Outdoor notes: Seized illegal ginseng, yellow root brings $51.5K at auction

Illegal ginseng sold

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources recently auctioned$51,542 of ginseng and yellow root that was forfeited from illegal possession cases. That total came from 59.7 pounds of ginseng and 3.1 pounds of yellow root from evidence collected following cleared Ohio court processes.

The money raised in the auction was added to the state’s Wildlife Diversity Fund, which supports projects for species of greatest conservation need such as sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans and lake sturgeon.

The roots sold in the auction were from Division of Wildlife criminal cases made across 20 Ohio counties since February 2021. Counties where ginseng was seized were Adams, Athens, Belmont, Clermont, Coshocton, Fairfield, Guernsey, Highland, Hocking, Knox, Lawrence, Meigs, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Richland, Ross and Washington.

In Ohio, ginseng can only be harvested Sept. 1-Dec. 31, annually. Harvest is limited to mature ginseng plants (at least three leaves) and regulations stipulate harvesters are required to plant the seeds of collected plants where they were found. Ginseng diggers must have written permission to collect ginseng on private and public lands, and digging ginseng is prohibited on state-owned lands and national park property.

Spring still shoots

Spring still shoots will be held at the Shreve Farmer's Sportsman Club running every Sunday through April 30. Shoots begin at noon with registration starting around 11:30 a.m. The club shoots shot, .22 and slug. Try for a chance to win a variety of meat and cash prizes. The progressive jackpot is over $5,400.

The club is located at 8430 Township Road 513, Shreve. For more information contact Missy at 330-464-5621.

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This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Seized illegal ginseng, yellow root brings $51.5K at auction