Advice needed about working with loggers-clear cutting woods for a pond

[WDH]

Way to go, GW.  This is exciting to see a vision begin to come true.  Keep us posted ;D.

[DanG]

Way cool, GW! 8) 8) 8)  Sounds like you did a great job in screening and selecting your crew.  That ol' JD is a sweet looking machine.  Got your message today.  I'll try to get up there in the early part of next week

Little tip for ya...look over that saw-guy's shoulder while he's sharpening his saw chain.  I bet he can put ya on the right track in that department. ;D  I might watch him when I come up, too. ;)

[GW]

Roger that DanG, I didn't miss a sharpening.    I also noticed the chips he was throwing and they were long and perdy. 

[GW]

1979 555

[Don K]

Nice loader for a small operation. If you get a chance, please get a few more pics of their operation.

Don

[thecfarm]

It's good to see things starting to happen.Seems odd to see a skidder with no chains on it.I realize the chains are not needed as much as around here in my neck of the woods.I am driving by a logging site now and the logger is not running chains on a grapple skidder.Most all logger equipment has chains on them.I do hope every thing turns out the way you want it.Those cable skidders are getting to be a rare thing around here.

[GW]

Thanks thecfarm. The forester we're working with said this is the last crew he knows of that works on this scale. They aren't averaging more than 2 loads/day. There isn't much more to show of their operation, a chainsaw and a tractor trailer are the only other tools they're using. It may not be much to cut in a day, but these 3 guys don't have any payroll, they just split the money between themselves. 

[Don K]

Now that's a low impact skid trail. Not much bigger than a mid size tractor, unlike what most of these big high production grapple skidders do to the land. You made a good decision in my book GW in the overall scheme of things you want for ya'lls land.

Looks like a nice load of plylogs going on that truck.

Don

[GW]

Thanks Don K,  at the end of the first week of logging I think I can say that these guys are humble hard working people. They are going out of their way to make sure they understand exactly what I want. At some points we consulted on a tree by tree basis.

I like the way the skidder trail enters the pond site and I'll just have to widen it a little and give it some curve to make the permanent road. 

It looks like we'll get 6 or 7 loads of pine saw timber and maybe that much in hardwood saw logs. I have Cindy prepared to net around $3000 but I'm thinking it will be 3 or 4 times that amount. Sure beats paying someone to cut it down and burn it!

[WDH]

GW,

You have done a good job.  Every thing seems very congenial; even the pine trees wear hats :D.

[GW]

Most of the big pines have been harvested. I'm guessing that this is a load of hardwood saw timber. :P

[beenthere]

GW
No offence meant, but not my idea of sawlogs on that load.  Wonder what others think? 
At best, pulp wood or something for the chipper.

If ya put a straight saw line through those logs, ya end up with two slabs, and that's about all.  ;D ;D : :

[GW]

Chopsticks! I meant chopsticks.  :-\

No offense at all beenthere, I know I'm ignant about trees.

Could it be pallet wood?

[WDH]

I am thinking pulpwood too, BT.

[Phorester]

Looks like more than one log is hollow, at least the butts.  Mabye it's a load of hardwood culverts.  ;D  We grow some of those up here too.

[GW]

Confirmed as pulp.

[Sprucegum]

I envy you your time in the woods with those "old hands", can't think of a better way to spend a day.