Hey you Kentucky Guys

[JohnP]

After almost two decades of hosting the world coonhound championship, Kentucky has lost its place as the hosting state to Illinois.

The Professional Kennel Club has decided to hold the annual event in Salem, Ill. this year where 2,000 coonhounds and their handlers will gather to compete.

Kentucky business owners will feel the loss of nearly $3.5 million in economic impact that the competition usually brought each year.

The decision to change the venue for the championship came after Kentucky experienced a bad ice storm last winter that killed many trees. The downed trees would have made it hard for hunters to walk through the area.

Kentucky tourism officials didn’t know about the decision until it had already been made.

“I spent a lot of sleepless nights making the decision,” Professional Kennel Club president Roger Carnegie said. “It was the hardest decision I've made.”

Illinois officials said they pursued the club after hearing that it was looking for a new site for the championship. Tracey McDaneld, director of economic development in Salem, said the vent is expected to draw 7,000 visitors to the small town with a population of 8,000.

“We're trying to roll out the prettiest red carpet we can for them,” McDaneld said. “The chance to host a world hunt like this is the chance of a lifetime.”

[KySongDog]

The decision to change the venue for the championship came after Kentucky experienced a bad ice storm last winter that killed many trees. The downed trees would have made it hard for hunters to walk through the area.

That event was always held down by the LBL at Aurora, KY.  The ice storm did lots of damage.  I can understand why they moved the event.  It is dangerous in the woods right now.   Broken limbs are dropping with out even a breeze blowing.   FnF's LBL hunt crew will need to be extra careful in February.  It is going to take years to recover from that storm.

[Jimmie in Ky]

There was also a man injured when one of the trees gave way at the roots due to the damage from the storm.He got an indirect hit while in his tree stand and had to be airlifted out.

I am still finding strange damage in my woods.Due to this summers growth I found one that had been split up the middle by the weight of the ice. The bark had begun growing over the split and made it visible. I have loggers moving in to take down most of mine within hte week. Prices have advanced a bit and will make it more profitable at least.I hate this but the central leaders are broken on many and they will rot from the tops down and be worthless if I don't go ahead and sell them. So much for the large retirement package I had planned for afew years from now.

The world hunt was held here in mayfield several times in the past with even the bunny huggers getting in on the fun. They learned they should not go to a backwater town and call folks bad names their momma's wouldn't like to hear 

[JohnP]

Will the state and/or feds allow you to go in and haul out the downed timber if on public land?

[KySongDog]

That's a good question.  In the past the answer has been "no" to cutting wood.  Usually they hire out to loggers so they can supervise the cutting.   With the volume of wood out there now, I don't know what the current policy is.   

[Jimmie in Ky]

Last time I was in there, there was a huge amount of saw logs stacked along road sides in various places. Some one had evidently laid them out for bids after the folks they contracted for cleanup were through. A lot of it was veneir quality stuff. Mainlywhite oak. Jimmie