Spring and Summer Logging

[Robert R]

I am so new to this, I hate to see it end.  I assume traditionally logging is done in the fall and winter.  Is there anything wrong with logging year round.  Will I be gettng poor quality logs because of all of the sap?  I cut almost exclusively ash, walnut, osage orange and oak if I can find it other than pin oak.  These are not for my use but to sell to a mill (other than the osage orange).  Should I just hang it up until fall or keep on cutting.

[UNCLEBUCK]

According to all the wooden boat building books I have read which requires top grade logs and lumber it dont matter what time of year a tree is cut . Now for a hand peeled pine cabin log early early spring is prefered for cutting tree down while there is less sap in the tree but it is hard to tell the differance because you still get sap bleeding out the knots and ends.  White oak trees cut down anytime of year showed the same rot resistance quality in ships and boats so Keep on Cutting ! I have left oak and ash logs stacked off the ground for up to a year without any end sealer type products and found them to be soaking wet going through the saw blade just as if I cut the tree down the day before . I guess the chances of grinding dirt into the bark while cutting trees down is a pain when there is no snow on the ground but one can run the chainsaw bar across the dirt back and forth quite quickly to blast off dirty spots , kind of like a cheap de-barking machine . Happy sawing ! Lets see some pictures   ;D

[Ron Scott]

One can log anytime of the year depending upon the capabilities of the ecosystem being worked and if Best Management Practices can be applied properly. High and dry areas can be worked most anytime while low and wet areas require late fall or winter logging.

The "spring- break" period is usually the worst and logging has to be put on hold until things dry out.  >:( Road restrictions also go in effect at this time which limits the trucking. We are on restriction right now and can only haul 1/2 loads and early cold mornings. Not the most efficient, but we keep trucking some.