Condensed Statements Of Cash Flows (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Operating Activities
Net income (loss)	$ 10,233,761		$ 4,926,318
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	6,139,019		5,308,019
Impairment	2,191,997	[1]	202,991	[1]
Provision for deferred income taxes	1,184,000		326,000
Exploration costs	25,352		38,755
Gain from leasing fee mineral acreage	(29,162)		(196,133)
Income from partnerships	(199,914)		(224,346)
Distributions received from partnerships	256,017		279,363
Directors' deferred compensation expense	101,589		114,069
Restricted stock awards	165,111		127,976
Cash provided (used) by changes in assets and liabilities:
Oil, NGL and natural gas sales receivables	2,672,119		(956,975)
Fair value of derivative contracts	(10,431,194)		891,970
Refundable production taxes	13,205		53,824
Other current assets	99,085		(35,813)
Accounts payable	565,409		414,267
Income taxes payable	2,891,600		1,088,350
Accrued liabilities	(692,505)		(472,288)
Total adjustments	4,951,728		6,960,029
Net cash provided by operating activities	15,185,489		11,886,347
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures, including dry hole costs	(14,901,631)		(9,892,262)
Acquisition of working interest properties			(1,550,205)
Acquisition of minerals and overrides			(56,250)
Proceeds from leasing fee mineral acreage	29,798		216,773
Investments in partnerships	(173,103)		(143,695)
Net cash used in investing activities	(15,044,936)		(11,425,639)
Financing Activities
Borrowings under debt agreement	12,335,774		2,280,280
Payments of loan principal	(11,620,667)		(4,542,536)
Purchases of treasury stock	(120,611)		(122,044)
Payments of dividends	(666,199)		(664,618)
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation	(59,000)		16,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(130,703)		(3,032,918)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	9,850		(2,572,210)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	509,755		2,867,171
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	519,605		294,961
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Investing and Financing Activities:
Dividends declared and unpaid	666,824		663,654
Additions to asset retirement obligations	26,452		53,653
Gross additions to properties and equipment	13,469,206		9,843,214
Net (increase) decrease in accounts payable for properties and equipment additions	1,432,425		1,655,503
Capital expenditures and acquisitions, including dry hole costs	$ 14,901,631		$ 11,498,717

[1] At the end of each quarter, the Company assesses the carrying value of its producing properties for impairment. This assessment utilizes estimates of future cash flows. Significant judgments and assumptions in these assessments include estimates of future oil and natural gas prices using a forward NYMEX curve adjusted for locational basis differentials, drilling plans, expected capital costs and an applicable discount rate commensurate with risk of the underlying cash flow estimates. These assessments identified certain properties with carrying value in excess of their calculated fair values.