In Michigan, spring is synonymous with morel season: That delicious time of year when the woods become a haven for mushroom hunters seeking what is arguably the state’s most prized edible fungi.

While every great morel hunter has their own “spot,” the Michigan Department of Natural Resources has updated its annual burn map to help foragers figure out other nearby places where they might find the next morel jackpot.

The map, called the Mi-Morels Map, is an online interactive tool that shows the locations of large burn sites -- prescribed burns as well as wildfires -- on state land from recent years.

Users can click on the map to not only see where burn spots are located around the state, but also get detailed information about each spot, including the acreage of the burn site and its longitude and latitude coordinates. According to the DNR, recent burn sites can be great locations for morel mushroom hunting, especially in areas where jack pine, white pine or red pine once grew.

Given the state’s current stay-home order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the map can help early-season foragers possibly find new hunting grounds near where they live. The DNR has stressed that mushroom hunters should practice 6-foot-minimum social distancing, plan to keep their searches within their local area, and only search with people who live in their household.

Since spring in Michigan is also associated with the decidedly less appealing return of tick activity, foragers should also follow precautions to protect them against ticks when heading out into wooded or grassy areas.

More information on morel season -- including identifying morels, how to properly pick them, cooking tips and more -- can be found on the DNR’s Morel Mushroom Hunting page.

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