Huckleberry Picking Tips:

  • Bring a hands-free container. A small bucket or basket that can be tied through your belt loops is a great option.
  • Wear long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. This will help protect you against the brush on the forest floor as well as give you an added layer of protection against mosquitoes. Bug spray is also a good idea!
  • Pack a water bottle. Aside from needing a drink you may also want a bit of extra water to wash off your hands after a day of picking!
  • Huckleberries are a favorite food of bears. While it is rare for a bear to attack, be sure to make some noise as you work your way through a patch and always carry a canister of bear spray just in case!

Morel Foraging Tips:

  • Morels like spring temperatures in McCall. Keep an eye on the thermometer and when daytime temps get to be around 60 degrees and nighttime temps hover around 40 degrees, you know you are in the right season.
  • Stay on the sunny side of the mountain. These little gems often pop up on south-facing slopes first since the sun warms the soil earlier than other areas. As the season progresses, you can wander toward north-facing slopes.
  • Morels love trees. While these mushrooms often grow wherever the wind blows them, you can usually rely on finding a few beneath the shelter of trees, along the edge of forested areas. And don’t discount dead or dying trees – they can often be a haven for Morels.
  • Keep soil types in mind when scouting for these mushrooms. Morels like loamy soil that is well-drained. They often thrive in disturbed ground such as that found in burn sites or logging areas.
  • Warm spring rain can be just the ticket to get a Morel to show itself. If the temperature is right (see tip #1) and the rain is falling, plan to hunt Morels the following day.

Local Resources

Ya-Hoo Corrals

2280 Warren Wagon Road, McCall, ID, United States

McCall Idaho, surrounded by national forest and created by glaciers many years ago, is one of Idaho’s most beautiful and visited summer vacation destinations. With so many different types of veg...

Read More
View More