windmills
 

A local group is attempting to stop the installation of windmills that will be within 2 miles of where I do a great deal of rifle hunting. Have any of you run into an area where windmills have been installed is it a legitimate concern?

www.ShafferMountain.com

RE: windmills
 

Yes, a small town out side of buffalo ny, has eight of them no problems.There quite and nice site there about 480ft. tall.They did a story about them on NBC monday.

RE: windmills
 

The big problem they are concerned about is water run off from what I gather; there are 3 trout streams in the area as well as swamps. Out towns drinking water is supplied from wells on that mountain the water run off from the pad area and roads they say will pollute the streams with silt. I was told that the hunting safety zone is ½ mile in all directions. I don’t know if the concerns voiced are legitimate or just a land owner who is afraid of land value deprecation. It’s rumored that the founder of the group wanted more than the 5,000 per windmill (20,000 for 4 on his land) and when he did not get it he was hell bent on stopping it. His land would be worthless who would want land so close to such an eye sore. But like I said I don’t know it to be fact it’s just what some folks have said

RE: windmills
 

We have them all around. Heck, I hunted so close to one year before last I was in the shadow in the evening sun. No problems at all except the property value issue, that would be a concern.

RE: windmills
 

I'd love to have one of my own to power my own house with!

RE: windmills
 

I'd like to have one to somehow charge my truck instead of buying gas!! I think they are a great alternative for electric production.

RE: windmills
 

great idea and makes everyone feel warm inside but its all about where they put them and whos land and who makes the money off them. i see shady back room meetings with land deals. the average guy will stay pay through the nose for energy.

RE: windmills
 

From an inside source with a power company I hear those things are money machines. They pay for themselves in under a year and just are very profitable. Unfortunatley the people who have to look at them do not get any of this cash. I like the idea of a cleaner power source but the comunities they are in should get a break maybe or something.

RE: windmills
 

Yep, being installed in PA. The area was horrible to hunt. However, we found some woods that were about 1000 yards away. Best hunting we saw in years. Deer were everywhere. They migrated from the windmill fields down to a "safe" canyon. We cleaned up down there and hit the jackpot. Check your area maps for safe ridges, post there and enjoy!

RE: windmills
 

anyone here lease to one of these companies? I am looking into this now & trying to find some contacts

RE: windmills
 

I live near the Tug Hill Plateau in Upstate, NY where we have a couple hundred windmills or more. Here's what I know about the windmills spoken about here:

Each landowner who has a windmill negotiates a price for each one to be on their property. I've heard anywhere from $5,000-$10,000. It depends on how long certain people have held out then eventually sold out. They have to be there for a certain# of years. I might be wrong, but I think it is somewhere around 30 years or so. They do make a slight buzzing noise. They do some damage to bird populationsbased on the local study that was recently done. I'm really not sure how much damage they would do to migrating bird populations because they haven't been aroundlong enough. The ones that are located near meare huge.One blade will fit on an 18 wheeler tractor trailer. There are new, smallerwindmills out there that do the same thing and create less of an eye sore. Local municipalities really benefit by theirpresencemonitarily, but there isn't any benefit to local communites as far as power. You would think thatthepower would stay local. They are an eye sore, but it would be nice if the smaller versions could be used more often.Road upon road had to be built so that there would be access for the windmill company to do daily maintenance on each one when needed. It seems like a bad idea, but what else are we going to do? I really don't like the idea of them! It's such a tradeoff because they help the environment in a way and are ugly asall hell.

RE: windmills
 

I really don't like the idea of them! It's such a tradeoff because they help the environment in a way and are ugly asall hell.

I agree. Most of the money to be made is apparentlyfrom state and federal grant monies andtax breaks for those who own them. They are an abomination on the planet.

Have seensome here in PA, have no desire to see any more ofthem, but they areslated for a part of Potter County that's not far from where I hunt.

RE: windmills
 

Rediculous. Mountain top coal removal is an abomination on the planet and will cause much environmental damage as well as will oil spills, "burning off" of natural gas, etc. Rain draining over the concrete pad that the windmill is set on will have ZERO effect on any local trout stream and doesn't do anything but perhaps bother some of the narrow-minded locals.I would think that as hunters most around here would be for more ways for environmentally clean energy...go ahead and prove me wrong.

RE: windmills
 

...and doesn't do anything but perhaps bother some of the narrow-minded locals.I would think that as hunters most around here would be for more ways for environmentally clean energy...go ahead and prove me wrong.

If they choose to erect windmills within view of your home, would you become a "narrow-minded local", or gracefully accept them? Stating that people who don't want windmills near their homes are somehow inferior to the rest of us, sounds a bit high-handed.

I don't have to prove you wrong. If you'rein favor of more windmills, that is your choice and has nothing to do with me or my opinions on the subject.

RE: windmills
 

I would accept and welcome them. I think they are pretty cool actually and can't see how anyone would call them an "abomination". The only thing that MAY be detrimental about them is the view (this also may not be "viewed" as detrimental for some peoples' horizon).

In this age of population and energycrisis, pollution,
andsystematicglobal negligence,it is imparative to utilize alternative sources of energy and what could be cleaner than wind? and more responsible for the stewardship of the planet ??(Something that all outdoorsman should be immediately concerned with, imo).

I realize that although many might be for it "on paper", there are many who say "not in my backyard". Well it's got to go somewhere (preferably where there is wind),and if the most detrimental thing about them stems only from our visual perception, that is, to me. largely insignificant. I love to see them because when I do, it makes me think that somebody is on the right track for a change.