by Mike Bailey
KDB Group has purchased more than 340 acres of additional property in Woodford and Marshall counties that will serve as an extension of its outdoor sportsman’s offerings at Sankoty Lakes Resort and Retreat, now under development in Spring Bay.
Club 76, a prime hunting spot on the west side of Route 26 about eight miles south of Lacon, comprises some 151 acres from the highway to the Illinois River, with Crow Creek running through it. The property can purposely be flooded during hunting season, which makes it a magnet for waterfowl.
A recent visit found the area teeming with multiple varieties of ducks and geese. Pelicans mingled with cranes. Eagles flew majestically overhead, searching the creek for lunch. Elevated hunting stands and blinds dot the land. The clear, cold water of Crow Creek produces small mouth bass in abundance.
Perhaps most interestingly, Club 76 was previously owned by the estate of Bob Skoronski, an anchor on the offensive line for Coach Vince Lombardi’s legendary Green Bay Packers teams of the 1960s. Skoronski captained those offenses on the way to five NFL titles, including the first two Super Bowls.
Also being added to the KDB portfolio is 191 acres on the west side of Route 26, not far from the Sun Foundation, commonly known as the 1840 Ranch. The former Diebel family homestead, the property is heavily wooded and crawling with wildlife, including deer and other game. On a recent visit, minks were sighted, as well as evidence of beaver. The wetlands are frog heaven.
A large lake has been drained and is being excavated to make it deeper, before being stocked with bass, bluegill, crappie and catfish. A home on the land is undergoing renovations and could serve as a future rental cabin. KDB Group CEO Greg Birkland foresees rustic weddings and perhaps other gatherings at the site.
A large barn also could be put to use for various events. At some point glamour camping tents could be added. Miles of hiking trails distinguish the land.
And in season, hunters will find this a very attractive site.
All told, that puts more than 650 acres under the Sankoty Lakes umbrella, each a unique piece of property that complements the others. All the properties will be marketed and managed through the Sankoty brand and team.
“It’s all meant to preserve some of these beautiful properties,” said Blickenstaff. “We want to have multiple venues for guests to experience all the options of outdoor life, be it creek fishing or seeing mink in the wild. It’s just an enhancement of what we have at Sankoty,” which is undergoing a dramatic transformation from former gravel pit to eco-tourism destination.
“It may be the solution to our abandoned gravel pits, a way to remediate them,” he said.
Beyond that, Blickenstaff would love to see locals and visitors alike rediscover the beauty of the Illinois River valley and its wooded bluffs, as well as all the recreational opportunities this area brags – fishing, hunting, camping, hiking, biking, bird-watching, etc.
“It’s beyond Montana,” said Blickenstaff, who spends a lot of time there. “I see things here that I don’t see there. I’m just shocked by it because I never saw those things growing up. I don’t know whether I missed it or it just came back.”
“There are some pretty interesting people who have been enjoying these properties for years. They know we’re going to be very good stewards of this,” he said. “It’s a unique opportunity to fulfill the legacy that these folks have created.”