Could someone advise best way to harvest these White Oaks?

fishpharmer · September 25, 2010, 11:17:26 PM

There are four white oaks approximately 24 inch DBH at the far side of this small pond (which is at a low level due to the drought). The trees have nearly 30 feet before any limbs on the main trunk.

I am open to any and all ideas.

The only access is a small dirt road on top of the pond (left side)

Do you think its worth the trouble to harvest these trees?

Thanks,
Fish

Gary_C · September 25, 2010, 11:37:53 PM

Quote from: fishpharmer on September 25, 2010, 11:17:26 PM

Do you think its worth the trouble to harvest these trees?

Sure, they look good so far and they are probably dying anyway.

I would just drop the nearest one just about straight towards the camera and along the bank. Then throw a chain or cable around the butt and drag it up on the road to cut it up. Then just do the same with the rest of them. Drop them along the bank as best you can, drag them up on the road and cut em up.

The thing you want to avoid is dropping them up that bank as when the trunk hits on the bank, that butt is going to fly up in the air and that's dangerous and also it might break the main stem in two.

SwampDonkey · September 26, 2010, 05:36:52 AM

If you can use them, I say cut'm. Even if the logs aren't perfect you may be able to whittle out a piece or two of lumber for your own use. You probably don't need a lot of firewood, but up where I'm at I can find all kinds of use for those trees. I don't mean they are firewood trees, but the wood isn't all lumber potential either. ;D I'm wondering if they would make good cavity or platform trees for fish eat'n buzzards? Find any use for them trees yet? :D

bill m · September 26, 2010, 07:40:45 AM

Are you looking for suggestions on what to do with the trees or how to cut them? As for cutting them it is hard to say without being there to determine the most efficient way to deal with them. Just going by the picture this is my suggestion. It looks like the road continues past the trees into the woods. If possible I would try to drop the trees parallel with the end of the pond ( away from the road ) to get the brush where I could just loop it and not have to move it than winch the logs up to the road. Those trees appear to be in some water. If they are empty the bar oil out of your saw and run a tank full of vegetable oil through it to clean out the bar oil before cutting the trees. If you don't that bar oil will leave a sheen on the pond that can be a real pain in the *** to clean up.

Banjo picker · September 26, 2010, 08:23:58 AM

James the only thing I would add is maybe get a choker or piece of chain around the butt before I layed it down, so if it goes in the water you don't have to try getting something around it while its submerged....Just long enough to go around the tree with very little extra to get in the way of the cutter...Tim

Ron Scott · September 26, 2010, 08:40:23 AM

Ditto! to all the above suggestions and operate as stated by Gary_C. A cable skidder would be helpful move the fallen trees up on to high dry ground on the access road for limbing and bucking into your preferred piece lengths.

js2743 · October 04, 2010, 12:00:38 AM

call bobby goodson the swamp logger :D

fishpharmer · October 04, 2010, 04:37:09 AM

Thanks for all the good advice and ideas. These trees are not on my place. I was talking with the landowner about some other business when I noticed the dead oaks beyond his pines. The white oaks were killed by flooding along with two smaller (firewood) trees.

Landowner is now unsure about what to do as he doesn't want to damage the pond dam on the left. He also doesn't want limbs in the pond. Although I told him the trees will fall in the pond sooner or later. I may pursue it if he gives me the trees, since I need some white oak. It would be one of those "is free really free?" Otherwise, the price may be to high for me to remove and mill the trees for the landowner.

When I called Bobby, he said it may be a while before he could help me out, he's kinda busy. ;) :D

Sprucegum · October 04, 2010, 09:43:11 AM

I would just wait till the pond froze over :

;) then drop them on the ice

mad murdock · October 04, 2010, 12:46:34 PM

Sprucegum, that is a great idea. I doubt he gets much ice in Mississippi though. Banjo Picker has a good idea there, wrape a choker before felling, then yard it out with a good winch (preferably attached to a stout skidder). Good luck with it Phishfarmer! Some nice potential boards there, looks like.

pineywoods · October 04, 2010, 08:47:38 PM

fish, I took a couple of big ole pines from a neighbors pond under similar circumstances.
Attached a good chain, then deliberatly dropped the tree in the pond. Water will soften the impact, not likely to break off any limbs. Then used the winch on the kubota to drag the tree out. Might be a good excuse to build you one of them pineywoods winches ;D

Planman1954 · October 04, 2010, 09:30:25 PM

I can't believe this thread happened just now. Reason is, today I did almost exactly the same thingl I had a pine tree fall onto my pond levee from the lower side about a year back. I was sure tired of looking at it. It has dangled across the levee with about two thirds in the air and the butt end/stump area on the lower side away from the pond. I asked pineywoods about the best place to make the first cut, and he said where it rests on the levee. This allowed the butt end still secured with the roots to remain stable while the upper two thirds crossing the levee and in the air to then fall into the pond after I cut it. The chainsawing went perfectly.
The next part was the fun part. Remember my old Chevy van that I pull my restored trailer with? Well, since I've not yet restored an old Ford 9n yet, I used it as a Chevy tractor TODAY. That's why I couldn't believe this thread. Anyway,I cut the easy part of the tree that was now laying across the levee into a 10' log, backed my van down a 20 degree incline onto the levee, hooked up the chain to the log, and floored it. Went right up the hill to the front yard, and dragged it to the side of the Norwood. The next log was more interesting. It was a larger one about 15' long laying on the downhill side of the levee. i hooked up the chain to the end on the levee, and floored the truck. It yanked the log up onto the levee and straight behind the van, but wouldn't pull the hill. I backed up the van, got some momentum and hit it about 8 times, and finally pulled that heavy sucker up the hill to the side of the mill. All that was left was to pull the upper part of the tree stem out of the water. It was about 40' long with the big end right at the water's edge. I hooked the chain under it (under water) and took off one more time. It moved well until I hit the hill with the van, and the tires just spun. I got the saw and cut the stem since it was now out of the water into a small 8' section and pulled it to the mill. One more time back to the the levee, and I was able to pull the rest of the top of the tree to the front yard to deal with the limbs. Whew...I put that job off for a year...but the Chevy van-tractor came through again. I love my van.

fishpharmer · October 04, 2010, 10:15:03 PM

Well durn I don't get much ice in MS. Planman your an inspiration, I don't have a chevy van/tractor and I don't have a winch. But I do have a big ole tractor that will probably do the job. The tractor would be better with a pineywoods winch. I have been searching for an "economical" pto winch. We are having a drought, now would be a good time to get the logs out. Tomorrow I will call the fella.

Thanks everyone. I will keep you posted.