Verifying TSI work was done right

[Bill]

They must work for the road crew during the week.

 

[Dogshooter]

You got hosed by looking at those pics.

 

[SWIFFY]

Coyote hunters with dogs always want to hunt my place. I try to restrict access, however state law says that if they want to go in there to catch their dogs, I can not deny access.

One guy went in there and eventually came out and said there was no way to catch his dog as it was so dang thick!


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Thats when you say... "Okay... I have about 50 snares set out there, just FYI."

 

[yoderjac]

Hi all,

Looking for some opinions… I paid a habitat management company to come out and perform TSI( specifically for wildlife) on eight acres . They charged me 2600 dollars. A crew of 6 showed up for one day, and performed the work. I just walk the 8 acres and Iam underwhelmed with the work they performed. They mainly cut downlike wrist size trees down. In my mind I was expecting them to cut larger trees to get more sun onto the floor. Iam trying to figure out if the people I hired performed a good job and it’s just my ignorance on the subject.

Thanks,
Brad

It all boils down to having a contract that specifies exactly what work you will have done. I would not go down the "habitat management company" route. At least hear, there are too many great free resources to provide consultation. Our Forestry and Game departments as well as USDA/NRS biologists will evaluate and provide free advise. I'd develop a specific plan using those recommendations and then hire someone to implement that plan.

Having said that, I don't think you were taken to the cleaners. You paid about $55/hr for the expertise, equipment, and labor. Presuming they put in a full day of work, that was not outrageous. I can't speak to what their expertise was worth or whether your expectations were realistic.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[sandbur]

The deer habitat industry's buzz word for tree stumps that sprout after being cut because those sprouts are higher in minerals due to the large established root structure feeding them.

I guess I am out of the loop. I was satisfied to hear the new growth was full of protein and preferred browse.

I hope the deer now appreciate them being called ‘mineral stumps.’

;)


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[yoderjac]

I guess I am out of the loop. I was satisfied to hear the new growth was full of protein and preferred browse.

I hope the deer now appreciate them being called ‘mineral stumps.’

;)


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I think it was the guys at MSU deer labs that coined that term after doing some testing on the leaf content.

 

[Bszweda]

I hope the value will be in invasive control, which I just can’t see yet. I feel like I could tell one or two guys did decent work just by certain areas. The other 4 must of just stood around holding a stop sign or something. I also came to the conclusion I’ll just probably end up doing my own work from now on for timber improvement / invasive control. I ended up spraying locust and AO today, and in the process kicked up a turkey nested in a multiflora rose thicket. (scared the heck out of me) then about 15 quail in a locust thicket. Some what ironic birds were nesting in invasive. It makes sense as a predator isn’t very likely to explore these places because of thorns.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

You paid about $55/hr for the expertise, equipment, and labor. Presuming they put in a full day of work, that was not outrageous. I can't speak to what their expertise was worth or whether your expectations were realistic.

Add insurance, payroll taxes, marketing, travel, etc. When I think about my average hourly salary at work and what my time doing habitat work would be worth at that same rate, it provides interesting perspective.

@Bszweda very well might have gotten his money's worth based on invasive control work.

In the past couple weeks i've went out for quotes on having the buckthorn removed from roughly 5 acres of the lot my house sits on. First quote was a ballpark of $15-20k. This vendor insisted on turning everything except desirable standing trees to mulch (there is a fair bit of deadfall) and making it look like a park even though I insisted all I cared about was buckthorn removal. Second vendor gave me a ballpark of $6k, which I think is low. $6k is about what i figured my skidsteer and forestry mulcher attachment rental + fuel costs would be. I'm hiring the second guy.

 

[Brian662]

Add insurance, payroll taxes, marketing, travel, etc. When I think about my average hourly salary at work and what my time doing habitat work would be worth at that same rate, it provides interesting perspective.

@Bszweda very well might have gotten his money's worth based on invasive control work.

In the past couple weeks i've went out for quotes on having the buckthorn removed from roughly 5 acres of the lot my house sits on. First quote was a ballpark of $15-20k. This vendor insisted on turning everything except desirable standing trees to mulch (there is a fair bit of deadfall) and making it look like a park even though I insisted all I cared about was buckthorn removal. Second vendor gave me a ballpark of $6k, which I think is low. $6k is about what i figured my skidsteer and forestry mulcher attachment rental + fuel costs would be. I'm hiring the second guy.

I'm having some buckthorn removal done this year myself. I paid a contractor to bring in a fecon mower for the little stuff in the flat areas, then two man crew would tackle the hills.
I'll be the one handling the big stuff. My friend and I already took down a bunch of the big stuff and burned it this winter, the rest I'll be basal bark spraying this spring/summer. Cutting and stump treating, then burning the 30' tall buckthorn on hillsides with a foot of snow on the ground makes for a long day in the woods. Bought my buddy a Silky Zubat for the help.