(Photo by Nadine Doerle/Pixabay)
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Get ready to start hunting morels.
May is morel month in Michigan, but they can be found before and after that, usually starting in late April. Morels are typical fruiting from late May until mid-June, but weather conditions can impact this -- cooler, dryer weather can kill them.
Hunting these mushrooms is a popular activity. They are often collected to be eaten, as they can be sauteed in butter or used in recipes.
According to the DNR, morels are the safest of the more than 2,000 wild mushroom types that grow in the state.
The mushrooms tend to be found in areas that aren't grassy. According to the Department of Natural Resources, areas where burns larger than 10 acres have taken place within the past year are prime locations for the mushrooms to grow. Burns on land with jack, red, or white pine trees are more likely to yield morels.
This map shows areas where there have been large burns within the past few years. Most of these spots are in northern Michigan.