Chieftian,
That is some heckuva season! It is way beyond any season I have ever had. That root quality, quantity, and handling deserves nothing less than top dollar.
Latt, I concur. Although I am new to growing, I have hunted the 'presumedly wild' for many years, and here in WV, I just don't find enough selective digging areas to yield much more than a lb. + of dried once a season has ran its course.
As you mentioned; in general, I am not walking past it either. I would put the proof in the pudding by saying that neither do I find voluminous areas of companion plants.
That being said, I have come to the conclusion that larger yeilds are dependandant upon either a large area, or many many lesser sized areas of favorable soils. ... For example: I was born and raised in the Wheeling area of WV, (now that was a long time ago .. LOL) and as a teen, myself and my main hunting and trapping buddy found quite a bit of 'seng. Of course in that area, we were usually hunting the headwater tribs of creeks that emptied right into the Ohio River. When in my twenties, I moved to North Central, WV, and found less 'seng in this general area. The better hunting from here is always westerly towards Parkersburg. All of those westerly areas require permissions. ... Nowadays, I have a camp, and some property in the mountains around Webster Springs, and I am hard pressed to find 'seng up there in any sort of abundance. Wide areas up there are literally carpeted with hay scented fern. ... I have never hunted 'seng in the far Eastern panhandle, or the Southern part of the state below Charleston, so I can't comment on tha, but I do hear that there is some good 'sengin in that Southern part.
I would like to persue this soil idea a bit thru the WVU extension service(s), and follow up by getting permissions in new areas to explore.
Lord knows that I've paid my dues in boot leather, (lol) So does that sound like a reasonable approach to you?
Bill
..good luck to all you diggers.. 
