JACKSON HOLE, WYO – Morel gathering is a time-honored tradition in the valley. It’s a way to get out into the wild. It’s good eatin’ for sure. But it should not be big business.
Bridger-Teton National Forest officials are reminding mushroom pickers that mushrooms gathered under incidental harvest are for personal use only. Selling or even exchanging mushrooms gathered incidentally is a federal violation, punishable by fines up to $5,000 and/or 6-month maximum imprisonment.
“There is no commercial mushroom picking on the Bridger-Teton National Forest,” says Public Affairs Officer Mary Cernicek. “There have been a few citations handed out this season to commercial outfits who harvested in excess of 80 pounds of mushrooms each. It is strictly prohibited across the Forest to sell or trade mushrooms gathered for personal use.”
Some morels gathered on the B-T this spring have already wound up at places like the People’s Market and on Misty’s List.
No permit or fee is required for personal use. Hikers, campers and other people visiting the Bridger-Teton may collect up to one gallon of mushrooms per person, per day. Commercial harvesting is not authorized on the forest.
“There are no sure-fire ways to find mushrooms. They are often elusive, but generally if you’ve found them in an area in the past, they are likely to be there again. Dell Creek and Cliff Creek are popular areas on the Forest this year,” Cernicek says. “Morels are the most popular mushroom harvested on the Forest. Any novice should consult books or an expert before eating any mushrooms they collect since many types look similar to mushrooms which can be toxic.”
Mushrooms are the fruiting body of a fungi which grows as a complex mat layer in the top soil layers. The mushrooms we collect will naturally mature and release spores. Morels increase in size as they age and their growth depends on the moisture, temperature, and fertility of the soil.
Morel harvesting takes place each spring for about 4-6 weeks immediately following the snowmelt.
