Most Mines are Lost!

[perrymax]

I would say 75% of the mines we scouted are lost due to autumn olive and sericea lespedeza. You cant see 100 yards and and thats a good thing because if you could see farther, all you would see would be atv's and beer cans and trash! From my experience, the elk go to someplace with better forage and more open space. Sericea lespedeza gets woody and unpalatable by July. It doesnt burn well!!! If you find a mine that has been reclaimed in the last 2 years, these invasive plants may not have covered up the grasses and clover, but good luck. It is a total shame that this awesome habitat was lost. I see no way to fix these mines except to plow them all under and plant native grasses that can be later burned. That will never happen and there is no way to fix this mess. I was told that elk are leaving Kentucky and finding better habitat in Tn and Va. I believe that to be true. If these states are requiring reclamation with native warm season grasses, they can be burned and the invasives plants and trees can be controlled and they will have much better elk hunting then we will have.

The good news is that adventure tourism is really big on these mines and people are having a ball on their $25,000 adult toys and a huge chunk of Leatherwood is gonna be an atv park.

Get involved!
Make phone calls!
Inquire about what is being done to stop the decline of the habitat!
People who do not buy hunting and fishing licenses and tags are getting WAY more out of KDFWR, elk public land then we are???????????????????

 

[RLWEBB]

Man you’re 100% right. Real shame about the habitat. And I know folks like their side by sides, but I’ve had so many negative experiences with trespassers, drunks, and litter bugs, I’m terribly biased against them.

 

[mudhole crossing]

There’s a local strip up the road from me that they have prescribed burned several times; did it help? For a little while. I think it has cut back on the sericea. Now the autumn olives are a diff story.

 

[EdLongshanks]

I would say 75% of the mines we scouted are lost due to autumn olive and sericea lespedeza. You cant see 100 yards and and thats a good thing because if you could see farther, all you would see would be atv's and beer cans and trash! From my experience, the elk go to someplace with better forage and more open space. Sericea lespedeza gets woody and unpalatable by July. It doesnt burn well!!! If you find a mine that has been reclaimed in the last 2 years, these invasive plants may not have covered up the grasses and clover, but good luck. It is a total shame that this awesome habitat was lost. I see no way to fix these mines except to plow them all under and plant native grasses that can be later burned. That will never happen and there is no way to fix this mess. I was told that elk are leaving Kentucky and finding better habitat in Tn and Va. I believe that to be true. If these states are requiring reclamation with native warm season grasses, they can be burned and the invasives plants and trees can be controlled and they will have much better elk hunting then we will have.

The good news is that adventure tourism is really big on these mines and people are having a ball on their $25,000 adult toys and a huge chunk of Leatherwood is gonna be an atv park.

Get involved!
Make phone calls!
Inquire about what is being done to stop the decline of the habitat!
People who do not buy hunting and fishing licenses and tags are getting WAY more out of KDFWR, elk public land then we are???????????????????

Are these reclaimed mines under the control of kdfw? Are they wmas? I didn’t think they were either

 

[perrymax]

I have 50 acres of native grasses. When mature, big bluestem and indiangrass get 7' tall. They make for a hot burn and cedars and sycamores and honey locusts and black locusts and hedge apples are cooked if they arent too big. Guarantee autumn olive is easier to cook. Also, lots of unwanted plants cant outcompete the NWSG after it is burned. I never saw thistles after I started burning. Also, the ash makes for an awesome frost seeding bed.

No other way to fix this mess except God's way. I was told that whoever owns the timber has burn phobia! Hardwoods will not be harmed. Biologists gotta do better convincing these people that burning is the key.

The problem is you have to have fuel to get a hot burn. I dont know if sericea lespedeza will provide a hot fire

 

[perrymax]

Are these reclaimed mines under the control of kdfw? Are they wmas? I didn’t think they were either

I saw on OnX that Elk Forrest had a N.C tax address

 

[RLWEBB]

I’ve often thought that, if you could the local talent out, you could have a heck of a Whitetail and Turkey outfitting operation on some of the bigger jobs.

 

[Copperhead]

I've only had my property for about 15 months, but I'm learning a lot about these invasive plants. Put a big dent in the Autumn Olive during that time and just recently learned of the Chinese bushclover (sericea lespedeza). I found a couple small, but significant stands of it and have just now started to research how to eradicate/control it. I'd welcome any recommendations from anyone that has dealt with it.

 

[ManofManyStangs]

Don't forget the horses. Lets get rid of them as well.

 

[RLWEBB]

Don't forget the horses. Lets get rid of them as well.

Amen!

 

[EdLongshanks]

Don't forget the horses. Lets get rid of them as well.

How many are still wandering around?

 

[CalebConn16]

How many are still wandering around?

100’s

 

[Little FR]

Ive been saying this for years. Such a waste.

 

[EdLongshanks]

100’s

Damn! I just can’t get my head around that many feral horses running around eastern Kentucky.

 

[carnivore]

Damn! I just can’t get my head around that many feral horses running around eastern Kentucky.

Id say 30-150 on damn near every mine. I ran into a family dumping their horses, they proceeded to run out of fuel (diesel) and jackknife their truck and trailer blocking the only open entrance to the mine.