Appreciate the advice guys! I was thinking that myself the last time out hunting. I actually found that one lone morel on high ground that was good to me last year. But I thought it's pretty dry up here, maybe I need to get lower, and on some more shaded slopes where there might be more moisture in the ground. Nada! I went and hiked a creek bottom in a local park last week. Didn't find 'shroom one of any description, but did wind up with an incredible ramp spot! So, overall, I have to mark that up as a positive experience.
So then, I began to consider if I should start branching out. There's been no rain here, so maybe I have to go where the rain has been falling. But, I have no spots to hunt there. I could look up public hunting areas, State parks, etc. and give them a try, but it's getting kind of late. This is only my third year morel hunting, so I've kind of been "local centric" looking to get my feet on the ground. It was some members at my hunting club that encouraged me to get started. That first year I found nothing. Until the very end! I found about a dozen over the hill, dried out yellows under an elm.
I didn't get to take anything home from that find, but what it did for me was immeasurable! I showed me that when I "looked" at a morel, I "saw" a morel! And I knew what it was!
I figure that's a seminal moment in any 'shroom hunters career. To know what you're looking at! That's what enabled me to find the shaggy manes, meadow mushrooms, and ramps. And I'm after more! I wish I had gotten into this earlier in life, but heck, it's all a great adventure whenever it happens,
