Finding Morel Mushrooms Using Geospatial Analysis

Morels tend to thrive under very specific conditions - yet those specific conditions can vary depending on the region.

Morels grow all over the world and you can find them if you know what to look for.

We will help you figure where to start your search and how to stay a successful morel hunter year after year using geospatial data and analysis.

Five morel species require fire in order to emerge. These "burn morels" only grow in conifer forests, only grow in the West, and only grow after last season's wildfire.

Burn morels area easy to find but have a downside: these areas can be dangerous with fallen and falling trees and tend to be crowded with commercial pickers. The roads to the fire perimeters are sometimes closed and you don't find that out until you drive hundreds of miles.

 Click here  for the National Interagency Fire Center's historic perimeter dataset. This might be all you need to get started! Or...

What if your area had no wildfires last year? Or perhaps you'd like a greater morel finding challenge? Then it is time to add layers of relevant data onto your theoretical, or real, morel finding map!

Layer 1: A USGS Topographic map of your search area is a great place to start. This map will give you place names, some hiking trails, elevation data, and landmarks. Morels grow at different elevations depending on the air and ground temperature. As the season goes on, you follow the mushrooms up the mountain!

Grab a topographic map here:  https://www.usgs.gov/core-science-systems/ngp/tnm-delivery/topographic-maps 

Layer 2: Recent and Current Weather Conditions - Morels grow in the spring when the daytime temperatures get above 60° F and nights hover around 40°. They also tend to pop up after a rain spell.

What was the weather last week in your potential search area? What was the weather yesterday? Last night? Today? Are you attempting to search at the correct time of year?

Find a reliable source for current and past weather data.  https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate 

Layer 3: The Soil Map. Morels like loamy soil, well-drained but never wet. Morels start popping up when the soil is at or above 50°. So get out your soil thermometer and start poking!

Is the soil type in your search area perfect for a morel to grow? What type of soil is it? Sandy, loam, clay, rocky? What is the ground temperature?

Check out the USDA's Web Soil Survey before heading out:  https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.gov/App/WebSoilSurvey.aspx 

Layer 4: What is the Landcover in your search area? Type of grass, types of trees, water features, and flowers are all great indicators.

Can you spot any morels in this photograph? How could taking a photograph or having reliable imagery be helpful to your search?

ArcGIS Online and Google Earth are two great places to start an at-home geospatial analysis:

 https://earth.google.com 

 https://www.arcgis.com 

Layer 5: Pattern Analysis - When finding, or not finding, morels, did you notice anything distinct? Specific types of trees? Unique flowers? Soil type? A certain smell? Disturbed ground? Full sun, shade, or filtered light?

Don't forget to jot these down for next time and take pictures!

Layer 6: When you've come up with a great starting location, look around very carefully. Get down on the ground as morels like to be respected and looked directly in the eye.

Once you find a morel, send us the Global Positioning Systems (GPS) coordinates of your spot!

Just kidding...never tell!

Why would you want to, and how can you obtain, GPS coordinates? Are there any landmarks around that will help you find the same spot next year? What about data collecting tools (a GPS, a watch, your phone) that you can bring with you?

Morels tend to return to the same spot year after year. That's why morel hunters are secretive about their secret patches. And this is why you always collect data.

Happy hunting!