TOPIC: Question for all diggers

Just was curious to know how many roots per pound you diggers average DRY ?.....Not counting the unusual big roots (1/2oz and bigger)......seems like around our neck of the woods it is around 300 dry roots to the dry pound.

SengNveins

hey bud, hows it goin? thats a good question i have never counted before but i just weighed out 1.12 lbs of average sized roots and counted 282 roots. hope this helps...

hey guys, That's the same as around here. 250-300 roots/ lb. The last couple of years I have tried to be a little more selective so probably slightly fewer, but the average age of what I've been digging is between 15 and 20 years. Probably closer to 15, but still a little older than what most guys average.

I was a little surprised, but one of the fish cops told me that they averaged about 177 roots per dry pound in Ohio a year or so ago

Fella diggers,
Good diggers probably 300 roots per lb. but diggers that dig barely legal plants it's more like 500. I think here in KY. the age of roots should be raised to 10 years old instead of the 5 which is way to young to make any size.

I am with ya fellas. Between 200 and 300 depending on size. I try to stay in the 15 year or older too 5prong. But often some big plant tops and big roots are growing in great soil that can put out some nice roots for 8 to 10 years old. A lot of areas I hunt were obviously hunted hard back in the 60's and 70's. Many of the roots I find are in the 30 to 40 year range but not much older. I'll take 30 to 40 years old all day long as these are pretty darn old. Now and then I will find a 45 +. Never found one over 50 that I can remember. I have been transplanting roots and tinkering with seng since the mid 70's. This is the first year I have dug some with the intent to sell them for a long long time. I usually use them myself or give them to my friends along with transplanting most of them. So I am anxious to sell some as it has been awhile.
Latt

It would vary greatly around here depending on the site you are digging or the part of the county you were digging.

It's not unusual to find 20+ year old roots that weigh 1/8 oz in some areas, and in others 6-8 year old roots that weigh over 1 oz.

If they get up there in that 3/4 to 1 oz range, I sure don't mind bringing them home regardless of age

I found a bunch like that on the bluff out back last year.

If drying out at 1/3 it would take around:

48 - 1 oz roots to make a pound of dry.

96 - 1/2 oz roots to make a pound of dry.

192 - 1/4 oz roots to make a pound of dry.

288 - 1/8 oz roots to make a pound of dry.

If there is 300 roots per pound, man that is a bunch of small roots.

TNhunter

From all the articles I've read a mix of all sized roots 300 is the norm. Unless you are in a place that hasn't been hunted in 30 or 40 years and I can't find those places. Wish I could.

rootman

Latt wrote:

I am with ya fellas. Between 200 and 300 depending on size. I try to stay in the 15 year or older too 5prong. But often some big plant tops and big roots are growing in great soil that can put out some nice roots for 8 to 10 years old. A lot of areas I hunt were obviously hunted hard back in the 60's and 70's. Many of the roots I find are in the 30 to 40 year range but not much older. I'll take 30 to 40 years old all day long as these are pretty darn old. Now and then I will find a 45 +. Never found one over 50 that I can remember. I have been transplanting roots and tinkering with seng since the mid 70's. This is the first year I have dug some with the intent to sell them for a long long time. I usually use them myself or give them to my friends along with transplanting most of them. So I am anxious to sell some as it has been awhile.
Latt

Hey Latt, How ya doing man? I don't want you or anyone else thinking that I don't dig any 8-10 year old roots. That 15-20 year thing is just an average, and like I said closer to 15. It's not at all reliable judging root age by the size of the top, but I have developed somewhat of a feel for areas that I'm familiar with. For the most part around here it seems like on average it takes a plant about 15 years to produce a 1/4 ounce root. I know that other areas can and do grow to that size much quicker, but I'm refering to wild roots in my area. These are just averages, you can bet your last dollar that if I stumble accross a patch of 6 year old 3prongs that have 3/4 ounce roots that they are going into the bag.

4prong I knew what you meant. I was just saying how the right conditions can be an exception to the rule. I am with you on the age thimg of 15 years plus. I have replanted or stopped digging many a root when they are smaller than I thought they would be too.
Latt