Ishpeming resident Eric Bartle began morel mushroom hunting almost 20 years ago.
“I’ve got multiple patches, some produce every year, some don’t,” said Bartle. “I like finding new areas because some of them do dry up over time, the patches do.”
Though he’s allowing FOX UP to say we were in Marquette County on Wednesday, the exact location of his patches are confidential.
“It’s a security thing,” said Bartle. “It’s a lot of competition, everybody is looking for them.”
He said now’s the perfect time to go hunting, as morel mushrooms are found in the springtime, when trees are beginning to bud.
“When the trilliums and stuff start coming out, watching the flowers, once they bloom and stuff, morels are out, or starting to come out anyway,” said Bartle.
Most of Bartle’s patches are in White Poplar and Hardwood groves that have recently been logged. He said morels can pop up anywhere though, so don’t be afraid to hunt in places you wouldn’t expect to find a patch.
“You’ve got to get out of that comfort zone to try to find different areas,” said Bartle. “Put your patches aside and look in the oddball areas that you wouldn’t normally check even, in order to find them.”
It’s important to read up on morels to find out differences between edible morels and poisonous ones.
“The poisonous ones, that’s more of an experience thing with me,” said Bartle. “If somebody does [go morel hunting], I tell them to do their homework and research before going out and picking mushrooms because a lot of the false ones are very poisonous and carry a toxin equal to jet fuel, which will kill somebody.”
To help your future hunting, Bartle suggested using a mesh bag while you’re out.
“I let them spore out as we’re picking,” said Bartle. “Give them a chance to get some spores in the ground and spread a little more in your area. It might take five years to generate or whatever it does, but try to help anyways, spread the patch a little bit.”
Morel season won’t last much longer, maybe just a few more weeks, so it’s time to get hunting if you haven’t already.
