Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Spring Safety

Let's talk spring safety first and then I'll put down my latest turkey/morel forecast thoughts. Most outdoorsmen and women are as serious about safety as they are about hunting. Recent discussions in outdoor forums across the entire Midwest have touched on the debates between different groups of outdoor enthusiasts concerning rights to property and even what to wear for each activity. It happens almost every year.

The Iowa DNR (linked in my favorites section) has always recommended to ANYONE walking through the spring woods to wear at least a patch of hunter's blaze orange. It doesn't matter if you're a hiker, turkey hunter, Morel seeker or even a fisherman walking the bank or jumping ship to grab some driftwood for a shore lunch. We should all consider that the woods are getting more populated with our friends and neighbors seeking some "green time" outdoors. So quit playing the blame game for who would be at fault for an accident. We all have the right to enjoy the outdoors on public ground and private property if granted permission. Not only is tresspassing illegal, it is a selfish way to tarnish the reputation of respectable outdoorsmen everywhere. So please don't do it.

The forecast for Morels still holds water, although I doubt we'll be firing any up until the overnight lows get back into the 40s/50s with daytime conditions either sunny 60s or 70s. The latest cold might brown the edges almost like a burn, but most mushrooms that have fired within the last week will still be edible and around by this weekend! I am anxiously awaiting some time off work, but the good news is, once conditions get going, we should see our usual 2 to 3 week window of favorable weather for Morels. I'll keep you posted.

As for turkey hunting, many folks have been successful, but I've heard of others really struggling through the rainy and cool weather issues. Starting Wednesday and lasting through at least Saturday, the conditions will be getting much better and I expect a big boom in turkey activity (and hopefully from your shotgun). The toms have been taking advantage of any little break in the weather, but breeding has been slowed up and tough for them too. Cold, wet nests = dead baby turkeys or poults. The hens instinctively know this and I would expect to see a flurry of turkey activity the next 4 days! My pick for the best day will be Friday April 29th! Good luck!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Outdoors Forecast: Improving!

This week will start off with more of the same, but sunshine is around the corner. And that's good news for outdoorsmen and especially folks who make their living outdoors such as contractors, farmers and gardeners. This rainy, cool pattern has been a real pain!

Morel mushroom hunters will have to wait a bit for that big pick of delicious treats. Fungi only form under specific moisture and temperature conditions. Ground temps are cooler now than they were in the first week of April for much of Iowa. Since Morels are a fungus inside the ground, they too are feeling the chill. Our weather pattern looks to postpone the conditions that will make Morels flourish and this will likely mean a shorter window of opportunity to see good numbers of the Morels that many of us are craving!

So here's the good news, we're recovering... and it's happening this week. Lamoni's soil temperature Sunday was 54 at 4" depth. Near Lake Rathbun its up to the low 50s and we're seeing reports of Little Greys. South/east facing slopes will be warmer and are generally the first to pop and the soil moisture is more than adequate this week. If my forecast is right, much better and widespread mushroom activity will be holding off until the end of this week! An assortment of the White Morel (morchella deliciosa) commonly called Little Greys and even some of the common morels or Yellow Morel (morchella esculenta) which are much bigger, will likely be found in central and southern Iowa on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Turkey hunters have been pretty lucky. I've heard of a lot of folks with great success despite the tough conditions. Turkey's use every break in the rain that they can get, so you hunters should too! Cloudy and cool doesn't usually keep the birds on the roost, but a pouring rain sure will. Thunder can sometimes be your ally, since the birds often shock gobble to that, and it gives away their location. But why in the world are you outside if it's thundering!?

I'm just itching for a sunny day to take the boat out and go fishing, or turkey hunt, or track down some Morels. But spring doesn't wait for the weather, and pretty soon we're going to spring right into summer! So get outside and enjoy a few breaks in the weather! Good luck!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Morel Forecast: Part 1

This cold and clammy weather with temps in the 30s, sleet and even snow is more consistent with early March, not late-April. So let's talk about what this means for Morel mushrooms!

This cool, active weather pattern has been persistent enough to knock down our soil temperatures into the mid 40s at a 4" depth. After all the recent rains, the soil moisture is more than sufficient for molds, Morels and other fungus to grow... but the temperatures are a far cry from what we need for a good Morel mushroom setup. When will that change?

Right now, the forecast pattern is active. There is a storm nearly every other day, but these systems are swinging in with a cool and fast flow. So in the next week to 10 days, the average air temperature will only be in the 50 to 55 degree range. That equates to steady or a very slow rise in soil temperatures over the next week. With the threat of more cool air next week, an outbreak of good morel conditions in central Iowa looks unlikely within the next week.

So here's what I expect. Keep checking up on your hotspots over the next week for little grays, but don't spend too much time on it. Morels require a highly specific environment to 'pop' (see blog below for more info). Conditions will remain hostile for mushrooms until Easter Sunday or Monday the 25th. Even then, I only expect to find sporadic patches of little grays... Stay tuned for updates on the Morel mushroom forecast, I'll keep you posted on the conditions! You can also track the reports of Morels on http://www.morelhunters.com/ and http://www.iowasportsman.com/ Comments or questions are welcome!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Well we've already seen our first 80s and even 90 for the year, and in the first half of April, spring was really swinging! And aside from a few bouts of severe weather, central Iowa has been pretty dry, until now... A cooler/wetter pattern has settled in, and it will be sticking around for the next 6 to 10 days! What does this means for Iowa outdoorsmen? Tough condtions across the board.

Whether you're fishing for crappie, trying to catch the walleye spawn, or hookin' into channel cats, these weather condtions are going to be rough. Turkey hunters have also been handed a pretty raw deal, unless you were smart enough to go first season that is. Second season has been either cold or wet, or both! Looking ahead, there are only 2-3 days out of the next 7 that I would really enjoy the weather while being out in the woods. Aside from your own comfort levels, animal activity is often reduced when tough condtions move overhead. Let's face it, if you don't want to be outside, chances are they aren't moving around as much. That's not to say you can't get a gobbler off the roost during a rainstorm, or haul in your best catch during a cold, dreary, misty gray day. It's possible, just not as fun. So be prepared for some tough times in the next week or so, because that's the hand we're going to be delt. I'll blog about the updated Morel mushroom forecast tomorrow or Tuesday... but it's not looking good. Win that turkey call (see blog from Tues. April 5th) all comments welcome!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Forecasting Morels

Morels are one of the most highly sought after mushrooms and remain one of the highlights and mysteries of a Midwestern spring. There is a lot of lore surrounding these delicious morsels. In fact, over the last two weeks I have done some research, spoken with plant pathologists and sifted through message boards and blogs to find the "facts." Truth be told, I found a lot more opinions, conventional wisdom and hand-me-down knowledge loosely based in science than I did research. So that leaves things pretty much as they were, with the door wide open to interpretation and experience. I've been hunting morels longer than I've been hunting in general, and I continue to be fascinated by the environments in which I find them. One thing's for sure, the season of sighting and picking a bag of these little delights is almost upon us, so let's talk about what we know.

Morels are a fungi: Unlike plants, they do not need sunlight to grow. However, they do need highly specific soil temperatures to grow. The majority of the organism is underneath the ground, so when you find a patch it is quite literally the tip of the iceberg. This is also why you can return days/years later and find more in the same spot. Morels thrive in environments with decaying wood/plant matter. Bases of Elm and Oak are my favorites, but fields of these mushrooms have sprouted in the ashes of a pine tree forest fire. As a fungus, they require certain soil moisture, so high relative humidity and recent rains are key.

Right now, morels are being harvested in central Missouri. Reports are all over the internet from Independance to Columbia. I did some research and the current 6" soil temperatures are in the 60 to 62 degree range near where these mushrooms are being found. A quick check of central Iowa's 4" soil temp reveals it's around 54 degrees with soil moisture falling in the 30% to 36% range. In fact, central and southern Iowa has on average seen less than 1" in the last 10 days... those conditions are too tough for any widespread morel activity. Odds are, you'll have to search those microclimates (small pockets of south facing hills with downed trees and moisture like near a creek) if you want to find some in the next week. We need more rain and we need more heat. Steady, but cold rain is in the near-term, but the warmth will hold off until next week. My current forecast is for little grays to really get going next week mid to late week. Good luck, and let me know if you find any!

Monday, April 11, 2011

First Season Forecast

Spring turkey season is starting up today and I've had several reports of good activity this weekend, so hopefully it will carry through this week. First season lasts through Thursday and right now it looks like 75% of the season should be fair to great weather for hunting. Tuesday and Wednesday will be the best in central Iowa as a large area of Pacific high pressure settles in... What that means for hunters is a lot less wind, sunshine and mild temperatures. The pressure is already rising in advance of that system, but the quick change in pressure from our weekend storm system to this pleasant weather will keep it breezy Monday, which isn't the best for calling. Tuesday morning will start on the chilly side of the thermometer, but sunshine will quickly warm us up into the 60s and 70s. Turkeys often find green ridges and SE facing slopes on these cool mornings to soak up the sunshine. Wednesday will start off warmer, but clouds will be thickening throughout the day and the pressure will be falling ahead of a cold front. The rain should hold off until after dark so Wednesday will be a good day afield. Thursday should be rainy and much cooler, so enjoy the first three days of First Season, it won't last!

The long range outlook suggests Second Season will start off cold and rainy with tough conditions for the 15th, 16th, and 17th. Better hunting conditions and slightly warmer weather move in to end the season. The next big system pulls in around Easter weekend and that will also cause unsettled weather. Tomorrow I'll talk about the morel mushroom reports I've recieved and when I expect them to really start popping.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Spring Fever! You Can Win a Turkey Call, Details Below

Wow, last weekend's record temperatures really kick started my spring fever! We demolished a record high of 82 with an afternoon 87 and strong storms put down spring rains and large hail in SE Iowa! Now that the temperatures are springy, I am having a hard time narrowing down which passion to pursue. Do I go fishing? (BTW, yes is never a bad answer to that question). Do I set some trail cameras for turkey season? Do I continue shed hunting, or start morel mushroom scouting? About that time, I remember I should probably fix the mower and clean the yard from what winter left behind because in a few weeks the grass will really begin growing! But who wants to do that when you could sit outside with a glass of lemonade and relax? I know I'm not alone. A lot of us are struggling with what to do! With so much to talk about here's what I'll focus on in the coming weeks and the next several blog posts: 

Morel Mushrooms! We're talking about specific weather factors you'll need to look for to find these tasty treats. We'll also look at the different types of morel mushrooms and talk about safety. I'll make a mushroom forecast for when you will be able to go looking and be successful.

Turkey Hunting! Of course I'm talkin' turkey, season opens this weekend for the youth and next week for the big kids! I'll launch an extended outlook to focus on weather factors that will either lock down big Tom's or create a morning of mythical proportions where gobbles will endlessly echo across the valleys.

A Prize Giveaway! One lucky reader will win a brand new turkey call from HS Strut for the best comment on my blogs. It could be you, so don't stay henned up! Let me know what you think about my blogs talkin' turkey or morels. I'm tracking my blogspot hits and I'll choose the winner once we get the readership up above 200 in one day. So tell your friends to read up and comment below!