Illinois Morel Hunting Contest

Illinois Morel Hunting Contest, Hosted By Tom Nauman

Southern Illinois (click for official site)

THE SIXTH ANNUAL

ILLINOIS STATE

MOREL MUSHROOM

HUNTING CHAMPIONSHIP

AND SPONGY FUNGI FESTIVAL

SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2001 · MAGNOLIA, ILLINOIS

Co-Hosts: The Village of Magnolia, Illinois and Morel Mania

Darrell Cox, Urbana, Illinois - Grand Champion for the second time

Gale Cole, Palmyra, Illinois - Biggest mushroom

Sandy Rentfro, Nokomis, Illinois - Women's First Place.

Sandy's brother, Bobby Pease, Nokomis, Illinois - Men's First Place

On the first Saturday of every May, one of the most unique events one will ever witness occurs in the Illinois village of Magnolia. Morel mushroom hunters from Illinois and several other states begin arriving on Friday evening for an informal open house at the fire station hosted by the Magnolia America Legion Post 254. The agenda is mushroom discussion and free morel (and other mushrooms) soup.

Then before dawn on Saturday the usually quiet hamlet of approximately three hundred begins a metamorphosis. The event is the Annual Illinois State Morel Mushroom Hunting Championship and Spongy Fungi Festival. Men, women, old, young, entire families, several generations, from all walks of life - they all come, and the only thing they have in common is morel mushrooms. Some like to find them, some like to eat them, most like to do both.

By 9:15 a.m. the pre-registered competitors have reported to the sign-in table for last minute instructions and the busses have arrived to transport them to the secret hunt site. We've had as many as fifteen school busses carrying as many as 688 individuals. And the only way to witness the excitement is to be a competitor because the parking area won't accommodate much more than the busses.

Once at the hunt site, a final review of the rules precedes an ambulance siren that announces the beginning of the hunt. The contestants scatter in all directions and in five minutes all but a few have disappeared into the woods.

The hunters have two hours to gather as many morel mushrooms as they can and the person who gathers the most will become the Grand Champion Illinois State Morel Mushroom Hunter. The previous Grand Champions and the number of mushrooms they collected are: 1996 - Phil Gariboldi (293), 1997 - Mike Hanley (201), 1998 - Charles Osborn (55), 1999 - Darrell Cox (120), 2000 - Darrell Cox (104).

Gale Cole of Palmyra, Illinois found the largest mushroom in 1999 - 12 inches tall and 11 inches in circumference.

The hunters then return to Magnolia where the metamorphosis has continued. More people have arrived. Some have come to witness the return of the hunters, some are there to see the mushrooms being counted, some have come to see what the many craft show vendors have to offer, and some have come for the mushroom auction. Some have come to sell, some have come to buy. The prices can be anywhere. We've seen them go for as much as $50 per half pound or as low as $5 for the same amount. It is supply and demand in its purest, simplest form.

The festival also features many children's activities, and ongoing mushroom discussions or cooking demonstrations.

By 5:00 p.m. the day is over, the crowd has left, and the festival committee members are exhausted both physically and mentally.

The Sixth Annual Illinois State Morel Mushroom Hunting Championship and Spongy Fungi Festival will happen on Saturday, May 5, 2001. Your hosts are the Village of Magnolia, Illinois and Morel Mania. In an effort to reduce our postage costs we mail the entry form/rules in our catalog center spread. If it has already been removed from your copy, you can print another from our website at Registration Form

We also post all other necessary information on the website: map, directions, area lodging are at Area Lodging/Directions

The list of competitors, and up to date information not finalized at presstime.

The late John Husar of the Chicago Tribune said it best,

"In thirtysome years I've covered thirtysome different types of sporting events. For all the reputation mushroom hunters have for being deceitful and devious, this was the most congenial crowd I've ever seen. This wasn't a competition, this was a celebration!"

Latest update: 02/15/01

Note, If you have a particular question about the Championship, please email morel@ocslink.com or phone 309-364-3319

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Prizes, Rules, Auction

PRIZES

The Illinois State Grand Champion Morel Mushroom Hunter for the year 2000 will receive a trophy and $200.00. The Men's First Place and Women's First Place winners will each receive a trophy and $75.00. The Women's Second Place and Men's Second Place winners will each receive a certificate and $50.00. In the event of a tie, the total weight of the mushrooms shall determine winner. Trophies will also be given to the persons that find the largest and smallest mushrooms as determined by combined height and girth of the mushroom.

REGISTRATION IS LIMITED. (first come - first served).

To be sure your are entered, you must be pre-registered by noon on Saturday, April 28, 2001.

At sign-in, if you are not pre-registered, you may submit your name for stand-by status. At 9:00 a.m. the number of no-shows will be counted and re-sold to people on the stand-by list (first come-first served).

Advance Registration by mail:..........$16.00 per person. Children age 12 & under.......$8.00

Mail to: Morel Mania, R.R. 1, Box 42, Magnolia, Illinois 61336 (Make checks payable to: Morel Mania).

Register by Fax: Completed Registration Form including VISA or MC info and fax to 309-364-2960. You may register for several entries on the same check or charge card, but, please fill out a separate entry form for each competitor. You may photocopy the form for additional registrations.

Cancellations with full refund if you notify us before April 14, 2001. After April 14 and prior to May 3, 2001, if you are unable to attend, you may transfer your entry to another individual by notifying us at 309-364-3319. No refunds or substitutions after May 3, 2000.

CONFIRMATIONS WILL NOT BE SENT. If you wish to have a confirmation, please send a self addressed stamped envelope with your entry. A weekly update of registered competitors will also be posted to our website, you may verify your registration there: Competitors

All pre-registered contestants will report to the sign-in table at Ruby Peterson Park, Magnolia, Illinois before 9:00 a.m., on Saturday, May 5, 2001. If you have not signed-in by 9:00 a.m. your spot wil be forfeited and sold to stand-by participants. All contestants will receive an environmentally safe mesh bag on the day of the hunt. All contestants will be bussed to the hunt site. NO OTHER VEHICLES WILL BE ALLOWED TO FOLLOW THE OFFICIAL HUNT VEHICLES. The busses are for contestants only. The Championship is open to anyone.

RULES

The Illinois State Morel Mushroom Champion shall be the person that turns in the most morel mushrooms gathered in the allotted time at the hunt site. If the Champion is male, the male who turns in the second highest count of mushrooms will claim the Men's - First Place prizes, and the male who turns in the third highest count of mushrooms will claim the Men's - Second Place Prize. If the Champion is female, the female who turns in the second highest count of mushrooms will claim the Women's - First Place prizes, and the female who turns in the third highest count of mushrooms will claim the Women's - Second Place Prize. Judge's decisions are final.

The hunt will be exactly 2 hours and will begin with a shotgun start. No one is permitted in the woods until the starting siren is sounded. At the end of 90 minutes, a siren will sound giving notice that there are 30 minutes left in the hunt. After 119 minutes a siren will sound twice notifying hunters that they have 60 seconds in which to turn their mushrooms in to the officials and avoid penalties. At 61 seconds after the final siren has been sounded, hunters will be penalized 10 mushrooms for being late. An additional 10 mushrooms will be deducted for each minute thereafter. Anyone more than 10 minutes late will be disqualified and will forfeit their mushrooms. Contestants cannot be accompanied in the woods by non-contestants.

Anyone observed pooling mushrooms or getting unauthorized help in any manner will be disqualified by the hunt officials and will forfeit their mushrooms. Other complaints may be submitted to the hunt officials for settlement.

Only morel mushrooms (species Morchella) will be eligible during the contest. Mushrooms must be torn or cut above ground level. Any mushrooms showing signs of "root" damage shall be disqualified. Mushrooms must be turned in in the furnished mesh bag - plastic or paper bags are not allowed. You may use you own mesh bag if you attach the furnished mesh bag to it so we know who the mushrooms belong to.

If any contestant does not agree with the official count of their mushrooms, they must request to the hunt officials a recount before the mushrooms are removed from the custody of the hunt officials. Any count of mushrooms done without the supervision of the hunt officials will not be considered valid.

All bags of mushrooms will be available for the contestants to pick up after the winners are announced. It is the responsibility of the contestants to pick up their own mushrooms. The hunt officials will not be responsible for bags of mushrooms left after the winners are announced.

Contestants will be given a general map of the hunt site. All surrounding land is privately owned and out-of-bounds. Neither the hunt officials nor the owners of the hunt site will be responsible for anyone arrested for hunting on private land or for accidents. Additional rules will be announced at the hunt site.

·The Committee·

Spongy Fungi Festival Chairperson - Tootie Mercer. Craft Show & Auction - Laurie Smith. Mushroom Hunt - Vicky & Tom Nauman. Children's Activities - Peggy Smith. Members -Angie Glenn, Duane Holmstrom, Rich & Ester Kinney, Lynn Laible, Howard McQuilken, Kathy Newhalfen, John Rice, Claudia Sammons, Chuck Ward

AUCTION

Stricter Auction Rules

Mushrooms submitted for auction do not necessarily have to come from the Championship hunt. If you gathered them prior to the hunt and they are still fresh, they may be submitted for auction. Absolutely no washed or soaked mushrooms will be permitted to sell. Please realize we are dealing with health concerns here and owe it to our buyers to not misrepresent our product. We know it's tempting to soak the mushrooms to make them heavier and get fewer mushrooms in a half-pound. Buyers see right through this and tend to bid less on soaked product. Package them in plastic bags in approximately half-pound lots. A perforated vegetable bag works best. DO NOT SEAL THE BAG! All mushrooms will be inspected prior to sale. MORELS ONLY, no elephant ears, red ear, beefsteak, etc. Half-free morels are permitted. The festival sponsors will collect $1.00 per bag sold from the seller in advance. If for any reason the seller decides to withdraw his/her mushrooms from the auction, the $1.00 fee is non-refundable. If for any reason the committee halts the auction, the $1.00 fee will be refunded to any sellers whose mushrooms have not sold.

Please submit mushrooms for auction at the auction table as soon as you arrive. Don't let them spoil in your car! Sellers must be present when their mushrooms are sold and will collect the money from the buyer. Mushrooms will be presented for sale in the order they arrive with the exception that a seller may sell a maximum of 8 packages when it is his/her turn at which time, if the seller has more mushrooms to sell, he/she will move to the end of the rotation. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Magnolia Parks Fund.

Note to buyers: The committee does not weigh the bags for sale and therefore the bags may or may not weigh exactly a half-pound. Please realize too that if it is a dry, low humidity day the mushrooms may start to dry out and weigh less than when packaged. This won't harm the mushrooms, they will reabsorb moisture when you wash them prior to consumption.

All of the mushrooms at the auction will be morels and are safe for consumption. However, roughly 1 in 200 people is allergic to any food. So if you've never had morels before you should try just a taste, wait 24 hours, and if there are no ill effects then consume larger amounts.

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