Having timber cut

Country Lady · #1 08/07/10, 06:11 PM

I grew up in the country, but moved away after getting out of school. A little over 10 years ago, DH and I inherited some acreage from my Dad about the same time we were getting ready to retire. We've since moved back to my roots and built a house. We don't know very much about taking care of this acreage. We've been contacted by several timber companies wanting to buy our timber. We'd like it thinned out, but not clear cut. We're told they can do what they call a "residential cut". This afternoon, we've been to look at a site where a company is doing this type cut. They leave enough big umbrella trees to aid in replenishing. We've been wanting large trees cut around our house, but can't find anyone to just cut around the house without us paying to have it done. To have other timber cut, they will include the ones around our house we'd like cut. My question to the board is, has anyone had a "residential cut" done on your property and were you pleased with the cut?

Windy in Kansas · #2 08/07/10, 06:27 PM

Can't help you out, but from all of the "timber" nightmares posted on these forums make sure you have a paper contract document in your hands BEFORE any cutting begins. Prices need spelled out.

Best wishes.

Country Lady · #3 08/07/10, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Windy in Kansas

Can't help you out, but from all of the "timber" nightmares posted on these forums make sure you have a paper contract document in your hands BEFORE any cutting begins. Prices need spelled out.

Best wishes.

Oh yes, I understand that. Thanks.

johncotexas · #4 08/07/10, 06:52 PM

I can't help you either but as a tree person, I would definitely make sure that you limit any large, heavy equipment to areas that you don't mind losing trees in. They can damage roots easily and you can end up losing more trees than you originally intended. I would also be VERY specific as to what trees are to go and what trees are to stay (possibly tying ribbons, spray painting an X, etc.) to keep from being disappointed with the outcome. Good luck and let us know how it turns out. Take some before and after pics too if for no one else but yourselves.

randy11acres · #5 08/07/10, 07:03 PM

Hire a forester to work for you. He will go over the property with you, decide with you what trees to cut, work out a contract, bid it out to get you the best price, make sure what you want is done. Normally you end up being paid more for your trees including the cost of the forester than what you would get if you went with out one.

texican · #6 08/07/10, 10:41 PM

I've never heard of a 'residential' cut. Sounds like a clearcut with some seed trees left. Like someone else said, the trees that are left, are apt to die, from logging damage.

There is a world of difference between loggers and tree trimmers. Tree trimmers are trained in felling trees over or near homes, without damaging the house... you usually pay, because their insurance is exorbitant. Are you going to ask the logger for proof of insurance? I'd not trust anyone to cut a tree near a house, unless they had a no fault insurance policy that'd cover whatever damage they do.

Get a timber deed and post it in the county courthouse. Spell everything out.

Also, you should realize, in most parts of the country, you're giving your timber away right now. When housing is in the dumps, lumber doesn't move, and timber doesn't sell.

I see very few timber trucks going down the road... You almost have to pay the logger to take the trees... if the mill gives 25/ton, and his expenses/overhead is 25/ton, he can't offer you diddly. Large commercial timber companies have to get trees cut on their schedules, so they can get it replanted by a certain time. Losing money isn't a problem... they actually like to lose money occasionally, as it'll lower their taxes, and get lots of nice tax breaks from the feds on the losses they incur.

Unless you're rich and need a tax break, or you just want the trees 'gone', it's not a good time to sell.

silverbackMP · #7 08/07/10, 10:49 PM

A "residential cut" to me sounds like an excuse to " high grade"; in otherwords they cut out the trees of significant worth leaving the the low grade or non-commerical/low $ trees. Problem is that the low grade trees are left to seed and repopulate the ground and ruining the forest for very long time.

Please talk with a forester.

Darren · #8 08/07/10, 11:13 PM

Depending on where you're located in MS, you could be near corporate timber properties. I'm not sure how that affects you as a competing source of supply. I recall a lot of pulp-wooders working in the state. they'd clear cut a place using the raggediest trucks you've ever seen. Most had home made jibs above the log bunks and a jury rigged winch setup. They were often involved in traffic accidents.

Ask for references. You want to see places they've worked before. If they come up with excuses, that's a clue. Like another poster said, the term residential cut sounds like BS. Around here, loggers will tell you they'll leave trees for wildlife. That's a sure clue around here you're about to get screwed.

If you do have your property logged, you want to be there when it happens. Too many on this board fell for the "Trust me. I'll do a good job." Then they found out their property had been messed up beyond belief. Loggers can pillage a parcel faster than you expect especially if they have skidders and trucks equipped with loaders. One day your forest is there and within a few days it looks like something out of a world war battle scene.

Trees do grow faster in MS, as compared to here where hardwood reforestation takes about 80 years. So you may see substantial regrowth in your life time even if the logger does ruin your property.

TNHermit · #9 08/08/10, 07:04 AM

What Texican Said!! +100

elevenpoint · #10 08/08/10, 07:46 AM

as soon as I had closed on my farm, I had a logger come in and cut certain trees, he was in and out in two plus days.....that gave me back the down payment and about ten cords of firewood from the tops......be clear of the diameter you want cut, the money is in 16'' and bigger here......over a year later you cannot tell I had trees cut....

makete · #11 08/08/10, 09:12 AM

What types of trees grow on your property?

Navotifarm · #12 08/08/10, 01:03 PM

I am one of the folks on here who were badly swindled by a logger! He agreed to clear cut my pine and not touch the hardwoods till I saw how he did with the pine. Every day when I went to work, he sneaked around and cut the big hardwoods in little key hole cuts. When I was around, he cut the BIG pines. He was very cunning. He would load the oak up behind the cab of his truck, then load the pines with the big ends at the back so the slim top ends hid the oak. He did this real early in the morning while I was lingering in bed or drinking my coffee so by the time I was up and outside, I didn't see the oak on his trailer. He didn't make reports and I wasn't following him around with a clip board. I tried to track what mills he took my trees to and folks at only one saw mill, a pellet producer, would say. The rest said it was private information. Yes, timber theft and they were fencing stolen trees!
Recently I went with my landowners' club to a site where there had been a planned timber harvest. The landowners had hired, as others on this board are advising you to do) a consulting forester. He came in and "cruised" the property, marking the saw timber with two red dots (one at eye level and one at the stump) and the pulpwood with blue. These were the trees which wouldn't bring much at sale but he wanted them gone to "release" (allow sunlight and space to) valuable trees to be left. The consulting forester were through a bidding process plus he visited the site almost every day at unpredictable times. The landowners kept an eye on proceedings, too. One of their big goals was to have trails laid out on their land so they could ride along their boundaries on a tractor and access various nice places like springs and wildflower patches. The consulting forester was paid on commission, ten percent of $100,000! He more than earned his keep since the sale brought far more than the landowners ever anticipated. And now they have nice trails, too. This job was done in the same time frame where I lost thousands of dollars and my land is left looking like a war zone.
So by all means, get a consulting forester to arrange and oversee your timber harvesting job and ensure you get paid!!

anvoj · #13 08/08/10, 09:51 PM

If timber prices are nil, and you really just want a few trees cut by the house, why not just cut them yourself? If you don't know how to do it, well, it's not rocket science. If you don't have a chainsaw, you really need one. If you're nervous about dropping them on buildings, get a come-along and some chains (you need those too).
If you really can't manage it, maybe just ask around to see if a neighbor wants the material for firewood or lumber. I know if a neighbor asked me to knock down a few mature trees that I could mill up, I'd be happy to do it.
Logging is destructive by it's nature. Even if you get someone good in there who does the cleanest job he can, you might still be disappointed. That said, there's good loggers and there's crooks. If you go that route, ask around. Your neighbors will know who does a good job.

Country Lady · #14 08/08/10, 10:39 PM

I just wanted to check back in to say DH and I are going over your posts. There's lots to think about here. These and anymore replies are appreciated.

anvoj · #15 08/10/10, 08:37 AM

funny timing- A few hours after I posted my last comment a neighbor walked into the yard to ask if we wanted to mill up a white pine in his yard. It was threatening to fall on his house, so he had it taken down by a tree company, (he can't get around like he used to, so couldn't do it himself). We got four 10' 4" sticks out of it, hauled it away, and we'll take 1/2. Everybody wins as far as I'm concerned. If he had asked us earlier, we would have felled it for him too-no big deal.
So yeah, ask your neighbors.

Marianne · #16 08/10/10, 11:35 AM

We're having trees cut soon, too, and have hired a forester to handle everything. He got us a REALLY good price, and oversees everything daily, has our "wishes" spelled out into the contract, and marked the trees we want saved. Before we hired the forester, we had several loggers with pretty good "reps" come out for estimates, they were all 1/4 of what the forester got as high bid from an EXCELLENT company. He makes sure of insurance coverage, everything. Don't do it yourself. You will almost certainly regret it. GOOD LUCK!!!

Oldcountryboy · #17 08/10/10, 11:51 AM

From what I see around here those timber companies dont leave your place very clean when they get through. There will be big ruts everywhere and tree tops laying everywhere. If you got a sizable acreage, it will be a chore to get all those tree tops removed and then you would need to rent or hire a bulldozer to level the ruts back out.

If it was my property I would try to log it myself and sell the trees to a local sawmill. That way I could have control of which trees needed removing and could take the time to clean up after each tree is cut down.

TnAndy · #18 08/10/10, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silverbackMP

A "residential cut" to me sounds like an excuse to " high grade"; in otherwords they cut out the trees of significant worth leaving the the low grade or non-commerical/low $ trees. Problem is that the low grade trees are left to seed and repopulate the ground and ruining the forest for very long time.

Please talk with a forester.

Exactly...............

fishhead · #19 08/10/10, 01:30 PM

My forestry professor said it was common for loggers to come and "flash the cash" in order to get permission to log. It was rarely what the stumpage was worth but the instant cash made it happen.

Wis Bang 2 · #20 08/10/10, 01:36 PM

Our motorcycle club has a property they use for a sanctioned hillclimb race twice a year. Except for the race spot, most of the hillside is timbered. They hired a forester to run a 'selective' cut.

He went to the township, explained what would be done and how he would oversee the project. He convinced them from total objection to agreement. They issued the permits they required after his testimony and the cut took out a large amount of timber without causing erosion or leaving an eyesore.

The club received a nice profit and the forester clearly earned his cut. The roads in the property that we used to access the hill during the race and to get dirt onto the race site were all re-graded for good drainage. You can not tell the timber was removed.

You need a forester!