Once the weather starts to warm up, everyone gets a hunger for the taste of delicious morel mushrooms. You’ll find some of the best morel mushroom hunting secrets here!
Morel mushroom season 2026 is here! Dust off your morel mushroom hunting map and get ready to scout them out.
I can assure you that there are hot spots just waiting to be found around the base of Elm trees once that spring rain starts to fall. Morel mushrooms are tasty treats, and there’s NOTHING like the flavor of fresh mushrooms.
Have you ever hunted morel mushrooms? It’s one of the best food finds in nature, if you ask me. I’ll spend hours hunting in the woods for one of those little shrooms!
‘Tis the season for mushroom hunting…. No, seriously, it is. At least in Missouri. Our rocky clay soil, combined with our humidity, appears to be prime conditions for growing morel mushrooms.
Morels are Mother Nature’s proof that she loves frugality. How? Because every year, during the end of March-mid May, she bestows upon us one of the greatest wild foods of all time…morel mushrooms. Over the top? Maybe.
But have you ever eaten one? Seriously, they are amazing. It’s a taste that I can’t even describe, and even if I tried, it wouldn’t do them justice.
I literally CRAVE them every single year. Who knew that fungus could seriously be so good? And FYI, don’t knock ’em til you try ’em. They’re meaty tasting with a flavor that will have your taste buds begging for more.
Please never just pick a mushroom in the wild and eat it. There are mushrooms called “false morels” – and they are poisonous and can kill you! Get educated more here!
Morel Mushrooms Hunting Tips
Morel mushroom season (yes, I’m giving it its own season) is like… a second Christmas or an adult Easter egg hunt. It’s a big deal, a hunt, an adult hide-and-seek.
A friendly competition between other “hunters” to see who can discover the first morel.
And many, many, many secret “spots” that will never be revealed because they produce an abundance of morels every year without fail. (Seriously, share your “honey hunting spots” with me!)
The best part? First, you can find this food for free, and eat well from them. I could make an entire meal out of them….add them to eggs, grill them up on the grill, fry ’em up, slice ’em thin and add to stir fry…the list goes on and on.
Second, you literally cannot grow them yourself. There are no magic seeds that one can buy at the store….you can’t plant a morel one year and have hundreds the next in the same spot. It just doesn’t work that way. it’s a modern marvel.
Trust me, I’ve tried all the tricks of the trade to try to grow my own and read dozens of posts and forums.
It’s just not possible to successfully grow your own morel mushrooms because they thrive in a wild environment. (and honestly, that’s fine with me – I love the hunt!)
UPDATE: There are kits now that help people to grow their own – If you have done it, let me know! I love hearing success stories and having hope!
Why are morel mushrooms so expensive?
It’s because they are so stinking hard to find. And when I say expensive, I’m talking top dollar. Around here, they go for $50 or more per POUND. Yes, you read that right. A fungus that is more expensive than lobster? It’s a thing in Missouri. And people shell out that money time and time again.
If you happen to have your own honey spot where they grow, you could easily pick a few pounds and be several hundred dollars richer.
How long do morels grow?
This is the magic question. It all depends on soil temperature and what Mother Nature has in mind. You may have a 1-2 week period for your honey spots or you may get lucky and have a bit longer than that.
Once you find your first mushroom, plan for the next 7-10 days to be prime picking.
Where is the best place to find morels?
If I had this secret, I’d be swimming in them right now…but the rumor mill has told me that morels love to be at the base of dead trees and near water or river banks. Elm and ash trees are also supposedly good to check around as well. But, be careful! Not all morels are created equal.
There are such things as “fake morels” so it’s really really important to educate yourself before you ever cook and eat anything that you’re unsure about.
You may be excited about finding wild mushrooms but NEVER EVER eat them without knowing what they are. Expert mushroom hunters know this and stick to the rule, 100%.
Moist soil and soil temperature have a HUGE part in producing the mother lode of morels. If you know any private landowners with woods on their land, talk to them about checking a few spots a couple of times.
How quickly do morels grow after rain?
Once the soil reaches a nice, warm temperature (around 50-ish degrees) and a good rain falls, you can expect morel mushrooms to start sprouting 10-12 days after the rainfall.
Finding morels after rain is a great time to hunt. They’re going to be popping once that wet soil mixes with the sunshine! It’s literally the perfect condition for morels to pop, if they’re going to.
Do Morels like sun or shade?
While they do need sunshine, they don’t need too much, or they’ll dry out. They need a good balance between sunlight and shade, which is why you’ll find them on riverbanks and near the base of trees.
Will morels grow back in the same spot?
Yes, they will. This is why some people have their “honeypot” for finding morels, and they won’t share that location with anyone else.
As long as the morels are being picked the right way and spores are left behind, they should continue to grow in the same spot each and every year.
Morels will grow back after you pick them as long as you don’t rip the whole mushroom out of the ground.
When is the best time of day to hunt morel mushrooms?
Honestly, I think this just depends on when you want to hunt them. A lot of people like to go earlier in the day when it’s not too hot – and enjoy walking in the shade.
You can honestly hunt them in the morning, afternoon, or evening without worry.
How do morels spread?
They spread by their spores being left in the soil. This is why, when you’re picking morels, you should never use a plastic bag because you want the spores to drop out and add some “hope” to other areas of the woods.
We use a specific mushroom bag so that the spores can drop out into the soil. (and by “special”, I literally mean that we save an onion bag or an orange bag and use that!)
How does one hunt for morel mushrooms?
Hours of entertainment looking in the woods, exploring nature, together. It’s a whole-afternoon-type ordeal that can be a great way to get out into nature and get some good exercise as well.
While there’s no wrong way to hunt morels, the trick is to just get out and explore and keep those eyes peeled!
What do you do with morel mushrooms after picking?
Eat them, of course! But before doing that, you need to take them, cut them in half, and soak them in saltwater. Like a lot of saltwater. This cleans out those spores and kills all the bugs that are hiding.
Once they’ve soaked for at least 24 hours, you can fry them up coated in egg and flour or just flour. So, so good. (I’ve actually read different opinions on this, but I find that the saltwater method works best for getting rid of all the bugs)
I do have to mention that not all morel mushrooms are created equal. NEVER eat anything that you don’t know what it is. Do your research. Google morels. Read about them, understand them, and know the difference. Unsure? Contact your local conservation department to see if they can help.
While I am not a professional hunter of morels by any means, I do know a few tips for successfully finding them.
Morel Mushroom Hunting SECRETS
If you want even more mushroom hunting secrets, here are some tips that can be very helpful as well.
You’re going to be wasting your time if you go too early in the year or too late. There is a prime mushroom hunting time and you need to pay attention to it. It does vary where you live but that “spring” weather is a time when it seems to be prime.
While you might still be wearing a light coat while you’re out and about hunting, just know that in order for the mushrooms to “pop”, there needs to be rain, and temps that don’t dip lower than the ’40s at night.
Check out the online morel mushroom maps
Yes, these are a thing! People are so anxious and excited to be out hunting mushrooms that there are online maps that track when people find them. This will give you a good idea of when they are blooming in your area or not so you can throw on your boots and head out the door.
Finding a morel in the woods can feel like finding a needle in a haystack. Those boogers are hard to spot. But once you find your first one, it’s as if your eyes adjust and you just start seeing them all. You need to walk slowly and check out key spots where mushrooms tend to bloom.
If you are lucky enough to find one, look around in the vicinity because there are usually more. Some might be bigger, smaller, or even older but there are very few times when you’ll just find one single morel mushroom just hanging out.
That’s not how it works. If you find a morel mushroom, pick it. Morel mushroom growing conditions don’t give it time to grow and grow because once they bloom, they’re only really “alive” for about 3 days. Pick it while you can or someone else (or an animal) will.
do morels grow back after you pick them?
In the same year, probably not? But next year or season – absolutely. This is how people how their “honey spots”.
what trees do morels grow by?
I’ve always found them near elm trees that are dead.
How To Clean Fresh Morels
It’s amazing how many critters are hiding in these mushrooms. You literally can’t see them, which is why cleaning them is so important.
I always slice my morels in half so that they are fully exposed and open. I then put them in a bowl of water and salt, and let them soak.
You can drain out the water, refill, and do the process again several times. (but we sure to dump that water out in your yard as it’s full of good spores!)
How to cook morels
There are several ways to cook morel mushrooms. Here are some of my favorite morel mushroom recipes:
Flour, Egg, and Salt
Once the morel mushrooms are cleaned, just dip them in the egg, dip them in the flour and fry them up in your frying pan. Once done, season with salt and enjoy.
Cracker Crumbs, Egg, and Salt
This is “richer” flavor and more hearty but it’s basically the same as above except you swap out the flour for cracker crumbs.
Grilled Morel Mushrooms
We’ve grilled them on our grill as is and they’re perfect with a nice steak or other meat dishes.
Cornstarch, Egg, and Salt
This is a great recipe because it’s gluten-free as well. You just clean and add egg, cornstarch, fry ’em up, and sprinkle on some salt.
Saute
Cook them in a little bit of butter, and add with pasta, or enjoy on their own. There’s no wrong way to eat them, as long as you cook them all the way through.
All of these easy morel mushroom recipes are simple and 100% delicious.
Now that you know a bit of our morel mushroom hunting secrets, the countdown is on to start going out and finding your own.
what do morel mushrooms taste like?
Man, this is a hard one. They have a “meaty” taste and are earthy. But not like in a “taste dirt type of way”.
Our youngest hates regular mushrooms but loves morels – so they do taste different than mushrooms that you buy at the store.
Can you freeze morel mushrooms?
Absolutely. Once you’ve cleaned and cut the mushrooms, let them dry out, then add them to the freezer. You just need to put them into a freezer-safe bag for later. That’s literally it.
Tips for rehydrating morel mushrooms
You may have noticed that many people dry their mushrooms so they can be used in recipes year-round. You can do this, too, and it’s really not that hard.
To rehydrate, just put them back in water to soak. They won’t get as plump as they once were, but they’ll get close!
Final morel mushroom hunting tip
Make certain that wherever you’re hunting morel mushrooms, you’re legally able to hunt there. Don’t wander on other people’s lands or on private land and try to score some mushrooms. Part of the hunt is also being respectful and abiding by laws, too.
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