A new warning was issued after morel mushrooms were linked to at least two deaths and dozens of sicknesses. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released a report as folks get ready for the yearly tradition of harvesting these mushrooms. Now, experts said they want anyone "hunting" morel mushrooms to eat them safely. "It's not surprising," said Stephen Marek, an associate professor of plant pathology at Oklahoma State University. The mushrooms were linked to a deadly outbreak in Montana last year. The CDC's report said at least 51 people got sick. Three were hospitalized, and two died after eating morel mushrooms at a restaurant. "We don't really know what makes you sick from morels if you eat them raw," Marek said. The professor said what makes this case unique is that the illness was linked to actual morel mushrooms, not the lookalikes that can be toxic. "There are a set of false morels that have a known toxin. But a lot of mushrooms, if you eat them raw, are going to make you sick," Marek said. It was determined that the morels consumed in Montana were shipped in from overseas and not prepared correctly. "They thought they could just treat it like some sort of super fresh meat, and they could do a raw salad with it or something. That is what got people sick," Marek said. The CDC said the people who died had pre-existing conditions. If anyone is looking to forage these mushrooms, Marek said they need to make sure to cook them fully. "Even the ones around here, they will get you sick if you eat them raw," Marek said of Morels in Oklahoma. If correct precautions are taken, people can enjoy the hunting season. "Start looking! Get out to your honey holes, as they call them, and harvest on," Marek said. The peak time to search for morel mushrooms is now through April.