2019 Kentucky Morels

New transplant to Kentucky. Originally from Ohio, but it's been a long time. Looking for some info on season's here. Thanks gents/gals!!!

 

SW Kentucky here, also hoping for a good year

 

I know it’s way early but this is a great time of year to do a little scouting in new areas. Been looking for shed antlers this past week but also making mental notes of every sizable elm tree I see. Especially any that are dead or dying.

 

Hey John or any one else looking for a few tips. Welcome to the board. Season typically starts in KY in late March . However, I have found blacks as early as March 3rd.

I hunt primarily in north central and central KY but I believe you will find morels in similar environments where I typically find most of mine. The blacks seem to prefer North and East facing hillsides consisting primarily of a poplar and pignut hickory mix. I believe that is why they are sometimes referred to as hickory chickens. When I search an area for the 1st time especially if I'm not certain blacks grow in that specific area, I will start at the base of the hillside in the morning with the sun to my back and work my way slowly up the hill. The sun will allow you to pick out the blacks amongst or slightly under the leaf litter. The blacks will actually be tan in color when they 1st pop and then as they grow they will develop black on the ridges of the shroom. When you find the 1st one, stop, mark it, kneel down and search thoroughly 360 degrees. You will almost always find more than 1. The blacks will usually grow from 1/2-1 inch in size to 3-4 inches in a period of 7-14 days depending on the weather. The smaller yellow/grey/ white varieties will grow in similar areas but will pop a week or 2 after the blacks. As for the Big yellows (that will initially pop as a grey), creek bottoms are my favorite areas to search concentrating on searching around live sycamore, dead or dying elm and live ash. These big yellows can sometimes grow in size for 1-3 weeks, but by that 3rd week they will be the size of a coke can and starting to deteriorate. I have found a lot of my patches over the past 29 years while turkey hunting and some of those patches are still producing and some have petered out. Hope this helps.

 

Hello All,
It’s so nice that spring is finally near and I’m really hoping we have a better season this year than last year which was disappointing for me. My husband doesn’t like morels but loves hunting them. He’s discovered YouTube and has been watching video after video about finding morels causing me to be in a constant drool. I guess it kinda helps getting your eyes ready but it’s really driving me crazy. That’s what he’s doing right now. Needless to say I can’t wait

 

I just saw the new thread, so I'll post here now!
Hello to my friends and fellow KY shroomers! I pray we have a better season this year and continue to grow this forum. For those who are new, this truly is a GREAT resource filled with wonderful people that are always willing to help. Great group, great hobby and hopefully a great season. I look forward to sharing it with my morel people . Vern- hope you're well buddy! Let's go get em' this year. Nutsak, I need to get your link for one of those kick-ass double mesh bags! Until next time, be blessed!

 

Graves County here. Good luck and keep posting!

 

Red Lick Valley near Big Hill. Last year was sad hope its better this year. Happy Hunting All!!

 

Seems like most everyone in KY had morel seasons that were poor in comparison to other years. It was my worst in the past 20 years. Based upon current soil temps and the extended forecast, we will probably see a little later start to this season but hoping and praying for it to be much better than last year.

 

I have been hunting the Northern Kentucky area for morels for almost 10 years. It wasn't until 2 years ago that I found my very first Morel in NKY. It was in Grant County. Until then I swore that we didn't have the soil for it. I found one black last year and that was it. Very very disappointing. I'm from Northern Indiana and grew up hunting them. I take a trip north to my hometown every year to take my Aunt hunting and of course there I am never empty handed. I helped her find the biggest patch of morels she's ever seen in her life and that was such an amazing experience. She was the only one who ever went hunting with me and she was the one who took me on my first hunt. I never gave up here in Kentucky though! I love hiking in the spring anyway and would find all kinds of other fungi and wildlife to enjoy. I'm very hopeful this year since we've had a nice solid freeze. I've been dreaming about mushrooms all winter and now the "Mushroom Madness" is setting in for me.

I started a facebook page dedicated to my hunts in NKY and Northern Indiana. I'm hoping to help other transplants like myself figure out this foreign land.

Good luck and happy hunting to all this year!

 

I am an avid shroomer from Ohio...just learned of the Irvine mushroom festival and considered looking into KY shrooming as it typically occurs before ours...I just don't want to embark on an adventure without some knowledge of public land or other areas locally that hunting is allowed on...retired this year so always looking for enjoyable ways to spend time...

 

Got my special Shroomin boots out & ready to do some scouting!

 

Mark,
I've heard many times that central and southern Kentucky are some of the best places to look. Especially Land Between the Lakes. I am planning on taking a trip there with my husband and his friends. They're going fishing of course, and I'll be mushroom hunting. You can always go to KY Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and look for wildlife management areas that have trails and allow hunting and hiking. I don't have any private land to hunt so I go to public land like WMA's and parks. I check park websites to make sure they don't have any foraging restrictions. Also there is Daniel Boon National Forest and you don't need any permit or license for mushroom hunting. Good Luck!

 

That’s one way to keep people out of your patches!

 

I live close to LBL, and always thought that would be a great place to go mushroom hunting! I might just check it out this season, if I can get a ride! Boy, I sure can't wait to find some in my spots here close to home !!! I think it will be any day now.

 

Let's do this!! Barren County signing in!!

 

B

Big Foot, morel monster. Ha Ha