My First find for 2014

Yeah I'm in Maggie Valley area, still nothing at my early spots. Rain this week will be good but I wish these spells of low temps would go away..

What do yall think? We had 2-3 days of temps in the 80's after a really good rain . Nights were in the 40's. It has been too early..Now we are getting another good rain and nights headed for the 30's for a few nights and 60ish daytime temps...When would you go..Like I say ..not any evidence of any so far.

I went in the Hickory area yesterday. Found nothing. It started raining on me around 10:00 AM and has rained all night. The woods looked ready to Pop.So if the sun comes out Wednesday as the weather man says it will be time.. Any time after the sun comes back out should be prime hunting. Good Luck.

Thanks Heliguy

John~ Heading your way around May 5..ever heard of any great hunting around Franklin?

Once... Franklin is just down the mountain from me. Spent plenty of time searching that area. You probably won't have much luck along rivers or in valleys. I never did! That will be the perfect time to hit the ridges. The right type of ridge with deep leaf litter and rich soil. Also, tulip morels are fairly frequent on slopes. Good luck!

Yep, since the low temps have been hanging around, May 5 might be the perfect time to scout Franklin. Like cosmiccharlie, I have never had luck with rivers, But I've found that my early finds start in the lower elevations and creep up into the higher ridges just like the other vegetation does. Out towards Macon County Middle school and also off of highway 28 there use to be some pretty good spots, but honestly it's been a few years since I've looked that way. I luck out because in Maggie and Waynesville area there are tons of tulip poplars and old apple orchards, so most of my jackpots are primarily within walking distance. With this weather, I'm hoping it won't be a late and quickly over season though. Best of luck out there!

Hey John, that's awesome you're are in the Maggie valley area. My wife is from Madison county (Spring Creek to be exact) and lived in Lake Junaluska for a while. Love it over there! Lot more lush than around Highlands. Orchard morels are the best! I love looking for old apple trees, and there seems to be plenty round there. I got a few good spots where small orchards are completely grown over. They aren't ready here either. Won't be long though!

Found 1st deliciosas on April 3 in my early spot under Bradford pear trees. Few days later found 25 grays under some other pear trees in another early spot. Found 20+ small yellows on April 13 and last evening went back to same hill side and found 25 nice 2-4" yellows. My wife found 12 fresh small grays again last nite under pear trees where we had found and picked 25 last week. Cold weather is not going to help but the shrooms are out there. So far we are at 125 total for the year. Hunting lower elevations for the next couple of weeks then will follow the green-up to higher spots. General location is Swain County in western part of the state.

Found a few Gray's last night under my Bradford Pears and Viburnum.
After looking closer I see about 20 tips just starting to poke up.
This should be a great weekend to hunt in the Kernersville NC area.

Bradford pears!? Thats a new one to me. I have checked around some before out of curiosity, with no luck. Are these in poor health that you find them under?

The grays and tulip morels that I find under the Bradford pears are every bit as big as those that I find around tulip poplars later in the season. Just as tasty too!

I cant wait to find my first one..

Thanks Cosmic and John. This is off subject but since you guys are familiar with Franklin..we are going on vacation up there and are planning a gem mining day..Any suggestions ?

To Cosmic-the Bradford pear trees are all healthy. Some are small and others are quite large.

Cosmic- I love it here, I can be walking in the woods and apple trees will just come out of nowhere! Trowe- that's a great tip about looking for Bradford pears, Never heard that either. Swain County is where I'm originally from and I will be going over to Bryson to see my mother this weekend so it's great to hear of your success over that way! Sounds like we will all be busy raking in the good stuff in the next few days, Good luck all!

I have 20 that I found today. Took me all of 5 minutes. They have NEVER grown in my yard before. But I was out with my kids and there they were. I was shocked! Right under my pear trees too. And when I came in to get a bowl, my husband followed me back to see what I was doing. Well, he just mowed the grass and weed eated 2 days ago... He told me they were all over the yard and they went right over them. DESTROYED about 50 of them After I could regain my motor skills, haha, I explained to him exactly what they are and to never ever do that again! He then went out and got me a few more lol. By the way, Morganton here!

Beautiful bunch of morels just1more!

That's quite a story wilson9461. Does your husband know he is lucky to be alive, lol!?! That reminds me of a guy I know that turkey hunts. He told me he used to find them all the time while hunting, and thought they were ugly, and would stomp on them, yep, he stomped them. Grrrrrrr!