[dilligaf]

Hello out there.
I live in the No East corner of the state and as the heading says I am new to all of this.
Would very much appreciate any tips help or insights as to when and where to find morels in my area.
Thank you in advance for any help given.

 

[ozimmerman]

Hi, in my experience you are likely in a challenging area for morels. I lived a across the border in the Worcester area for 4 years and never found any in that area. I also have looked out around windham county a bit with no luck. Doesn't mean you won't find them, but they like the higher pH soils of the limestones as opposed to the acidic soils associated with granite and gneiss. Check out bedrock maps and look for marbles and limestone. Look in loamy soils around streams. Look around Tulip poplar, ash, cottonwood, and, if you are lucky, dead or dying elms. Find old apple trees and give a thorough search. They are also not highly abundant in my area toward New Haven, but there are scattered ones to be found. I have typically found my time is better spent getting in the car and heading to more productive areas, rather than spending hours of fruitless time searching. I always spend some time near home every spring trying to find a local hotspot, but haven't hit it big without driving at least a half hour after going on 20 years of recon.

 

[dilligaf]

Hi, in my experience you are likely in a challenging area for morels. I lived a across the border in the Worcester area for 4 years and never found any in that area. I also have looked out around windham county a bit with no luck. Doesn't mean you won't find them, but they like the higher pH soils of the limestones as opposed to the acidic soils associated with granite and gneiss. Check out bedrock maps and look for marbles and limestone. Look in loamy soils around streams. Look around Tulip poplar, ash, cottonwood, and, if you are lucky, dead or dying elms. Find old apple trees and give a thorough search. They are also not highly abundant in my area toward New Haven, but there are scattered ones to be found. I have typically found my time is better spent getting in the car and heading to more productive areas, rather than spending hours of fruitless time searching. I always spend some time near home every spring trying to find a local hotspot, but haven't hit it big without driving at least a half hour after going on 20 years of recon.

Thank you for responding and your insights.
All very helpful.
Best of luck with your quest.

 

[Robert Hatcher]

Hi, in my experience you are likely in a challenging area for morels. I lived a across the border in the Worcester area for 4 years and never found any in that area. I also have looked out around windham county a bit with no luck. Doesn't mean you won't find them, but they like the higher pH soils of the limestones as opposed to the acidic soils associated with granite and gneiss. Check out bedrock maps and look for marbles and limestone. Look in loamy soils around streams. Look around Tulip poplar, ash, cottonwood, and, if you are lucky, dead or dying elms. Find old apple trees and give a thorough search. They are also not highly abundant in my area toward New Haven, but there are scattered ones to be found. I have typically found my time is better spent getting in the car and heading to more productive areas, rather than spending hours of fruitless time searching. I always spend some time near home every spring trying to find a local hotspot, but haven't hit it big without driving at least a half hour after going on 20 years of recon.

Welcome to the madness dilligaf, dont give up! and thanks for the excellent reply oz! The bit about the soil PH and not wasting time in unproductive areas, makes sense. I live in Norwich bordering an old farm, and Mohegan park with plenty of big Ash trees and some old apples and Elms. In fact, on my property, we have live and dead elms and some of the elms are in a low area with may apples around them, yet no morels. I've been foraging for a few years but last year I found five little morels on a friends property near a big apple stump. This year, around the stump, I found 5 more morels, that's it. I will keep checking there but if it follows last years pattern, that's all I will find. Also, Up in the Scotland area, I've found more primish area with plenty of ash and elm.

I spent a lot of time in the woods last season, got those 5 teasers and lime disease for the first time in my life. I'm not giving up but I really tiered of videos of massive hauls out in the midwest!

I downloaded some CT bedrock maps last night and am doing some recon planning. Those maps challenging to read this could be a separate topic in itself.
Thanks
Robert

 

[redfred]

Welcome to the madness dilligaf, dont give up! and thanks for the excellent reply oz! The bit about the soil PH and not wasting time in unproductive areas, makes sense. I live in Norwich bordering an old farm, and Mohegan park with plenty of big Ash trees and some old apples and Elms. In fact, on my property, we have live and dead elms and some of the elms are in a low area with may apples around them, yet no morels. I've been foraging for a few years but last year I found five little morels on a friends property near a big apple stump. This year, around the stump, I found 5 more morels, that's it. I will keep checking there but if it follows last years pattern, that's all I will find. Also, Up in the Scotland area, I've found more primish area with plenty of ash and elm.

I spent a lot of time in the woods last season, got those 5 teasers and lime disease for the first time in my life. I'm not giving up but I really tiered of videos of massive hauls out in the midwest!

I downloaded some CT bedrock maps last night and am doing some recon planning. Those maps challenging to read this could be a separate topic in itself.
Thanks
Robert

Try the USDA soil survey maps. Not the most user friendly but you may find them useful. Best of luck

 

[shroomsearcher]

Just remember it's a journey, not a destination. I learn something new every year. Plus, my interest has broadened and I now look for, and have found, about a dozen different species of edible mushrooms. And there are still some on my bucket list. And oz, what you said about soil pH and limestone is spot on! I live in NE Ohio, and we have limestone all over the place! I do most of my hunting at my sportsmen's club which used to be a limestone quarry! Our lakes are all flooded former quarries filled by ground and spring water. Grows a good amount of morels as well. Thank God for this day long soaking rain we got today! We really needed it! Saturday, here I come!