Spring. No people look forward to the season like those of us in northern climates. Despite the onslaught of rain, it ushers in warm sunshine, a multitude of songs from our feathered friends, and an unparalleled aroma given off by the millions of flowers in bloom.
A few years ago, at around this time, I was gearing up for my annual short, four day turkey hunting season. There’s something about the erupting gobble from a strutting tom that gets the heartbeat finally going; all that exposure to the frigid winter months typically left my blood in a near comatose state. See turkey hunting was a symbol that spring had finally come. That was until I received a surprising proposal from someone that I actually hunted turkeys with.
“Wanna go morel hunting with me?” my dad asked.
“Ummm…well, you know I hate mushrooms, Pops. Yes, ‘hate’ is a harsh word, but it’s true…
(me pondering the interesting pitch)
…Buuut, you know me: I’ll try anything once…
(as the discussion continued I grew more and more intrigued by the fact that they’re one of the rarest mushrooms in the world, they’re one of the most prized delicacies on the dinner table, and, coincidentally, they’re our state fungus)
… Yeeah, why not?! If anything, I can at least cross it off the bucket list. What do I need to wear and bring?”
It’s a very simple list that shouldn’t break the bank. Before getting into specifics, there are some crucial things to call out. Your three worst enemies are bugs, heat, and thorns.
- Nothing drives someone out of the woods faster than dealing with an onslaught of bugs. You’ll get a healthy dose of ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, etc. When I say “healthy” I actually mean unhealthy; it’s THICK with them.
- Next is heat. Even though morel season goes through perfect temperatures ranging from 70 – 80 degrees, you’re going to get hot tromping in the woods.
- Lastly is thorns. I swear morels formed an alliance with one of the best defenders of the woods: thorn thickets. Where you find morels, you’ll also discover that they have a formidable defensive wall of thorns you have to meander through.
This triumvirate is quite formidable in combination. Ponder with me which one(s) of the three are out of your control. Seriously, stop and think for about 10 seconds…
If your answers are bugs and heat, well then by golly, I’d like to congratulate you. You can’t really avoid bugs or the heat but you can avoid thorn thickets. Don’t get me wrong, you’ll be going through your fair share of natures barbwire, but most of it will be in your control. Since bugs are the main culprits for driving you out of the woods, you’ll definitely need to cover up. Yes, you can put bug repellent on your exposed skin but you’ll definitely be going in some thick, thorn infested woods that’ll tear your skin up. It’s best to cover up. So instead of arming yourself with upland pants/jeans and a thick flannel, go light. All that weight and insulation will turn on you in no time; you’ll be sweating buckets and grow completely uncomfortable. The best solution, in my opinion, is to go light while covering up completely. Yes, I know that may be a hard thing to balance, but it is possible. The following are my recommendations:
Clothing:
- Shirt: Fishing shirt – As thin and fragile as they may seem, most fishing shirts can take some serious abuse and they wick moister like none other to keep you comfortable during the muggy last half of the season.
- Pants: Convertible hiking pants – The same concepts as noted above with the shirt. Thorn thickets are nasty, so you’ll get scratched up a little from them. I don’t mind taking some battle scratches if it means I don’t overheat.
- Footwear: Lightweight, waterproof hiking boots – You’re going to be sloshing around in some mud and water at times to get to your spots. Keep your feet dry while avoiding fatigue with a pair of hikers.
- Socks: Lightweight wool hiking socks – Freak out as much as you want, but you’ll be surprised at how well wool regulates foot temperature and wicks sweat, which, in turn, prevents blisters.
- Headwear: Your hunting or fishing ballcap will do the trick. Again, you’ll be going through thorn thickets. Any of you grouse hunters out there will vouch with me: when you’re dipping and dodging in thick cover, more often than not you’ll be bending over with the crown of your head leading the charge. Protect your head. Permethrin (noted later under the gear section) sprayed on it will also help keep the bugs away from your face.
- Eyewear: Polarized sunglasses or, at minimum, clear safety glasses – let me emphasize again, you’ll be going through thorn thickets and getting whipped by little branches, protect your most important asset: your eyes. I say polarized because they actually help you see better than the naked eye – yes even in the woods. By cutting off glare, you’ll be able to have better depth perception.
Gear:
Bug Repellent – Morels generally thrive around water sources. Mosquitoes and other blood loving bugs hatch from those same water sources. Do yourself a favor and spend a few bucks more on some good bug repellent. For your clothes, there’s only one option: permethrin. It’s odorless when it dries (yes, you can actually enjoy breathing fresh air instead of the scuzzy smell from your standard bug sprays) and keeps protecting for well over a month. This translates into you being able to use your “morel clothes” for any camping, hiking, and fishing trips coming up. See I’m forward thinking for ya!
- For Clothing: Permethrin. You’ll need to spray your clothes with it the day before so it has time to dry. Pay more close attention to spraying the areas on your where your skin is almost always in contact:
- Shirt: shoulders, back (you’ll be bent over quite a bit), chest, and forearm
- Pants: shin to cuff (for ticks) and thighs
- Don’t forget: Hat, hiking boots, and socks
- For Exposed Skin: Ultrathon. I hate putting any anti-bug stuff on my skin, so I avoid doing it as much as possible. When I’ve had enough (basically when I have about 15 of them going for my hands and another 40 going for my face) I have to give in. As soon as I put Ultrathon on, they disappear. I’m not kidding – the stuff works. Bonus is it’s nearly odorless.
Mesh Delicates-Lingerie bag: You can find these in most stores’ laundry aisle. If you can’t find them, burlap or an onion sack will do. No plastic bags please! Remember mushrooms thrive off of moister and will turn to mush if you have them trapped in plastic. Go mesh or burlap to not only allow them to breathe but, more importantly, scatter their spores in other parts of the woods you walk in.
Knife: Morels, as you’ve noticed, are extremely porous and pitted and, therefore, collect dirt and sand with ease. Instead of pinching them off at the base with your dirty fingers, cut them with your knife. If you do, you’ll be surprised how much less dirt and sand you bite down on when you eat them. Enjoy the spoils, not the spoilers (dirt and sand) at the dinner table – harvest them with a knife.
Field Notes: This handy notebook fits right in your pocket. Hindsight is 20-20. This little guy will be a great resource for the following years to track how different hot spots produce over the years. More to come with using field notes
Water: A no-brainer
Now that you’re geared up, let’s take the next step together:
Macro Moreling: The Art of Understanding the Woods
2 thoughts on “Essential Gear for Moreling”