[stormy]

I’m in southern Missouri, east of Central; don’t know if these next couple nights of freezing temperatures or below will have an impact on things. We got a little less than 2/10 of an inch of rain this afternoon; they’re not forecasting much rain for the next week or so in my area. Going to have warm temperatures, but without the rain, I don’t know... hopefully the season will stick around until the second and third week of April, maybe. I guess we’ll find out, good luck, folks.

 

[stormy]

Still find morels around elm trees, young and old in Illinois

 

[kb]

Most likely not cold enough to matter. Still early even in S. Mo. I hear you on the lack of rain and higher temps. though. Hard not to worry.

 

[dean]

I see no elms here just south of Springfield. Is this common in Missouri?

 

[stormy]

Yeah, we go through this every year with the weather

Most likely not cold enough to matter. Still early even in S. Mo. I hear you on the lack of rain and higher temps. though. Hard not to worry.

Yeah, we go through this every year with the weather, LOL. Thanks for the response. I’m kind of surprised there aren’t more people on here

 

[blw777]

I live south of Cape Girardeau and wanted to hunt morels this weekend, but our temps are supposed to drop below freezing Wednesday and Thursday night. Do you think that would make Friday and Saturday poor days to hunt? Thanks.

 

[blarneystone]

I live south of Cape Girardeau and wanted to hunt morels this weekend, but our temps are supposed to drop below freezing Wednesday and Thursday night. Do you think that would make Friday and Saturday poor days to hunt? Thanks.

Any day is a good day to be in the woods, either hunting mushrooms or just getting some exercise. I think Morels need some time with soil temp's in the mid 50's, but you may get that on Southern slopes this early, even with the little cold snap. I'm in St. Louis and I think we will be a few weeks out still. Usually the time I find them is Turkey season, week of the 19th this year but probably going to go out in a week and take a hike.

 

[blw777]

Any day is a good day to be in the woods, either hunting mushrooms or just getting some exercise. I think Morels need some time with soil temp's in the mid 50's, but you may get that on Southern slopes this early, even with the little cold snap. I'm in St. Louis and I think we will be a few weeks out still. Usually the time I find them is Turkey season, week of the 19th this year but probably going to go out in a week and take a hike.

Thanks! I may try to scout things out. This is the last weekend I have off until the second week of May. I was hoping it would be warmer.

 

[kb]

I see no elms here just south of Springfield. Is this common in Missouri?

Most of the Ozarks region is elm poor. I am not sure what they hunt on down there. I would look around streams if you can find some soft maple, cottonwood, or river birch on them they all produce. Young willow groves also. Some people say they find them in the oak/hickory timbers down there but I never have much luck in those type timbers up north.. If you drive over to the strip pits in SE. Kansas there are many acres of cottonwoods and some elm.

 

[kb]

I think the season is going to be early and quick this year in much of the midwest. The next 2 weeks look very warm and not to wet so far. Have some 80's coming and that is not good. I try to get out walking timber every day this time of year. I have may apples unfurling in NW. Mo. already Every slope but north.

 

[kb]

I live south of Cape Girardeau and wanted to hunt morels this weekend, but our temps are supposed to drop below freezing Wednesday and Thursday night. Do you think that would make Friday and Saturday poor days to hunt? Thanks.

Just be patient. Morels this time of year take a while to grow. Unless you are just dying to get out I would let the warm weekend temps. work their magic. All the rain you guys have had, next week and after should be good. If you think they are already up go get them. "The freeze may ruin some .

 

[blw777]

Just be patient. Morels this time of year take a while to grow. Unless you are just dying to get out I would let the warm weekend temps. work their magic. All the rain you guys have had, next week and after should be good. If you think they are already up go get them. "The freeze may ruin some .

Thanks. That was my opinion as well but this is the last free time I have until the second weekend in May.

 

[Wiz]

It was assumed that morels prefer sweet soil but after taking several dozen soil samples from SC to NJ All were from acidic soil. All had pH under 6.0 Some as low as 4.5. I got soil samples from many people across the country. One sample from Idaho had 8.0 pH. Soil samples were done by my local Clemson extension service and included all basic soil items such as iron. phosphorus potassium, and many other minerals and nutrients. There seemed to be nothing in common where morels fruited.

That's great info. Thanks for posting!

 

[dean]

Most of the Ozarks region is elm poor. I am not sure what they hunt on down there. I would look around streams if you can find some soft maple, cottonwood, or river birch on them they all produce. Young willow groves also. Some people say they find them in the oak/hickory timbers down there but I never have much luck in those type timbers up north.. If you drive over to the strip pits in SE. Kansas there are many acres of cottonwoods and some elm.

Thanks KB
Would love to hunt with you, IWONAGAIN, ShroomGod (IA) befor I die

 

[kb]

Thanks KB
Would love to hunt with you, IWONAGAIN, ShroomGod (IA) befor I die

You never know what the future will bring dean, I have ran into people in the strangest places. I have never hunted in S. MO. so I am just guessing at what to try. You can most likely find more elm over toward Joplin. If they have soft maple on the streams and rivers I would certainly give them a look.

 

[scwehner]

west central here, been checking every day, nothing yet. I did get my first tick today, what do I win?

Ha... You weren't first!

 

[scwehner]

I see no elms here just south of Springfield. Is this common in Missouri?

I'm east of Springfield, MO in Douglas Co. I still have some elms scattered around. Some older ones around old homesteads on my place. Never find any Morels with them. I can find them in rocky/cherty hillsides under almost every variety of tree so long as there is some reasonable amount of good soil with it--not real sandy. Generally have Oak forests w/ Hickory. Never find Morels or anything under Black Walnut for obvious reasons. Move from S-facing slopes early onto N-facing slopes late season. Particulary interesting is that cedar woods give up very nice tall/large morels in the late season if the ground can stay some moist. Never found a morel in northerly MO under a cedar. I lived a while in OKC, OK and almost couldn't find a morel unless you were looking under cedars.

 

[scwehner]

I'm east of Springfield, MO in Douglas Co. I still have some elms scattered around. Some older ones around old homesteads on my place. Never find any Morels with them. I can find them in rocky/cherty hillsides under almost every variety of tree so long as there is some reasonable amount of good soil with it--not real sandy. Generally have Oak forests w/ Hickory. Never find Morels or anything under Black Walnut for obvious reasons. Move from S-facing slopes early onto N-facing slopes late season. Particulary interesting is that cedar woods give up very nice tall/large morels in the late season if the ground can stay some moist. Never found a morel in northerly MO under a cedar. I lived a while in OKC, OK and almost couldn't find a morel unless you were looking under cedars.

And.... just to add. I have never found a "flock" of morels in a small space down on the Ozark ranch in Douglas Co. I tend to always find them 4-6' apart over a large area. Unlike up at my place in KC where can sometimes find a lot of morels in a small area.

 

[nico]

Hi everyone I'm from s.e. mo. I started finding some morels one year by a good size slippery elm that was being strangled by a huge vine after I cut the vine to save the tree no more morels are growing there. As for 2021 nothing for me yet

 

[shroomsearcher]

I'm east of Springfield, MO in Douglas Co. I still have some elms scattered around. Some older ones around old homesteads on my place. Never find any Morels with them. I can find them in rocky/cherty hillsides under almost every variety of tree so long as there is some reasonable amount of good soil with it--not real sandy. Generally have Oak forests w/ Hickory. Never find Morels or anything under Black Walnut for obvious reasons. Move from S-facing slopes early onto N-facing slopes late season. Particulary interesting is that cedar woods give up very nice tall/large morels in the late season if the ground can stay some moist. Never found a morel in northerly MO under a cedar. I lived a while in OKC, OK and almost couldn't find a morel unless you were looking under cedars.

Hi everyone I'm from s.e. mo. I started finding some morels one year by a good size slippery elm that was being strangled by a huge vine after I cut the vine to save the tree no more morels are growing there. As for 2021 nothing for me yet

Neither case is surprising. In the first, it sounds like those trees are very much alive. Same now with the second case after cutting that vine. Those trees are no longer threatened, and the morel mycelium, if it's there in the first case, is perfectly happy to live underground. Nico's post is testament to this. When the tree was stressed, he found morels. He removed the stress, and now finds no morels.

Morels, and other mushroom, have mycorrhizal relationships with trees and other plants. The mycelium comes in contact with the fine, root ends of the trees root system and surrounds or penetrates it. It acts as an extended root system for the tree and brings it water and minerals. The tree gives back sugars and amino acids. When the tree is stressed or threatened, the mycelium can sense it, and will pop morels in order to produce and broadcast spore because it knows it needs to get out of Dodge!