# Morel Mushroom hunting



## garnede

Does any one have any tips for finding morels in GA.  I have found them successfully here in alaska, but never in the south.  Which trees do they associate with? which are they never found around?  Thanks in advance.


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## KentuckyHeadhunter

never heard of anyone finding them in GA.  My friend goes up to Illinois and Pennsylvania to hunt for 'em.  I've never encountered any in the south.


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## chadf

They are here!!

Gotta find them..... My buddy loves them and he goes out everyday to pick them! Then cook them up!


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## BradMyers

*Yep*

Look near Poplar & Ash. They should be out now for the next 4-6 weeks. Also check out the web site morel mushroom hunting. Lotsa info there, the site is run by a Georgia resident. I'm heading out today and will let you know what I find.


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## garnede

How large are the average morels there in Ga?  Here in Alaska they are 1-2 inches tall and very difficult to spot.  I know some places get them as large as coke cans.


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## Twenty five ought six

I have a friend who is really into mushrooms -- extremely knowledgeable.

He finds morels around here.  Unfortunately he's not a good enough friend to tell me where.

He says to look in the privet bottoms along creeks.


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## garnede

Mushroom spots are tightly guarded.  The only way to find them is to take a slow walk and keep looking till you find them.  You notice I did not ask for a location.  No one would tell me a location, but if you find out what habitat they like then you can find them your self.


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## NCHillbilly

There are plenty of morels in the South if you can find them (and no, I ain't telling you exactly where to go.  ) I find most of them around tulip poplar or ash trees. The main thing is they're only around for a week or two. If you miss'em, that's it until next year. Here in western NC, it's usually about the third week of April when they pop up.


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## garnede

Anyone finding them yet this year?


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## BradMyers

4 days and nothing here in Coweta yet. Finds from mid central GA & Augusta area now coming in, so this area will be real soon. I did find a small clump of young oysters today. Hopefully they'll grow some more with the cool days and rain ahead.


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## BradMyers

*Finally*

Found 2 small grey's about 2" tall & barely poking through the leaf's. They are off to a late start here in Coweta. Here are a couple of pic's. My first morel pic was out of focus, I had to move the leaf's to get a full shot. The second photo was how I saw it, they blend in well. I left both to grow and hopefully lead me back to more in a week.


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## WOODSWIZE

They, like the pollen, seem to be off a week or so this year -but fiddle head ferns are comning in!


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## shawn mills

Went looking in one of my honey holes today and still have'nt found any yet. We're about 10 days behind this year  so hopefully later this week theyll start popping up. I found over 100 4-8 inche yellows last April.


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## Jody Hawk

I've been looking but haven't found any yet.


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## garnede

I'm glad they are late, as I will be arriving in state tomorrow.  Just in time for some hunting.  Last night I had diner at a restaurant with Morel Strudel in cream sauce!  It was awesome and really put me in the mood for hunting.


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## cddogfan1

Newer hunted them but want to.  I live in the Dublin area.  Ever any reports from this area.  What are some tips for finding them. Creeks, Swamps, etc?


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## shawn mills

Macon has turned out quite a few big morels. Try looking in privet hedge bottoms where ther is moisture from  creeks and rivets. Concentrate under dead tress and around dead or rotting logs. Poplar trees tend to have them underneath also.


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## trkyhntr70

Havent found any this year yet, Hopefully they will show.


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## BradMyers

shawn mills said:


> Macon has turned out quite a few big morels. Try looking in privet hedge bottoms where ther is moisture from  creeks and rivets. Concentrate under dead tress and around dead or rotting logs. Poplar trees tend to have them underneath also.



My experience in finding them around here is creek bottoms and edges looking for host trees like Poplar & Ash. Fruit trees can be another good host. Unlike morels in other parts of the country dead trees don't seem to play any kind of role. Live Poplars have been where I have been finding them. A good mix of soil & sand (loamy) too 

Just found 10 more on 4-3-10 in a new spot, but only 1"-2" tall, so I left them to grow. I have heard some say we are 10 days behind, but I think it's more like 15.

Here are some pics of the woods that I have been finding them to give y'all an idea of what I look for. All these were taken from the spots of finds. Hope this helps.

Happy Hunting.


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## cddogfan1

Thanks for the pixs


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## kasey

I have never seen these before, that I know of.  I assume you eat them. Do they have to be cooked? How do they taste? They look kind of hard or nut-like


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## garnede

Thank you for the pictures of the terain to look in.  Those help more than you know.  

Kasey, Yes you eat them.  They are best cooked.  They taste exelent, if you have never had fresh wild mushrooms I do not know how to describe the taste.  These are soft and hollow, not hard.  One of my favorite ways of preparing these is to cook a steak on the grill and then melt a little butter in a pan to cook them in.  A few minutes is enough, then serve the steak with the mushrooms on top.  Pine nuts go well with them too. Just add a few to the steak when you put the mushrooms on.


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## BradMyers

Y'all are welcome on the pics. Garnede good luck on the hunting.


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## shawn mills

I found 6 yesterday in Hancock county under a tulip popler. They were small, apparently just coming up! I left em to grow for a week or so.


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## BradMyers

Same here with the little ones, did find a few big ones.


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## garnede

Ok, I'm here in state.  Now I just need to get out and find some.  Yea

I'll let you know what I find.


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## shawn mills

Found 20-25 today!


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## BradMyers

I wonder how garnede did? I was able to find 48 yesterday & 51 today before the light got too low and I feared stepping on them, so more to get tomorrow. This area is thick growth gums, cherry, magnolia, oak, privet pine and 1 or 2 poplars. I’m finding them in and near a runoff gully. 

Shawn have you had any more success?


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## dbodkin

OK after you fill a poke sack of morels. Get another poke sack fill it with ramps, and final ingredient  deer backstrap.  Slice the backstrap in to nice hunks of fillet.
in a hot forged iron (seasoned) skillet melt about 2 sticks of real butter sauté the morels, and ramps to a nice caramelized finish. Drop in the deer fillets cook to medium rare. When done place on a dish to rest while you pour red wine in yo the skillet deglaze all the good stuff off and reduce to a nice sauce. Season just a little salt , cracked red pepper.  Plate the steak, schrooms, ramps. Dribble the sauce on and then dig in... With  a nice red wine..man I'm hungry....


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## BradMyers

dbodkin said:


> OK after you fill a poke sack of morels. Get another poke sack fill it with ramps, and final ingredient  deer backstrap.  Slice the backstrap in to nice hunks of fillet.
> in a hot forged iron (seasoned) skillet melt about 2 sticks of real butter sauté the morels, and ramps to a nice caramelized finish. Drop in the deer fillets cook to medium rare. When done place on a dish to rest while you pour red wine in yo the skillet deglaze all the good stuff off and reduce to a nice sauce. Season just a little salt , cracked red pepper.  Plate the steak, schrooms, ramps. Dribble the sauce on and then dig in... With  a nice red wine..man I'm hungry....



Man you are killing me, I'm suppose to take them to market. If I keep reading this post I know what will happen. BTW, who has some backstrap & ramps?


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## Twenty five ought six

Do ramps grow as far south as Athens?


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## shawn mills

Yep, Found about 30 more today!


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## BOWHUNTER!

I found 308 today..


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## BradMyers

BOWHUNTER! said:


> I found 308 today..



That doesn't suprise me. I got a meager 92 to add to yesterday.


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## garnede

I have been busy with the move and have not had the chance to look for a spot to collect, much less find morels.  Maybe Tomorrow, I'm heading to Auburn's A day today.


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## Jody Hawk

I'm eating Morels now as I type this, just fried them up. Walked a long ways yesterday and only found 7 but that makes a nice lunch !!!!!


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## Fletch_W

Based on what yall have typed and what my friend (sous chef Muss and Turner's) has told me in the last week...

They grow on swamp rabbit poop. Find the swamp rabbit pellets, and you will find morels.


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## BradMyers

Fletch_W said:


> Based on what yall have typed and what my friend (sous chef Muss and Turner's) has told me in the last week...
> 
> They grow on swamp rabbit poop. Find the swamp rabbit pellets, and you will find morels.



Don't say that, I was looking forward to eating a morel dish there. Good thing I know better. Please no cowpie takes either.


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## BOWHUNTER!

Here's a mouth watering picture..


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## TNGIRL

I love morels!!!! I found about 6 or so last weekend in my yard. Beneath an old apple tree along a privet hedge row. Cut them and rinsed them (poured rinse water back in the same area to spread the spores some more!!!!!)then saute'd them with butter and some button mushrooms and portabella buttons. That was some fine eating!!!!! YUMO!!! I didn't take any pictures only ate them!!!!


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## BradMyers

Mighty fine looking haul there Bowhunter. If I keep plucking away at it, one day I might be half as good as y'all. BTW the pic was inspiration for Sunday's find of my elusive esculenta & in a new location.


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## ultramag

BOWHUNTER! said:


> Here's a mouth watering picture..



dude..you better give some of them up...i am hungry


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## Jody Hawk

ultramag said:


> dude..you better give some of them up...i am hungry



I hear ya Jerry.  Roger finds more in a day than I find in years !!!!!


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## THWACKG5

I am a hard core rookie at this, are there any kind of other shroom that looks like these that I could get confused with by any chance??


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## Jody Hawk

THWACKG5 said:


> I am a hard core rookie at this, are there any kind of other shroom that looks like these that I could get confused with by any chance??



There is a false morel which is poisonous. True morels will be hollow on the inside.


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## bnew17

do they grow throughout the state?


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## garnede

They grow from Guatemala to Alaska, so yes all parts of the state.


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## Mistrfish

I found them while living in Australia, so they must grow all over the world.


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## THWACKG5

Jody Hawk said:


> There is a false morel which is poisonous. True morels will be hollow on the inside.



Oh thats great!!!  With my luck I will find a hollow poisonous one!!!


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## cddogfan1

Has the season for them passed now.  I looked hard this year and did not find anything.


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## shawn mills

Season is over now.


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