Hello, I've been reading the forums for a while but I am new to posting.
I am a young guy, and have been hunting for about 4 years. My cousin is getting older and she wanted to pass her knowledge on to someone before she couldn't get out and about in the woods. I was eager to learn, but I have some questions because I keep striking out when trying to find new places to look.
I've read the stories of how you find it in Tennessee and Kentucky, I'm afraid my environment is not quite the same. The landscape in Northwestern Pennsylvania is mostly farmland, fields, and pastures. I usually look at a topo map to find a good place, then compare it to a satalite map to see if it is wooded, then drive past to see if I can get permission. It takes quite a bit of research to even find a place that is worth looking at, and then I only find ginseng about 10% of the time.
Question 1. I usually check the satalite map and try to steer away from hollows and hillsides that are filled with hemlock. It is so abundant here, nearly every low area has them. Should I be checking these areas?
The reason I ask is that on my last hunt after 3 hours of not finding anything, on the way back to the truck I found a few plants underneath some hemlock trees. I was always told that it doesn't grow near pines and hemlock.
2. I've heard and have been told to look on North and East facing hillsides, but I've actually had more success on Southern facing hillsides. Is there any rhyme or reason to this, or am I just finding the oddballs.
3. When I look on hillsides, should I focus more on the top of the hills or on the bottoms? How close does it grow to creeks/rivers? I've found mountaintops that are covered with every plant that is a companion to ginseng, but there just isn't any ginseng there. It is confusing and disappointing.
Thanks for the information. I look forward to learning more from the experienced people here.
