Wednesday, April 30, 2025| 4:00 PM – 5:45 PM | Gallery
Cost: $45 Members | $50 Non-Members
Finding the Motherload…The Elusive Morel!
In this presentation, Hunter tells all, well, almost…about hunting and finding the elusive morel mushroom. Early indicators that morels are on their way, habitat, timing, look-likes, and additional tips and tricks for finding the motherload will be covered.
“I am one of your lecture attendees from the talk you gave at Anderson Gardens in Rockford. I enjoyed your presentation very much, and it gave me the resolve to tackle morel hunting here in Illinois. I took good notes and convinced my friend that the week you were here was the ideal time to search, and so we did. The signs you shared were exactly correct and didn’t lack anything! We only looked for about an hour, and only found four, but it was WONDERFUL to be back out there. For that I thank you, and Anderson Gardens for bringing you to Rockford. I will look forward to The Hunt every spring as long as I’m able. ” Gina Ellingen
About Hunter Le Duc
Wild Mushrooms are something Hunter Le Duc has been interested in since her first foray as a little girl. She was fascinated by how unusual and diverse the mushrooms were that her father, one of the founding members of the Illinois Mycological Association, brought home and presented to her mother to cook. As a young adult, the memory of her father’s quest for the elusive morel and its culinary draw pulled her back in. In addition to being a member of a handful of Mycological Societies, Hunter wrote The First Morel and Where the Mushrooms Are. Hunter is certified as a Wild Mushroom Expert by the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and is a frequent presenter on midwest mushrooms at the Chicago Botanic Garden and a variety of other venues.