BoldlyU Magazine Issue 5 | Page 12

ENTERTAINMENT Mushroom Hunting Mushroom Hunting is one of my pas- sions. It is similar to an Easter egg hunt except the eggs could be hidden any- where in the state. My family and I hunt four different kinds of mushrooms. One of the most common mushrooms we hunt is called a Morel mushroom. Although some people are unsure of eating wild mushrooms, Morels are very distinctive which makes them easy to identify. Morel mushrooms like to grow in wet, humid forests. The main tree they grow on is Elm trees, and they are decomposers, so they like rot- ting things. If you see an uprooted elm tree, you should check the root ball for Morels. Another tip is when you find one Morel there is almost always more around it. Morel Hunting season starts in mid-April and ends in mid-May. It is always helpful to use a walking stick in the woods to push over leaves and look through tall grasses. I hope you try mushroom hunting this year and remember to watch out for ticks and snakes. Sarah, 13 12 March 2017