It’s Morel Season. Get in the Woods.
*By Flo | florencewi.com*
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Every spring, something happens in Florence County that most of Wisconsin doesn’t know about.
The snow melts. The rivers run high. The fishing opener brings the cabins back to life. And quietly, in the woods between the dead ash trees and along the south-facing slopes, morel mushrooms start pushing up through the leaves.
Most people drive right past them. That’s fine. More for the rest of us.
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## What’s a Morel?
If you’ve never had one, I’m not sure I can explain it adequately. Smoky. Meaty. Nutty. People have been arguing about how to describe them for a long time and nobody’s nailed it. What I can tell you is that they’re one of the most sought-after wild mushrooms in North America, they can’t be farmed, and the only way to get them is to go find them yourself.
They look like a little tan or grey brain on a stem. Hollow inside. Pitted and honeycombed on the outside. You’ll know one when you see it — but look up what a false morel looks like before you go, because those exist too and they are not your friend.
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## When to Go
Peak morel season in Wisconsin is right around May 15th, though they can appear as early as April and as late as June. It all comes down to temperature and moisture — a week of nights in the 50s with some rain is usually the signal.
The old timer read on it: when the oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s ear, start looking. That’s not a joke. It actually works.
For Florence County specifically, we’re in the north — we run a week or two behind the southern part of the state. If you’re seeing reports from central Wisconsin, start paying attention to the woods up here.
The [Great Morel sighting map](https://www.thegreatmorel.com/morel-sightings/) tracks real-time reports from hunters across the country. Bookmark it. Check it the week before your trip.
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## Where to Look
I’m not going to tell you anyone’s spots. That’s not how this works and I’d like to keep my neighbors.
What I can tell you is the general logic:
- South-facing slopes warm up first — start there. Dead and dying ash and elm trees are your best friends. Florence County has plenty of both right now thanks to the emerald ash borer, which is grim news for the trees and good news for morel hunters.
- River bottoms and creek edges hold moisture longer. The Wild Rivers corridor — Pine and Popple — runs through prime territory.
- Since most people hunt on weekends, Thursdays and Fridays are good days to look — new mushrooms have had a chance to pop since the previous weekend.
- Florence County has over 200,000 acres of public land. You have room to find your own spots.
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## The Rules
Wisconsin allows foraging on most public lands including the Nicolet National Forest. **Check the specific rules for wherever you’re going before you start picking.** Some areas have restrictions. Don’t assume.
Use a mesh bag, not a plastic bag. Spores fall through the mesh as you walk. You’re helping next year’s season while you hunt this one.
Don’t pull them — cut them at the base.
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## What to Do With Them
Cut lengthwise, rinse in cold water to get any bugs out, and sauté in butter. That’s it. That’s the recipe. You can put them on a steak, fold them into eggs, or eat them standing over the pan at the stove because you couldn’t wait.
Do not eat them raw. Cook them first.
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Florence County in mid-May is something. The opener weekend crowd has come and gone, the lakes are calm, the waterfalls are still running hard from snowmelt, and the woods smell like something waking up. Add morels to the list and you’ve got a trip worth building a week around.
The window is short. It’s always short. That’s the point.
*— Flo*
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*New to Florence County? Start at the Wild Rivers Interpretive Center on Hwy 70. And check the [Find Flo in Florence](https://florencewi.com) passport program — there’s more to explore here than you can do in a weekend.*