Montana’s Other Treasure: Finding Morel Mushrooms

If you've spent any time in the outdoors, you've probably heard of the legendary morel mushroom. Growing up, I'd heard about them too, but no one around me knew much about wild mushrooms. The only advice I got? "Stay away from any mushroom in the woods—nine times out of ten, it'll kill you."

So, I grew up with this odd mix of fear and curiosity when it came to foraging. Fast forward a few years, and after watching more YouTube videos than I'd like to admit, I finally felt confident enough to start hunting for morels. Thankfully, I had someone at camp who could inspect my finds and let me know if I had struck gold—or picked something dangerous.

Great success! Every morel I gathered was edible, and just like that, I had fallen into yet another rabbit hole of a hobby. If you're curious about getting into morel hunting this spring, here are some tips to help you get started.

Legalities Of Mushroom Hunting

First things first—if you're planning to hunt morels in Montana, you'll need either an Incidental Use Permit or a Personal Use Charge Permit from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). These permits help regulate foraging and protect morel populations.

There are also limits on how much you can collect, so it's important to know the rules before you head out. For the most detailed and up-to-date info, make sure to brush up on your mushroom legalities HERE.

Where and When To Find Morels

Here's the fun part—the hunt for the delicious morel! Finding them takes some research and, in many cases, a lot of hiking, but once you locate a good area, you're likely to find several.

A great place to start is public land that has recently experienced a forest fire. The best time to hunt is typically the first year after a burn, but don't overlook areas that burned 4-5 years prior—I've had luck there too!

Morels have a short window in the spring, and exactly when they appear depends on the weather. I start checking as soon as the snow begins to melt, but the key factor is soil temperature—they typically start popping up when it reaches around 50°F. Wait too long, and once the soil gets too hot… poof, they're gone!

These are just a few basic tips to get you started on your morel hunting journey, but there's still plenty to learn! From identifying false morels to understanding the ethics of harvesting and the best ways to cook them, there's a lot to consider.

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If you're ready to dive deeper into the hunt and learn more about foraging, check out the resources below!

Helpful Resources

• USFS
• Western Montana Mycological Association
• TCweed.org