Newsletter April 2005

Morel Mushroom Hunting Club

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"2005 Knoxville Foray"

By:   Chris Matherly 

      The "Gang" Day one. We found about 110 Morels. Mainly Blacks, just a few Half-Frees, and 2 fresh Greys at the base of an Ash Tree. This season has been the worst on record for the Southeast, and a recent report from Eddie in Knoxville shows he found no more than 50 Morels after our foray, up until today, April 25th, he reports finding about 50 4-6" large yellow Morels in a new spot. Now there was plenty of rain this year, so why was it such a bad year in the South? Most of my spots in GA also turned up  nothing, with the one exception of the Georgia Motherlode Honey-Hole, which still produced as usual. It has now been several years since a really good season in the Southern States. We met up with the Asheville Mushroom Club on Saturday eve, and they attended Tom Nauman's presentation also. They reported only finding 25 the whole weekend!? Day two, we found another 25 or so, sorry gang, I must boast now, Chris found 23, everyone else found 2! He He! Then we went on to the cookout in Big Ridge State Park, and oh, was it delicious!

Those Who Attended:

              Mindy Woods & Hubby- IND.         Larry & Ellen Cray- KY                             Penny Kuhnle- IND.

                                            Tim Ward- GA                           Mike McMillan and wife- TN

                          Bob Welker- GA                            Tom Nauman- Morelmania, ILL.                           Vernon- Ohio

                                                     James Mattan- NC/ TX                    Elijah and Chris Matherly

Ivan Roy- Canada

Eddie, Julie, Destin McMillan- Knoxville, TN

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The Hunts:

Off to the woods!

Notice who has found some Morels- Sorry, Tom! (Tom says he came for the exercise)!

Vernon is on the prowl!

Chris has spotted another one!

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The Mushrooms:

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A Gathering At Eddie's

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The Cookout

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A Special Thanks To:

Tom Nauman, Morelmania, for attending and doing a wonderful presentation, and question and answer on Saturday eve.

Ivan Roy, for fixing the great breakfasts with Canadian Maple syrup, and for helping with the cookout meal menu.

Mike McMillan, for assisting us on  the guided hunts.

And, of course, Eddie and Julie McMillan, for being such a wonderful friend, that he would be willing to give up his weekend, and most of his mushrooms on this bad Morel season, for the guided hunts, and for Julie's wonderful deserts and appetizers. Thank you, again Eddie and Julie for your unbeatable hospitality!- Chris Matherly