Discussing this topic is like ten rabbi's discussing a verse in the bible, you will get ten different answers.
Although last year seemed to be bad for morels where i live, and was very few i found in the woods. I did go to other areas that my grandfather use to tell me where he would find them and although they were not alot, i did find many along the railroad tracks. Areas i normally never hunted at, but grandpa was right !
I pave highways in NE Ohio and i have seen them in all kinds of odd places. My foreman being a college grad horticulturists, we look everywhere at work and i have seen morels as well as other shrooms come up in some strange places. I have no idea how spores can just produce in some areas i have seen.
This is what makes it so fun in my opinion.