My wife & I checked a few of our early black morel spots on our farm today on the Hart / Edmonson line near Mammoth Cave. We have picked these patches to 10+ years and this is the latest I can recall them starting to produce. We found 6 tiny 1/2 - 1 1/2 inch blacks, the 1/2 inch one is the smallest I have ever seen. Since they were so small we left them and decided to not look anymore for fear of smashing the small morels hidden under the leaf litter. We entered the patches via 4 wheeler trails & deer trails to avoid walking in the leaves. I actually found 1 growing next to a stick that I had used to mark a small black morel last year and this one was growing in the exact spot! It's starting guys and gals but I would recommend patience to avoid trampling the little ones under the leaves.