Morels attract mushroom hunters to Columbia

The well-hidden, spongy delicacies sprout in April.

By Angela Case

Published April 13, 2010

When spring comes, so do morels. The elusive, spongy-looking edible mushrooms emerge from under carpets of leaves in mid-April. And with the morels come the morel hunters.

About 30 mushroom hunters gathered Monday night at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park to learn about Missouri mushrooms and how to find them.

One of the presenters at the event was Columbia resident and amateur mushroom hobbyist Stan Hudson. Hudson found his first mushroom as a child on a hike with his dad and brother. He liked being outdoors, so he kept up the hunting tradition.

Now, Hudson is an enthusiast who keeps a blog about his mushroom hunting experiences. Like many hunters, Hudson doesn't disclose his favorite mushroom-finding locations to anyone.

"I share general tips," he said. "I'm all about sharing knowledge. But I wouldn't take someone to my spots."

Unlike Hudson, AmeriCorps volunteer Julia Karll is new to the mushroom-hunting scene. She hasn't been hunting yet but said she would like to go soon. She said she was interested in mushroom hunting because it provided an alternative to buying food in a grocery store or from a factory farm.

"Instead of buying your food, you can find your food," she said.

Mushroom enthusiast Jon Rapp, who presented at the event, said people have many different reasons for being interested in mushrooms. Some like to photograph them, some use them for medicinal purposes, some research them and some enjoy the social aspect of mushroom hunting. The most common reason people hunt mushrooms, though, is to eat them.

Hudson uses the mushrooms he finds in a variety of ways. He eats some fresh, flash fries and freezes some for later and dries some to use in soups and stews. He also gives some of his finds to older friends who are no longer able to go out and hunt for themselves. In return, they sometimes let Hudson in on their favorite hunting spots.

Hudson's favorite mushrooms to find are morels, the spongy-looking mushrooms that are most plentiful in early- to mid-April.

"I'll sell chantrelles and other mushrooms, but I don't sell morels," Hudson said. "Morels are my favorite to find. They are one of the most elusive types, and there is lots of competition for them."

Rapp said it was important for mushroom hunters to know all applicable rules and restrictions for areas they hunt in. For Missouri state parks, this means each hunter is allowed to pick two gallons of each species of mushroom per day for personal consumption.

During his presentation, Hudson stressed the importance of making sure a mushroom is safe before eating it.

"When in doubt, throw it out," he said. "If you're not 100 percent sure what you're eating, don't eat it."

It can be challenging to differentiate edible mushrooms from poisonous or deadly ones, especially for beginners.

The easily identifiable characteristics of morels make them popular with first-time hunters.

The only poisonous mushroom that is easily confused with a morel is a false morel. Hunters can distinguish between the two mushrooms by cutting them open. Morels are hollow throughout the top and stem, whereas false morels are solid inside.

"The morel is the only mushroom I have confidence identifying in the wild," event attendee and novice hunter Phil Knocke said.

Two groups in the Midwest cater to mushroom hunting enthusiasts. The Missouri Mycological Society, based in St. Louis, and the Kaw Valley Mycological Society, based in Lawrence, Kan., both provide events and information to hunters.

Missouri Mycological Society is hosting a Morel Madness event April 23 through April 25 at Cuivre River State Park. The event will include presentations by experts and other mushroom hunting-related activities.