We are losing Peabody.

[fishbum]

Is any one besides me upset that Peabody is selling all 6000 acres to out of state lease operations? Why could the Department not find a way to buy this land for use for future generations of Kentucky Hunters?
Less public land means more lease hunting and a reduction in hunter numbers. What the HELL is going on?
Jim Dicken

[Banditboy]

I'm sad to see it go. I was going to buy a small boat so that I could fish some of the strip pits there but I'm having second thoughts now.

[Guest Author]

yes iam upset too}( }(

[Danny]

Jim,

As I explained earlier, the sale was supposed to go to a group that was going to develop one of those hunting ranches. The sale was completed in the Ohio Co. area, and most of it is now closed off with gates.

As I have said before, our land is buttriced (spelling) by what used to be the WMA - Refuge. We had so many poachers over there illegally, plus when we had cows, they kept cutting our fences, and we currently have trouble with trespassers.

I agree, it is a shame that all the public land is being sold, but I am afraid there are a few of the hunters who give you all a bad name.

I used to hunt some, but all my meat was consumed by my ex-wife's mother and family. My biggest problem with hunting is those few that break the rules, and the ones who did something when my wife and I first moved out here to the country.

Someone shot a nice buck, cut its head off, and left the body in front of our house. DISGUSTING!!!

Hunt to eat, I'm totally fine with, and who knows, I may even have to do it to feed myself sometime. We have a ton of turkey's in our yard everyday, and I can't help but to wonder what a wild turkey would taste like on Thanksgiving day??

BTW, the Muhlenberg County sale fell through to the group that was interested, but supposedly, there are more looking into it.

I only ask you guys who fish down here, please don't cross the signs that say "Private Property."

Already this year we have had shooters in our field less than 150 yards from our house, just behind a small wood. I have decided, I will shoot back!!!

We don't allow hunting for a few reasons:

A couple of hunters shot and killed my father-in-law's dog a few years back.

The damage of trespassers back when we had livestock.... we are the one's that were liable for any damage a cow did to a car on the highway after someone cut our fence.

Also, our deer are not scared. When we had cattle, they, the deer, became used to having us in the field, and they shared our protein and salt blocks, not to mention the hay. We still but these out for the deer.

Lastly, my wife's Great Grandmother, who all this land came from, was what is now referred to as a naturalist. My wife loved her Great Mamaw, and still honors her wishes.

Trust me, I had to turn down some very important customers on their requests to hunt on our land. LOL

I tell you what Jim, the land that bumps up to us was listed for $2,000 per acre, and that was part of the 6,000 acres for sale. Tell you what, you come to us with $5,000 per acre, and I'll see if I can convince the rest of the family to sell the 250 acres and lakes we own. This would greatly hasten my full retirement and fishing excursions!! LOL

Tight lines and God Bless

Danny

[Danny]

I'm not exactly sure to whom, or when, but we were told the other day by a friend of the family that works for Peabody that the sale is complete. I know that the old "Wildlife Refuge" (this is the part that was not supposed to have any access anyway) was sold. This is south of HWY 62, and surrounds our farm.

I have not heard if any of the Peabody WMA's north of 62 were sold or not, but have heard that a group was looking into buying them too.

BTW, saw a beautiful buck in our old garden this evening while walking the dog. These deer on our farm are so tame it didn't scare and I was less than 30 yards from it.

Just thought I would pass along the update.

Tight lines and God Bless

Danny

[Moose1am]

The county court house should have records of the current property owers. I think that any land sales have to be documented by the County Recorder here in IN. It's probably the same way in KY.

So can't someone just go down to local courthouse and look at the property records? That will let you know for sure what's been sold and what still belongs to the Coal Company.

I think that's what I am going to do in order to figure how who owns what land


Whats the UTM map coordinates of the area you guys are talking about. We could use terraserver or google to get a satellite view of this area.


Regards,

Moose1am

[mhall]

Unfortunately Jimbo it's all about the money. x(

[JimDicken]

Yes and the State Has the money to buy that land. Shame we can not get them to come off of some of it.
Jim

[kent]

Im upset and I'm sure there are plenty others as well. I would say that the initial cost is probably what kept the state from buying the land. At 2k an acre you're looking at $12 million. Since KDFWR does not receive any funds from state govt, I would say the price was too high, whatever it was. But, they could have continued to charge the user fee and maybe charged ramp fees for the lakes and recovered the cost that way. Maybe even sectioned some of it off and gone in partners with a guide service for that area. Im sure if KDFWR had made it known about the sale, most hunters would have lobbied for the state to help with the purchase. Just my opinion. Anyone know who bought it and what the price was?

[Guest Author]

The state keeps an ENTIRE years budget in reserve each year. Not sure of the total but well in excess of the $12million needed to by 4000 acres. Like you said the user fees could have been used to replenish the budget and having less than a years budget for a few years while we replenished would not have been a problem. Matter of fact I BELIEVE that hunters and fishermen would have gladly opened their pockets in order to donate money to get more land to fish and hunt.
Jim Dicken

[Guest Author]

our great gov'nor wants to know what to do with 279 million surplus ? ANYBODY OUT THERE?

[Danny]

>The state keeps an ENTIRE years budget in reserve each year.
>Not sure of the total but well in excess of the $12million
>needed to by 4000 acres. Like you said the user fees could
>have been used to replenish the budget and having less than a
>years budget for a few years while we replenished would not
>have been a problem. Matter of fact I BELIEVE that hunters and
>fishermen would have gladly opened their pockets in order to
>donate money to get more land to fish and hunt.
>Jim Dicken


Tight lines and God Bless

Danny