Hello, new from Montana

Richgoff · April 12, 2020, 12:14:19 AM

Hello, thanks to the admins for accepting me.
I'm from Montana, I used to work in the woods and built log homes, but ive been out of it for several years.
Any loggers here from western Montana?
I'd love to pick your brains on a few questions.
Thanks!
Rich

tule peak timber · April 12, 2020, 04:37:32 AM

Hi and welcome to the Forum. Are you out of Heron /Noxon? It helps if you add info to your profile.Cheers Rob

thecfarm · April 12, 2020, 07:40:15 AM

Welcome to the forum.

samandothers · April 12, 2020, 09:17:15 AM

Welcome! Enloy the talk!

Ron Scott · April 12, 2020, 09:38:42 PM

Where are you located in western Montana?

Richgoff · April 13, 2020, 01:34:26 PM

Right now I'm in the oil patch, been in it for a few years, been ready to get out since I got in... Drummond is the area I have questions about

Stephen1 · April 13, 2020, 02:35:29 PM

Welcome to the FF, ask the questions, join in. Fill out your profile a little more as it helps when answering questions

Richgoff · April 13, 2020, 05:54:30 PM

I'm looking at some land in Drummond, I've only seen it on GE so far, I'm waiting for the snow to leave.
Ive been told there is quite a bit of marketable timber still on it, from GE it looks like 4-500 acres. I'll cruise it in a few weeks.
I always cut by hand, never with a harvester or fellerbuncher, but I'm weighing my options to cut it myself or sell the stumpage... the only real advantage to selling the stumpage is time - I'll have to build a house at some point.
I know there are many considerations, but does anyone know what logging companies are figuring as far as mill price/ percentage?
Thanks

Onthesauk · April 13, 2020, 08:13:09 PM

Grew up in Montana. Drummond use to show up on the national news half a dozen times each winter as the coldest place in the lower US. But climate has changed a lot over the years.

Remember going to a stock auction there and I remember it more like sage country, hot and dry in the summer. I think a lot more timber as you got higher and farther north.

Had an uncle who, after he retired, spent summers up high and to the south, working a gold claim with another fellow.

Great country for a kid to grow up in.

Richgoff · April 13, 2020, 11:55:45 PM

Lol, it seems everywhere I live it ends up making cold records... I even lived in south Georgia for 2 years and they made a record while i was down there

lil dude · May 03, 2020, 10:22:16 AM

I'm near by....google earth is not a good indicator of timber size or quality.

As for rates...in a decent market figure $70 a ton gross on fir and $55 a ton on pine.......minus $27 for logger and then $10-$25 a ton on the trucking. You would have 2 main mill options or maybe 4 in a really good market. If it's straight pine probably not going to make any money.

Shop around good for loggers and compare apples to apples one guys logging cleanup is not another guys logging cleanup. There's also grants to help with the precommercial thinning a logging cleanup.