LANSING, MI --

Michigan morel

is underway, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources reminds searchers to protect the bounty--and themselves-- with careful picking and identification of mushrooms.

Here are excerpts from the department's official web posting, Conservation and Safety Tips for Michigan Morel Hunters:

Best practices for harvesting mushrooms:

Pinch mushrooms off at the stem, slightly above the soil to encourage regrowth.

Don't rake the forest floor-- that over-harvests the mushrooms and disrupts the delicate balance of the forest floor.

The reward for doing it right? New mushrooms the following year.

Beware of poisonous mushrooms:

The Michigan State University Extension has identified at least 50 types of poisonous mushrooms that grow in Michigan. Click on the link to see the guide.

Location guide for mushroom hunters:

In forests where there has been a prescribed burn or wildfire, morels typically are abundant the following year. Click this link to see a list of prescribed burn and wildfire areas.



Hunting mushrooms for personal use on state land does not require a permit but ORV use in the Lower Peninsula is restricted to designated and signed trails, routes and use areas.