Morel mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of this fungus that grows attached to roots of trees and other plants. Find the right tree and find a mushroom, maybe. Generally, but not always, the elm, apple, ash, oak or aspen is dying or recently dead. Morels growing in prairies have been growing attached to one of the prairie grasses or forbs. Do not think of this fungus as growing on rotting or decomposing vegetation, at least not when if sends up a fruiting body. The warmer the weather, the more likely this May mushroom will appear but so will other vegetation that hide the mushroom. Leaf fall last October and beyond was heavy and now covers the ground with many layers. After finding a mushroom, don’t rush in and pick it, turn around several times and find it again. There are several mimics to this mushroom, including walnut shells and wild cucumber dried fruits from last fall. Look to make sure. Being fooled by these look-alikes is a good thing because it shows looking at individual items on the ground, not just scanning the area. Walk around a tree in both directions. Walking uphill is better that the reverse. Turn around from time to time and look back up the hill. Scratch the leaves, too with a walking stick. Don’t pick false morels. Watch for clues in newspaper photographs.