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Can you make a living off of morel hunting

2018 Can you make a living morel hunting now?

31K views 42 replies 17 participants last post by  Programmin 
#1 ·
Hi all,
I am in Eugene, Oregon and am wanting to find a way to earn a living while I travel.

Can you still earn a living by hunting mushrooms/morels?
Do you think it comes out to minimum wage ??? more? less?

I am definitely the type of guy to bust his ass and sweat all day if the work is worth it.
However chasing a pipe dream is tiresome, somebody please fill me in.

Any info helps,
Jaws
 
#2 ·
Can you still earn a living by hunting mushrooms/morels?
Do you think it comes out to minimum wage ??? more? less?
Contact Chris Matherly, he does it. The bad part is you will most likely have to be Certified in almost every state in the US now. Here in Michigan, it's around $175.00 for an 8 hour class. I know Oregon, in some areas , charges around $100.00 a day for permits, and you can only take something like 2 gallons. This was a few years back, it may have changed now.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Jaws - As you are in the NW of USA, check out this site: http://matsiman.com

This site above has participation by hunter/pickers of many different types of mushrooms in the NW (US + Canada) besides morels. It is largely a mushroom hunter networking site.

It may seem confusing at first, but will reward you if you spend some time and patience exploring it. You can make helpful contacts there as well as get insight from others who already do what you believe you would like to do. Activity & participation on this site varies from year to year.

They would, to a degree, express a reverse in their priorities: Instead of "I like to travel and maybe can earn money picking mushrooms while doing so." They would more characteristically say: "I love mushroom hunting and therefore I travel in order to do so."

Best regards
 
#4 ·
Thank you both,
I took your advice and read up on Chris Matherly, he seems that he is kind of a criminal at the moment. There are several people looking for him and trying to get back money he has taken from them. However I aim to search to see what certifications are required in Oregon and up.

I am on matsiman arleady, in fact I am emailing matsiman himself. He tells me that there is lot's of competition from veterans and that it is hard to make any money picking morels. I am guessing that in order to make money, you have to have a list of spots that you know produce morels each year to make your energy spent worth it in payback.

I have high hopes of trying, maybe I can meet with someone who has a car that will take me.
Jaws
 
#11 ·
im so friggin old that i remember watching that series in black and white before there was color tv. "Have gun will travel" was a weekly western series staring Richard Boone. his name was simply " Paladin". it was a hugely poplar series at the time. i dont recall it being mimiced from any other show. hummmmm
 
#15 ·
Vern - I was mimicing the Paladin line "Have gun, will travel" with the line "Have frying pan, will travel". I don't know of any knockoff's of the Paledin show either.

I like that our friend, jaws tried on the tv series lyrics for size, above. Perhaps he could see himself in the lyrics..

Substitue "morel picker' for knight and "Jaws" for "Paladin" . . . not sure that works musically.

Jaws - Absent good luck, the learning curve is steep/long. As you still have time, I see your best shot to be trying to team up with someone through the links you are already exploring on maitsman -- as in someone in that area, who picks for money, willing to take you with them on a hunt. I've seen that happen on/through that web site occasionally.

If you offer a compelling story and economic carrot such as: they compensate you and take your pickings from you to incorporate with theirs at their selling price minus some % that you both agree on for your effort.

Who knows, you may find someone willing to keep some gypsy wind blowing in your sails for a season or maybe just a single hunt.

I have nothing more to add, so: From another popular old western series: "Happy trails to you . . ."
 
#16 ·
Vern - I was mimicing the Paladin line "Have gun, will travel" with the line "Have frying pan, will travel". I don't know of any knockoff's of the Paledin show either.

I like that our friend, jaws tried on the tv series lyrics for size, above. Perhaps he could see himself in the lyrics..

Substitue "morel picker' for knight and "Jaws" for "Paladin" . . . not sure that works musically.

Jaws - Absent good luck, the learning curve is steep/long. As you still have time, I see your best shot to be trying to team up with someone through the links you are already exploring on maitsman -- as in someone in that area, who picks for money, willing to take you with them on a hunt. I've seen that happen on/through that web site occasionally.

If you offer a compelling story and economic carrot such as: they compensate you and take your pickings from you to incorporate with theirs at their selling price minus some % that you both agree on for your effort.

Who knows, you may find someone willing to keep some gypsy wind blowing in your sails for a season or maybe just a single hunt.

I have nothing more to add, so: From another popular old western series: "Happy trails to you . . ."
Good advice,
To Matsiman I go offering carrots. Haha and yes, Sleeping bags, dirty boots and trails ahead to a new land! (morels are only a bit of what I am searching in these adventures!)
Side note- I accidentally found the train track bridge the (Stand by Me) boys run across in Shasta, California while 'google map searching' for places to mushroom hunt!
 
#17 ·
Okay... so here is what I suggest for you to do Jaws.

Find out where the professional morel pickers are going to be legally allowed to pick and go there. The state or feds set up camps including porta potties for the pickers. The buyers show up on sight and buy direct.

The only camps I know about are burn sites. I don't know any details except it's very competitive and a lot of vagrants, illegal immigrants and other folk who can't get a real job do it.

I would love to do this one year just for the experience but I'm afraid it's too dangerous for a lone woman.

Google is your friend. There are many stories about professional mushroom pickers in the PNW. Read and learn.
 
#26 ·
I purchased this book a few days after this was posted and I'm very close to finishing it. It was very educational on mushrooms in general and even more informative / eye opening on the mushroom "market" and all that it entails. I have never purchased packaged, dry mushrooms and I doubt I ever will after reading this book. It is worth the investment (both money & time) to purchase and read BEFORE venturing out and "wingin'" it. It covers everything from pickin', buying, selling, camps, competition, restaurants and so much more. If anything, I think it would help you to create a plan and avoid some definite snags you'd encounter simply from not knowing. I would love to have experienced this as the author did . . . if I was 20-years younger. Best of luck to you.
 
#22 ·
IMO- it also helps tremendously to have/ be able to make connections with local chefs and restaurants. some chefs in PNW and california won't buy your mushrooms without USNF permits, but don't often care that much about state licensing requirements. it's worth noting some sites in those areas make you split them in half before you take them if you don't have a commercial permit. if you can, however, manage to preserve large amounts of mushrooms on the hill and market them yourself in town, instead of staying in the buy stations around the burn sites, you can make a good deal more. morel prices in peak season on the hill can be as low as 4$ a lb. morel prices at the beginning of the season, in town, can fetch up to 40$/lb (although low as 18). this depends on a lot of factors, though in the Southeast, we would buy mushrooms in the early afternoon from guys who would forage them that morning. we never paid 40$/lb out there, but. theoretically, your goal is possible, but it depends on how you want to approach it. chefs are way more receptive to the random knock on the back door than you might expect; just go early, be polite, and expect to get a couple dollars fewer a pound than top market price. but 5 pounds in 2 hours for 110$ is way slicker than working for 20 pounds in 6 hours, and gaining a reputation with the forest rangers while youre at it, for 120$. plus, you can get connections to other restaurants and have places to sell later-stage mushrooms. if you want income, its best as a supplement, but it's possible.
 
#23 ·
This is what I am looking for here, it sounds like it is do-able, I think a form of transportation is key if I want to preserve my harvest. I am sure if one was to know enough spots for each season it could be a possible way of making a living.
 
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#28 ·
XD great info and my respect is here for all of you that put in the foot work pre internet. I made it to Washington now. Olympia to be specific, if anyone lives close by and has construction of land work I can do, would love to get some work pre mushrooming.
 
#33 ·
Jaws,
Look for videos by Larry Lonik, he talks about finding 200lbs a day out west. I know several people that sell them on the side and there are still good years and bad years and they know where to hunt.
I think you'd be better off hunting the midwest. Once you find the season you could follow it up. Season moves about 120 - 150 miles per week which judging by how far you've walked should be no problem. They currently go for between $20 & $24/lb. depending on how plentiful they are. If you pull it off post so we can share your journey. Good luck!
 
#34 ·
Your one advantage is that you're out West and can hunt burn sites. Your major disadvantage is a lack of transport. If you want to take your produce direct to the consumer and eliminate the middleman, you have no way to do that.

Plus, while you're hiking from one area to another, "following the weather" as you put it, others are driving there and beating you to it. You could try hitching, but that's chancy in more ways than one! Too many crazies out there.

There's an author I like who wrote about hitting the road with his buddy in a VW micro bus, without enough money or gas to get them out of Ohio! They just figured they'd work their way along. And they managed to travel all over the West, getting along on the good graces of people who saw a couple of guys in need of a few dollars and maybe a hot meal, and who were too proud to beg! But that was back in the day, when people still looked out for one another. It's kind of a different world now.

FWIW, I admire you, hiking all that way. God, how I loved that back in the day, but I'm far too old for that now. I wish you good luck.
 
#37 ·
Your one advantage is that you're out West and can hunt burn sites. Your major disadvantage is a lack of transport. If you want to take your produce direct to the consumer and eliminate the middleman, you have no way to do that.

Plus, while you're hiking from one area to another, "following the weather" as you put it, others are driving there and beating you to it. You could try hitching, but that's chancy in more ways than one! Too many crazies out there.

There's an author I like who wrote about hitting the road with his buddy in a VW micro bus, without enough money or gas to get them out of Ohio! They just figured they'd work their way along. And they managed to travel all over the West, getting along on the good graces of people who saw a couple of guys in need of a few dollars and maybe a hot meal, and who were too proud to beg! But that was back in the day, when people still looked out for one another. It's kind of a different world now.

FWIW, I admire you, hiking all that way. God, how I loved that back in the day, but I'm far too old for that now. I wish you good luck.
I am hitch hiking and regular hiking. Boy is it tiring, I am throwing out gear left and right. I think I am going to have to dedicate myself to a new form of mobility in order to hunt fungi. It's okay though, it's about the journey right? I must say sleeping under the stars and trees at night really does something good for your mind. Even when it rains, makes the tent feel like a 4 star suite!
 
#38 ·
Morelsxs -
Good Book! I read it - in three days - while hibernating this winter. Langdon Cook's book on the salmon fishery was a worthwhile read too.
Best to you in this Morel season.
Finally got around to ordering the book. Can't wait! The best to you this season as well.

Yes, Jaws, please keep us posted. Share some pics from time-to-time. It is all about the journey. :) Stay safe. May God be with you . . .
 
#39 ·
Making a living just picking morels is a tuff way to go. You need transportation to and from buyers access to good burns storage for buckets, baskets camping gear. At one time you could make a good wage following the circuit (picking all mushrooms) but now it's not so easy. Camping on a burn and drying your product might be a way too make money if you are on foot. I see you are north right now, which is a little early for burns work your way back south and then east. I followed morels for the past 30 years throughout the pacific northwest. I also bought morels for a number of years. Around 20% of pickers are doing well and the rest just trading dollars to get by.
 
#42 ·
Hi all,
I am in Eugene, Oregon and am wanting to find a way to earn a living while I travel.

Can you still earn a living by hunting mushrooms/morels?
Do you think it comes out to minimum wage ??? more? less?

I am definitely the type of guy to bust his ass and sweat all day if the work is worth it.
However chasing a pipe dream is tiresome, somebody please fill me in.

Any info helps,
Jaws
Hi, my husband and i do mushrooms full time, and do pretty good for ourselves. It can be no dollars for a week, and then you can make a thousand a day, so its pretty variable. I think its the perfect job for travelers, as thats what my husband and i both did before we met each other and started picking together. It's quite the learning curve, but this year is a good year to learn as there are so many fires. Be ready to hike 10 miles a day.
 
#43 ·
If you look up Modern Forager site (currently down with some security error but you can use Google cache), their last post, "2019 – A Year of Mushroom Foraging" said not ideal and not very good conditions last year. I don't know if climate change or less rain has been causing this but let's hope it's better this year and morels are not in decline.
 
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