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2019 Northern Michigan

26K views 136 replies 21 participants last post by  morelseeeker 
#1 ·
Memorial Weekend is right around the corner and my family and I do a Yearly camping and mushroom trip up North. Wondering if it has started yet up North.
 
#4 ·
We're going to be in the UP in Chippewa county for 1 week starting Memorial weekend. Coming in from KY. I know the terrain and trees are very different from what I am used to in KY. We picked in the Lewiston area about 10 years ago when the blacks were just coming in. Picked them in what you guys call "popples" I believe. Am I correct in assuming the areas to hunt in the UP would be similar to the Lewiston area? Any general tips would be appreciated.
 
#5 ·
We're going to be in the UP in Chippewa county for 1 week starting Memorial weekend. Coming in from KY. I know the terrain and trees are very different from what I am used to in KY. We picked in the Lewiston area about 10 years ago when the blacks were just coming in. Picked them in what you guys call "popples" I believe. Am I correct in assuming the areas to hunt in the UP would be similar to the Lewiston area? Any general tips would be appreciated.
Hi Rick, I am from Chippewa County and popple areas can produce black morels but the percentages of finds in the UP are way lower for me than in the northern lower penninsula.
I tell people that about 1 in 8 places I check in the UP produce at least a few morels. In the
lower my odds are more like 2 in 3. I have about a half dozen spots I get them in the UP and
that has taken me ten + years to find. Lower way better and that is why I spend 75% hunting
Cheboygan county.
 
#8 ·
Interesting Glenn I wouldn’t have thought that it would be any different. What exactly are “popples” never heard that term before. I have also heard something about checking burn offs. In years past I have only checked Ash, Elm, Apple & Sycamores.
I'm not Glenn, but the term "popples" refers to poplar trees. I attended a morel seminar given by John Maybrier, a Michigan resident, and I asked him directly what trees he looks for when hunting blacks. He said, "I like a popple woods for blacks."

I'm in NE Ohio, and don't know if Michigan is like here, but the Ohio Division of Forestry website says that there are NO true poplars in Ohio! What people call poplars are actually Quaking and Bigtooth Aspen. Well, unless they are talking about a "Tulip Poplar", which is also not a true poplar. It should simply be called a Tulip tree.

I'm sure the Michigan Division of Forestry has a website that could help you see what's in your state, true poplars or not. Might also show you their distribution throughout the state. I've never hunted in Michigan, but I have driven through it many times heading for a Canada fishing trip, and I know that about halfway up the mitten, things start to change!

Hardwoods give way to popples and jack pines and such. It starts looking a whole lot like Canada! We don't have many poplar like trees down here. No extensive tracts of them, just isolated groves here and there. I've never found a black, and it's kind of become a bucket list thing. I did find some greys this year, which was a first. So, that was kind of cool!

Just keep working at it, and good luck.
 
#9 ·
I'm not Glenn, but the term "popples" refers to poplar trees. I attended a morel seminar given by John Maybrier, a Michigan resident, and I asked him directly what trees he looks for when hunting blacks. He said, "I like a popple woods for blacks."

I'm in NE Ohio, and don't know if Michigan is like here, but the Ohio Division of Forestry website says that there are NO true poplars in Ohio! What people call poplars are actually Quaking and Bigtooth Aspen. Well, unless they are talking about a "Tulip Poplar", which is also not a true poplar. It should simply be called a Tulip tree.

I'm sure the Michigan Division of Forestry has a website that could help you see what's in your state, true poplars or not. Might also show you their distribution throughout the state. I've never hunted in Michigan, but I have driven through it many times heading for a Canada fishing trip, and I know that about halfway up the mitten, things start to change!

Hardwoods give way to popples and jack pines and such. It starts looking a whole lot like Canada! We don't have many poplar like trees down here. No extensive tracts of them, just isolated groves here and there. I've never found a black, and it's kind of become a bucket list thing. I did find some greys this year, which was a first. So, that was kind of cool!

Just keep working at it, and good luck.
I understand that "popples" are Aspen trees. I call Tulip poplar a "poplar' They are actually considered a hardwood.
In Northern Michigan you will not find a lot of Tulip but will find Aspen in areas and
some big stands of them. It is my understanding that blacks are associated with them and not other Morels, although I have on occasion found grey around some of the very mature trees.
With the continued loss of Ash I am trying to educate myself and try to prove the Aspen as a go to tree for blacks.
When there has been a clear cut Aspen are some of the first to grow.
I still have more questions that answers. Morels don't give a damn what I think
Good luck my friend, Keep us all informed on your finds.
 
#10 ·
I am finding pheasant backs for the first time in N.E. Indiana.
Went online to find as much info. such as where to find and how to prepare.
I would like input from anyone that has found and eaten them.
I have a couple of recipes but would like to hear from others.
They are about the size of my palm to the size of my hand.
They are firm yet if I push them there is a spongy feel.
Any and all input would be appreciated.
 
#12 ·
Those sound like they are the perfect size to eat. I slice mine about 1/4 inch think and sautee them in butter and very thinly sliced garlic. When the shrooms start to crisp on the edge they're ready for the plate. You definitely want to eat them when they are hot. I find most of mine in KY on dead or dying elms, standing or trunks on the ground.
 
#13 · (Edited)
At the camp out in Indiana Robin was cooking them in a cast iron skillet in butter in the same pan with morels and they turned out great. Crisp on the outside and sort of soft and creamy on the inside.

I've pickled them and simmered them in chicken broth. They lose the melon smell when cooked.
Thanks, Celticcurl/Rick, Looking forward to trying them.
 
#14 ·
Glenn can you enlighten me on the blacks have never had a lot of luck finding them always been yellows and greys when I go. Can you tell me do they grow a lot more in Pine Tree’s? I see the soil temps are now in the 50’s and the next few days will make it even better. I am getting super stoked.
Hi Jason,
I agree with what all the other commentors have been saying about what we sometimes refer of
as popples or poplars. When I refer to those I am actually talking about aspen. And not all aspen are created equal when looking for morels. We have two types of aspen common in north
Michigan. They are Quaking Aspen and Bigtooth Aspen. I have found black morels in both but
Bigtooth Aspen percentages of luck are much higher. Just look at the leaves they are round or
slightly oval with big teeth around the circumference. I find black morels around all ages but stands that are in the 15-30 year old range seem to be best. Pine trees do produce in north Michigan but I look for bigtooth aspen to be at least interspersed. You can actually watch many of the youtube videos people finding blacks and look at the trees and look at the leaf litter. You will see what I mean.
 
#16 ·
Hi Jason,
I agree with what all the other commentors have been saying about what we sometimes refer of
as popples or poplars. When I refer to those I am actually talking about aspen. And not all aspen are created equal when looking for morels. We have two types of aspen common in north
Michigan. They are Quaking Aspen and Bigtooth Aspen. I have found black morels in both but
Bigtooth Aspen percentages of luck are much higher. Just look at the leaves they are round or
slightly oval with big teeth around the circumference. I find black morels around all ages but stands that are in the 15-30 year old range seem to be best. Pine trees do produce in north Michigan but I look for bigtooth aspen to be at least interspersed. You can actually watch many of the youtube videos people finding blacks and look at the trees and look at the leaf litter. You will see what I mean.
Found 40 nice sized black morels in one of my spots in chippewa county
last night. Left over 2 dozen smaller ones as well. Its definitely a good year in northern michigan.
 
#15 ·
Glenn can you enlighten me on the blacks have never had a lot of luck finding them always been yellows and greys when I go. Can you tell me do they grow a lot more in Pine Tree’s? I see the soil temps are now in the 50’s and the next few days will make it even better. I am getting super stoked.
Jason. The bark of Quaking and Big tooth are different color. Go You Tube to help you identify.
 
#28 ·
This weekend coming up should be peak for the whites/greys/yellows esculente variety. Your right about the lilacs. Everything is running late this year but the cool weather forecast will continue to keep the whites refrigerated and more should pop above the leaves. Found many tiny whites that I left in the woods. All together I picked about 90 whites in Cheboygan county and 20 in mackinac county this past weekend.
 

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#27 ·
We are in the UP between Paradise and Newberry and we’re just a little too early . We’ve only found @ a dozen blacks and a bunch of big false morels. The Blacks have just started here. We have a few more days here and then a one day stop in the lower peninsula.
 
#36 ·
@elmgirl,shroomhound
We will be staying at "Pine cone inn and suites" small but very nice cabin like rooms with coffee pot, micro., small fridge. 40 to 60 a night. Across the road is Otsego lake state park, or if you stay at the same campground as you did last weekend we will head that way to hunt anyway. Let me know what your plans are.
do you still have my cell and Mushroom Mary's text number? Shroom on my friends. Alex
 
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