Morel mushrooms are back, but not for long

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Many people are out and about as morel mushrooms have returned to Kansas.

Spring temperatures and a bit of rain create exactly what is needed to find these unique mushrooms.

“Morel hunting is pretty exciting because it’s like an adult Easter egg hunt,” Public Lands Regional Supervisor Dustin Mengarelli said. “A lot of people get out this time of year and run through the woods and try to find morels so they can eat them.”

Morels are often found in wooded areas, especially around oak and elm trees. Morel hunting is a favorite hobby for many, but it’s a tradition for others.

“I started when I was a little kid with my parents,” morel hunter Joshua Guyle said. “We’d always go out in the woods. There was times we used to find them in 5-gallon buckets one year and we were just giving them away to neighbors.”

If you plan on searching for morels, be mindful of certain properties.

“If you want to sell morels, you have to have it inspected by the Department of Ag,” Mengarelli said. “They have identifiers. As well as if your picking them off of public properties, it’s illegal to sell them. You can pick them for personal consumption, but you cannot sell them.”

The Department of Parks and Wildlife leases certain properties for walk-in hunting and walk-in fishing. No morel hunting is allowed there as you would be trespassing and could be seriously hurt.