WMA update

Well, we new it was coming, but yesterday we met a representative of the company that has purchased over 5,000 acres of peabody land. The wildlife refuge that surrounded our farm is, of course, our main concern. They told us that all the peabody locks would be changed, no fishing, no hunting allowed. They also said there would be patrols. If anyone is caught back there, there will be no warnings, just a call to the sherriff.

I think they said the name of the company is "West Land Company" but I could be off on that. The guy who owns it is from Minneapolis apparently. There is talk about doing some mining, and maybe an energy plant back there as well.

I don't know if this is the same people who are (rumored) to be buying up all the Peabody land north of HWY 62 or not. He did tell us yesterday that they have already begun posting the no trespassing, hunting and fishing signs yesterday.

Not the best news for a lot of sportsmen, but thought I would let you know. Also, most of you already know that the Ohio Co. portion has been purchased and closed off as well.

Lastly, the representative told us yesterday that now Peabody can not sell any permits for this area at all. I am guessing he meant the Peabody hunting and fishing use permit.

If I hear anything else, I'll pass it along.

Danny

So does this mean NO fishing at any of the Peabody lakes now? I just bought a permit a couple of weeks ago and have only been there once and I'm not real familiar with the area. Just wanted to be sure, I hate to drive all that way and then get arrested - my congregation may not like that too well :)

Blessed Fishin,
jeremy

[quote=pastorbass;291880]So does this mean NO fishing at any of the Peabody lakes now? I just bought a permit a couple of weeks ago and have only been there once and I'm not real familiar with the area. Just wanted to be sure, I hate to drive all that way and then get arrested - my congregation may not like that too well :)

Blessed Fishin,
jeremy[/quote]

Hey jeremy,

I am positive there are still some open areas, but man, it is changing as fast as we can post, or so it seems. It is now my understanding, that all the Peabody areas that were in Ohio county outside or just south of Rockport are now closed. The Peabody WMAs south of HWY 62 in Muhlenberg county are now closed. The WMAs north of HWY 62, I think, are still open for now. I am getting differing information on whether that deal has been closed.

All I know is it is getting much harder for the average person to find a place to fish or hunt. Public land, or in this case the Peabody land that had been opened to the public, is becoming more and more hard to find.

My wife id categorically against hunting. There are multiple reasons for this.

1) When my Pop (father-in-law) still raised cattle, we had a lot of bad experiences. Mostly our fences cut and trash, and of course trying to find and get our cattle back into the pasture. Also had hunters shoot a couple of his favorite dogs. Now understand, we all understand that it is the minority of people who do this, but none the less, one bad apple... etc.

2) Right after my wife and I moved back from FL and moved out here near the farm, we now are on the farm, someone killed a big buck, cut the head off, and left the body on the road almost right in front of our house. That was pretty traumatic for my wife who is very sensitive, and quit fishing after gut hooking a bluegill, and seeing it spit up blood, and sink. She really supports my fishing, but refuses to let me keep any fish at all, and would not mind if I gave it up completely. She knows that occasionally I must gut hook a fish. I try very hard not too. I am considering cutting my barbs off from now on, unless I am in a tournament.

3) My wife's grandmother who lived out here on the farm, and her great-grandmother, who both had a huge impact on her when she was young, both hated hunting and any type of negative impact on the natural growth of vegetation on the land. Her grandmother was actually against the family selling out to the coal company years ago for strip mining, and turned down a small fortune to allow them (peabody) to mine this 56 acre area where the house is. They brought a suit case of money, and offered several houses... honest both of those, and she refused. My wife seems to be cut from the same cloth.

A true story, and those on here who have fished with me know this to be true as I've told the story several times. We have about 10-12 acres of about a 100 acre lake. There are only two accesses to the lake, one of those is a road and small ramp (gravel) that peabody built for us. I suggested that we build about 7 cottages back there, and open up a small hunting and fishing camp. The big lake gets no pressure at all.

My wife replied, well we would have to name it "Camp Can't" and I asked why?? She said because they can't keep any of the fish, and they can't kill any of the animals. LOL.. Honest, true story. Obviously we haven't built any cabins.

We do have a lot of great wildlife out here. Deer are so plentiful, and not scared of people at all, and the same is true of the turkey. They don't even run when we come outside anymore. We have foxes, wildcats, turkeys, raaccoons, possums, coyotes, hawks, and even bald eagles now. I love to just go back in the fields and sit and watch. I only wish I were able to ride a horse (my bad back stops me). I'd love to ride a horse back there so my motor noise would not scare some of the more jumpy wildlife.

I hope this helps some.

Danny

Another update on newly learned information. We learned today that the company that bought the land around us is the same company that bought the Ohio Co. WMAs just south of Rockport. They reemphasized that they will not tolerate any trespassing by 4 wheelers, hunters, or fishermen. Not sure what is going on, but also learned today that all the farm land, across from the boat ramp at the Central City ramp, in Ohio County I believe, has had someone just buy all the coal rights. Huge dollars mentioned. This will likely end up closing even more land off.

Sorry guys, please don't kill the messenger. Just trying to keep everyone updated as the information is coming in.

Danny

Thanks for the info - looks like I just wasted some $$ on a Peabody permit.

Blessed Fishin,
jeremy

I also bought a peabody permit and after reading this post i called their office and was told that some of the land the lease included was sold but the land that island and south lakes are on would still be ran by kdfwr and those are the two lakes i fish at off of hwy 369 in cool srings. per the conversation i had with the gentelman at there office there will still be some land there to hunt and fish on but its a sad situation because there is some nice hunting and fishing down there and the amount of public hunting ground is slowly fading away.

Island and South lakes and I belive as far down to where Ken starts is still KDFWR, please correct if wrong. I live in Ohio Co and used to fish Peabody alot, some good bass in South and Island Lakes, but sometimes hard to catch, a lot of grass in these lakes, have to fish them different than a lot of lakes also they are clear most of the time, but these are fun lake to fish, take an extra trolling motor battery as you can drain one on these lakes as they are big. Danny keep me updated on this you can e mail me, see my other posts, as I live in Ohio co this effects me also as I live on top of coal also. Seems like coal destroys everthing that it effects, the miners are at risk from, black lung, cave in's, gas, etc etc, it also pollutes, Green house effect,and now our land, there was a call on my caller id that said West Ky Land, I hope it was a wrong number. NO COAL FOR SALE HERE, I'd rather use my land to grow corn and soybeans to make bio fuels to power my boat.

bobby,

I've not been down all the way back to kenlake, but my wife's uncle lives on Pond Run Church Road, and he has told me that Kenlake was gated off. Not sure or not.

As for West KY Land, not sure. We were told the name was West Land Company, and the only thing we could find on a search was about some land in Colorado being purchased. Then Pop told us that the owner was supposed to be currently in Colorado working out some land purchase.

pop has nearly 250 acres, and I've told him if he can get around 2 mil or more, sell, sell, sell.... LMAO. I told him he, my wife, and I could get us a nice place at the lake for all three of us to live. I love Cadiz. I was there this morning. Unfortunately not fishing though.

Danny

Danny they make some great conversion golf carts that don't eat hay drink water and can get around pretty well.