[rustyonion]

So I live near the Fox River in McHenry County and frequent the woods in Lake, Cook and McHenry county. Towns such as Barrington, Fox River Grove, Cary, Crystal Lake and Wauconda get most of my walks in the woods. I thought I would start a post for people of similar geographical location can talk. I haven't found a thing yet but with this big storm today I can't wait for the sunshine to break to see what there is. Will anyone share a forest preserve they have had luck with.

 

[rustyonion]

Does anyone have good directions on how to preserve morels?

 

[peaches]

Hey there, I am in Crystal Lake. I am completely new to morel hunting, so I don't have much to offer. I'm hanging around here in hopes of learning and getting news on when the season starts for others in this area. That way, I am not completely clueless-- at least I will be wandering around at the right time! If I do happen to magically stumble across any morels, I'll try and contribute. But until then, I'll be a happy listener and learner from others in this thread.

 

[rustyonion]

Went to two different spots yesterday and nothing. I wasn't expecting much. I will go again but my hope are realistic for Sunday looking at the weather.

 

[peaches]

According to to this post: here, someone in "Northern Illinois" has found some as of yesterday.

 

[umami]

Hey I'm in the Crystal Lake area as well. I haven't had much luck in the area. It doesn't seem to have a lot of elms but I do know of one small park, which I will keep secret. Lake Geneva seems to have a good amount of elms. Just learn to identify dead elms and look for similar looking patches of trees when driving (safely). I would potentially trade someone an area for one of their hunting grounds. I have a few spots, but nothing big yet as far as morels go.

 

[supra8795]

I am west of Chicago and I have found a few smalls greys not worth picking. Shouldn't be long.

 

[carpet crawler]

Rusty Onion, Purchase a dehydrater.Then all you have to do is add water whenever you want mushrooms.They stay good for years! Don't use chlorinated water.CC

 

[getawayto]

I was looking at the average daily minimum, bare soil temps for your area and it's not quite there. You need to be at 55 degrees for the morels to pop. I was told long ago.
http://www.isws.illinois.edu/warm/soiltemp/displaymap.asp?data=bstmin#toptitlebar

 

[hansendog]

getawayto that's a good page you listed. If you scroll down you can get daily data by station. A little more complete data.

 

[getawayto]

Thanks, I didn't look very hard, I guess that's why I am morelless right now

 

[rustyonion]

Will the sun come out and heat up a bit, all this rain has me with ants in the pants to go out, they should be popping today. I might go check my honey hole.

 

[peaches]

I went out today and didn't find anything. I have no idea what I'm doing, so my account is not the best thing to go off of, but a friend who is an experienced morel hunter said that Mother's Day is the time to start looking around our area. Has anyone else had any luck?

 

[justin]

I am from FRG, and hope to get out this weekend. I've never been hunting, but do know what I'm looking for when I go. Any suggestions on where? I was thinking maybe more toward woodstock/mchenry area, as it is more rural. Any suggestions that would be closer would be welcome and appreciated. Any questions, I've done quite a bit of research, so ask away.

 

[rustyonion]

Justin, I too am in FRG and there are plenty of places to find them. Morels are weird like that I have found them in the middle of urban neighborhoods (in Indianapolis), my front yard to deep in the woods. Around FRG I just walk in the woods by my house. I haven't had much luck in wetlands. There are woods at grassy lake and the hollows in crystal lake.

 

[boomers]

I also am from the mchenry area, I go to a property owned by an old man who doesn't mind if a look there for morels, but it is a small area. I also went to Morraine Hills state park and a conservation officer said that it's not allowed off trail walking. I would love to find some property that would take a few hours to look for morels. Any suggestions? I've been hunting morels for about 17 years but only for a couple in the area.

 

[cjake042]

They are out guys...went out for 20 minutes after work on 5/6 to a spot that I have gone for the last four years and came out with (21) 3"-4" .

 

[lothar47]

Definitely starting, checked an early spot of mine, found two dozen 3 inchers.