PREDATE

I did 3 batches. First one I battered then rolled through the dry batter mix. The coating was almost too much and the morel flavor was hidden. The next batch I just drug one side through the batter and that let the morel flavor come through a bit more, but not being fully coated allowed the mushroom to dry out. The third batch I just rolled through the dry batter mix and again the mushroom dried out. They were all good, but the fully encapsulated ones allowed the morels to stay moist. I just need to lighten up my batter mix so it doesn't mask the mushroom flavor and soak up as much oil. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

I never fry food, but I couldn't resist trying a few different techniques. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

The bear is lucky my cat wasn't outside.[emoji16] Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Only the 2nd wild bear Ive seen in 24 years of hunting Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Was prepping a few things for mothers day breakfast when this big bruin walked past the window. Pretty neat. http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5cd79b53e158f/received_2038708586256779.mp4 Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

That's a Pheasant Back. Yes edible, but they can become ungodly tough and leathery with age. Taste like cucumber or watermelon rind. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Still been a tad on the chilly side here so I focused on southwest facing slopes which get the most afternoon sun. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Quick hunt this afternoon. Filled my bag in about 30 minutes. Hoping the wife lets me sneak out tomorrow, with a bigger bag! Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Todays haul. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Imo that forest floor is a bit too open, but they can grow anywhere. That may be an elm. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

It mat have been knocked down by an animal or possibly heavybrains knocked it over. The first morels I ever found were the size of a beer cans and were tipped over from heavy rain. I believe you're probably just getting into peak season. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Wtg. Now you're hooked Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Gotta get tags before your hunt unfortunately Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Stopped at a morel-ly looking spot after work. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Tough to tell by the pic. Need close pics of all sides to make an ID Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Yeah I got lucky on a couple of my spots. I'd start on some of your lowest local elevation on a south facing slope and try to target big ash & sickly elm trees that have a good amount of underbrush around them. Some people swear by old apple trees, but I've only ever found 1 morel under apple. I like to search in zig-zag pattern starting low on the hill and going up. This way you're covering multiple elevations. Whenever I find fungi I look directly up and downhill to determine what I call the "spore wash". This is where the spores from one year get washed directly downhill and hopefully send up fruit. This works for alot of fungi like chanterelles and hedgehogs, but morels are a fickle fungi and will only fruit when and where they want although I have noticed a certain degree of "spore wash". Another thing worth mentioning is ridgetops and Mycelium. So the Mycelium is the actual living organism and the mushrooms are its fruit which produce its spores(seeds). The Mycelium is a threadlike web in the soil/duft layer. When certain spores meet the Mycelium it sends up its fruit. Here's where ridgetops come into play. It is theorized that the Mycelium sort of "panics" at a sharp ridge and throws up fruit to ensure the future production of spores. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Found a few Half-free morels on an east slope . Seems right since in my experience blacks, grays and yellows follow the half-free within a week.. So the south slope where I found the blacks/grays this morning is about a week ahead of the east slope in terms of soil temp since it gets sun all day. I didn't harvest any mushrooms today since they were all on the small side. I'll check back in a day or 2 to evaluate growth. Hey Crappy, notice my vehicle in the background?[emoji16] Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Tough to tell. Looks like an old bracket fungi that fell off a tree. Were you under poplar trees by chance? Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

But only use the groove method for new growth. Those old dead stems might have a groove. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Still a tad early up here in the fingerlakes. The 6 I just found were under ash and still small. Normally in this spot they're around the elms, but nothing yet. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Couple more from under the same tree Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Morels are up!!!!!! Still pretty small. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Thanks! It's a Remington Mod. 11. It was made in 1939. My grandfather left it to me. 2 3/4" shells and full choke gets the deed done! Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Came in silently. Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

Just had a blonde fox trot 15 ft past me. No gobbles yet Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk