Great find Bud! Gives all us losers hope, lol. What county if you care to divulge?

 

Bergen

 

Hi, would you be willing to give habitat, conditions, and tree associated with these finds? Been having some trouble this season getting on the morel trail. BTW I live in NY.

 

Found these under sycamores.

 

Very cool, I’m thinking Bergen is still warmer than here in Sussex near the state border. I’ve looked a couple times found nothing. Bet it’s getting close but now we’ve got freeze warnings again. It’s 40 now with temps dropping.
Last year, my buddy’s very first year looking he found over 400. That was central Jersey.
Glad to see some NJ folks posting

 

Very cool, I’m thinking Bergen is still warmer than here in Sussex near the state border. I’ve looked a couple times found nothing. Bet it’s getting close but now we’ve got freeze warnings again. It’s 40 now with temps dropping.
Last year, my buddy’s very first year looking he found over 400. That was central Jersey.
Glad to see some NJ folks posting

Hey, Bowguy. I hope you got out and found some. I found 14 in a new spot I discovered last year. Went back today but didn't see any. I'm planning to scout out some new spots tomorrow.

 

Haven’t found any this year yet

 

Welcoming rain...Should be a good Morel week.

 

I found these yesterday. I wanna confirm the one is a pheasant back. Also how should I cook it? Somerset County.

 

That is a half free not a Morel.

 

That’s pheasantback. Does it sound like styrofoam when you cut it? If so it’s too late. Should be real tender and cut easy. The pores shouldn’t be real visible either.

 

It’s been in the fridge since Friday. Think it’s any good? Any tips on cooking it?

 

Excuse me, but half-frees are true morels! After all their taxonomic name is Morchella semililbera. Morchella means morel, and semilibera means half-free!

 

Pheasantback imo isn’t good unless very tender. If you needed both hands to rip it off stump it was too old even if small. To the op you never answered how it sounded? Cut it w knife, does it sound like you’re cutting styrofoam? If it does and from looking at it, too old to eat and won’t be good. It should be moist and tender. If not leave it. Sometimes the edges are still good but the pic shows too old imo but cut it and listen for sound. Once you get fresh ones you’ll be able to see what I mean. Feel and visually id good ones

 

I didn't have a knife with me so I had to tip them off the stump, and it was quite the tug of war! I was amazed at how strong they were. One of the places where I hunt morels is pheasant back heaven, so maybe I'll have to give them another chance. Maybe get little new ones about the size of an individual petal off a hen of the woods?

 

Went back to my spot today and found another dozen or so, nice and big! Can’t wait for tomorrow’s omelette.

 

My head is going to pop. Good job, though. They look awesome. As tired as I am, it seems dumb for me to bail the hunt at this point. Are the Sycamores alive and healthy? I’m always looking for dead and dying elms but they aren’t easy to tell apart without leaves.