Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012
Net income	$ 3,170,785		$ 4,088,076
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation, depletion and amortization	11,897,643		9,083,374
Impairment	218,441	[1]	580,809	[1]
Provision for deferred income taxes	957,000		358,743
Exploration costs	35,179		355,058
Gain from leasing of fee mineral acreage	(514,326)		(1,922,690)
Net gain on sale of assets	(208,750)		(119,647)
Income from partnerships	(305,956)		(240,317)
Distributions received from partnerships	389,962		290,861
Directors' deferred compensation expense	201,197		216,724
Restricted stock awards	399,907		148,793
Oil and natural gas sales receivables	(2,170,548)		1,861,278
Fair value of derivative contracts	1,087,443		(93,718)
Refundable production taxes	237,683		72,573
Other current assets	37,971		(48,078)
Accounts payable	426,487		100,827
Income taxes receivable	(117,886)		354,246
Other non-current assets			308
Income taxes payable			283,863
Accrued liabilities	(307,413)		(309,323)
Total adjustments	12,264,034		10,973,684
Net cash provided by operating activities	15,434,819		15,061,760
Investing Activities
Capital expenditures, including dry hole costs	(12,719,947)		(12,074,991)
Acquisition of working interest properties			(17,399,052)
Acquisition of minerals and overrides	(330,000)		(1,443,893)
Proceeds from leasing of fee mineral acreage	527,570		1,978,410
Investments in partnerships	(418,891)		(206,376)
Proceeds from sales of assets	870,610		131,693
Excess tax benefit on stock-based compensation	15,000		75,257
Net cash used in investing activities	(12,055,658)		(28,938,952)
Financing Activities
Borrowings under debt agreement	4,181,199		32,458,470
Payments of loan principal	(5,556,184)		(18,648,969)
Purchase of treasury stock	(507,345)		(1,158,957)
Payments of dividends	(1,164,178)		(1,160,675)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(3,046,508)		11,489,869
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	332,653		(2,387,323)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,984,099		3,506,999
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,316,752		1,119,676
Supplemental Schedule of Noncash Investing and Financing Activities
Additions to asset retirement obligations	78,706		35,816
Gross additions to properties and equipment	13,310,629		29,559,055
Net (increase) decrease in accounts payable for properties and equipment additions	(260,682)		1,358,881
Capital expenditures and acquisitions, including dry hole costs	$ 13,049,947		$ 30,917,936

[1] Summary of impairments associated with certain assets measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis within Level 3