The morels were popping this past weekend 5/9/2009. I found 40+ on Saturday, while doing some scouting. Talked the wife into a walk in the woods on Mother's Day and her and I found 50+ in an hour and a half. Cooked some up with a beef tenderloin, onions and garlic. YUMMY!!!!!!!!!

Haystack. Is this a Morels?

Yep, Bushanic it sure is!! That one is called a "Half Free" morel. I don't usually find as many of those, but where they grow, so do the others. They are real delicate and will crumble easy, but they sure go good with brazed venison back strap and brown gravy[8D] You'll have to remember that location for next year!!

Here is a link that tells about it http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morchella_half-free.html

Thanks Haystack, I found about five of them after the day ended for turkey and went to scout the area for next deer season. I had marked on the GPS a nice swamp and a few good stand spotsin the same area that I found theMorel.You can kinda see the swamp in the back ground. Do deer eat them?

I suspect they do, but I know they don't intentionally seek them out (thank goodness) I have seen where its only a "stump" left where a 'shroom was growing and feel certain a deer done it. But I have also seen where they have stepped on them and didn't bother eating it, along with many other morels right off a deer trail. Oddly enough, it seems where ever morels grow, its always deer sign. That could be due to the fact morels grow in the most fertile soil in the woods, along with lots of other desirable plants and its just coincidence that deer use those areas.

And by the way, the half-free morel you are holding is an above average specimen LOL I know I've never found one that size! So you may have found a real "honey hole" both for morels and deer. It seems deer love swampy areas too.