Gale Cole of Palmyra, Illinois is the new Illinois State Morel Mushroom Hunting Champion. He snared a total of 110 mushrooms in the two hour event.
Conditions at the hunt site were fairly dry, but the overall volume of morels found seemed to be comparable to prior years. A total of 520 people from 15 states competed for the title. The competitors ranged in age from 2 to 84 years old.
Other winners were as follows:
First Place Men's Division - Michael Osborn of Newark, OH (93 mushrooms)
First Place Women's Division - Sara Haynes of Morris, IL (47 mushrooms)
Second Place Men's Division - Jim McCombs of McLean, IL (81 mushrooms)
Second Place Women's Division - Shirley Bateson of Clinton, IL (31 mushrooms)
Largest Morel - Larry Egbert (9.5" tall plus 11" circumfrence = 20.5" total)
Smallest Morel - Michael Osborn (approximately 1/4" tall plus 3/8" circumfrence = 7/8" total)