TOPIC: Ginseng Season Open In Kentucky 2010

Thanks for sharing that Billy - it does make sense.

And the locatin I checked out on my last creek fishing trip had most of that going for it.

About the only place we have bluffs around here in Middle TN is along the edge of creeks/rivers. Sometimes they will be out away from the creek/river a bit (as you know creeks/rivers change courses quite often) but many times the creek/river will run right along the bluff.

That area that I was fishing the elevation went from 650' (down at the creek) up to around 900' up on the ridge up top of the bluff.

There was lots of maidenhard fern there and I could see it from the creek while fishing and just had to get up there and look around a little for seng, because time and time again this year while hunting bluff areas like that when I found maidenhair, also found seng nearby.

I looked hard at 3 different locations along that bluff, but found no seng, no 3 leafers, 2 prongs, nothing. I had that \"feeling\" that I always get when it is supposed to be there - you know like you can almost smell it, but did not find any.

One thing that I did not notice was the \"moss\" component that you mentioned. I just did not pay attention to that. That could have been missing, not sure.

Something that I have noticed about our bluff areas like that, is that there is very little ground cover type mulch. The hillside is just real steep, often around 12/12 pitch and the soil is very rocky, limestone flakes and chips and grey dirt, and the leaves and other stuff that falls that would normally make good ground cover, they often just slide on down the hill.

On my Oct 5 hunt on a north facing bluff all of the plants I found were either very yellow and barley standing, or that darker brown and down. I did find on exception to that and it was a nice 3 prong that was growing a little lower on teh bluff than the others and it had the good luck of having a huge piece of tree bark fall and cover the spot where the plant was growing. This spring the stem and top had to grow out from under that big piece of bark and it did. That left the root system completely back under that big ole piece of bark and when I pulled that off and dug the root, the soil there was nice a moist. All of the others I dug up on the bluff in that rocky soil with little to no mulch the soil was much dryer.

I am not sure what it means when moss grows on the trees better than usual ? Perhaps that means that area is just naturally a bit more moist than other areas where it does not grow so well.

I will have to keep an eye out for places like that next year.

Thanks

TNhunter

Found this on Moss habitat:

==
Habitat

Mosses are found chiefly in areas of dampness and low light.
==

Northern facing slope, below a cliff (low light for sure), heavy moss - the area would have to be damper than most if the moss is doing extremely well.

Yep - that all adds up.

PS - Billy a couple years ago we were hunting in a hollow that had some big rock outcroppings in it and finding some good seng. Then we noticed way up on a ridge a big rock outcrop and went up there to check it out. Just down below it there was a place where it was just solid rock with a very thin layer of dirt and heavy moss growing all over. And right in the middle of that moss bank below the big rock there was a huge patch of seng - 8-10 really nice 4 prongs and several big 3's.

We had to peal that layer of moss back to get to the roots and it pealed back just like a carpet and once that came back you could see 3/4 of the roots with just about 1/4 of the root actually being down in the dirt. The bulk of the roots was actually growing up in that thick moss carpet.

Made for easy digging once we pealed that moss bank back.

Once we lifted all of the good roots, we put the moss carpet back down.

That is the only time I have seen seng growing in such a situation, but it was sure doing well there.

TNhunter

Tnhunter you are welcome for the information.

I was thinking that the place where you hunted on your last trip out to the creek is no doubght a good spot.I am postive that seng is there.The rain/water supply in the early season around Easter must be good.I remember on another thread that your alls rain was alot less than ours this past spring.Remember that spot as I know you will and i will say that you will find some old timmers there in a wet season also that is a jam up place to add some of those seed from the big roots.

Mosses are found chiefly in areas of dampness and low light -- Exactly

Northern facing slope, below a cliff (low light for sure), heavy moss - the area would have to be damper than most if the moss is doing extremely well - There you go,,,greener vegatation later...

This has been a fun topic,and that was a good question you asked.

Billy.

Guys

quality roots for sure.nice.thanks for the pic.'s ,billy..

Found 1 pound 7 & 3/4 ounces today and I am satisfied that the first frost and high wind it is completly over here in our area.These tops where easy for me to spot,but they where very dry a good hard wind or rain and they would not have been there at all.

There was 7 4 prongs and 15 3 prongs that where diggers in this patch today,very good dig this late.

Billy, I can't get over how big and hearty the tops and roots are down in your neck of the woods. We just don't have plants like that in my stomping ground. As always, I love seeing those pictures, but it makes me sad. In a normal year, I would have been done for a week or so, but this year, I've had my digger hung up for almost a month.

Way to go, Billy!

Seems like you are the only one on the post that's still finding them.

I'm always amazed at the size of the plants you find.

Giant Tops as alway!

classicfur

nice ,Billy ..looks like yours is about done too.

Congrats on the finds Billy, I've been done up here for about a month now. Got to admit I'm a little envious of your long digging season down there. I was thinking of waiting another year before hitting any ofmy known areas again, but right now I'm thinking that the price may be even better next year and am just jonesing to dig a big pile of roots. This year was very trying only searching in new areas even though I did find a few modest areas to dig in. Next fall I may mix it up, hunting a couple of old areas and seeking out new territories as well.

You've had a very good season even though you were out with your back for a couple of weeks. Congrats to you my friend on a very good season, and I wish you well on any remaining hunts this fall. Froms the looks of it, it is almost done for you down there as well. Good luck and God Bless!