Value of Red Pines?

[foggy]

I have a plantation of red pine that I may want to have logged off. It may be about 20 acres. I showed this to the guys on my field trip last December.

My guess is the trees are 12 to 16" diameter.....but I have not yet measured the area or the tree diameter. I have a logger that is interested to log this off after deer season. He's coming to look soon. I want to leave about 10 to 20 yards around the perimeter of this area for screening......and a few other pockets of mature timber for additional cover / screening. I think this logger would work within my parameters......but I want to be here to oversee this.

I suppose they have to haul the logs 30 miles to a mill. What kinda "value range" do you think this timber might bring?

or.....what is the approx value of a semi-load of wood? (truck and a pup)

 

[foggy]

edit: Just did an area measurement using the GIS Mapping on the county website. It appears that I have 14 acres of pines.....perhaps a bit more or less.....depending on my plan.

 

[Jim Timber]

Depends what the mill is paying and how much of a split the logger is giving you out of that.

Smaller diameter trees don't have the same bf in them, so there's more waste and less pay offered for them yet the harvesting expenses are higher.

 

[Cuervo]

Those will probably be pulpwood products, not poletimber. If you cut everything you'll probably get around 20 cords/acre, and pulpwood is going for around $12-$15/per cord after logging costs the last I heard (which was 6-8 months ago). So, if you cut 10 acres, you could end up around 2K-3K for the whole thing.

 

[Jim Timber]

There's a couple mills in the area that do siding and dimensional though. That size is good for knotty pine paneling too.

My forester/logger who did my SFIA plan (not much of a plan if you ask me), said he would pulp my whole stand - red oaks and all. I have 3-4 log poles that are ruler straight and he'd feed them to a chipper... Because it's easier than sending the trucks to different destinations. He's not allowed back.

 

[Jim Timber]

No idea, but pines that diameter may be worth more as turkey/chicken bedding than pulp...especially if there's a facility nearer to you.

There's a place in Onamia that does it. 50 miles one way from Foggy though.

 

[Jim Timber]

This guy's on his end of town: http://www.christensenforestproducts.com/index.html

 

[MoLandOwner]

You have 14 acres of 12" trees?.........you probably have no buyers.

 

[MoLandOwner]

pulp or bedding would be it I think

That's if he can find a guy that will move all the big equipment for only 14 acres. I know I would not for only $1,500 worth of wood.

 

[MoLandOwner]

^^true, but it may work out if your place is between big job "A" and "B" for a logger.

I know what the chance of that happening would be if it were my 14 acres.

 

[MoLandOwner]

About the same as mine. I've given up on having my place logged...just too far to a mill.

How does a guy with 14 acres compete with a state that has millions of acres of forest to log. These guys have big machines that cost big money to move. They want large tracks only. And they sure don't want 12" pulp with 500 limbs per tree.

 

[foggy]

Found a forester that specializes in setting up sales and managing. He's gonna have a look.....and he knows a number of people that may be suited for what I got. Pine River has a few saw mills.....and they are only 7 miles up the road. Not sure if I got what they want.....or if it's gotta go to pulpwood plant in Bemidji or Grand Rapids?

Good conversation......thanks for the info.

I don't really care about getting paid for the timber so much.....as I just want to improve the habitat for deer. Those pines are doing nothing for me......except for some winter cover. I will keep some of that in tact......but I'd sure like more hardwoods and food plots and brush.

 

[MoLandOwner]

Lots of red pines are getting bark beetles, if you wait a couple years they will kill them for you!

 

[foggy]

Lots of red pines are getting bark beetles, if you wait a couple years they will kill them for you!

Yep....and then wait another 20 years for them to fall over and decay? That plan won't do me much good when I'm 90 and grinding stumps out. :(

 

[kabic]

Any Amish run saw mills close by? By me it seems every other Amish house is cutting some kind of wood with a small mill. They may be willing to deal with smaller acreage.

 

[foggy]

Any Amish run saw mills close by? By me it seems every other Amish house is cutting some kind of wood with a small mill. They may be willing to deal with smaller acreage.

That could be a very good plan for me.....as well as for Stu. I could trade the Amish my trees for one of those cabins they build. :D Barter works for me. ;)

 

[MoLandOwner]

Talk about liars and unethical aholes. Try to work with the amish, see where that gets ya!

 

[Jim Timber]

Just so long as it's not Timberlane... That guy said my whole stand was worth 15K. I'll get that cutting 10 acres of oak.

 

[dipper]

Cut them and leave a tangled mess if need be. Cut more aggressive than a forester normally would too. More light the better

 

[foggy]

If I had a choice.....logging would NOT be my way of making a living. UNLESS I had the very best, biggest, baddest machinery......and plentiful operators.....and I could spend my day sitting in an AC office chatting with the secretaries. ;)