[morelseeeker]

Soil temp. is not accurate. It can range 5-10 degrees each day depending on time of day, how much or little sun it gets, how much moisture there is, and how deep one puts their thermometer. It would also depend on how deep the morels mycelium in in the soil where yours grow. I tried taking very many readings for many years. If your temperature of 66 is accurate your season should be over. It was most likely thought that mores would start fruiting at 53 degrees for the yellows. Black morels wee 3-8 degrees cooler but this is mostly guess work. I also took or had delivered to me many soil samples from GA to New Jersey and one from Idaho that I had tested at my local extension service. I couldn't find any nutrient or pH that morels finds had in common.
The best indicator I could find in the Appalachian chain from SC to VA was when the May Apple leaves flattened out.
Always try to to look at all conditions when you find morels. after many years you'll get a good chance on knowing when they'll fruit in your area.
I wrote a several page paper on how and when to look for mores in the east which was published by several clubs but it's been quite a few years since. I've also given talks about finding morels from Atlanta to Washington DC clubs. I wrote this part to let people know I feel confident in my opinions although morels will always appear under surprising conditions and areas . Once I heard first hand reports of fire burn morels in VA.

I put the thermometer beside each mushroom at the same depth each time and noted the soil type to assure accuracy to my given situation. I realize there are some variables such as locations but I was only interested in OH.

 

[morelseeeker]

Central OH - Franklin County

Today. A pretty little cluster of Tulip Morels.

View attachment 48876

Below is my total for today, at home, on the cutting board.

View attachment 48877

First thing in the woods I found a bunch of Half-frees, below. I just gathered some for a pic and did not bring any home. They were too far gone and I'd have needed to visit several areas in the same woods where they show up to have enough to do anything with. And I was just starting and looking for more preferable Morels -- which as shown above, I did find.

View attachment 48878

Have yourself some Quality Time in the Woods.
The weather is cooperating! The Morels are cooperating! 😎 🌞

 

[morelseeeker]

Speaking of clusters, this year I found my PB cluster in MI 32 in one cluster that I saw 50 feet away. I kept thinking as I walked towards it " I hope that isn't bear corn "

 

[morelseeeker]

Central OH Franklin County

Today Marks 12 Consecutive Years for Black Morels in the Same Spot!

View attachment 48797

I learned from experience and traversed the spot 4 times ending up with this mess below.

View attachment 48798

1st traverse = 7 Morels. Total after 4 times = 26. I left 4 or so more that were early ones - now not worth picking.

I decided to cross the creek and try on the south side. See that little one in the middle - The typical size of a tulip Morel . . . hmnn, maybe it is a Tulip Morel. Well, that was the only one on that side of the creek

The Morel of the Story or the Story of the Morel I think is that Morels can't swim. Do you have any other interpretation?

Wishing all, joyful mushroom hunts this gorgeous Spring!! 🌞 😎

This was a strange year for blacks. Normally I didn't find them until after the end of the first week of April but this year it was March 19th and I found the last ones on April 18th

 

[shroomsearcher]

Speaking of clusters, this year I found my PB cluster in MI 32 in one cluster that I saw 50 feet away. I kept thinking as I walked towards it " I hope that isn't bear corn "

It's the pine cones and black walnut hulls that get me! Black morels remain a stranger to my life list. Never found a single one. I think it's because I don't get out early enough, plus having really no idea of where to hunt for them. I have a couple of fairly dependable spots for yellows, and a couple other places that are pretty hit or miss. I once attended a morel seminar given by John Maybrier, who is from Michigan, and asked him where he finds blacks and he said he prefers a "popple" woods.

Well, we don't have a whole lot of those here in NE Ohio. I had noticed when driving north through Michigan on our way to a Canadian fishing trip, that at a certain point, Michigan starts looking a whole lot like Canada. The hardwoods disappear and you get Aspen, Birch, and Jack Pine.

But this whole season was kind of weird. Things were looking really good early on. Plenty of moisture, and temps slowly climbing. Then it got cold again with nights below freezing. Once it decided to warm up it did so in a serious way, then it got cool again! I never found any of the "standard" sized morels this year. Everything looked like one of the big, late season morels. And my most dependable spot (usually) gave me a grand total of 2 big ones.

Oh well. On to whatever decides to show itself next.

 

[morelseeeker]

It's the pine cones and black walnut hulls that get me! Black morels remain a stranger to my life list. Never found a single one. I think it's because I don't get out early enough, plus having really no idea of where to hunt for them. I have a couple of fairly dependable spots for yellows, and a couple other places that are pretty hit or miss. I once attended a morel seminar given by John Maybrier, who is from Michigan, and asked him where he finds blacks and he said he prefers a "popple" woods.

Well, we don't have a whole lot of those here in NE Ohio. I had noticed when driving north through Michigan on our way to a Canadian fishing trip, that at a certain point, Michigan starts looking a whole lot like Canada. The hardwoods disappear and you get Aspen, Birch, and Jack Pine.

But this whole season was kind of weird. Things were looking really good early on. Plenty of moisture, and temps slowly climbing. Then it got cold again with nights below freezing. Once it decided to warm up it did so in a serious way, then it got cool again! I never found any of the "standard" sized morels this year. Everything looked like one of the big, late season morels. And my most dependable spot (usually) gave me a grand total of 2 big ones.

Oh well. On to whatever decides to show itself next.

It doesn't hurt much if the temps fall below freezing overnight. As long as the ground temps are around 48 to 50 in the beginning of the season they still fruit. I was in MI one year and it snowed all morning and I still found them the next day. As far as where to look I just walk around and look. If I see leaves That look like they a bleached white from the sun I pay close attention in those areas. Not sure what type of leaves they are but I'm thinking beech. I found them so far in KY, OH, IN and MI from just walking along and looking. I do like to hunt near walnut, cherry, elm and big tooth aspen. But more often than not just walking around keeping my eyes on the ground works best.

 

[morelseeeker]

Wouldn't it be cool if someone would invent a morel mushroom detector. Maybe it would shine infrared light and a computer could tell if it was a mushroom, plant or wood and flash a light on the unit for a morel. Wishful thinking.😉😂

 

[guff76]

Wouldn't it be cool if someone would invent a morel mushroom detector. Maybe it would shine infrared light and a computer could tell if it was a mushroom, plant or wood and flash a light on the unit for a morel. Wishful thinking.😉😂

That does sound great, but same time take so of the fun out of the hunt

 

[morelseeeker]

That does sound great, but same time take so of the fun out of the hunt

A person could use it after hunting an area to find the ones that were missed.