14 Morel mushroom hunting tips

Morels can be a very elusive mushroom to find, but if you know what kinds of environments to look for, you’ll drastically increase your odds. Here are some of our favorite places for morel mushroom hunting.

1. Look for morels in hilly areas

Hilly areas are my favorite place to look for morels. Look for small clusters of hills that are around 5 to 15 feet high that have dying trees present as well as enough undergrowth or canopy cover for moisture retention. Check the sun catching southern face of these hills as they typically produce more morel mushrooms.

I think hill clusters or sloping hillsides produce consistently because if they catch enough sun and reach the right soil temperature, at some elevation of the hill, the moisture content will be perfect. In some years, the soil’s moisture content will be perfect near the top of the hill while in other years, it will be midway down or at the bottom. I think it’s safe to say that in drier years, we have had better luck near the bottom of the hills and in wetter years we have found more morel mushrooms near or at the top of the hills.

When you deal with hills, you also have water drainage that can carry morel producing goodness down the hill from a dying tree. This is why sometimes you’ll find morels on the downward hillside adjacent to a producing tree.

2. Hunt morels in rocky areas

Look for morels in and around rocky areas. Just like undergrowth, rocks block the sun and keeps the soil from drying up. Rocks also absorb heat very well providing the much heat which is the second crucial piece to the puzzle. If you get into a moderately rocky area, take your time and look between these morel producers.

3. Search flat areas rich with deadfall and moderate undergrowth

Undergrowth and deadfall are a great combination because they both help to keep mushroom producing soil moist. If the deadfall is from one of the morel producing trees and the soil is moist and at temperature, you may be in luck. Scan these areas slowly and if you find a morel, put on the brakes and scan carefully because there are probably more right under your nose waiting to be found.

4. Use a walking stick

A walking stick will help you in many ways. They can help you maneuver tough terrain, help you push undergrowth to the side when looking for mushrooms, and they can help you identify great morel producing soil.

For my walking stick, I use an old wooden hockey stick that has the blade cut off. Wooden hockey stick shafts are lightweight and strong making them ideal to carry while looking for morels. To test the soil with my walking stick, I usually see how hard it is to push it a couple inches down into the soil. If it penetrates without a problem, I know the soil is at the ideal compaction.

5. Hunt for morels in areas with disturbed soil

Search for morels in old spoil piles of soil near strip mine lakes. Something about these spoil hills produces tons of morels year after year. All the factors such as moisture, temperature, and decaying timber has to be just right, but when they are, you will probably be filling your bag full of morels in no time.

6. Look around lightning strike areas for morels







Do you know of a tree in the woods that was struck by lightning? Go there and look hard. Lightning struck morel producing trees can be a gold mine if the temperature and moisture levels are just right.

7. Angle your viewing to be parallel to hill slopes

When working hillsides, get your line of sight to scan 1 to 2 feet above the hillside and parallel. Picture yourself at the top of the hill and looking down to where it’s like you’re scanning the top of a table. Morels may becoming more visible.

If you’ve ever torn off a roof before, this is like getting on the other side of the ridge and checking along the surface of the roof for nails that are sticking up. Another comparison is like if you drop something on he floor and can’t find it so you get your eyes close to the floor so the object stands out. I hope this made sense!

8. Use a GPS unit to track your finds







Don’t rely on your memory of where your best finds were, use a GPS! With our busy lives, our memories can become foggy over time but a GPS will never forget. It is absolutely amazing how the same section of woods can look completely different after a couple of years. Even if you had a great memory and an internal compass, it would still be a huge challenge to consistently locate hotspots year after year.

9. Cut or pinch the stalk of every morel mushroom you pick

When you find a morel, use scissors, a knife or your pinching fingers to cut the morel from its roots. You would eventually cut the roots off while cleaning your mushrooms so you should leave it in the ground to help grow mushrooms in future years.

10. Only use mesh bags for transporting morel mushrooms





Mesh bags are essential if you want to see morels year after year in your morel hunting spots. The mesh of the bag allows the spores of your picked morels to drop to the ground which helps to seed future morels. The mesh bags will also allow dirt and bugs to shake to the ground while you’re tramping through the woods.

The bags in the adjacent image can be purchased at most stores for only a couple of dollars. Look for mesh laundry bags. Just say no to the plastic grocery bag!

11. Work the elevations where you’ve had success

If you are working small or large hillsides, you should focus on the elevation where you are seeing mushrooms. I believe this is because the moisture content is ideal at that point of the hill. Work the elevation laterally until your luck runs out. This morel hunting tip will put a few more in your bag this season.

12. Check message boards to track successful morel mushroom hunts

Morels findings will start in the south and move north. I would say that morel sightings travel about 100 miles in a week. If you keep an eye on morel hunting message boards and forums, you’ll be able to figure out exactly when you should be checking your morel hot spot.

The last thing you want to be doing is constantly looking for ticks. We have all been there; every 30 minutes, feeling like something is crawling up your calf. You obsessively check yourself and bat an imaginary tick off you often like a crack addict. Spray yourself down and you won’t have to worry. The last thing you want to be doing is constantly looking for ticks. We have all been there; every 30 minutes, feeling like something is crawling up your calf. You obsessively check yourself and bat an imaginary tick off you often like a crack addict. Spray yourself down and you won’t have to worry.

Our favorite go to tick spray is called Sawyer Insect Repellent. All you do is spray down your mushroom picking clothes, let it dry and you’re set for quite awhile. It’s odor free also so it can be used later in the year during hunting season. Don’t focus on ticks, focus on mushrooms.

14. Mums the word







As the old saying goes, 3 people can keep a secret if 2 of them are dead. Same goes for good mushroom spots. Choose very carefully who you bring on your mushroom hunting adventures. If the person cannot be trusted, you may find out that they hit the spot that you showed them, next year or 5 years down the road. Sometimes less is more when it comes to mushroom hunting parties!

Summary on Morel Mushroom Hunting

Becoming a great morel hunter takes time. As the years go by, you’ll continue to become more and more successful when hunting these spring delicacies. Who knows, if you log enough hours in the woods, you may be able to develop that sixth sense that will fill your mesh bag full of morels! Good luck.