Source?

Maybe them miners seen a huge buck in there and trying to keep other hunters away?

A situation similar to this happened in Winston County. Big property owner and a big club struck a deal with the county that they would no longer have to maintain a road as long as their gate went up. When the gate went up it closed off hundreds of acres of national forest land. That was about 10 years ago and the gate ain’t going nowhere. This ain’t a fight you’re winning in this state

I’m not sure about hwy 260 but hwy 91 / Coalmont road past end of pavement has never been maintained by county.

I rode over there this afternoon. There is a closed gate now and the signs have been spray painted over. Speculation on my part but the MC may be about to open a new section and and doesn't want traffic through there. County doesn't care because road is lightly used by the general public and they cut cost on maintenance. Hopefully DCNR can obtain new access in to the area.

County never maintained any of it after it was in the WMA past the asphalt. The contract with the state and timber comapines was that the state had to maintain the roads. They did good for a while but then it went down hill. there are still several areas on the wma that unless you got a rock crawler you aint going anywhere but on foot and its several miles down some of them roads

Also per a county represenitive both Hwy 270 and Hwy 260 past the pavment (in brantleyville) and directly off hwy 10 (in pea ridge) are no longer considered county roads per some kind of conversation with the state DOT

Someone spray painted the signs like vandalized them? Lol

Yes, the signs had been spray painted over, gate closed not open like in the posted pics.

I heard from a friend that the private landowners put the gates up. Was having poaching and trespassing / vandalism problems.

those people that own the old mined section toward the bowl and past it have some pretty deep pockets themselves

I called my county commissioner and got the scoop.

The mining co wanted Shelby County to improve a low spot in the road that they were concerned would fail with their heavy trucks.The price tag was about 700k and the county didn't want to pay up and in their research found out that they didn't have any responsibility for the road past the pavement. That lead to private hunt club owner over there asking if that meant he could put up a gate. He apparently caught a poacher red handed this season and was fed up. The county said they couldn't stop him. So the only party that can really give him hell about is the mining company now.

I was told by the biologist the state is considering working on another access point. I think the only person that can change this is the mining company. But I don't see why they would be interested in pissing off their neighbor and helping public land hunters that do nothing for them.

Update: So once the gravel basically ends the land on both rides is owned by two seperate LLC's both linked to the same guy. I won't post his personal name. You can find it if you want. He is a real estate guy and appears to be within his rights. You can't stop progresss and I'd bet Brantleyville will all be posh neighborhoods in 15 years either way. Biologist says they are working on a new access point from HWY 10 near the WMA check in station for next season.

That's about what I heard from my buddy. I'll add, he also said the word is the mining company is about done on that side and are moving operations. If that's true, they will not need the access from 260 and wouldn't have a reason to put up a fight to keep 260 open. Take it for what's its worth.

That doesn't surprise me. It doesn't look very busy or active around there. I know the section to the south of the 260 and W of the private club used to be a mine 10 years ago or so. You can see it on Google maps and when I was there lots of boulders used to fill in holes. I was trying to figure out what used to be there. Was probably walking over a mind shaft, lol. It's cool to see how fast nature takes stuff back over. Wonder if the mining co will lease their land to the WMA once they pull out.

I'd have to look at OnX, but most of the Cahaba WMA is owned by US Steel. US Steel leases out the mineral and gas rights. Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but the mining company doesn't own any of that land. They just have the lease to mine it.

That is true for the 270 and Coalmont side, but that 260 Brantley area is 100% owed by Geo Met. The private part is a S&M Development LLC and another LLC. I am sure it was all part of the WMA or U.S. steel prior, but now that road basically goes all through their private property to get to the WMA. Sounds like this has been a long time coming. The DNCR will build a new road and the mining Co has offered some help is what I heard. Hopefully the mining co will lease the old mining area back to the WMA when they move on.

3Toe a guy we went to school with owned some of that property. I bet it’s the LLC. Not sure if he still does. He’s a year older than me and really tall. Married a girl you graduated with.

Is this in reference to that massive wash out on 260? Road is completely gone about 20 yards wide. Noticed it the other week but not sure how long it’s been like that.

I believe so. Where exactly is the wash out?

260 off of 10. Then stay right to where the creek is at bottom of the hill if that makes sense.

The washout is where 260 crosses Jesse Creek. And it's more like 75-100 yds wide. This past spring there was a burned out Ford Explorer in the bottom of it.

Stksktr, just for my curiosity PM me who you were talking about from school.