Mornin' to all the gardeners planning for shifting Hardiness Zones. This is the Wiscampsin Weekly - the email that gets you in the know on the Wisconsin outdoors in 5 minutes or less. New reader? Subscribe here.

Ope - Mother’s Day is almost here! Show Mom some love and snag her our American Robin State Bird print, or maybe even our Recycled Coffee Bean Coffee Mug! (Helps us out, too!)

This week’s weekly:

• How to find morel mushrooms 🍄‍🟫 

• Evers’ Earth Day Pledge 🌎

• Best places to visit in the UP 🌲 

The Morel Mushroom Capital of America

Hunting season is nearly upon us!

But it's not the kind you normally think of, filled with blaze orange, whitetail deer, and crazy cousins up nort'.

This is Morel Mushroom hunting, and it's yet another reason why folks can point out Wisconsin on a map and not places like Indiana...

It's 'cause we're known as the Morel Mushroom Capital of America, and the season is just about to begin.

The ‘morel’ of the story

• WI is known for morels due to wet springs and favorable flora

• The best time to search for morels is typically around mid-May, but it is weather dependent

• Delicious when cooked, a pound of morels can sell anywhere from $30 - $50 (or more)

Morel mythology

It's hard to say how long ago or who first started eating morel mushrooms (must have had a little liquid courage), but it's said that the North American strain of morels, hailed as the tastiest in the world, appeared around 100 million years ago.

They grow anywhere from a half-inch to a few feet tall, look like the stuff of aliens, and lure hundreds of thousands of 'Scons into the woods each spring.

Why is morel mushroom hunting so popular in Wisconsin compared to other places?

To start, we have the perfect environment for these fungi to thrive (warm, wet springs).

We also have a rich history in subsisting off the land through hunting, farming, and foraging.

In summary, we're just crazy enough to pick something out of the dirt and think "this looks totally weird; let's eat it."

How to find ‘em

First you must be in the woods at the right time of year.

The peak season is right around May 15th, depending on the weather. But they can be found as early as April and as late as June. This live sightings map is very useful.

It all comes down to the temperature and moisture: a week of 50 degree nights and some rain usually heralds morel season.

'"The old timers say that when the oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s ear then that’s the time to look for morels,” says Rick Hill, a wildlife artist and dedicated mushroom hunter. “And that’s usually about right.”'

These conical, hollow-bodied fungus like to grow in sandy soils. They can be found under white ash trees, dead butternut or hickory trees, and their favorite - dead elm trees.

But look out for imposters, which can be toxic. They're fairly easy to pick out, however, as true morels have hollow insides.

And if you are lucky enough to spy one, you'll likely find more. Bring a non-plastic bag, and be sure to cut or pinch the 'shroom off at the base as to not damage the root system below.

Eating the "hickory chicken"

If you do score some legit morel mushrooms, you've got yourself a delicacy (once cooked, that is).

Some describe 'em as smoky. Other's say they're meaty. And yes, folks claim they even taste like chicken.

Regardless, it's fairly easy to make a morel mouthwatering: Just cut, rinse, and sautee them in butter (or deep-fry ‘em).

Folks serve 'em as sides, on top of steaks, with their eggs - heck, they even serve morel beer at the morel festival in Muscoda.

How to get out ‘der

Dedicated Wisconsin morel Facebook pages and this live sightings map are great ways to get real-time updates on the morel season to help you with your searching.

Muscoda Morel Fest is truly something to behold. Taking place May 17th-18th, the fest is a giant celebration centered around eating morels, parades, drinking morel beer, and even buying morels for a fair price.

The Madison Mycological Society hosts regular meetups with fellow fungi enthusiasts and is a great resource for knowledge.

The TL;DR is - morel season is just around the corner. Send a friend this email and get out der!

Wiscampsin Team Gear Picks*

*Note: We are not paid to promote the below gear favs, but in the future we may try to secure exclusive discounts for Wiscampsin readers. Show your interest by checking out the links below!

Bedrock Sandals: Co-founder Kevin once hiked 20+ miles through rain, muck, and rocks in these durable, trail-ready hiking sandals. Plus, they’re low profile and super comfy!

Coleman Classic Propane Gas Camping Stove: Tough as nails, dependable, and compact—that’s what you can expect from this 2-Burner camp stove. Great for feeding your family or the whole camp. 30% off with code: APRIL

Hest Dually Camp Mattress: Forget air mattress and pads—this memory foam camping mattress is perfect for your truck bed, tent, or even your backseat, and will give you your best outdoor night’s sleep ever. (Co-founder Forrest just bought one, reply to this email to hear his thoughts).

Kelty Loveseat: Ideal for cozy nights next to the campfire, the Kelty Loveseat is a heavy-duty double camp chair that comes with a carrying bag and plenty of space to make memories.

JOOLCA: JOOLCA has been shaking up the camping game with a pretty cool lineup of outdoor showers, power banks, portable “kitchen” units, and even an inflatable hot tub—perfect for turning camping into glamping (we won’t judge).

Wiscampsin Weekly Poll

Someone wrote in about last week’s elk article, stating: “Wisconsin is just getting started with this program going to take a while yet.” They were right on the money as 22% of readers got it right, with Wisconsin sitting around 23rd for its Elk population.

Nuts and Seeds 🌰 

👀 Best places to visit in the UP: Paul Vachon, author and lifelong Detroit resident, whipped up an article about his favorite places to visit in the UP. Some of ‘em we can definitely attest for (like Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park). Check ‘em out!

🌎 Evers’ Earth Day Pledge: At a recent Earth Day celebration, Gov Evers pledged to plant 100 million trees by 2030 (25 million more than 3 years ago) AND conserve more than 125,000 acres of forests. Big news for nature lovers!

🐟 Sturgeon not federally protected species: Despite conservation groups saying that sturgeon numbers are just 1 percent of their historic population, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has decided that the fish do not need federal protection as stocking and ongoing management have created a resilient population. The Winnebago System has roughly 24,000 adult males and 18,000 adult females. Federal protection could have potentially disrupted our world famous, annual sturgeon spearing season.

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Meme of the Week 😂

A review from the trail… Kevin still hasn’t been able to sit on a toilet seat!