We are often asked when is the best time to collect morels. We have found that around the end of April to the beginning of May, spring begins with the arrival of the Morel mushrooms. Morels grow in temperate latitudes around the world, in both conifer and hardwood forests. In North America, they emerge first along the West coast in early spring and later in much of the forested East, from the Appalachians up through the Great Lakes region and through the Midwest to the west coast of Washington, then finally down to Oregon, where they are known to like recently burned forests or swamps.
If you are a first-time hunter, you should make your first hunting expedition with someone who knows what a good morel looks like. There are several types of morels, some edible and others poisonous. The woods will dole out many types of fungi to the hunter, therefore, The Great Morel recommends that all shroomers - rookies and veterans alike visit Edible and Poisonous Mushroom Page by Barbara Bassett, Naturalist. This site has great images of the good, the bad and the uglies! Click here for other great sources of morel identification as well as make sure to visit The Great Morel's page on the false morel.