Timber cutting

[HOSS]

herfordsires post on logging prompted me to post some questions regarding select cutting certain species of trees. I have considered having alot of the mature poplars on my place cut. A local logger told me that good straight poplars are bringing 500.00 per mbf here. I have probably 150 tall, mature poplars that I may like to sell. Does anyone know where I can get a log rule that will calculate board feet? Are they hard to use? I would kind of like to know how much I have in board feet to see if the hassle of cutting it worth while. What is the norm for cutting on shares??? 60/40, 50/50 etc..

Thanks

 

[HerefordSire]

Are they water locked? How many do you think you have?

 

[HOSS]

Are they water locked? How many do you think you have?

When you say water locked I assume that you mean that water has to be negotiated to get to the trees??? They are not water loacked. Access is easy through a pasture. Terrain is very flat. I have maybe 150 poplar trees. Most are very straight and maybe 50 to 60 feet tall.

 

[HerefordSire]

Are they water locked? How many do you think you have?

When you say water locked I assume that you mean that water has to be negotiated to get to the trees??? They are not water loacked. Access is easy through a pasture. Terrain is very flat. I have maybe 150 poplar trees. Most are very straight and maybe 50 to 60 feet tall.

You can find a formula on the net or Joe could tell you. Generally, has to do with measuring diameter at chest high then estimating height and then plug in formula.

 

[grannysoo]

My 2 cents worth, for what it's worth......

Forget about talking to the logger and find you a forester. This is someone that is in the business of getting timber sold. They can give you a good idea if it's a good time to sell or not, and will solicit bids.

The last batch of hardwoods that we sold had bids from 13k up to 38k. My forester got 4% of the bid price as his fee. He was more than well worth it.

He also got me bids on resetting trees, he marked boundries, made sure I got paid, and kept an eye on the process.

A good forester will make you money!

 

[grannysoo]

You can find a formula on the net or Joe could tell you. Generally, has to do with measuring diameter at chest high then estimating height and then plug in formula.

It's called "cruising" timber. It's the closest thing that you'll find to voodoo and witchdoctors.

Some are good at it, and some are quacks.....

 

[dun]

My 2 cents worth, for what it's worth......

Forget about talking to the logger and find you a forester. This is someone that is in the business of getting timber sold. They can give you a good idea if it's a good time to sell or not, and will solicit bids.

The last batch of hardwoods that we sold had bids from 13k up to 38k. My forester got 4% of the bid price as his fee. He was more than well worth it.

He also got me bids on resetting trees, he marked boundries, made sure I got paid, and kept an eye on the process.

A good forester will make you money!

Your state Conservation Dept. is a good place to start

 

[xbred]

a timber appraiser will give you an appraisal of your timber, but I've found them to be fairly conservative, meaning they will usually tell you the low end of what your timber is worth and or the low end of your timber amount. this is so they have given you an estimate that you should be able to get fairly easy. I still reccomend a reputable timber appraiser, as the other posters have mentioned. but by all means get several quotes for you timber, it can range greatly. of course get an insured logging service...

 

[kenny thomas]

All good advice. To add to it the timber business is in a worse slump than the cattle business. If you can hold it it will be worth more later. When and if you do decide to sell PM me and I can give you some advice. I deal with loggers and timber companies almost every day. They are really having a hard time now.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

150 trees is not that big of job. Would be less than 10 semi loads, unless they are big trees. Find a well respected local logger and get him to look at you trees.

 

[peg4x4]

My 2 cents? Don't rush into anything.

 

[Bandsaw]

I keep a stick like this in my truck.

http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-4.pdf

 

[ga. prime]

Didn't Al Gore as Governor of the state shut down all the saw mills in Tennessee, thus making logging there unprofitable because of the prohibitive cost of hauling logs to neighboring states? I know somebody that bought 1500 acres of prime timberland in Tennessee thinking they were going to make a profit selling wood off it. Found out the haul bill to the nearest sawmill down in Georgia was going to be more than the logs were worth. Land got re-sold without the first tree being cut.

 

[Jogeephus]

herfordsires post on logging prompted me to post some questions regarding select cutting certain species of trees. I have considered having alot of the mature poplars on my place cut. A local logger told me that good straight poplars are bringing 500.00 per mbf here. I have probably 150 tall, mature poplars that I may like to sell. Does anyone know where I can get a log rule that will calculate board feet? Are they hard to use? I would kind of like to know how much I have in board feet to see if the hassle of cutting it worth while. What is the norm for cutting on shares??? 60/40, 50/50 etc..

Thanks

There are a lot of log rules. I suspect from the timber type and the prices he is telling you that the log rule you are wanting is the Doyle 78 rule since it is large hardwood. I'm also guessing he is talking delivered prices.

How do they normally buy them in your area? This is very important to know. The method greatly influences the math and which voodoo hat you need to put on. Is it on weight or do you still have mills in your area tthat stick scale the wood at the mill? Some specialty mills still do this.

150 trees is not that big of job. Would be less than 10 semi loads, unless they are big trees. Find a well respected local logger and get him to look at you trees.

I agree. Especially if the mill he is taking it to stick scales.

Didn't Al Gore as Governor of the state shut down all the saw mills in Tennessee, thus making logging there unprofitable because of the prohibitive cost of hauling logs to neighboring states? I know somebody that bought 1500 acres of prime timberland in Tennessee thinking they were going to make a profit selling wood off it. Found out the haul bill to the nearest sawmill down in Georgia was going to be more than the logs were worth. Land got re-sold without the first tree being cut.

GP, same thing happened to us but I think you are referring to the chip mills. Gore and his little green buddies would not allow permitting for the barge terminals so it made any further investment impractical. Not only did this cost many many jobs but it also hurt the forests because his actions led to the continuation of the high grading practices that are so prevalant in that region.

Hoss, if you got a real good handle on the acres I'll pm you a little voodoo magic I inventorated that you can use to figure this out without losing much sleep over it. Or I can help you do it the right way.

 

[ga. prime]

Didn't Al Gore as Governor of the state shut down all the saw mills in Tennessee, thus making logging there unprofitable because of the prohibitive cost of hauling logs to neighboring states? I know somebody that bought 1500 acres of prime timberland in Tennessee thinking they were going to make a profit selling wood off it. Found out the haul bill to the nearest sawmill down in Georgia was going to be more than the logs were worth. Land got re-sold without the first tree being cut.

GP, same thing happened to us but I think you are referring to the chip mills. Gore and his little green buddies would not allow permitting for the barge terminals so it made any further investment impractical. Not only did this cost many many jobs but it also hurt the forests because his actions led to the continuation of the high grading practices that are so prevalant in that region.

Good explanation and thanks for the clarification.

 

[talldog]

My 2 cents worth, for what it's worth......

Forget about talking to the logger and find you a forester. This is someone that is in the business of getting timber sold. They can give you a good idea if it's a good time to sell or not, and will solicit bids.

The last batch of hardwoods that we sold had bids from 13k up to 38k. My forester got 4% of the bid price as his fee. He was more than well worth it.

He also got me bids on resetting trees, he marked boundries, made sure I got paid, and kept an eye on the process.

A good forester will make you money!

Great Advice---If that don't work, call me, and I'll send Bobby Goodson !!! :banana:

 

[alftn]

I sure as the he ll wish al gore had screwed up logging...he sure did not....I have watched the timber in west tennessee, the big stuff all but dissappear ... easy to get to and gone forever...It maybe renewable but not in 50 years....

 

[Jogeephus]

I sure as the he ll wish al gore had screwed up logging...he sure did not....I have watched the timber in west tennessee, the big stuff all but dissappear ... easy to get to and gone forever...It maybe renewable but not in 50 years....

Depends on what part of ten or kentucky you are talking about or maybe you are only reiterating my point. In some areas there is no market for the less desirable cull timber so the companies high grade the big stuff just leaving the trash. Its very similar to raising cattle. You surely don't want to sell your best stuff and leave the culls to carry on. The chip mills and barge facilities would have helped to correct years of poor management by offering a market fo this type wood.

 

[dyates]

For starters, I would never sell timber on the shares, especially when prices are this low. Selling on the shares encourages a logger to cut the prime logs off and leave the pallet and low grade laying in the woods. Also, if there is an accident on the highway and your bases aren't covered in a contract, your share of the liability is proportional to your share of the logs. Poplar ain't worth .50 a foot right now. Mill run is about .35 or below, that's delivered. .50 sounds about right for the prime. Like Grannysoo said, call a consulting forester. He/she will cruise, conduct the sale, handle the contract, and police it; money well spent. If you would like to estimate the footage yourself, find a doyle log table on the internet or somewhere. Poplar will taper an inch about every 10 feet, 8 feet on bushy trees. You should be able to figure out the rest.

 

[ga. prime]

I sure as the he ll wish al gore had screwed up logging...he sure did not....I have watched the timber in west tennessee, the big stuff all but dissappear ... easy to get to and gone forever...It maybe renewable but not in 50 years....

Depends on what part of ten or kentucky you are talking about or maybe you are only reiterating my point. In some areas there is no market for the less desirable cull timber so the companies high grade the big stuff just leaving the trash. Its very similar to raising cattle. You surely don't want to sell your best stuff and leave the culls to carry on. The chip mills and barge facilities would have helped to correct years of poor management by offering a market fo this type wood.

Jo, you're a diplomatic genius.