Dried mushrooms for spores

Does the drying process kill spores?  I'd like to make some spawn from some dried morels I just ordered.

I don't understand how you go from an unsterile mushroom to a sterile culture.  Can anyone explain? I tried to google it but no luck. Maybe I didn't search with the right terms?

The spores of the species I have dealt with are not destroyed by dehydrating. But I expect that they may be destroyed by freeze-drying... Give it a try. You'll know in a few days.

The process of going from non-sterile to sterile involves a process called "culture plating"... Basically it involves diluting a culture  enough times to separate the  mycelia from the contaminates. Anti-biotics of one type or another can also be used... One of my favorites for mushroom culture is hydrogen peroxide. Since many species of mushrooms make peroxide as a natural anti-biotic, they are not harmed by it.

As a subsistence farmer, I prefer to do my mushroom cultivation in non-sterile conditions.

Interesting question Ken,
I thought along these lines when I was getting into it.

Spores are everywhere. Imagine the air flowing full of spores.  Mushrooms when mature will emit spores.  Their goal is to find a substrate.  The odds are infinitesimally low. That's why they make so many spores.  Some spores that are dried can be made into spawn.  The odds are very , very low if you are not very very experienced.

People will take a fresh mushroom, with a small portion,usually from inside the mushroom with no contamination.  Then they put it into increasingly large and usually different substrates, trying very hard to avoid all contamination. It's a fairly complicated process, but as Joseph mentions, there are less complicated versions with limited types of species if you aren't depending on making a living from the process.
John S
PDX OR

Thanks! I'm not sure if I'll try it or not. I've already got two kinds of morels planted and a third started in sterile substrate from liquid culture I bought online that is still colonizing the bags. I don't need to try another and it could turn out to be a variety I already have. It might be a fun experiment though. Is there some way to get an idea if the mushroom mycelium growing is the mushroom variety you are trying to grow?

Knowing the fragrance is what I use most. I'm just a suburban dad who does this as a hobby and life extension.  Maybe someone who does it semi-professionally or more would know more.  You could use a microscope of course.
John S
PDX OR

I hadn't realized the smell would be the same. I should have thought of that. Thanks!