TOPIC: Tips for hunting in central Pa

So I posted last season asking about a look alike. This year my grandfather and I are at it again. I have been snooping the forums trying everything. I have been looking up for all the right trees, and down for all the right indicators. Found areas with tons of maidens hair, black cohosh, blood root, may apple, poplar trees, maple, sassafras, large black walnuts, deep dark hollows facing the north east. What I haven't found yet? Ginseng! Even found those plants with the doll eye berries. The elevation I have been searching ranges between 600-1100 feet.

Anyone out there from Pa, maybe even central Pa? Not a lot of hunters in the area, I'm sure it's around though. Eric Burkhart lives in the area and I know that dude finds it haha. Anyway if you guys could offer any advice about ginseng in Pa i would be thankful.

My advice is keep looking, just because you are in the right place does not mean it is there. There could have been at one point and it has been dug dry, or the plants there are dormant this year for whatever reason.

One tip that I have used many times with success is this, look in the small woods, like 2-3 acres or less. Sounds crazy but I have found alot of seng in very small woods. Why? simple, most seng diggers will go deep into the woods looking for the big old plants. Now I have never found 30+ year old plants this way but I have found alot of good 10-20 year 3 and 4 prongs with pretty nice roots in woods so small you could see through them.

Bottom line it can grow anywhere the conditions are right, but that doesn't necessarily mean it is there.

Keep hunting, you will find it, just takes alot of patience some times.