Good and antsy to hit the woods in 2.5 months - Current NOAA seasonal outlook for March-April-May over OK calls for slightly warmer than average temps and near average rainfall. Hope that the trend will progressively shift toward a cooler and wetter than average scenario, as was the case for 2019.
I'm from Ohio, but I have to say that I really enjoyed reading the OK page last year! Just phenomenal! My BIL lived in OK years ago, and raves about the fishing and hunting there to this day! Good luck this year.
Yes I’m ready myself I hunt the okla Arkansas border and it seems like it’s been a year well I guess it has way this winter has been likely to start finding them the next sunny day we have. Haha
A lot of it in cedars I’ve hunted is it takes a lot of precipitation to get a lot of return but like I say never hunter to far out of Oklahoma so that’s just my experience in the past but I won could most likely fill that question for ya with a lot more knowledgeable answer
Hey there Tommy: Red Cedars (which are actually Junipers), are reliable producers as long as it is a wetter than average year [assuming near normal temps]. Of course, colder than average temps in early-mid April will extend the season [larger flush per mycelium and slower growth of morels] and warmer temps will shorten it drastically [75-80+F temps for 3 straight days]. From my experience one needs a minimum of ~0.75 inch of rain to soak the top soil underneath a cedar grove. To maintain this moisture under normal temps in late March-early April, one would need such an event at least once every 7-10 days. Hope this helps
Interesting observation about the temps. Some years ago we had a stretch of days in the mid 80's in the first week of March, which is far from normal for NE Ohio. Two weeks later we had a frost. Worst year for morels I've ever seen, except for my first when I had no idea where to look for them!
i went to School in the 7th grade down in Antlers Oklahoma.. far southeast part of the state..half of my Family is from down there..but Not a One of them Morel hunt. they seem like they've never heard of um i would Love to Visit Family and Hunt while there..can anyone tell Me if Morels are found in or near, Pushmataha county or Along the way near by
Howdy, Wade: From my experience looking at yearly reports, it appears that SE OK counties do not produce as many morels as elsewhere in the state - likely because of a different mix of host trees [pines] and soil composition [less clay]. SE OK is, however, a reliable spot for chanties and other prized edibles such as chickens/hens [more oaks]. The hot spots for morels in OK seems to be near and around OKC- Pott county. On any given wetter-than average (and esp. cooler) year, one is almost certain to stumble across patches of esculentas [smaller grey species] near cedar groves in these areas. Cotton wood groves hit by severe weather (esp tornadoes/downbursts) in that area are notorious for producing bucketloads of a larger type of esculenta [bright yellow]. Lets keep our fingers crossed for some rain throughout March and early April especially knowing that the soil has been rather well conditioned by abundant (non flooding) moisture this last few weeks !
