Hunting The Elusive Morel
This is my grand-daughter Nadia as we prepare to go mushroom hunting. My friend Randy Mills is going to fly us over some area’s that might hold the elusive “white Morel!” Any serious hunter of the delectable, fruity, fungus will go to great lengths to capture this prize. Once we find an area these tasty morsels are hiding in, we’ll land as close as possible, and put a stalk on them. Usually if you find one, others will be lurking near by! To be successful you have to be alert, know your territory, and keep your eyes focused on their favorite haunts.
As far as I know there are no record class categories for “bigger than normal” mushrooms, but there is a certain element of danger, in the hunt, as you have to use your bare hands! Also you need to chose your hunting partners wisely-very wisely. A slip up here could ruin your favorite hunting area for years to come. Also on a hunt of this nature, you need to spread out, so you can cover as much ground as possible. If two of you are hunting too close together, and you both spot the same mushroom at one time, serious injury could occur, as you both “dash” for the prize!
Hedgerows, woodlots, decaying stumps and trees, along with sandy soil, are just some of the places these little fungi try an hide in. If you have access to a spotting plane (like I do) and a really good set of binoculars, you’ll have an edge over your competition. My grand-daughter and I have already collected five (5) from the “white morel” family, and it’s only cost us $299.00 dollars in aviation fuel. Come to think of it maybe the plane isn’t such a good idea after all.
Mike
May 13th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
When I was a kid we used to find tons of morels in the woods across from the house my grandmother owned. At the time I wouldn’t touch the things. Now, after the house and the woods have long been sold, I’d love to have that morel mushroom patch back again.
Oh well, sometimes you don’t recognize a good thing when you have it.