Spring is a magical season when simply being outdoors can feel exhilarating. Turkey hunting and mushroom foraging are two of my favorite springtime activities. Combining the two can yield a daily double of outdoor enjoyment. Turkeys often appear like magic, and so do mushrooms. I’ve been a traditional bowhunter since the early 1960s. I spent my early bowhunting years hunting, roving and shooting stumps and field courses. Always fascinated by whitetail deer, I studied every aspect of their habits and domain. My interest in the wild turkey began later. I eventually learned that both deer and turkeys use all available forage since to wildlife, anything edible has value.

Finding and gathering mushrooms has provided an added bonus on many hunts, especially in spring, when morel mushrooms appear. Many consider morels the aristocrat of mushrooms and hunting them can become addictive, just like turkey hunting. I hunt and gather various mushrooms, but the morel remains my favorite. Shaped like an inverted ice-cream cone, their cap resembles a sponge, and some collectors call them “sponge mushrooms”.

Morels are easy to identify, and a quick look at any mushroom guide or a lesson from an experienced friend should be all you need to feel comfortable. There is a false morel that can cause unpleasant reactions in some people, but it is uncommon and easily distinguished from the true morels since the lower edge of its cap does not attach to the stem. Should you find a morel that looks different from the rest, avoid it. I’ve personally never found a questionable morel. Nevertheless, check all wild mushrooms carefully before eating.

When bowhunting for turkeys, be watchful for yellow morels such as these found by the author.

Several species of true morels occur in North America, most easily thought of as blacks, grays, and yellows (or whites, to some). Black morels appears first and are generally the most abundant. Grays appear next. The smallest of the three, many “schroomers” call them “hickory chicks” because they are often found near hickory trees. Yellows (whites) usually appear last, but their emergence varies by season and location. Generally, yellows are the largest morels, with some reaching ten inches or more in height. A woman in Missouri reportedly found one that was twenty-two inches tall and weighed one pound, fourteen ounces!

Morels are highly prized by turkeys and deer as well as people, and I’ve found abundant sign from both in morel areas. Traditional bowhunters pursuing their sport in early spring, should watch for morels as indicators of larger game nearby.

My son-in-law, Deane Verkamp of Ferdinand, Indiana, is an avid bowhunter who enjoys chasing both turkeys and mushrooms. He looks for morels under ash, poplar, wild cherry trees and pines. My favorite spots are near ash trees, particularly on sunny slopes. I’ve also found many yellows around old fruit orchards and abandoned sawmills.

Morel hunters in Pike and Warrick counties in southern Indiana, both excellent morel producers, search for yellow mushrooms on abandoned spoilbank, strip-mined land. Both counties produce some giant yellows in large numbers. Yellow morels seem to prefer previously disturbed soil, particularly old logging skid trails and coal mining areas. Once I found big yellow morels in sandy soil just ten feet off a backcountry gravel road. I had driven right past the spot several times without thinking of looking there. Morels have a way of popping up where least expected. Recent road construction sites near bridges have also yielded good finds for me.

Morel hunters in Western states find morels under conifers and next to old logging roads and skid trails, particularly in burned-over areas, which are often productive the following spring. Cottonwood groves can also be productive.

In the upper Midwest, morel hunters find them in the vicinity of old apple orchards. Young aspen clear-cuts, the habitat of grouse and woodcock, are favored places too.

In the lower Midwest and south, look for morels around tulip poplar trees. In lowland river bottoms, morels are found in the vicinity of cottonwoods, in watershed bottoms with loose, sandy soil.

It takes careful scrutiny to find morels when they make their first appearance. When this happens depends on rainfall and warmth. Intermittent showers followed by daytime temperatures of 70 degrees or more create ideal conditions for morel emergence. I’ve noted that some sunshine boosts morel appearance. Experts agree that mushrooms like moisture, but fruiting spores fail if soil gets drenched too quickly. On the other hand, if it gets too dry and hot, the larger yellows (whites) simply won’t materialize. Little wonder many consider morels mysterious fungi, as indeed they are.

Above average snowfall during the preceding winter usually means a good morel crop the following spring. Snow, being crystalline, provides a timed release of moisture and nitrogen. Abundant nitrogen benefits all growing things, including morels. According to meteorologists, ten inches of snow equals one inch of rain in moisture content. The slow moisture release from melting snow filtering through forest litter benefits the fruiting mushroom spores. However, too much rain in late March and early April is detrimental to a good morel crop later.

Dedicated morel hunters keep detailed records of weather patterns preceding their annual morel hunts. Keeping a weather log helps you know what to expect when morel season arrives. Expert morel hunters in southern Indiana, where I live, have “signposts” they watch for to help them predict when morels will appear. To some, when pin oak leaves get as big as a squirrel’s ear, time is right. Some watch garden asparagus. When it gets eight inches tall, it should be time for a morel bonanza! Others watch domestic lilacs and wild redbud flowers as good morel appearance indicators. When turkey scouting, keep a lookout for morels. Morel season is short, usually just three to four weeks in the Midwest.

If you hunt turkeys where birds are abundant, expect them to compete with you for morels. Turkeys relish morels and will decimate early black morel and hickory chick patches.

The month of April finds turkey season foremost in the minds of most bowhunters. Some combine turkey scouting and hunting with a search for shed antlers and mushrooms, which can enhance the outdoor experience, especially on a camping hunt when there’s extra time for other interests.

Whatever your goal during springtime, watch for snakes, especially when reaching to the ground for morels. Never reach or step over a log that might hide a copperhead without looking first.

When gathering mushrooms, some take a bread sack or bag along to store their find. A mesh potato or fruit sack works even better. Carrying morels in a mesh bag allows the microscopic spores shed by mushrooms to drop to the forest floor, helping assure a better harvest in future years.

Never eat any mushroom you can’t identify as safe. Eat only a few of any species the first time, to see how your mushroom digestive system tolerates them. If you know a mushroom expert, get his or her opinion before eating any mushroom you can’t positively identify as safe. While morels are easy to identify, these principles apply to all wild mushrooms.

A number of books are available to help with mushroom identification. Most have detailed information and photos to help determine whether a mushroom is safe to eat. Here are two recommendations: the National Audubon Society Pocket Guide to Familiar Mushrooms (Alfred A. Knopf, New York) and The Mushroom Hunter’s Field Guide by Alexander H. Smith and Nancy Smith Weber (University of Michigan Press). Dr. Tom Volk, associate professor of biology at the University of Wisconsin, is a helpful mushroom authority. Check out his website: http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/

According to mushroom experts, North America has thousands of wild mushrooms. All are fascinating, none more than the morel, our most popular. Morels can compliment a turkey hunt by giving the bowhunter an added bonus on the table at the end of the day. It’s easy to become addicted to gathering them…and eating them!

Preparing And Eating Morels

If any morel looks different from the others, discard it. Wipe the rest clean, place in flat containers, and cover. They will remain fresh for several days in a refrigerator. To prepare, soak for several hours or overnight in lightly salted water. Rinse and split lengthwise. Rinse again and place on paper towels to absorb moisture. If you don’t plan to use them immediately, sauté and freeze in plastic containers with wax paper between layers.

To dry morels, thread on monofilament line and hang in a cool, well-ventilated area. They will shrivel somewhat as they dry, at which point they can be stored in sealed jars. When ready to use, reconstitute by soaking in warm water for 15 minutes.

Sliced morels are delicious sautéed in butter for about 3 minutes on each side. Many people like morels dipped in egg batter, rolled in cracker crumbs or flour, and browned in butter. Some skillet-fry them just as you would chicken. Watch closely, however, as they only need to be cooked lightly. We like to sprinkle ours lightly with flour or Bisquick, using a small flour sifter.

Cooked morels, when cooled, can be placed on cookie sheets and frozen. Once frozen, they can be stored in freezer containers for future use. Simply warmed, they are ready to eat and make a meal by themselves.

Mushrooms are a natural food, low in calories, high in phosphorous, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin, and prized for their nutty flavor and crisp texture. Little wonder that in ancient history mushrooms were considered a food for the gods!