[deliveryguy]

Hello,

I am a delivery person south of the twin cities. My route covers over 100 square miles. I know and care for hundreds of residents on my route. Today I encountered a man who looked to be in his 60s along with an adult woman and an infant child. They were trespassing on property owned by one of my customers in order to steal morels. I confronted them as they were getting into their car and asked them if they had permission from the land owner to take mushrooms, they did not. They left when I told them the owner does not allow morel pickers on his land. I got his licence number. This happens every year several times on my route since there are many morels on my route.
Do you morel hunters who enter private land to steal mushrooms without permission realize you can be arrested for trespassing and theft ? You can go to jail. The deputy sheriff is also a land owner down here and does not appreciate the annual trespassing spree. He will arrest trespassers and thieves. Do you realize many farmers count on the extra revenue the morels bring in each year (no matter how hit and miss).

If I see these particular thieves again on my route I will be calling the deputy. I will also call on cars parked near the edges of woods were they should not be. The steeling spree will have it's consequences. Is the trill worth jail time?

 

[deliveryguy]

(thrill)

 

[morel rat]

SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED A NEW JOB BEING SHERIFF

 

[deliveryguy]

So I guess you don't believe trespassing on someone's land and taking their produce is wrong?
I have talked to many of the farmers on my route and they are fed up with pickers who think they have the right to steal.
As I said before, many of these property owners harvest morels from their own land as a source of income.
Taking morels from someone's land is the same as trespassing and taking their crops or personnel possessions.
It is illegal.
But more than that, it is immoral.
Stealing is wrong.

 

[morel rat]

Hell no I never tresspass... with out asking first... if no permission down the road I gooo, so many places to hunt no need for trouble... most farmers say have a day , or get lost son
Good luck Picking!

 

[bugbathe]

We need more people like you I own 35 acres of woods and have caught trespassers more then once.

 

[deliveryguy]

Saw a trespasser today. They moved on after scanning woods from the ditch. I have permission to pick on a landowners property on the same road he was on. I picked 38 shooms in 1/2 hour.

 

[jamie]

Delievery guy. About the dumbest thing you could do was post on here. Your gonna have to get help to direct traffic for all the hunters heading your way. Some things are better kept to yourself.

 

[mushy galore]

Maybe Delivery Guy is actually a trespasser trying to scare away other trespassers?

 

[midwestmayhen11]

DeliveryGuy, So let me get this straight. If you see cars parked along the road you are going to assume they are trespassers and call the sheriff? Seems like you are going to piss off the Sheriff . You have big ba&#s coming on here making a very general statement like we are all trespassers. Why don't you stick to patrolling the land you own/ have permission on...

 

[shroomtrooper]

If its a farm or has no trespassing signs why would anybody go on it. As far as the extra income, come on. Only the boys out west make enough to make any difference. Maybe a couple people here might make a few bucks, but farmers in spring, they are too busy to look for morels at this time of year. I talked to a farm boy about this and he said, deer hunting or pheasant or duck odds are they have friends and family that they let, but morels, most farmers dont care, as long as you ask. Cant stress enough long as you ask. And yes, there are people that trespass so delivery guy is right, but, he seems kind of, how do you put it, judge and jury. Most morel hunters are very upstanding people, they make no money what so ever and really connect with nature.

 

[Old Elm]

Hey " Delivery-boy" Thank you very much for the inspiration. I snuck across the river tonite,and helped myself to some Minnesota Morels. You can see today's date on the paper.

 

[deliveryguy]

In response:
1. I don't think anyone is headed my way, There have been plenty of posts about them popping, and I only indicated a very large area (south of the twin cities).
2. I didn't say all the people on this forum were trespassers, or even any of the posters on this forum.
3. I don't call the sheriff's deputy (who I am friends with) unless I first call the land owner to confirm the morel hunters do not have permission. After delivering to the same area for many years I consider them my friends and I look out for them.
4. If you enter someone's woods and steal their property, a no trespassing sign is not necessary to make what you are doing illegal, you need permission.
5 As to the extra income... The crops are planted and I know many who harvest morels this time of year. You can choose to believe it or not.
6 I see posts by some that say they pull 10 lbs. a day and they offer them for sale on this forum, so some are making $

I find it interesting that people who would never trespass or steal otherwise would do so for mushrooms. I guess my comments hit a little to close to home for some here on this forum. Does anyone here believe it is morally OK to take mushrooms (or other plants or property) without the land owner's permission?

 

[deliveryguy]

OldElm...
I saw that you posted a picture of those on the Wisconsin forum as well. I think you missed the boat by crossing the border (if you did). A picker from Wisconsin posted that he pulled 263 yellows under 1 elm tree. I may have to cross over to Wisconsin this weekend since that is the hot area.

 

[mnphungi]

BTW- To "legally" make $$, you need certification. Wouldn't want any of those $$ hungry farmers to get in trouble with the law.