Guided Mushroom Hunts

Morel University

Learn From Experts
Share the Morels
The Illinois State Morel Mushroom Hunting Championship and Festival has been cancelled for 2009. But, there will still be morels available and you are invited to come and find them.

On Saturday morning, May 2, 2009, Tom Nauman of Morel Mania, Inc. and other morel hunting experts will be your instructors for Morel University. Students will meet at the mushroom patch and be shown how to find and harvest morel mushrooms. The class is for beginners or anyone who wants to learn the finer points of shrooming: morel habitat, tree identification, correct harvesting techniques, and tricks of the trade. The Morel University students will also receive a Shroom Sack and a Diploma.

You will need to be on-site, near Henry, Illinois at 8:00 a.m. and the event will end at noon. It will start with Tom leading a discussion and question/answer session. We will then divide into groups of ten with one guide per group. Proper morel etiquette dictates that in a group foray, the mushrooms found will be shared equally by all participants as will be the case for the Morel University.

The Morel Tour in 2007 held in conjunction with The Illinois State Morel Mushroom Hunting Championship was a huge success. It was estimated that each of the participants returned with 1.5 lbs. each. In 2008, we were not as fortunate as we had a very late season. But, we did find morels. More importantly, the participants gained the knowledge needed to find them on their own. The tuition for students is $75 per person. Class size is limited, so please register as soon as possible by phoning 309-364-3319 or email tom@morelmania.com. Additional details will be sent as the day draws near. You must be pre-registered to participate. Morel University - $75.00 per person.

Morel Tour - $75.00 per person.

Morel Tour

Tom Nauman of Morel Mania, Inc. will take you and up to three additional people on a four-hour morel excursion. They are conducted mid-week (Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday) of the last week of April, or the first week of May. Participants will be taken to the mushroom patch and be shown how to find and harvest morel mushrooms. Price includes a Shroom Sack and a copy of the book, Find The Tree, Find The Morel. Email tom@morelmania.com or phone 800-438-4213 to make arrangements.

Guided Morel Foray - $120.00 each person.

Fall Mushroom Foray

In October of 2007, Tom had the good fortune to take Stephen Regenold of the New York Times on a Fall Mushroom Foray. The result was a half page article in the Travel/Escapes section of the New York Times on November 9.

View the story here.

Email tom@morelmania.com or phone 800-438-4213 to make arrangements.

Fall Mushroom Foray - $120.00 each person.