Look along the river bottoms. Elm trees. Sycamore trees, Birch trees are all morel magnets. Look where it is starting to 'green up' where the sun has been warming the ground. Southern exposed slopes. Happy hunting and good luck.
Okay, fellow Jefferson Countians...here’s my report for 4/17: Despair not! In our area (I’m about 1/2way between Hillsboro and House Springs), They’re just getting started in the highlands.
I went out this morning and kept about 2 dozen small ones, although 2 were medium sized. They’re very hard to see right now as most are juuuust poking their little wrinkled fungal noses through the leaf litter. You have to be looking at them at a perfect angle to even have a chance.
I must’ve seen 50 itty bitties down in the leaves that I’ll go back for in a few days.
For the novice, this is tough. You can forage now, sure, but I’d wager by this weekend, they’ll have busted through so you can see them better.
I’ve got a sneaking suspicion the morels are going to be thick very soon.