Logging new property

[Rob30]

Anyone have experience logging their land? I am considering doing some logging next winter. We can harvest poplar, maple, white birch, yellow birch, spruce and red pine. There may be other species but these are the most poular.
I have learned that poplar pulp logs are going for $20/ton, spruce pulp is $30/ton and spruce saw logs are going for $40/ton. I am not interested in doing any fire wood unless it is by the log length. My math shows aproximately $800-$1800 per truck load depending on what I harvest.
I am thinking I can probably cut and limb a truck load of logs in about 1 week, it the logs are a decent size. I would need to buy a log winch for the tractor to speed up the process.

[haypoint]

Cut, limb and pile where a truck can get to? Be hard pressed to get 40 ton on a truck, easier with red pine, I guess. Want to lock in a buyer before you get to cutting. Big mill north of Iron Bridge goes through a lot of logs.

[DaleK]

Talk to someone at your local stewardship council and see what help they can give you. I think you'd be in the Greater Ni----ing one?

[fordson major]

might be a bit late this season Rob!! your Belarus will handle a good sized winch. is there any "provincaly signifigant wetlands" on the new property? seems some folks can get away with logging them but others can't get within 100 meters and they get fined!

[Rob30]

From what I understand we are clear to log the whole property. There is a stream goin through the property that we have to stay 100 ft off of, but that is no problem. There is about 200 acres of mixed bush. We are friends with the current owner of the property, but this is business so I need some more information. When the current owner assessed the property he said there is more than enough wood to pay for the property if we log it our self. If we pay to have it logged we lose 2/3 the money and have less control on what is cut. There are some area we want clear cut to expand and join pasture land, we also want to clean out the maple bush, so we can do syrup easier. I don't need to log the whole property quickly. I am hoping to get 3-5 transport loads out per winter. There is a local buyer that is supposed to be good to deal with. He pays immediately which is important in this industry.
I would need some more equipment. I have one good husky saw. We do cut our own firewood most years, so I have the basics. I probably need a winch and another saw, as well as chaps and a helmut.

[texican]

If you plan on logging it yourself, I take my hat off to you... Even using a tractor, your looking at a whole lot of 'real work'. I cut pulpwood for a few weeks during Christmas break one year (when you still cut the short wood logs)... total exhaustion at the end of the day!

[fordson major]

so you have the summer to line up buyers. Dale has a good suggestion, here are some links http://www.eomf.on.ca/index.php?opti...197&Itemid=328

maybe a small sawmill and sell cut lumber, even more value.

[Hoopjohn]

Don't even think of starting your chainsaw until you have buyers, trucking, and all the logistics resolved.
Then you'll know exactly where you're at, money wise.

One of my neighbors started logging some red pine trees (8' pulp) 20 years ago.....without a clue. He thought a log truck could make 6 stops along his field, and that he would be receiving several thousand dollars for one 10 cord truckload of wood. The reality in this area is that no trucker is willing to make 6 loading stops for one truckload of pulp, and the landowner MAY receive approx. $500 per truckload of pulp, given they do all the work to get the wood "roadside".

[Joe.G]

Please don't take anything I say the wrong way, I do not know what you can and can not do.

I log my property once a year, Have to do it in the winter, other wise everything will get rutted up if it is not froze.

Here is my take, and yes if someone is determined to do it they can, I don't think you understand how much work it takes even if you have the right equipment.

Working in the woods can be dangerous, It is not easy to fell a tree, And if the woods are tight it is even harder, You don't want trees getting hung up. just makes it even harder.
All of the trees you cut down are going to need to be limbed which can be a job in it self, you have to plan your route so you don't get your self blocked in, You will also need to plan out your landing so there is easy access for everyone and also that the ground is firm.

You most likely are not going to find a truck drive who will make multiple stops especially for something that pays as little as pulp wood does, It also depends how far away the Pulp wood plant is to see if it is even worth hauling out, May make more selling as fire wood. You are not going to pay off the property by logging pulp.

The only wood that you have listed that is worth any kind of real money is the Maple and that is if it is decent wood, straight clear and of good size.

Of course every area is different but around here the rest are not worth much, The Pine and spruce is ok if you get a enough and have a place close to buy it. I am lucky I have a mill 4 Miles from my place and I get a good price on it. But I am also able to haul it myself or have good friends of mine do it so trucking is not a issue for me.

You are going to need and want more then one chain saw, and you should go with Pro saws, You say you have a husky, What model? If you plan on logging this property and hitting it heavy you should have 3 or 4 saws, You will want something in the 70-80 cc range, something in the 50-60 cc range, and you will want maybe something smaller to make limbing easier. Saw will get stuck, and break, you don't want to have to call it a day because your saw is pinched and you can't get it out, you need back ups.

If you want give it a try and good luck to you, But you may find that it will be better in the long haul to hire a pro.

Here is what I did this winter.

http://www.forestryforum.com/board/i...c,64037.0.html

[Joe.G]

SO how is it going?

[Rob30]

We have decided against the logging of the new property. I have some logging I can do on my current land, plus firewood. Although I am interested in logging the land, I think I will not end up haveing adequate time to do it.

[Joe.G]

I think you have made a very wise choice.