Re-Claimed Coal mines

[gregcincy]

I read a story years ago about small game hunting {mainly quail & rabbits)in a Kentucky Game & Fish Magizine. The story talked about hunting in eastern Kentucky on these lands and that many of them could be very productive and usually don't get quite the pressure that wma's and National Forest land get. My question is how do you find out where the reclaimed lands are in easter KY. Any suggestions

Thanks
Greg

[mgrouse]

I have hunted on several reclaimed strip jobs and had pretty good luck. I am always surprised by the quail I find in those spots, mostly on top. Usually grouse will hold up just over the hill from a bench. Where I am from, Pike County, it is quite easy to find reclaimed mines-- you just drive to the top of any hill. Most are completely abandoned. Some old mine jobs appear as disturbed land on topographic maps. I believe the map symbol is small red dashes similar to swamp land.

[gregcincy]

Thanks Mgrouse. I'll have to see if i can break away some weekend before the season is up and try some scouting down there

[Pointer]

I hunted a reclaimed strip mine near hazard last year and was happy to find 3-4 coveys of quail, saw several rabbits too. We went back to the same place around christmas this year and were dissapointed to find that all of the good cover we were hunting in had been mowed down. We ended up finding one covey, don't know where the rest of the birds went. [?]

We did get to see 7 bull elk in a group in a big bottom, it was neat.