Anyone finding morels?

[dnovo]

Just a bit early here yet for me. It's been cold and nasty here last week but temps are warming and lots of rain this week. We've got plenty of moisture this year.  Last year I only found about 15 but the year before I found about 150 which is about my best ever.

[Terry Green]

Every year when these morel threads come up it reminds me of Dean Torges.  Another 'get it and growl' hunter that didn't play make believe.

[chefrvitale]

Fly fishing for trout, bow hunting gobblers and morel mushrooms!!! I love spring

[arrow30]

i been stuffing the freezer with crappie so i can have me some fried crappie and morels, and if i manage to kill a thunderchicken. il have nuggets and fried morels.  my dad was a morel hunter and fisherman, but not a hunter.(he killed one rabbit for food) so he said.

  this is a pic of some he found, my sister, who died shortly after photo of cancer.

[Bowguy67]

Sorry to hear that arrow30. Good memory though. God bless your family

[chefrvitale]

Grab your mesh bags! Found 5 blacks Saturday here in ohio, this cold snap will slow them down but this weekend should be perfect.

[Bowguy67]

I've looked haven't found any. It snowed last night a couple inches

[Chuck Jones]

I found about 35 last weekend in Southern Illinois. They were not too common and some must have come up earlier because they were a little old looking. They sure tastedgood![attachment=1][attachment=1]

[Chuck Jones]

[attachment=1]

[Sam McMichael]

I have read about morels many times here on the Gang, but I never have hunted for them. When and where in Georgia do you find them? Also, somebody mentioned to be sure they are hollow. What is the significance of that? Also, how do you prepare them? In my total ignorance, I have visions of a buttery wine sauce. Please tell me that is part of the picture.

[chefrvitale]

I've never hunted them in Georgia but they can grow almost anywhere with trees near by.
You will read a ton of wives tales about different tree species, certain sides of a hill, creek bottoms and hill tops.
And it's true that morels grow there but the truth is the morel is a symbiotic organism that attaches to the root system of trees.
In the spring the morel sprouts in an attempt to spread spores and reproduce.
That's why when you find an area that has mushrooms it typically produces year after year.
Areas of forest that were damaged by fires the summer before will yield a ton of morels the following spring, this is because when the host tree is stressed the morel reacts by sending as many spores as possible incase the tree were to die.
My advice is to look far and wide until you find a few spots, after that you will get some every year.
As far as good recipes....I can go on like Bubba from forest Gump so I'll limit it to a few.
#1 morel butter-
I simply saute the mushrooms, crisp a few pieces of bacon and chop some wild onion.
Throw this in a blender with softened butter and a pinch of salt and pepper.
After it's well blended I melt this stuff on steak, eggs, venison... pretty much everything.
#2 wild mushroom bisque -
PM me for recipe, it's too long to include.

#3 morel canapés
I grill a few slices of crusty French bread with olive oil and top with a smear of double or triple cream brie.
The mushrooms are sauted in butter until tender and added on top.
This is the finished with a little bacon onion jam and a few chives.
The jam is easy to make and keeps a week or so, if interested shoot me a message.

[Appalachian Hillbilly]

30 something Black's. Our favorite.

[ksbowman]

Found a handfull of little greys this morning. Won't be long before they come out in earnest here in east central ,Kansas.

[arrow30]

picked 112 today, 

[Bowguy67]

Awesome guys! We've had snow two days straight again. Our fiddleheads are all burned from it ugh.

[dnovo]

Dang Bryant!  Good day!  I went out Saturday but didn't find anything. 

[chefrvitale]

Wow, that's a great day

[arrow30]

went out this morning,  in the drizzling rain. went to where i thought there would be a turkey, rain got a little heavier so i backed up against a tree trying to stay a little dryer. i had walked right in under a gobbler on roost. so figured that was it for turkey for the day. so went wandering for morels. picked another 39.

[Appalachian Hillbilly]

The wife has taught our 2 year old grand daughter what they look like. She found 12 today with very little coaching.  Just put her in the spot, sat her down and said look for the mushrooms!

Unbelievable.

[Bowguy67]

Very cool guys