The logging process begins.

[chummer]

I figured I would start a separate thread for the logging process I am about to start. I have no past experience with a logging operation so this is all new to me. Hopefully you guys can keep me on the right path. I closed last last Friday and the previous owner agreed to give me their logging bids as they came in. I just received the first bid and was very happy! The seller also told them I would want some areas clear cut for food plots. On top of their bid they also have agreed to pay $600 per acre they clear cut. I figured I would have to pay, so that was a nice bonus. Their bid was for everything 14" and up. I also have a walk through with a forester this Friday. He does not like that plan and wants to mark exactly which trees to take. I can't wait to see the difference in bids with the different styles. This bid was written up so well I almost feel like I don't need the forester. His walk through is free so I will at least hear what he has to say. Very excited to get this process started.

 

[Tree Spud]

Good luck ... hopefully you have a good crew to partner with.

 

[chummer]

I should end up with 7-15 bids so hopefully I will be able to pick between a few good crews.

 

[j-bird]

Just make sure you have what YOU want in writing. culverts, gravel, landing areas, access routes and leveled paths and even what is to happen with the tops - are all things to have covered.

I knew EVERY tree that was being cut on my place - over 700 trees! I specifically gave my personal OK on everyone. There where some the loggers really wanted or areas they wanted to cut that I said "NO". I even had them drop some that they didn't want simply because I wasn't comfortable messing with them. My place was previously high graded so I was hell-bent and determined to make sure it was screwed over under my watch.

 

[scott44]

Good luck Chummer! I hope everthing goes well for you.

 

[bwoods11]

Good luck, and it should be a fun process!

 

[bat man]

How big a chunk was it you bought again?

 

[tooln]

Good luck. A forster can handle a lot of the headaches for you if you have a good one.

 

[Jeff23]

What are your goals for the cut? Do you have a sense for deer usage of the property yet? Would that remove a similar percentage of your stem count all across the property? Are there many species that don't offer much toward your long-term goals (deer or timber)?

 

[chummer]

How big a chunk was it you bought again?

65 acres.

 

[chummer]

What are your goals for the cut? Do you have a sense for deer usage of the property yet? Would that remove a similar percentage of your stem count all across the property? Are there many species that don't offer much toward your long-term goals (deer or timber)?

My goals are get as much $ out the first cut as possible and set it up as a property for deer going forward. I would also like 2-3 food plots and a decent size clear cut. I have no sense of deer usage, I have only walked the property once and it was a blizzard. There is a very large beaver swamp on my south border that I am guessing holds some deer. The property is very mature and pretty much wide open. They main understory is yellow birch. There is a ravine that splits the property in half with a decent size stream.

 

[BJE80]

My goals are get as much $ out the first cut as possible and set it up as a property for deer going forward. I would also like 2-3 food plots and a decent size clear cut. I have no sense of deer usage, I have only walked the property once and it was a blizzard. There is a very large beaver swamp on my south border that I am guessing holds some deer. The property is very mature and pretty much wide open. They main understory is yellow birch. There is a ravine that splits the property in half with a decent size stream.

Wow sounds a lot what I will going through. I will take any tips and tricks you learn as you go through this process!

 

[chummer]

Here is the map.

 

[Jeff23]

My goals are get as much $ out the first cut as possible and set it up as a property for deer going forward. I would also like 2-3 food plots and a decent size clear cut. I have no sense of deer usage, I have only walked the property once and it was a blizzard. There is a very large beaver swamp on my south border that I am guessing holds some deer. The property is very mature and pretty much wide open. They main understory is yellow birch. There is a ravine that splits the property in half with a decent size stream.

I think your forester will be WELL worth his fee on this cut. The trick for you will be maximizing revenue without leaving a birch plantation. I think you said before your high value species were cherry and ash?? I would cut the ash hard, be a little more selective on the cherry and take enough paper wood/pulp wood of the less desirable birch to give other species a chance to regrow. Loggers may not be crazy about taking a bunch of smaller birch paper wood, but I think you will benefit in browse and regrowth. Will your clear cut be on the sanctuary side of the stream? You could break it up into blocks of clear cuts with strips running between to separate "living quarters" and provide edges for movement. Any information you could glean about deer usage of the property in walking with the forester, etc. would be invaluable before cutting begins- you can't put them back once they're gone. Is your snow pack dropping quickly yet?

 

[chummer]

I think your forester will be WELL worth his fee on this cut. The trick for you will be maximizing revenue without leaving a birch plantation. I think you said before your high value species were cherry and ash?? I would cut the ash hard, be a little more selective on the cherry and take enough paper wood/pulp wood of the less desirable birch to give other species a chance to regrow. Loggers may not be crazy about taking a bunch of smaller birch paper wood, but I think you will benefit in browse and regrowth. Will your clear cut be on the sanctuary side of the stream? You could break it up into blocks of clear cuts with strips running between to separate "living quarters" and provide edges for movement. Any information you could glean about deer usage of the property in walking with the forester, etc. would be invaluable before cutting begins- you can't put them back once they're gone. Is your snow pack dropping quickly yet?

High value is mostly maple and cherry and a few ash. There are some big birch as well. I was thinking clear cuts on sanctuary side like you suggest. Snow is still 2-3' in the woods we did get some rain yesterday so hopefully it hardened up a bit. Low teens for lows the rest of the week. I would be surprised if there are any tracks at all other than the swampy area. This property is 65 acres of mature hardwoods in a section of thousands of acres of mature hard woods. I am really believing in the build it and they will come dream.

 

[j-bird]

That regrowth, cover and food will bring them I have no doubt about that. The thing I would be concerned about is what the new growth is going to be. If you increase the amount of light - what is currently in the understory is going to be what explodes - if that isn't what you want you will need to plant what you want. Also consider clear cuts in strips between your sanctuary area and your food plots. As they thicken up they will become highways for deer activity moving back and forth. In my area deer grossly respond to areas of high stem density and either travel in it if possible or at least along the edge of it as escape cover. You don't want these to be too wide to promote bedding but you want them to take the path of least resistance and be wide enough for the deer to feel hidden in. Just an idea.

 

[chummer]

That regrowth, cover and food will bring them I have no doubt about that. The thing I would be concerned about is what the new growth is going to be. If you increase the amount of light - what is currently in the understory is going to be what explodes - if that isn't what you want you will need to plant what you want. Also consider clear cuts in strips between your sanctuary area and your food plots. As they thicken up they will become highways for deer activity moving back and forth. In my area deer grossly respond to areas of high stem density and either travel in it if possible or at least along the edge of it as escape cover. You don't want these to be too wide to promote bedding but you want them to take the path of least resistance and be wide enough for the deer to feel hidden in. Just an idea.

Every area around me that I see cut has an explosion of beech and black berries. Love the bb hate the beech.

 

[j-bird]

The beech sucks, but they hinge ok and produce a mast the deer and other critters like. Beech is a species that will grow well in the shade and typically get released when logging is complete. I hinge cut a majority of mine and turn them into horizontal cover - since they tend to hold their leaves well into winter. I have a couple larger ones standing as they also make great trees for stands - again because the leaves help break up your outline during the late seasons when other trees are totally bare. Large beech trees are often den trees as they tend to rot out in the center - beech is also a hot burning firewood as well.

Much of the oak/hickory forest is turning into maple/beech simply because of a lack of proper management (both timber and wildlife). Folks promoted the oaks too long and all that survived in the understory was beech and maple and final when the canopy comes down all you have is the beech and maple left. In my case I also removed as much maple as I could (hard/sugar maple in my area is worth some good money). They are shade tolerant and produce a lot of shade and very prolific as well. The good news is that deer love to browse on maple - at least in my area. I removed a lot of junk from my woods to allow the oak to have a better chance and to try and get some oak regen. I've also been planting seedlings along the way. The explosion of weeds and saplings and stump sprouts is pretty amazing as well.

My logger told me that if you wanted something else growing in your woods than what you currently have your best is it clear cut and then plant what you want. Otherwise you are more than likely to get more of the same as far as your woods goes.

 

[chummer]

Unfortunately I don't think there is an oak within miles. Other than the ones I have planted. I have seen nuts on our beech twice in 12 years. The deer in my area just can't catch a break. It's so bad we don't even have squirrels.

 

[j-bird]

Unfortunately I don't think there is an oak within miles. Other than the ones I have planted. I have seen nuts on our beech twice in 12 years. The deer in my area just can't catch a break. It's so bad we don't even have squirrels.

Are you sure you are supposed to even have deer?