• Help Support TNDeer:

Logging

BSK said:
I wouldn't do your job for ANY amount of money! I've not talked to a logger who doesn't know a fellow logger that was killed on the job. Way too dangerous and way too hard!

But to be honest, I'm a bit blown away by what even stave-quality white oak is bringing right now. I'm almost afraid to see what our veneer is going to bring.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I know or used to know several loggers who are no longer with us due to work related incidents. In fact Ive seen it happen with my own eyes. We try not to talk about it or think about it. Ive had some VERY close calls myself. With that said, I cant think of anything else I would rather do. Trust me when I say this, after you've ran some of that equipment for as many years as I have, youre glad to let somebody else sit on it. Its just another aspect of the job. The problem is I cant find anybody that can do it to suit me. My guys don't call me "Captain Richard" for no reason I guess. lol
 
Whoever's running the knuckleboom can make a world of difference in maximizing revenue whether hardwood or pine. Pulpwood, chip n saw, sawlog, mixed hardwood to this mill, grade logs over here, poles over there, veneer to that mill...whoever is merchandising and sorting really has to be on the ball and know what they're looking at.

1st thin in a loblolly stand is about volume, production, and mills running such that they're taking the wood. Fortunately there's pulpwood mills in my region so there's a market though prices are absolutely nowhere near historical highs. Counce is right up the road though...big mill, big mouth to feed.
 
Pulp markets are shut in our area, Loggers trucking loads far and near trying to peddle the pulp wood loads off. We have 30 loads cut and stacked in W. KY waiting for a mill and hundreds of loads not yet cut. Property owners part currently is $4 ton for pulp, $10 ton for post quality pine which is selling to a degree but no current buyers for saw logs so its $10 / ton to the owner. We will resume some limited select hardwoods cutting next week.
 
I don't have any pictures on hand at the moment, but we had a big 90+ acre cut done five or six years ago. Nuclear blast style. Some younger oaks left standing to re-seed the area. Looked terrible. It has come back with a vengeance and by God it's impenetrable and unhuntable. Deer love it. Rabbits love it. Birds are thriving in it. But you can't walk three feet in to it right now.

The big storms that came through west Tennessee last year did a lot of damage to some of our timber. A lot of mature trees were knocked down but the roots remained partially in the ground. We've hired someone to come out this spring and do the best he can to salvage the downed timber. I'll try to get pictures the next time I go down there. The farm has undergone a massive change between the planned cut and nature's wrath.
 
BSK said:
I'm surprised at that as any lumber-grade pine is a red-hot market right now. Problem is probably that there aren't any softwood mills anywhere around. Trees might have to be trucked to Mississippi.

Apparently, stave-quality and above oak is through the roof in Humphreys and surrounding area.
Click to expand...
We are trying to get rid of about 400 acres of 20 year old pines right now and our logger said there is only one mill in TN and hopefully one coming online in KY that will take limited pine at the moment. His last contract only had him taking extremely limited loads of pine to the mill. I'm also exploring some NRCS options that could help rid pine at no profit but at hopefully no out of pocket costs to us.
 
So far, our hardwood is selling extremely well.
 

Attachments

  • logging3.jpg
    logging3.jpg
    139.1 KB · Views: 204
  • logging4.jpg
    logging4.jpg
    123.1 KB · Views: 181
BSK said:
Nothing like going from a little 1/4-acre plot in a powerline right-of-way to a 3/4-acre plot! I love big dozers!
Click to expand...

Exciting to watch the progress!!.....this is a plot we created last summer....also off a powerline right-of-way.... D6 is an amazing machine. (Powerline behind me as picture was taken)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20200417_162624169~3.jpg
    IMG_20200417_162624169~3.jpg
    2.9 MB · Views: 125
JCDEERMAN said:
That does look great. Do you know about how long it took they dozer guy to de-stump that area (the new 1/2 acre portion)?
Click to expand...
Bulldozer guy didn't destump. He pushed the trees over first so logging crew cut cut them up. Much easier. Took about an hour. Big operation. 1 dozer (D6), 4 cutters, 3 skidders.
 
It's very much like having a whole new farm to deer hunt. Only during turkey season did I really hunt the whole thing and only doing TSI did I walk every inch of the place. Way more of the farm was what I'd call sanctuary as we just didn't go after deer in there.
 
Boll Weevil said:
It's very much like having a whole new farm to deer hunt. Only during turkey season did I really hunt the whole thing and only doing TSI did I walk every inch of the place. Way more of the farm was what I'd call sanctuary as we just didn't go after deer in there.
Click to expand...
I hear you! On my place, now areas that were just big nondescript sections of same-age hardwoods have become highly diverse and have created all sorts of hunting opportunities they didn't have before. Love it!

Now, the major problem has become access. Getting up and down the severe terrain to access some of these areas is the problem. We need a ton a bulldozer road-building work, but finding someone to do that has been difficult.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top