Morchella, I remember you looking for help last year. How far north are you in MI? I'm in Indiana, but I'll help you when I'm around.
Judging from the type of trees you're looking at, it sounds like you're pretty far north. There's a few really good hunters up there that can probably give a better rundown of the local foliage than I can. Last year was my first year looking up there, and it was a bad year to begin. This one should be much better.
I've found morels by Oaks, Conifers, and Deciduous, along with many other varieties...also found them in sand mounds and sidewalk cracks. That said, they grow best around Apple, Elm and Ash trees...learn what the bark and leaves look like. Level hill plateaus and small slopes are my favorites, sometimes riverbeds. Ground cover not too thick or overgrown. Control burn sites work well a year or two after...the MI DNR has that info. Usually good to have a water source (pond, lake, river) nearby. I've also had good luck at parks that have adjacent north/south train tracks.
My thing is to watch the trees...they will tell you when. Me, I wouldn't even begin to think about looking (unless you're scouting) until the trees are budding. That means the root system is waking up, and so is everything else. You can find them randomly once this happens, but it's best to wait for some leaves, wild flowers, and possibly other fungi for ideal conditions. I start looking pretty hard (every day), and have my best luck, once the forest canopy buds begin turning into leaves. When the mid-sized trees have >40% of their leaves formed, and the tallest have begun the transformation, you're going to want to be out whenever you can. Early shrooms like the sun. Shrooms that are on-time like partial shade. Spaces that get early morning or evening sun, and some mid-day shade, produce well in the early season. I've noticed that I find the early ones a little deeper in the woods, and the late ones closer to the treeline. They usually work center-out and south to north (and east-west), but where the sun shines through matters most. Once the forest has completely filled in, and you get a longer streak of 70+ degrees, you have maybe a week left tops. (60s daytime/40s nighttime is optimal)
Weather plays a big factor, but you'll notice that the bulk come up at pretty much the same time each year. If it's an early spring, the season is likely to start sooner and be longer...that's why I watch the trees. Last year around me, and farther south, was really good early on. However, we had all that rain/flooding (esp. in MI), and that bad cold snap. That really put a damper on the yellows, but I got a ton of half-free and blacks. Going early gives you that advantage, along with less competition. The year before, the season started almost two weeks late due to cold weather, but the late season was awesome (albeit shorter).
Since you're starting out, you should begin keeping a record of dates found, type of morel, where, conditions (wet/dry, leaves/foliage, sunny/cloudy), and temperature (daily/weekly/monthly). You'll find patterns. I normally hunt alone, but maybe I can get you started, or at least point you in the right direction if you come down this way. I'll be going to southern Indiana mid-April to a spot I found a few years ago that had the potential to be the mother lode if I time it right. That, and my slurry are most likely off-limits, but I have plenty of spots that produce...and others I know do, but have yet to be serious about exploring.
www.mcgi.state.mi.us
Click on the layers and select MIHunt Cover Types
