Morel Hunting in the Cascades- Catch and Cook

[@yungestlegend]

me and all my homies LOVE mushroom wonderland!

[@HighNoonSun.]

Was cool to see you cook them afterwards!

[@lindasteller]

Once you hit the crest of the Cascades down here in Lane County, Oregon, the forest changes from Doug Fir to Pine. Perhaps I'll have to hike further in and look for some fir patches on the east side.

[@kiwi-nicolecashman2680]

Thank you Aaron :) i share your channel with all my pals, i live in Oly but grew up in Snohomish county, and wanted to say how thankful I am for your bright insight and sharing of knowledge! 💖

[@mymalinoisadventures2252]

Great video. I've learned so much from these videos. Thanks Aaron

[@ldean2731]

Awesome video!!! I want more! Great work

[@ldean2731]

LOVED THE COOKIING

[@GregAvery-uf4oq]

Yummy

[@tylerkrug7719]

Dude sweet haul!

[@mschnei4]

Thanks for another informative video Aaron. I live in Western WA and have had some luck so far this year east of Snoqualmie Pass. A few questions if you have time... Do you generally have equal luck finding morels both close to and far from the trail? Also curious in this video if you were focusing on any certain slope direction and what rough elevation you were having the most luck? Thank you!

[@mushroomwonderland1]

It seems like they prefer next to the trail! Maybe they're just easier to see there, perhaps there is less competition for the water by the trail..but I find about an equal amount. I don't necessarily look on any particular slope, but shade is good!

[@mschnei4]

@@mushroomwonderland1 Thank you for the advice! I found 4.6 pounds of prime, fresh naturals today. It was a good day!

[@ksdurg]

thank you for all the info. What general area of the East Cascades did you film this in? My relatives live in the foothills of Ellensburg, but that may be too far east to find morels right now. Were you off I90 near Roslyn or Cle Elum? (I wouldn't dare ask for your specific mushrooms spots. lol)

[@graphguy]

Nothing beats morels. Back home we get a fair amount that are much larger. Are their bugs ones in the Pacific Northwest?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Pretty rarely in these naturals do I find bugs. In the burn morels they can often be buggy, and ones that are past their prime tend to have a lot of flies buzzing around them.

[@graphguy]

@@mushroomwonderland1 gosh I hate my phones auto spelling correction! I typed big and didn’t notice it changed it too bugs!! We have some that are like up to 8 inches tall and fat.

[@jenzabell79]

Love your videos. Super informative. This was my first year successfully hunting wild morels (been only hunting burn morels the past couple of years). This might have been answered already, but where did you get those salt and pepper grinders?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

I got those as a Christmas gift, I imagine a pretty quick Google search could find you some. They're pretty cool! It's kind of weird though and I go to plug them in on the phone charger at the couch and we have salt and pepper shakers sitting in the cup holders 😅

[@jenzabell79]

@@mushroomwonderland1 haha I just watched the video where you are making the omelet with the spring king and mention that they were a gift. I think they are awesome. Sometimes I have to grind a LOT of pepper, and the hand ones take forever and my wrist starts to hurt.

[@jadedjhypsi]

thanks for the pick in my old haunts =) I live thru your Camara today!! BTW, was trying to read the ASL on you hat but was a but blurry... what does it say, if you do not mind me asking?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Oh, it's sign language for peace, hang loose, and rock on! Haha

[@jadedjhypsi]

@@mushroomwonderland1 Peace Rocks!! I know those signs ... lol was stuck in ASL .....🤙

[@watsonrk1]

Maybe you needed those mushroom glasses? The snowbank morels are awesome to eat, 1/2" thick, egg and flour, fried, salt and pepper! Have picked them by the bucket full.

[@mushroomwonderland1]

I forgot to bring them!

[@watsonrk1]

No.... The snowbanks are often called brain mushrooms, which happen to be one of my favorites. Nice video today!

[@KaladyAvery]

I am curious about spore distribution. Is there a reason you didn’t use your mesh bag as usual?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Personally I don't even know if mesh or baskets or anything make a real big difference as far as spore dispersal, But I'll definitely use a rigid basket or a bucket for picking morell's as they can get kind of beat up in a mesh bag. That's definitely the downside of the mesh bag is it can beat up your mushrooms, especially if you're doing a lot of hiking and it's bouncing on your hip. I like to be more gentle with morels and porcini. Matsi buttons can survive the mesh bag pretty well though!

[@ElevatedAdventure]

I was thinking about heading out to Lake Wenatchee June 1. Would you say it’s too late for morels around there? Thanks!

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Might still be good! They seem to be slowly going up in elevation.

[@ShouldaWaved]

I never see them, i see a lot of false morels, i do know a spot for the lobster mushroom, looking forward to it, i am always hoping to bump into a morel but for as man variances on environment and all the ground staring ive done it is strange o havent see one, especially with the multitude of false. Maybe i kneed to stop looking and they will appear, that hasnt worked wither

[@francesscherz8720]

Are you still using Strava when foraging off trail? Loki is adorable! What kind of dog is he?

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Yes, I'm so used to Strava and it works good for me, and Loki is a German shorthaired pointer 🍄❤️

[@cesaralvarado775]

I think the trick to finding mushrooms is disturbance. Fruiting is probably a stress response to damage of the mycelium. That's why fires, walking trails, smacking a mushroom grow bag, etc, stimulates fruiting. Same way pruning plants (using a heading cut) actually stimulates and multiples growth.

[@MaynardSaves]

What is the difference the gyromitra esculenta?

[@MaynardSaves]

Sorry, got ahead of the vid. Big fan ! Detroit here. I try to pick all over the state

[@MaynardSaves]

Made a killing on some golden oysters, a few lbs. Cook as much as we could eat and dried the rest. Goes perfect with the chanterelles we picked last year. Ungodly lbs of chanterelles. Dried lbs of them. Soooo good

[@Antler_addict]

Cut the stems off, make some jalapeño cream cheese, stuff those bad boys, wrap em in bacon & bake em up! 😉👍

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Sounds yummy!

[@Antler_addict]

@mushroomwonderland1 hey, Aaron, I'm a long time follower from another account/user name but, I am not on any other social media platform & I just found some fairly fresh turkey tail & would like your advice on weather it might still be consumable. I will join an a social media app if it lets me show you pictures of the TT that I just harvested. They are drying in my window right now, I dont have a dehydrater. It is tremetes versicolor & is super rubbery & has pores & not gills, the top layer of them seemed the most fresh, but was split on the ends of the fans & had mold underneath tho... The lower fans looked chewed up & chunky/falling apart. I only harvested the top fans but any advice, no matter how little, would be greatly appreciated!

[@mushroomwonderland1]

@@Antler_addict hey there, I feel like if the fruiting bodies are moldy, toss them out. You can send me a picture at [e-mail] 🍄

[@Antler_addict]

@mushroomwonderland1 I will send pics this weekend no rush. I just recognize & appreciate what you do for the community & your followers. You have a life also & I am sure have a family to take care of as well. Give a fist bump/paw bump to gunner for me! I have a gunner pup of my own right now, he is a bit slow tho. Lol! Thank you Aaron! Seriously, thank you for responding!

[@Antler_addict]

@mushroomwonderland1 I did a bit more research & although they still looked great on the top, they were no good underneath on most pieces so I am going to play it safe & not consume them. They were mostly dark green shades, fresh & rubbery but it's not worth the risk. Thank you for your advice. The frosty mold was growing on the layer beneath it & the bottom layer was crumbling on the under side. That bottom layer looked the best on top but the pores underneath were bad.

[@tylerkrug7719]

Were those tri tips? Tri tips are my go to steak,i like them better than filet mignon even,lol

[@GuardianAngelWatcher]

When was this? Just wondering if they’re still fruiting. TIA Aaron!

[@mushroomwonderland1]

Last Saturday, yes they're popping now!

[@GuardianAngelWatcher]

@@mushroomwonderland1happy dancing!! Are there any on our side of the hills? Thanks again!

[@tylerkrug7719]

Going to hell and being shown all the mushrooms you missed is a good one,lol

[@johnnyfish6051]

I think its time to stop using the term "false Morel" period. Great show!

[@honeyvitagliano3227]

❤

[@justinrowley8647]

thats not a grand fir its a white fir