Prime time for Morel hunting in North-Central Illinois

 
 
ILLINOIS- This week is prime time for scoping out Morel mushrooms after days of wet to warm conditions. Morel mushroom enthusiast and administrator for Illinois Morel Mushrooms, Chris Martin of Fulton County, says mushrooms are about 90% water, so a surefire way of discovering the local delicacy is after a few days of rain. Martin, documents Morel finds throughout the state, via dated photo submissions from over 60,000 followers on Facebook. With the rainfall last week, and hot weather this week, we could continue to see the fungus sprout. While Morel Mushrooms can be found just about anywhere, the best spots to hunt are near elm trees, ash trees, and even old fruit-bearing trees near or on southern facing hills. Typically, Martin finds up to 30 pounds of Morels a year in his hometown of Canton, Illinois.