AEP strip mines in OH

Frogman · March 05, 2009, 09:42:34 PM

Alscalls and I recently purchased our OH hunting licenses. One area we have been hearing about that Al has fished quite a bit is the American Electric Power reclaimed strip mines North of Beverly OH. There are thousands of acres of reclaimed strip mines and literally thousands of lakes and ponds that are available for hunters and fishermen. We decided to drive up there today 3/5/09 and check it out and do a few stands. I took a few photos . . .

A flattering photo (no private moment shots from the classy Frogman) of Al using his new WVHillbillyhowler howler. Sounds real good!!

Some of this terrain looks a little like out west, just not as many coyotes . . .

We did five coyote stands with our usual lack of success. Pretty windy out there today! Got some good hiking in and saw some really nice country. There's gotta be coyotes there somewhere. We did see some sign, but not as much as I expected?? We'll try at again soon! Maybe Al has some photos to add?? Remember now Al, keep it classy.

Jim

HaMeR · March 05, 2009, 10:23:21 PM

Was this the scouting trip for the 14th??

Frogman · March 05, 2009, 10:33:44 PM

Didn't know this was the area we were going to on the 14th? Hopefully you guys know where all the coyotes are up there! We sure didn't find any?? Looking forward to the 14th!!!

Jim

HaMeR · March 05, 2009, 11:03:02 PM

Just razzin ya Jim.

I'm looking forward to the 14th too. We'll find somewhere to hunt em.

Yotehntr · March 06, 2009, 05:43:33 AM

Looks like beautiful country up there!

Carolina Coyote · March 06, 2009, 07:18:49 AM

That sure looks like some good places to hunt, should be able to see something coming in from a mile away, we don't have any of that around here. cc

Caribou dreamer · March 06, 2009, 07:23:24 AM

Looks like some good grounds,Good luck guys.
Where is Beverly Ohio never heard of it before.Thanks for sharing the photo's keep them coming.

msmith · March 06, 2009, 06:46:18 PM

Wow! That sure is some flat country.

Bills Custom Calls · March 06, 2009, 07:05:37 PM

What we will be hunting the 14th don't look anything like that

It has old high walls lots of trees and whachamajiggers

unless we go to the otherside then it looks more like
where you were today

Frogman · March 06, 2009, 07:35:07 PM

Looking forward to it Bill!

Jim

HaMeR · March 06, 2009, 08:47:30 PM

Caribou-- Beverly,, Hills that is!! Swimmin pools,,,,,,, aaahhhhh never mind!!

Beverly is just North & West of Marietta. If I'm not working I'll be there.

FinsnFur · March 06, 2009, 08:52:50 PM

Someone explain to me the true definition of "Strip mine" and why it's called that.

I'm not saying the pictures aren't a strip mine, in fact I'm asking with no derogitive intentions what so ever. I seriously have no idea what is being referred to when that terminology is used.

alscalls · March 06, 2009, 09:18:01 PM

"Strip mine" Refers to the way they surface mine a vein of coal from the land then they reclaim the land with plantings and lakes stocked with fish........thousands of lakes.....10lb bass are common in some areas Jimbo you would be in heaven there......a lot of walking to get to some of them though. If the fish aint biting in one lake ya just walk over the hill and right there is another one.
If you look at it from the air you can kind of see the strip where they removed the coal and stacked the overburden.
It is a huge area and full of wildlife......I put my shooting sticks right on a rabbit while walking!! Scared the crap out of me and the rabbit......

FinsnFur · March 06, 2009, 09:33:12 PM

So why arent they selling off if they are done with them?

KySongDog · March 06, 2009, 09:38:19 PM

"Strip mining" or "Strip mine" is no longer PC. Bad connotations with those terms. Now the proper terms is surface mining and surface mine.

FinsnFur · March 06, 2009, 09:39:14 PM

Oh k , hang on I gotta make a note of that.

HaMeR · March 06, 2009, 10:12:03 PM

Once they've STRIP MINED the land & reclaimed it the State a lot of times buys it for public use. There are areas where farmers buy it but it's usually only good for hay once it's been STRIP MINED.

Had to mess with ya Semp!!

Frogman · March 06, 2009, 10:26:00 PM

Jim,
This area was "surface mined" beginning over 30 years ago. There are still some active mines in the area that are off limits to the public. As Al said this type of mining coal simply strips the top levels of earth called the overburden off the coal then digs out the layer of the coal vein and then replaces the overburden in the low places. It kind of levels out the area taking the tops off the hills and dumping the overburden into the valleys. The coal companies try to "reclaim" the land by sowing plants, creating ponds and lakes for fishing, building campgrounds, creating horseback riding and hiking trails, etc. This type of mining is much more efficient than deep mining. There are are litterally thousands of acres of these reclaimed strip mines in the area of OH between Beverly OH to the South and Cumberland OH to the North as well as other areas in OH. It is very similar to the areas we hunted in KY. Redbird and the other WMA s were mostly reclaimed strip mines. The difference being that the terrain in KY was more mountainous before the stripping bagan than in OH which was just kind of hilly. The terrain of the strip areas in OH is not nearly as steep and high as the reclaimed land in KY. I remember going to this area when I was a teenager and seeing this huge dragline excavator machine called "Big Muskie" excavating the overburden and digging out the coal. There is a Wikipedia article about "Big Muskie" here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Muskie . You can also find more by googling "Big Muskie". The giant drag bucket is all that remains of "Big Muskie" today and it is in a park near Bristol OH.

You can also use Google Earth to look at this area. Find Cumberland OH and follow Rt. 83 South to Rural Dale Road (546) 39 48 25. 31 N 81 40 30. 11 W are the gps cordinates for the beginning of 546. Follow it West a little ways and you will be looking at the area Al and I were hunting in!

Hope this all helps!

Jim

FinsnFur · March 07, 2009, 02:31:07 AM

Interesting

So whats it do to the ground that it's only good for hay once?

mannnnnnn serious hi-jacking goin on here ey?

Bills Custom Calls · March 07, 2009, 04:43:16 AM

It does nothing Jim.It is a mining regulation that the ground must be able to produce a good grass crop and be free of any wash outs from rain water in order for the mining company to get their bond money back,normally 5 years before the land is released back to the land owner AEP,farmer,ect...

For instince say you own 100 acres of land and I want to mine the coal under it,I have you sign a lease agreement
with my company we move in some big equipment and move a bunch of dirt big rocks then remove the coal,and I paid you so much a ton for the coal and pushed the hole shut.Filling in valley's and taking tops of hills off and making you more tillable land.You being the farmer

now may have gained 20 or 30 more acres of useable land and have a nice pond stocked with fish when I am done.It may take me 5 years to finish with your property,so the land will be released back to you in small incraments.The first year you may not be able to do anything with it,the second year you can start making hay and as long as the ground is staying in place and crops are doing well by the 3rd year you can start planting corn and beans.
Once the land has all beenreleased from the bond you can resume normal farming operations.

I paid you alot of money for your coal you continued to farm you lost all the money I paid you cause we all know farming don't pay,and now your back to work at Sky Line on a daily job