Harvesting Morel mushrooms is a dirtbag past time. And while picking morel mushrooms, selling them to local restaurants, and stashing the money away for a season pass is nothing new, turns out taking them from National Park land is highly illegal. Especially when the crime involves 234 pounds of Morel mushrooms worth roughly $4,680.
Related: Naked CU-Boulder Student, Rescued From Flatirons After Getting Too High On Mushrooms
According to The Oregonian, rangers at Crater Lake National Park seized the mother-load over 4th of July weekend and have already contacted numerous suspects they believe to be involved with the illegal harvest.
“We are thankful for the assistance of neighboring law enforcement agencies and want to remind the public that mushroom harvesting is not permitted anywhere in Crater Lake National Park.” – Kean Mihata, Chief Ranger
While legal in many national forests, hunting mushrooms is illegal in all national parks. In the cases where it is legal, harvesters are allowed to keep up to 5 gallons worth of (non-hallucinagenic) mushrooms for personal use. Any more than that requires a 21 day commercial permit. A pound of Morel mushrooms can sell for as much as $20 a pound.
Find the entire Oregonian article here: Crater Lake rangers seize 234 pounds of illegally harvested mushrooms
