Statements of Cash Flows (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Operating Activities
Net income (loss)	$ 7,370,996	$ 8,493,912	$ 11,419,690
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	19,061,239	14,712,188	19,222,123
Impairment	826,508	1,728,162	605,615
Provision for deferred income taxes	1,802,257	1,878,000	777,000
Exploration costs	979,718	1,025,542	1,208,653
Gain from leasing of fee mineral acreage	(7,146,299)	(352,642)	(1,189,648)
Net (gain) loss on sales of assets	(122,504)	2,112	43
Income from partnerships	(487,070)	(420,465)	(405,134)
Distributions received from partnerships	601,300	553,382	523,317
Other			64,555
Common stock contributed to ESOP	326,942	303,843	287,194
Common stock (unissued) to Directors' Deferred Compensation Plan	417,347	443,456	359,628
Restricted stock awards	330,923	152,482	12,028
Cash provided (used) by changes in assets and liabilities:
Oil, NGL and natural gas sales receivables	461,539	251,598	(1,315,445)
Fair value of derivative contracts	388,211	1,404,386	(4,133,761)
Refundable income taxes	28,531	(354,246)
Refundable production taxes	85,926	(124,621)	(69,874)
Other current assets	(108,098)	317,370	(343,961)
Accounts payable	585,912	72,119	(24,896)
Other non-current asset	308
Income taxes payable		(922,136)	583,625
Accrued liabilities	(32,490)	119,487	225,723
Total adjustments	18,000,200	20,790,017	16,386,785
Net cash provided by operating activities	25,371,196	29,283,929	27,806,475
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures, including dry hole costs	(25,147,306)	(22,739,908)	(11,308,506)
Acquisition of working interest properties	(17,399,052)	(185,125)
Acquisition of minerals and overrides	(2,745,069)	(4,620,315)
Proceeds from leasing of fee mineral acreage	7,265,808	389,807	1,316,377
Investments in partnerships	(481,904)	(46,213)	(254,555)
Proceeds from sales of assets	134,821	938	401,168
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation	83,742
Net cash used in investing activities	(38,288,960)	(27,200,816)	(9,845,516)
Financing Activities
Borrowings under debt agreement	43,475,443		10,799,814
Payments of loan principal	(28,600,458)		(21,184,536)
Purchases of treasury stock	(1,158,957)	(1,851,290)	(291,383)
Payments of dividends	(2,321,164)	(2,322,082)	(2,327,504)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	11,394,864	(4,173,372)	(13,003,609)
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(1,522,900)	(2,090,259)	4,957,350
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	3,506,999	5,597,258	639,908
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	1,984,099	3,506,999	5,597,258
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information
Interest paid (net of capitalized interest)	127,970		60,912
Income taxes paid, net of refunds received	1,356,706	2,584,172	3,530,718
Supplemental schedule of noncash investing and financing activities:
Additions and revisions, net, to asset retirement obligations	279,075	113,506	110,144
Gross additions to properties and equipment	46,201,308	27,310,016	11,585,521
Net (increase) decrease in accounts payable for properties and equipment additions	(909,881)	235,332	(277,015)
Capital expenditures, including dry hole costs	$ 45,291,427	$ 27,545,348	$ 11,308,506