The Forestry Forum

In the area I am building a house the following trees that need removed have been identified: Willow Oak, Swamp Chestnut Oak, White Oak, Shaggy Bark Hickory and Red Pine. Should I let them sit a while before milling or mill right away?

I prefer to saw logs as soon as possible after felling.

There are some exceptions, but most logs saw better when fresh. Then you can get them stacked and drying before problems like bugs / rot / end splitting set in. 

How long logs last once down also depends on the species / climate / season etc. Some of the more durable woods can be OK after years on the ground, others start to stain and get bug eaten in weeks over summer. 

I like to saw hardwood as soon as possible but pine I store up off the ground for about 8 weeks to let the sap dry out.

Saw em asap for best color and quality. 

Something else to think about. If the hickory and white oak sit for a length of time, the ends will dry out. Very hard dry wood will quickly dull a band, and or cause chatter. I've had a few that came in with dried ends that I cut off a couple inches of length to avoid those problems.