Morel Mushroom Hunting

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  • Morel Mushroom Hunting

    Michigan offers exceptional morel mushroom hunting in the springtime. While you are out in the woods hunting, fishing or hiking, take a look around for these delicious yet elusive treats. Remember: Morels found on public land are for personal use and cannot be sold!

Intro

  • For many, spring in Michigan means morels – delicious wild mushrooms, simple to identify, fairly easy to find and generally safe to eat. For the beginning mushroom hunter, the morels are the safest group among the more than 2,000 kinds of wild mushrooms found in Michigan.

    May is morel month in Michigan, but the actual fruiting period is from late April until mid-June, depending on where you are and what species you are hunting. Contrary to common belief, morels are not confined to the northern part of the state – some of the best picking is in southern Michigan.

    Like all wild mushrooms, morels require quite specific conditions of temperature and moisture to grow. Some springs are good for morels, others poor. Warm and wet conditions are best, and cold and dry can mean almost total failure of the crop.

Mi-Morels Map

  • Large burn sites in forested areas are ideal for morel mushroom hunting, especially in burned areas where jack, white or red pine once grew. Grassy and other non forest areas are not as likely to produce morels.

    We have put together a map of large burn areas that occurred within the past couple years. Zoom in close to see the type of ground cover in a particular area (conifer, wetlands, grass, etc.). Please note, we cannot guarantee the presence of morels at these locations!

    This application contains a complex map. If you have questions or comments please contact a DNR Customer Service Center.

  • MIMorels Map

    Open the Mi-morels map »

    Download wildfire & prescribed burn location data (2019)