logger training in Maine

[mjeselskis]

What options are there for logging training in Maine? I've been cutting and pulling firewood with a tractor and dozer for a few years, but I'm getting ready to take the next step with a small skidder and start cutting to make a little money off my land. I'm pretty confident in my basic skills but I know I could learn from a professional. I don't really have time for the full 5 day Certified Logger training, but I'd take a one day course if there was one available.

Anyone know of a one day course that would cover the logging basics?

[FarmingSawyer]

MOFGA offers a one and 2 day low impact forestry course which covers most of the basics, including using their articulating forwarder I believe.  I have often been tempted to take that and the 2 part chainsaw safety course because some clients look for accreditation, but in the end I can't bring myself to do it because I have too many years at it and know more than some of these yahoos. I'd have a hard time biting my tongue. Plus I find it hard to stomach someone implying my 25 plus years in the woods doing low-impact forestry part time is somehow not real because I didn't take a certified course or worse yet, I that I shouldn't work in the woods at all because I'm not a licensed forester and didn't take the hour long test........

[mjeselskis]

Is the MOFGA course more safety based or forestry? I'm looking for something mostly safety oriented

[jd540b]

Those mofga folks are kinda yahoos IMHO.  Just like to get dressed up and play amish and pretend to be woodsmen.  Best bet for safety training is the CLP program. CLPloggers.org.  Covers a lot and the program has some things in the works to try and increase the value of the certification.  Worth the time and money.  Again, just my opinion.

[FarmingSawyer]

Those mofga folks are kinda yahoos IMHO.  Just like to get dressed up and play amish and pretend to be woodsmen.

I kinda agree....they do seem to be about action-figure dress up...... But..... they are very good about--and perhaps a bit too much in my mind--emphasizing the safety aspect of everything. They have a great training course geared for women, and I know several who have gone through it that I am not afraid to work in the woods with....but then they had common sense to begin with. However, there were some things in the training I questioned and had to show the gals an easier/safer/more practical way to go about stuff.

If you want to learn every thing NOT to do in the woods, safety-wise.....just watch a few or any episode of Axe Men. You'll get the picture.....

[mjeselskis]

Ax men is definitely the perfect demonstration of what not to do.

The CLP course appears to only be offered in a 4-5 day course. Does anyone offer a 1 day course? I don't need the first aid or CPR stuff, I guess I'd just like to hear some pointers from a pro about things to look out for besides the typical spring pole, widow maker, and barber chair.

[FarmingSawyer]

You can come spend a day with me doing blow down harvest...... I've heard local loggers say it can't be done...... too dangerous....not worth it. Out West it's a common thing. The biggest trees here are among the smaller ones there. And yes, it is dangerous. You just have to go slow, and pay attention, and like puzzles. Playing pick-up-sticks as a kid is good training. It would help to have skylines or at least a cable winch on a boom..... But some jobs are too small for that.

It's not the barber chair or falling limb or rotten butt that's going to get you 90% of the time...... it's going to be silly stuff, like your ax catching on a limb and cutting your knee, or a log pinching the chain and when you free it, it snaps as you rev the saw and the chain comes round and whips your hand, or your chaps catch on brush and take you down.

Add horses to the mix for real fun.....I've been caught under a log because I slipped on the ice going around a corner, I've had my hand caught in the choker when I was trying to move it and the horse was fidgeting a fly away, I've gone down walking behind the horses back from the landing and stepped on the choker and gone for a ride. All preventable. All silly mistakes. I've even sawn through a boot limbing a tree, walking on it 8 feet in the air with a 36" bar. Chain caught my red sock and I thought I'd cut my foot....... Good thing I didn't fall off the log. Luckily I've never been seriously injured. I've always worked for myself or family, never pushed. Slow and stead wins the race in my book.

[CCC4]

There are soooo many fricken dangers in the woods when logging...a 1 day, 2 day or even a straight month of classes can't show what all can go wrong!

Example #1 ...Monday of this week I was cutting. I was having to travel a bit due to it's a TSI cut in nominal timber. I had come out to an old road bed we were using as the main skid trail. The skidder was in the road grappleling up (2) 25ft pine. I walked up the hill and was 2 steps from my next tree...and whammo! My legs got taken out from the back by one of the trees in the grappler. I was almost across from the back tire of the skidder. The skidder OP said he had never seen anything like it! He said a rock or something must have been in the grapple causing the tree to swing a 90* angle up the hill and hit me in my calves like a full swing from a Major League ball player. He told me I was thrown up in the air from 8 to 10 feet and landed in the road bed on my back and ribs. He thought it killed me! As I was stumbleling to get up...my calves were so frogged that I couldn't walk right. The skidder OP asked if my legs were broke. I was almost in shock and said I didn't know. I, being kinda shocked out just went to cutting. The skidder OP stopped me and asked if I was ok. I shut the saw off and started asking questions I guess.

I been logging in and around skidders, horses...etc. for almost 21 years now. I always pay attention to my surroundings. It just happened...what are ya gonna do?! I lost Tuesday in the woods but was back to half day Wed. and full day today...could have been waaaay worse I guess. The skidder OP has been skidding since he was 13, he is 47 now and says he has never seen anything like that happen ever!

Show me the class that you go sit down at that is gonna let ya know about that crap! ! Yeh yeh...skidder safety class...I call BS...

[Southside]

CCC4 -

Wow, glad to hear you are OK, seriously.  However - might there be another reason for the wobbly legs?   Something Micky said to Rocky in the first movie comes to mind... :D

[CCC4]

Ahhh yes!! Ain't the off line version awesome!! Lol!

[coxy]

I have taken part of a class and said I would never  do it again      but some of my friends have taken the game of logging       so I spent a week watching them a few days with this one and a few with the other        I learnt a few tricks and some other things         so this spring I think ill go all the way and do all the levels        its not about the big things its all the little things      I like the spring pole trick my self  yes there is a lot of things they cant teach you but if you pick up one thing out of it it would be worth it    the reason I and 6 others walked out of the first class was this person 21years old was telling us that when you start to go down a hill to drop your skid and drive to the bottom then winch them to you  :-\ we looked at each other and tried to tell the guy that  if you did that here you would be dead in no time     he keep saying try it      one of our guys asked him when the last time he skidded down a steep hill and he said he HAD NEVER DRIVEN A SKIDDER IN HIS LIFE :D that's when we walked out of his class   but there is some good people doing the teaching now  at least most have done logging and or some kind of tree work

[deastman]

Your best bet might be to spend a few days working with an experienced cable crew and watch and learn from them. They could give you a lot of tips on what to do and what not to do.

[Black_Bear]

The CLP course appears to only be offered in a 4-5 day course. Does anyone offer a 1 day course? I don't need the first aid or CPR stuff, I guess I'd just like to hear some pointers from a pro about things to look out for besides the typical spring pole, widow maker, and barber chair.

You're close enough, you may be able to skip over to NH and take the "Safe and Productive Felling" course next spring - see the website below. The instructors are experienced loggers and while they are cutting the trees they stop and talk about little tricks and dangers - it is a one day course. Last I knew they'll even let you cut a tree(s). CCC4 is correct, there is nothing better than experience in the woods, but this class will get you surrounded by experienced cutters with a lot of knowledge. Why don't you need the first aid or CPR course? Already certified?

http://www.nhtoa.org/PLPlogger.html

[mjeselskis]

That course in NH looks like a good one. I'll have to give them a call and see if I can just do that class. I had my EMT-B cert a few years ago when I was on the FD, so I really don't want to take the basic first aid and CPR if I don't have to

[duckslayingpro]

The training we have in Missouri is called PTH training. (Professional Timber Harvesting) it is a 4 day course. But everyday day of the class each person cuts atleast one tree. Have to have this training to cut on stateland here. This is also referred to as The Game of Logging.