look for areas where there has been a forest fire in the past couple of years BD....thats all I can tell you about that area.

here..........Look for shag bark hickory trees, particularly dead or dying trees. I also look along river and creek bottoms, Railroad ROW banks, under and or around Rural bridges....Look on the South facing hill tops and other areas that get alot of sun exposure.

Thanks, I am going to try to find someone to hunt with this year.

[chiefs4me]

I've prepped and frozen them..........and then cooked them through the year. You're right...they're alright, but not as good as fresh.

I wonder if there is a good way to overnight them, without having them get busted up? Wrap them in wet paper towels inside a butter tub, secured in a box?

Would the heat get them and shrivel in a day?




When we bring ours back to Tx from Mo. This is what we do

Put them in brown paper bags
Put inside coolers
Put those frozen freezer blocks in with them
Travel home

Then clean and soak in salt water to get the bugs out and rinse very, very well. Dip in mixed egg batter and roll them in crackers and fry in butter........talk about some fine eating...

[ptlyon]

Then clean and soak in salt water to get the bugs out and rinse very, very well. Dip in mixed egg batter and roll them in crackers and fry in butter........talk about some fine eating...

That's the way mama used to cook them. Liked them that way, but if I fry them I usually just lightly coat them in flour and fry them in butter.

My favorite way is plain in butter in tin foil on the grill tho. That is the best way to get all of the flavor, IMO. Put some onion and garlic salt in there too.

Can't wait! Going this weekend. Hope to find a few. FEW HUNDRED DOZEN!!!

[ptlyon]

Don't let this thread die!

Who's all going out this weekend?

[Saulbadguy]

Sidenote: I've never actually tasted morels, and I don't like mushrooms to begin with. Do they taste like regular store bought mushrooms? Do you think I will like them?
I tasted em last weekend. Nothing special, IMO. They weren't nasty like I think most mushrooms are, but I didn't find anything special about their taste.

[redfan]

I went out last Mon and found exactly 1 (The size of my pinky finger; oh cruel fate!). The rain we had should make 'em pop out now. We just haven't had the combo of rain/warmth lately. It's also a little early in the season. They should be coming around now, though.
If you soak them, don't use too much salt. I prefer the wash and eat that day method. Drying also works pretty good. They last longer that way.

[redfan]

Red morels are already out, and the yellows and browns should be here soon, if not already.

[Chest Rockwell]

I'm goin' this weekend...

Fry some up, make a port reduction with some others and throw that over a steak. Mmmmmmm...

[yunghungwell]

My 2 cents worth.

http://www.milosphotos.com/images/penny.gif

If you have a liking for morels take a mesh bag when you go hunting for them. That way when you are walking around with a bag full of 'shrooms some of the spores from those mushrooms will fall out with the chance to make your secret spot better for next year.

I was reading about mushroom hunting on the internet this week. Interestingly enough somebody has developed a way to cultivate and grow the little buggers. :hmmm:

[redfan]

Fry some up, make a port reduction with some others and throw that over a steak. Mmmmmmm...

I made an awesome morel cream sauce last year; great on pokehcops or steaks. :drool:

[Chest Rockwell]

I made an awesome morel cream sauce last year; great on pokehcops or steaks. :drool:

Ohhhh, cream sauce! Nice, I hadn't thought of that. Have to give it a shot.

[KC Kings]

I like mushrooms and can eat any kind, except morels. For me, eating morels is worse than eating 2 bags of WoW potato chips. When I was a kid, I was convinced it was all the bugs in them that gave me the runs, but last year my dad brought some home he found while turkey hunting, and I soaked them for at least 12 hours to get all the bugs out. I ate them, and same results.

My dad will sautee them in butter, then chop them up real fine, mix them with eggs and italian bread crumbs, make a patty out of them and fry them in Olive Oil. They are awesome plain, or on a bun with some mayonaise.

[jspchief]

I like mushrooms and can eat any kind, except morels. For me, eating morels is worse than eating 2 bags of WoW potato chips. When I was a kid, I was convinced it was all the bugs in them that gave me the runs, but last year my dad brought some home he found while turkey hunting, and I soaked them for at least 12 hours to get all the bugs out. I ate them, and same results.

My dad will sautee them in butter, then chop them up real fine, mix them with eggs and italian bread crumbs, make a patty out of them and fry them in Olive Oil. They are awesome plain, or on a bun with some mayonaise.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, they do that to some people. There is a chemical in them that affects some people differently.

Fake Morels have high amounts of this chemical and will hit almost everyone hard, and can be deadly to some people. Luckily, while fakes look similar to real Morels, no one that knows real ones would be fooled.

[Demonpenz]

man those mushrooms are good. I like to put them on pizza. Imagine 1 mushroom that covers the entire slice of pizza your eating

[mlyonsd]

Mushroom hunters. How low. People talk bad about deer hunters... heck, at least deer can run away. What fighting chance do mushrooms have?

Savages.

A successfull "kill" is when you take their head off and leave the neck. I can't eat them cause they make me sick, but I still get a kick out of lopping their heads off.

[yunghungwell]

A successfull "kill" is when you take their head off and leave the neck. I can't eat them cause they make me sick, but I still get a kick out of lopping their heads off.

Of course a sharp hatchet and a pair of "ninja" shoes are good equipment for sneeking up on them and making a clean kill.

[ptlyon]

Yeah, it's a big deal, especially around Missouri. I've never done it, but I would like to. It seems to me that people are pretty secretive about where their favorite "patches" are.

For the hunters: the mushrooms come back in basically the same spot every year, right?

Quite usually.

Check out this page (http://www.bluewillowpages.com/mushroomexpert/morels/index.html) for more information.

Particularly this page (http://www.bluewillowpages.com/mushroomexpert/morels/howgrow.html) .

[badgirl]

for those of you that do this kind of hunting I have a question

My X MIL used to go find these things like big green leaves with purple streaks in them and put flour on them and fry them up, it was really good, but I cannot think of the name of it, do you guys have any idea what it was, if I hear the name I will know it.

[BIG_DADDY]

As I mentioned in an earlier post, they do that to some people. There is a chemical in them that affects some people differently.

Fake Morels have high amounts of this chemical and will hit almost everyone hard, and can be deadly to some people. Luckily, while fakes look similar to real Morels, no one that knows real ones would be fooled.

Great, I decide that I want to go morel hunting and now I have to look out for fakes? Wonderful, I better find someone out here that know WTF their doing.

[ptlyon]

Try here (http://www.bluewillowpages.com/mushroomexpert/morels/index.html) BD.

[ptlyon]

And what about wild asparagus? Anybody finding/hunt that?

I would, but don't know just where to look around here, except in the road ditches.

[ptlyon]

Great, I decide that I want to go morel hunting and now I have to look out for fakes? Wonderful, I better find someone out here that know WTF their doing.

Another thing I have read is that your body accumulates the toxins, and eventually your body has enough of them, so it makes you sick so you won't be inclined to eat them. Don't know if it is true or not.

All I can say is that my Grandfather, Father, and Brother have all gotten sick from them, and that would be a good explanation why.

Luckily for me tho, that hasn't happened to me. Yet.

[BIG_DADDY]

Try here (http://www.bluewillowpages.com/mushroomexpert/morels/index.html) BD.


Thanks, for all this trouble it might be easier to just grow the fuggers

[badgirl]

Does anyone know the name of the plant you coat,fry and eat it.
Maby you just missed my other post about it cause I don't even see a guess. :hmmm:

[wilas101]

sorry but I have no idea badgirl.

[Smoke]

Does anyone know the name of the plant you coat,fry and eat it.
Maby you just missed my other post about it cause I don't even see a guess. :hmmm:

I'll guess poke salad....if I'm right what do I win?

[badgirl]

I'll guess poke salad....if I'm right what do I win?
your right, I have been trying to think of the name for 2 days.
You win rep, thank you very much :thumb:

[yunghungwell]

I found 7 shrums in about 15 min of not very thourough looking last night.

Additional reports anyone?

[Iowanian]

There weren't any at the honeyhole yesterday.........

[eazyb81]

Sidenote: I've never actually tasted morels, and I don't like mushrooms to begin with. Do they taste like regular store bought mushrooms? Do you think I will like them?

UPDATE: My dad found some morels a few days ago and basically forced me to try them. I don't like regular mushrooms so I assumed I wouldn't like these as well.

Well, let's just say I was totally wrong. He put some batter on them and fried them in a skillet, they tasted amazing. I think I ate a few too many in my first sitting because my stomach felt upset about an hour later. But I am definately on the morel bandwagon now. :thumb:

[redfan]

My bud and myself found 110 in the typical spot on Sat. Fried some yesterday, the rest are drying nicely as I type this. Got some good pix, too. I'll post them in the pix forum as soon as I resize...

[ptlyon]

found about 15. we need more rain!

[redfan]

Bump... and 'shroom pix are up. (pix forum)

I'm w/ ptlyon, more rain pleeze!

[ptlyon]

nice pics rh - if you're like me, they are gone!

[yunghungwell]

Friggin' making me hungery, rh.

[ptlyon]

Gunfire On The Morel Hunt
Mushroom Hunters Under Fire
Landowner faces charges


A Cass County man is facing charges after he allegedly opened fire in the direction of mushroom hunters he says were trespassing.

Sheriff's deputies arrested 65-year-old Bernard Diesen for making terroristic threats and use of a gun to commit a felony.

Kenny Dasher was one of the mushroom hunters under fire.

Dasher has been going to Wildlife Park and other areas around Plattsmouth in pursuit of morels for years.

"I've got a certain spot that I find them," he tells us.

Dasher knows he's not the only person looking for the mushrooms and after Monday's rains the mushroom hunting was good.

That brought out the morel hunters and authorities say it also brought out Bernard Diesen who allegedly shot at the mushroom hunters because he believed they were trespassing.

Whether they were trespassing or not, Lieutenant Larry Burke of the Cass County Sheriff's department says, "You're not allowed to use deadly force to protect property."

Deputies say Diesen fired several shots.

Lt. Burke tells us, "Discharging a firearm at trespassers that make no threat against your personal self then become terroristic threats."

The lieutenant says all hunters need to know their established boundaries before heading out and they need to get permission from landowners before walking onto their property.

:bang: