iDRY Vacuum Kilns

Sponsors:

One-person cruising?

Started by Sailor Mars, April 23, 2021, 08:52:47 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Sailor Mars

Recently got a job as a forest technician for the summer season, which is pretty exciting. However, I've only cruised timber and done inventory on 2-3 person crews, and was wondering how much one-person cruising differed besides just being slower. What do you guys prefer? 2 person crews or going solo? Anything I should expect?

Thanks!
Forestry undergrad, forest tech and trail crew work

Ron Wenrich

It depends on the type of cruise you're doing.  For a 100% cruise, I found it better to do with 2 people.  It went quicker and you didn't miss any spots on the cruise.  100% cruises were for marking timber.  I have done many by myself.  

For inventory cruises, I preferred to do them by myself.  I used an angle gauge instead of a prism and took plots every 200', which comes out to a bit better than a 10% cruise.  I put all my info by the plot & drew maps of the cruise area.  I used compass and pace to locate plots, so things were fairly randomized as for location.  My info included species, dbh, ht, and tree grade.  In the office, I would take the data and develop a mgmt plan based on stocking levels, specie composition, etc.  

I never had a time where someone was using my data to develop a plan.  On the ground visitation has a lot to do with mgmt decisions.  As long as you have input, it shouldn't be much of a problem.

 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Sailor Mars

Gotcha. I'm gonna be doing inventory, and the first couple cruises are gonna be supervised, with my superiors making sure I ease into the swing of things. I'm used to using map and compass, but for the job I'll be utilizing GPS units, which is gonna be a bit new as well. I've used them before, but sparingly, not really to navigate to plots.

Me personally, just gonna be cruising and signing the info back in to the office, I don't think they base management decisions off of it, but I could be wrong.

Thank you! Any reason you use an angle gauge instead of a prism? I've used both, but I've heard from a lot of people that in the east prisms are more common, and that's what I'll be using on the job
Forestry undergrad, forest tech and trail crew work

clearcut

I've done a lot of 1 person cruising, tend to prefer it. 

Slower than with a crew, better when being paid by the hour. Make sure your company has a check in / check out procedure. If you get hurt with no cell service, it's comforting to know someone will be looking for you. 

With a crew, it's nice to have someone to talk with and bounce ideas off of as you go, hold the other end of the tape, make sure you don't miss stuff. 

I am seeing a lot of individuals and crews using laser rangefinders for measuring heights and limiting distances. The  Nikon Forestry Pro II is a popular model around here. Seems to speed things up. 

Prefer an angle gauge, works just as well, harder to lose, cheaper to replace. Please don't ask how I know this. I've also been working on BigBAF plots. Large angle prisms are hard to find. 

Best of luck, and have fun. 
Carbon sequestered upon request.

Ron Wenrich

I use an angle gauge because they are practically indestructible, and you are the center of the plot, not the prism. 
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

Clark

I find that for most inventory or cruising around here working by yourself is just fine. You'll develop a rhythm to it all and when you can confidently walk away from a plot you're on your way to good production.

I used a prism whenever I could. At least, if you're being check cruised then a prism is more accurate. Generally if a tree was more than 1' away from its limiting distance I could see if it was in or out with a prism. I could never be that accurate with an angle gauge. 

Finally, if you're using any sort of digital device to record data then mount your prism on the end of a stylus of some sort. Go bigger so if you do drop it it is easier to find. I usually used a wood dowel ~3/4" diameter. Sharpen the other end like a pencil so you can use it to record data and you will save quite a bit of time throughout the day not juggling the prism and stylus separately. 

Clark
SAF Certified Forester

stavebuyer

Unless I was training someone I always worked solo and preferred it. Chit chat generally distracts. Getting a good representative sample  is paramount. Sometimes conditions on the ground dictate that you need to change your sampling.

SwampDonkey

Solo is best when working near settlements. When in a remote unfamiliar area deep in the bush, where you're typically on larger tracts, a 2 man crew is better, you can split the plots. Carry two way radios. Check in every couple hrs. I'm often in remote areas doing thinning layout, but I have skid trails and roads to walk out and not on undisturbed forest land.
"No amount of belief makes something a fact." James Randi

1 Thessalonians 5:21

2020 Polaris Ranger 570 to forward firewood, Husqvarna 555 XT Pro, Stihl FS560 clearing saw and continuously thinning my ground, on the side. Grow them trees. (((o)))

Ron Scott

Have done many of both, single and 2 person cruising. Don't have any preference. Just depends if I have the extra help and depending upon how big the job area and time constraints are.
~Ron

petefrom bearswamp

I did mostly alone with a prism, but actually did some strip cruising of chain wide strips estimating from the center of the strip and using a range finder for trees close to the edge.
Never used an angle gauge, dont know why.
Kubota 8540 tractor, FEL bucket and forks, Farmi winch
Kubota 900 RTV
Polaris 570 Sportsman ATV
3 Huskies 1 gas Echo 1 cordless Echo vintage Homelite super xl12
57 acres of woodland

Sailor Mars

Thanks everyone for your replies! Glad to get a better sense of what I'll be getting into and expecting. Early cruises I'm gonna be paired up with one of my supervisors, and then later on I'll be running solo. Pretty excited, so thanks for your guys' input and information!
Forestry undergrad, forest tech and trail crew work

Wudman

The GPS unit is great for locating plots.  You can avoid those nasty briar patches and wiggle around those mini-jungles.   To gather good data, measure lots of trees......don't use "ocular estimation".  I've been out here for 32 years and still put a tape on every tree that I call.  Pull distances on every border line tree.  I always preferred to work by myself.  If something is screwed up, you know who to blame.  Technology (LIDAR) will eventually take cruisers out of the woods for the most part.  As I get older, that is not such a bad thing.

Wudman  
"You may tear down statues and burn buildings but you can't kill the spirit of patriots and when they've had enough this madness will end."
Charlie Daniels
July 4, 2020 (2 days before his death)

BradMarks

General inventory, always cruised by myself. Probably helped in getting out of the woods, when the trees start talking back, it's time to move on ;D. Always used a prism, never a Relaskop or angle gauge, not in my toolbox. CSI plots, by myself and with a partner. 

ppine

Some people really prefer working alone, some don't.
I used to do a lot of vegetation surveys, more than cruising. 
In some remote country, it is safer to have a crew.   It is easy to get focused on your work and forget to maintain situational awareness.  In a place like Alaska that is not so good.  We had some black bears that followed us around and always appeared on our 6, behind us.  The big coastal browns mostly were territorial about salmon. 
Forester

Thank You Sponsors!