Missouri’s Morel Mushroom Hunt Begins – Tips for Success

It’s easy to miss them. They blend in really well with their surroundings. The difficulty of obtaining Morels may be part of what makes them taste so good.

Now, into May in Missouri (and southern Illinois), Morels are popping up. You may have a family tradition of teaming up to gather as many as you can find.

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Or maybe it’s something you’ve been introduced to by friends. Either way, morel season gets people excited.

Not All People Like Morels

Not all people though. There are Mushroom-phobes out there who will turn their nose up and make a face when you mention the hunt. That’s okay though. That means fewer people competing for the quarry.

Where to Find Morels

There’s even a website that will show you a heat map where morel hunters are sharing what they’ve found and where. And already there are several spots flagged for morels on both sides of the river.

Know When to Hunt

Morels can be persnickety, needing conditions to be just right so that locations that provide early in the season won’t be go-to places later in a season that is just several weeks long.

Missouri Department of Conservation says that damp and moist wooded areas, river bottoms, south and west facing slopes are good places to seek Morels early on, then north and east facing slopes later in the season. They need just a day or two to pop up, so covering an area is only good for 24 to 48 hours.