How To Hunt Morel Mushrooms In Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota

It's Morel Mushroom hunting season in Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota. But how do you find the elusive springtime treat?  

To me, the taste of Fried Morel Mushrooms is the taste of spring.

I've seen Morel Mushrooms sell anywhere from $20 a pound at a farmer's market to $100 a pound online.

But there are no Morel Mushroom farms. The delicacy is only found growing in the wild.

And finding Shrooms in the woods is not always easy. The right ones are delicious. Eating the wrong mushrooms can kill you.

Since I don't seem to possess much mushroom-hunting talent I have to depend on the generosity of others to get my mushroom fix.

If Mushroom hunting were a professional sport my Dad and Uncle Lowell would be in the Hall of Fame.

Here are some helpful tips for hunting Morels that you may find useful:

Some say sandy soil is the best place to find Morels early in the season because it warms faster than dirt soil. It's also said the best time to find plentiful Morels is when the lilacs start to bloom and the Elm leaves are about the size of a dime.

When picking use a mesh bag. Don't use plastic bags they cause the mushrooms to sweat and a quicker deterioration. Plus it's thought that after picking mushrooms they will still release spores. So by using a mesh bag, you can help spread the mushroom seeds wherever you are hunting.

Watch out for 'False Morels'. To identify a true Morel Mushroom look for the wrinkly cap shape with a hollow inside. A true Morel is hollow from top to bottom. If it's not it could be of a poisonous variety. Better to ditch it than die.

FYI-I have found that the best way to prepare Morels ... is to have my Mom cook them. So far I haven't had luck replicating her method.

I think the recipe involves cracker crumbs, flour, butter, happiness, and rainbows...