Hoosierfunguy

Here's a link to a website that publishes morel sightings throughout America: https://www.thegreatmorel.com/morel-sightings/ Looks like they're creeping northward 👍🏼

Morel season here in northern Indiana usually runs between the last week of April to the first or second week of June but in the average, prime time is the first three weeks of May.

The blacks usually come in first and then the grays and then the yellows. It's mostly based on soil temperature and that changes every year. Blacks pop above 45°F Grays closer to the 50° and above and the yellow seem consistent at closer to 60°. I usually probe the soil at a depth of 2"-3" and test in the morning and the evening to get a mean temp. They do pop earlier on southern facing slopes. I hope you find the mother load. I've been hunting morels for almost 20 years and I've never found more than a a couple pounds and never have found that elusive mother load. Hopefully this year will be different lol

It does look like wood ear. I personally don't know of any toxic lookalikes. There is always a risk when consuming wild mushrooms. It's best to be certain of the identification of them prior to sampling any (even ones that are commonly choice or good edible species). Sometimes some people will have a toxic reaction to one, when others never do. When consuming a wild mushroom for the first time, I usually keep a sample in the fridge and another sample in the freezer so that any people that are survived by me can assist the coroner in knowing if this was the cause of my death...?

Hi Nikki and welcome to the forum. I've seen that the foray information isn't always updated on this particular site and sometimes it takes a week or more for someone to reply. If you have a Facebook account, I've read that they are more active on there than here. I don't have Facebook, so I cannot confirm.

Honestly, since morel season ended, I haven't gone out looking either. I just happened to see these while fishing and found a motherload of Chanties at a friend's house around his front lawn. ?‍♂️

This was a pleasant and unexpected find while fishing the other morning. Kinda like that fawn that still has its spots. They sure look pretty, but they taste even better. lol

A little over a pound of good ones. They'll be consumed with delight!

Likely Cantharellus Lateritius aka smooth chanterelle. I've found a few really large amounts of these before. They taste just as good as a common chanterelle but not as good as a cinnabar red chanty.

I get a lot of bitter boletes around here and that looks like one. I have given it a quick taste and immediately spit it out to be sure. You'll know

Those are definitely black raspberries! ?? Yes, they do look like chicken of the woods that are past their prime.

A friend sent me this 3 days ago. They're all over the place now

I haven't been out yet, but my experience in northwest Indiana is that we are currently in the beginning of the season. They should be up.

I've seen reports all over Southern Indiana. I was in a prime area latitudinally with Indianapolis last weekend and not one,, but the ground temp was 43° F. Next weekend the blacks and grays should be decorating the woods. I live north of Indianapolis and the sandy soil here is prime. With the recent rain at the right temperature, makes for a promising outlook.

I tried freezing them raw and also par boiling them, then freezing and partially cooking them in oil, then freezing. None of those worked well. The texture and flavor was compromised.