[noskydaddy]

With the Indiana board starting to warm up,
I thought I'd start the good ol' annual 2022 board for Pure Michigan.

Rain has been falling (and snow!) in SW MI all month and I'm starting to get the fever.

How is everyone doing and what are your thoughts on the upcoming season?

 

[noskydaddy]

What is the timing for your season up there

Soon! I'm going to start within a few weeks.
Apr 15th would be a good jump off date, weather permitting.

 

[noskydaddy]

It’s starting to warm up here in Michigan as well. We are slowly creeping into the high 50s-60s, I’m hoping by next week I can start the hunt!!!

Yes @Riss, I think next week is a good time to begin. I'm going to go tomorrow and don't expect much, but the weather is favorable overall. What part of the state do you hunt?

 

[noskydaddy]

What about you?

I hunt all of SW MI and Northern IN. Do you hunt any other mushrooms beyond morels?

 

[noskydaddy]

Not now at least, I just started my search for Morels seriously in the last two years, my first attempt was in 2020, I found 2 big ones. Last year I think I waited too long, but I have been gearing up reading books and what not to prepare my self for this season so fingers crossed!

Oh ok! So you're a newbie. I would highly suggest following and
posting questions on the Indiana Board as its very active.

The same tips and tricks work in Michigan as they do Indiana.

Once you select Indiana as a state, look for and Follow the thread below:

And start asking questions!

Hope this helps.

 

[noskydaddy]

If you're interested in adding an "easier" to find mushroom while in the Morel woods, study up on pheasant backs. Easy to identify and you'll find them in the same areas. If you strike out on Morels, you can often come home with some pheasant backs for the fry pan.

Ya @Riss, @Kbart makes a good point for newbies: Learn some easy to ID mushrooms and get your confidence up.

The Pheasant back is a good one to start with because of what kbart said. Also, check out chicken of the woods too for simplicity and deliciousness.

The funny thing is the morel is one of the hardest to see of all mushrooms and most of us begin with this mushroom.

Maybe more people would be lifelong mushroom hunters if they started with easier ones to begin with? I remember the day I told my mentor (for morels) that I'm quitting. "It's just too hard!" I said. Luckily, he talked me out of it.

Now, I hunt all year round and love it more than anything!

 

[noskydaddy]

Also, since you seem really inclined to learn, I highly suggest trying to find a mentor. They can flatten the learning curve dramtically.

 

[noskydaddy]

Have you hunted for black trumpets? Those can be hard to see! I'm not sure which is worse.

I love black trumpet hunting! Very challenging hunt. Had a bumper crop in 2018 and 2019 and then a very poor next two years. They have me baffled at this point.
How about yourself?

 

[noskydaddy]

I adore black trumpets. Last year I didn't find a single one as far as I can remember but I was working in MN June through Oct so I didn't get out much. Some years I find thousands. I love how you can smell them before you see them. Getting excited about this season but my local woods are at least 2 weeks behind last year according to my photos. Heck my tulips haven't even bloomed!

Last season had me completely baffled for trumpets. I didn't find one either, and we had ample rains all month so that made little sense to me. (In an area I had previously found hundreds too.)

 

[noskydaddy]

Look on the edge of ponds especially if there are oaks and beech and the most important look for witch hazel. I find that purple corts will grow in the same area so if you see a purple mushroom on the edge of a wet area slow down.

Purple corts or Wood Bewit (Lapista nuda)? I ask because I find my trumpets in envorins like those of the Blewit. Thanks!

 

[noskydaddy]

I’m looking forward to a great year although here in Oakland county, it looks like at least a week till they’ll be up in significant numbers. I’ll look at my spot for blacks either this afternoon or tomorrow but with this cold snap, I doubt I’ll see anything. Temps begin to moderate this week so next week should be a good time to start looking. SW Michigan always starts earliest- here, we’re usually a week or so behind.

Nice. I did find 11 blacks yesterday. These were nice sized and must have been up before the cold snap. Keep us posted!

 

[noskydaddy]

Cortinarius or sure. I don't usually find Lepista until way later in the year and it has to have a lot of leaf debris. The corts will pop up in July.

Yes that makes sense.

 

[noskydaddy]

Cant wait for this weekend making our annual mothers day trip up first one this year we are going somewhere completely different so not sure how itll go but we will see hope everyone is starting to have some success!

What part of the state you heading to @elmgirl ?

 

[noskydaddy]

@noskydaddy any luck in Mesick? I’m just north in Benzonia on a fishing trip. We found 4 babies yesterday in about an hour hike. I’m heading back home tomorrow, gonna stop back and see if we can get into them a little bit on the way out. Seems like it’s still a bit early but south facing seemed to be the key. The rest of the week looks great weather wise. Good luck!

Not great buddy. Just too cool yet.
Ground is 46-48 degrees.

I've been focussing on southern aspects
but no luck yet.

Admittedly, this is my first Mesick area hunt
so I'm doing a lot of scouting and not enough hunting.

If I were you, I'd head as far south
as you can go on your way home and look there.

I can't wait to get back to SW MI now
cuz it's go time!

 

[noskydaddy]

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found about a dozen today

Good job buddy. You got it dialed in.

 

[noskydaddy]

I am fairly new to MI morel hunting. I have found my plenty of oysters, chickens, and hens, but have yet to find my first morel in MI. I have been working in Warren area for the last year and a half. I will be back in the area the weekend of the 14th and was wondering if I will be late or right on time. Here are my last fall finds.
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About right on time for that Latitude buddy.

 

[noskydaddy]

I am in Shiawassee county and have only found 16 morels, all in the last week. A couple of gray and the rest blondes. Not finding anything in our normal places, all in grassy areas outside our normal woods. All have been medium to small. Some fresh, a couple a bit dry but still good. I am worried about the heat coming. Think this may be the end of the season, but still see better temps a week from now if they hold. Not sure it will make a difference after the heat wave. Anyone else having a weird season?? Feeling luck we have gotten the 16 so far.

The season is a little weird but they all are. That's the allure!

I wouldn't give up too soon if I were you. Commonly, I find them until the end of the May in this general latitude. That's 20 more days.

 

[noskydaddy]

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Took a two hour walk this morning at a place that we hammered it last year and only pulled about a pound and a half. 75% of the trees that produced last year were producing nothing unfortunately. If we don’t get rain really soon I think we could be in trouble. I’ll be checking a couple spots this afternoon after work, and I’m taking the day off tomorrow for an all day hunt, will report hopefully good findings

I've also found most of my morels under just a few trees. 90% of good trees checked so far haven't produced. YET. YET!

 

[noskydaddy]

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found about 60 two hours ago under 1 tree. Left about a dozen tiny ones behind. They were all fairly small but I was in a state park about 20 yards from a busy main road and I know this area is hunted heavily so I snatched em up!
Even with this extreme heat (which makes hunting miserable, IMO) these morels seem to be popping kinda late compared to most years. Really odd but I’ll take it! Can’t wait for the cool down next week- I think it’ll be a freaking bonanza after this weekend’s rain!

Nice to see fresh growth. I was expecting to see some in
SW MI but haven't, not yet.

And like everyone else it seems you gotta check a lot of
trees and get lucky enought to find the one or two that
have morels. Odd.

Did find tulip morels for the first time this season today too.

 

[noskydaddy]

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Picked a couple dozen today. Was only out for about an hour and a half but only really hunted for an hour because I ran into some dude in the woods who couldn’t stop telling me his walleye fishing and morel hunting stories….lol. He was cool and all but I’m all business in the woods during morel season!
Next week is going to be amazing….
Mark
My
Words
!!!

All business!