sgt.porter
Marksman
So you want to hunt morels in Indiana, but you don't know where to begin. Or maybe you've already been looking for morels, but you're not real sure what to look for.
The best place to start is identification.
There are nearly 200 species of morels that grow in Indiana, but don't worry, most of these species are so similar that they can be broken down into a few groups, and all of them are safe to eat.
Morels are the most popular wild mushroom worldwide simply because they are easy to identify and have no poisonous look-alikes. In fact, they are one of the very few wild mushrooms that are considered safe to identify through pictures alone. Although, if you have never been morel hunting, I encourage you to read my thread - False Morel Warning
Although different in color, size, flavor and texture, all morels share a few characteristics. All morels have a white to yellowish stem leading to a spongy, pitted head. At first glance, you'll notice that morels do not have the umbrella shaped cap that most of the mushrooms and toadstools you are familiar with share. Upon picking a morel, you'll notice it has a hollow stem. if the stem is not hollow then you didn't read the false morel warning close enough.
Most morel "experts" (I don't consider myself one) place all the species of morels into 3 groups. I find too many distinct differences so i place them in 8 groups.
Black Morels
Black morels are the first to arrive each spring. They are usually found where other morels are not. Most hunters favor the black morel for it's abundance and strong flavor. They are normally found in large patches or "the mother load"
Half Free Morel
Pepper top, snake head, spike, whatever you call them, the half free morel is the most commonly eaten simply because it sprouts up anywhere and everywhere. The flavor is a bit milder than the black morel but still delicious.
Pepper tops start appearing about a week after black morels and continue "popping" throughout the morel season. The half free morel gets it's name because the head isn't fully attached to the stem like other morels.
Yellow Morel
The yellow morel, or common morel is the morel you find when you procrastinate and begin your hunting after your friends have already found the mother load. They normally start popping just after the pepper tops.
Giant Yellow Morel
Giant yellow morels are not simply older yellow morels, they are in a class of their own. Giant yellows tend to have the same season as yellows, but seem to grow in different areas. The flavor is just a little stronger and sweeter then a yellow. If you stumble across a good giant yellow patch, guard it with your life, but make sure you use up your bragging rights.
Little Grey Morel
Little grey morels are just that, little and grey. They rarely reach more than 1 1/2" in height and almost seem like a waste to collect. That is, until you have a mess of them in the pan. If you find one little grey, brush the leaves around and keep looking. I often find 20 or better within a 10 ft area.
Giant Grey Morel
Giant grey is in the 9 o'clock position. Every time i find a giant grey, I forget to take a pic in the wild. Some people argue that giant greys are just discolored giant yellows, but i notice one distinct difference between the two. Giant greys have a very thick and very sweet stem. I only know of one place to find them, but they come back in the same place every year.
Late Morel
The late morel is the most under appreciated of all the morels. Mainly because it arrives so late in the season, normally 8 weeks or more after the black morels. All other morels have wasted away by the time the late morel starts popping. Though usually smaller, they taste alot like the yellow morels. The difference in appearance is that the head of a late morel is no wider than the stem and begins tapering to a point where it meets the stem. If you began collecting morels in mid April, a mid to late May morel hunt may be well worth your time.
White Morel
I've never taken a pic of a white morel. In fact, through 20 years of hunting, I've only found maybe 5 or 6. Rumor has it that white morels grow abundantly from Ontario northwards, but I don't know that for a fact. White morels are distinct in flavor as well as appearance. The flavor is very sweet and creamy almost like candy. The entire morel is a bright white with no color difference between the stem and the head. The stem is thick much like the giant grey. If you find more than 1 white morel in any given year, consider yourself lucky!
I hope this identification guide has provided at least the newcomer with essential information on the characteristics of morels found throughout Indiana. Soon I'll try to write up a guide on the how's, where's and why's of morel hunting.
Good luck and happy hunting
The best place to start is identification.
There are nearly 200 species of morels that grow in Indiana, but don't worry, most of these species are so similar that they can be broken down into a few groups, and all of them are safe to eat.
Morels are the most popular wild mushroom worldwide simply because they are easy to identify and have no poisonous look-alikes. In fact, they are one of the very few wild mushrooms that are considered safe to identify through pictures alone. Although, if you have never been morel hunting, I encourage you to read my thread - False Morel Warning
Although different in color, size, flavor and texture, all morels share a few characteristics. All morels have a white to yellowish stem leading to a spongy, pitted head. At first glance, you'll notice that morels do not have the umbrella shaped cap that most of the mushrooms and toadstools you are familiar with share. Upon picking a morel, you'll notice it has a hollow stem. if the stem is not hollow then you didn't read the false morel warning close enough.
Most morel "experts" (I don't consider myself one) place all the species of morels into 3 groups. I find too many distinct differences so i place them in 8 groups.
Black Morels
Black morels are the first to arrive each spring. They are usually found where other morels are not. Most hunters favor the black morel for it's abundance and strong flavor. They are normally found in large patches or "the mother load"
Half Free Morel
Pepper top, snake head, spike, whatever you call them, the half free morel is the most commonly eaten simply because it sprouts up anywhere and everywhere. The flavor is a bit milder than the black morel but still delicious.
Pepper tops start appearing about a week after black morels and continue "popping" throughout the morel season. The half free morel gets it's name because the head isn't fully attached to the stem like other morels.
Yellow Morel
The yellow morel, or common morel is the morel you find when you procrastinate and begin your hunting after your friends have already found the mother load. They normally start popping just after the pepper tops.
Giant Yellow Morel
Giant yellow morels are not simply older yellow morels, they are in a class of their own. Giant yellows tend to have the same season as yellows, but seem to grow in different areas. The flavor is just a little stronger and sweeter then a yellow. If you stumble across a good giant yellow patch, guard it with your life, but make sure you use up your bragging rights.
Little Grey Morel
Little grey morels are just that, little and grey. They rarely reach more than 1 1/2" in height and almost seem like a waste to collect. That is, until you have a mess of them in the pan. If you find one little grey, brush the leaves around and keep looking. I often find 20 or better within a 10 ft area.
Giant Grey Morel
Giant grey is in the 9 o'clock position. Every time i find a giant grey, I forget to take a pic in the wild. Some people argue that giant greys are just discolored giant yellows, but i notice one distinct difference between the two. Giant greys have a very thick and very sweet stem. I only know of one place to find them, but they come back in the same place every year.
Late Morel
The late morel is the most under appreciated of all the morels. Mainly because it arrives so late in the season, normally 8 weeks or more after the black morels. All other morels have wasted away by the time the late morel starts popping. Though usually smaller, they taste alot like the yellow morels. The difference in appearance is that the head of a late morel is no wider than the stem and begins tapering to a point where it meets the stem. If you began collecting morels in mid April, a mid to late May morel hunt may be well worth your time.
White Morel
I've never taken a pic of a white morel. In fact, through 20 years of hunting, I've only found maybe 5 or 6. Rumor has it that white morels grow abundantly from Ontario northwards, but I don't know that for a fact. White morels are distinct in flavor as well as appearance. The flavor is very sweet and creamy almost like candy. The entire morel is a bright white with no color difference between the stem and the head. The stem is thick much like the giant grey. If you find more than 1 white morel in any given year, consider yourself lucky!
I hope this identification guide has provided at least the newcomer with essential information on the characteristics of morels found throughout Indiana. Soon I'll try to write up a guide on the how's, where's and why's of morel hunting.
Good luck and happy hunting
