Ironworker
Addicted to ArboristSite
Oh, that's crossed my mind.
Do you cut wood right behind your house? I'm jealous!
- Thread starter johnnylabguy
- Start date
Help Support Arborist Forum:
I bought a dump truck...the logs go where ever I want them to now.....I just call the tree service guys and ask when I can pick up and where....if its too wet out I just dump the load in my driveway and cut and split there...then load the dumper and drop in the yard to stack later.
Scrounging....nah not no more.
dumptruck...get ya some a that !!!!
Scrounging....nah not no more.
dumptruck...get ya some a that !!!!
Easier for sure... not so sure on he cost effective part though.
It would make a difference on how you value your time I guess... but when I'm doing something that keeps me from diggin' in my pocket, I don't put a positive or negative value on "time"... it just is-what-it-is (shrug). At 12 miles away there is the vehicle wear 'n' tear (depreciation), maintenance and extra fuel to think about... certainly most people underestimate that cost. To be completely honest, I wouldn't drive 12 miles to harvest firewood... unless it was something really special, say a load or two of hedge.
Anyway, forgetting the time and the 12 miles ('cause I harvest on the homestead); just figurin the fuel/oil used in the saw, splitter and little garden tractor... I spend $50.oo, maybe $75.oo (maybe) to stack 10 cord oak in the yard.
I don't know what a load of logs sets ya' back... and yeah, harvesting it would mean a bit more time with the saw (splitter time is a wash)... the time spent haulin' it out'a the woodlot is likely comparable to a 12 mile drive time (larger loads)... ... ... like I said, I don't know the cost of your log loads, but it has to leave a fairly sizable chunk for fueling and maintaining the ol' wood hauler. No matter how I run the numbers... even with a 12 mile drive... I come up with $12.oo, maybe $15.oo per cord stacked in the yard. I mean, $120.oo - $150.oo for 10 cord hardwood is pretty darn cheap, even figurin' an extra 30% time/labor factor.
SecondGenMonkey
ArboristSite Guru
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2013
- Messages
- 791
- Reaction score
- 212
Not much available land down here. 
what you do get is swamp mostly. Lots of slash pine and mahogany but good luck getting a nicely wooded lot.
On the up side, we don't really need firewood. It hits the low 50's for maybe a month or two. Right now it's about 74-77 based on the feel. No wonder we get all the snow birds.
Sent from a thing using a program
what you do get is swamp mostly. Lots of slash pine and mahogany but good luck getting a nicely wooded lot.On the up side, we don't really need firewood. It hits the low 50's for maybe a month or two. Right now it's about 74-77 based on the feel. No wonder we get all the snow birds.
Sent from a thing using a program
Ironworker
Addicted to ArboristSite
It's more about the time and wear and tear on the vehicle and my body, I figure one trip in my shortbed will get me maybe a 1/2 cord that's about $10 worth of gas plus about 2 hours, load the truck, unload the truck, it's just not worth it when I can get 8-9 cords of logs delivered for $600 and just cut at my leisure. I will be taken a trip there next week with my kid just to due a test run and spend some quality time with him and like I posted earlier run some saws.
There's @ 25-30 acres of woods right across the street from my house that was logged out last spring I'm chomping at the bit to get at. I'm the only one the owner is going to let cut up the tops, but I'm waiting for gun season to be over to. About a mile down the road another friend of mine had her 30 acre woods logged out this spring and I've been hauling some loads out of it to. Not enough time in the day or space to put it all.
Yep... I hear that... I wouldn't do it either.
Like I said, "To be completely honest, I wouldn't drive 12 miles to harvest firewood... unless it was something really special, say a load or two of hedge."
And a short box pickup (½ ton??) wouldn't do at all, a fella' would need a trailer capable of haulin' more... somethin' that could handle a solid 5 or 6 hours of cuttin'.
I weren't arguing the logic, just the choice of words (i.e. cost effective)... "cost", as in $$$ (although, blowin' out a nut wouldn't be cheap either
)All those tops right by me sound good on paper, but I didn't mention the woods they are in are swampy and rutted making it hard to get at. A co worker of mine has a dairy farm @ 30 minutes from my house that he wants me to drop 7 mature red oak, mulberry and wild cherry trees at. Very easy access just drive right up to them with my 16' trailer. That to me is worth the drive. Only thing I'm debating is if my 7900 would be big enough to mill them. Seem to nice for just firewood. Anybody selling an Alaskan mill cheap?
NSMaple1
Addicted to ArboristSite
Forgot to answer the question.
Yes.
Yes.
FLHX Storm
ArboristSite Guru
- Joined
- Nov 24, 2012
- Messages
- 843
- Reaction score
- 201
I never have to go hunting. When my freezer is low, all I need do is step out the door and decide which one I want next. I usually wait for one to make the mistake of eating my roses and then shoot it though. Justifiable venicide!
My last kill the deer was no more than 20 feet away from me. She looked up at me n I took her right between the peepers.I have a Ruger Super Redhawk (44mag) revolver with a 9 and 1/2 inch barrel that I have used on multiple occasions to kill things that needed killing. But in order to be proficient, you will need to practice, practice, practice! I used a laser bore sighter to give me an idea where things lined up and adjusted the sights from there. Since this is a right handed world it was set up for a right handed shooter and I'm left handed, left eyed. It took a bit, but now I'm usually no more than an inch off whatever I'm shooting at. If I can see it I can kill it!
So get some practice in and soon you'll find that not only can you hit the broad side of a barn, you can shoot the bolts off the hinges that hold the barn door on.BTW, 2 things, do head shots when going for a deer. A quick death means the meat doesn't get contaminated or stressed with adrenaline. The second thing is, age the meat for at least a week to 10 days. To me it is as good if not better than beef.
N definitely talk with your neighbor to see if he would be willing to put off torching the wood pile. Of course bring along a case of beer to help with his decision.
(:-D
ArboristSite Member
I live inside a National Forest... $20 for 5 cord.
Winter is pretty bland with all the leaves gone, but there's always something to look at here:
Winter is pretty bland with all the leaves gone, but there's always something to look at here:
Last edited:
Yeah... I gave up on all the "deer hunting hoopla" a few years ago also. In Iowa it's a group affair, drivers and standers using shotgun slugs, no rifles (but handguns are allowed). When I need to "restock" the freezer I just drink my morning coffee on the front porch and take one... and like you, I take one munchin' on the wifes flowers, the garden, the young trees in the yard, whatever. That's perfectly legal here... shooting "problem" wildlife to protect your property.
It's best, tasty wise, to time the need for fall, maybe early winter... and the cool weather allows lettin' 'em hang in the shed for a week or so before butcherin'. I normally pass on the bucks, they can be a bit "strong" tastin' as the rut ramps up... besides, there ain't no braggin' right to takin' a rack in your slippers and long-johns from the front porch. I don't use a .44 though; I have plenty of handguns, my little single shot .22 Hornet placed just under the ear does a fine job... and quiet enough it don't even wake the wife 'n' kids.
Ya' know... those damn turkeys will help themselves to your garden also
Jim Timber
1/4 bubble off
Here you have to tell the warden and they come take the animal from you. Our deer densities are too low now as it is, so just whacking them for the sake of whacking them doesn't make sense.
I've never shot a buck. Aside from some wall-hanger huge rack, the whole thing would get ground into sausage. They need a good aging, and as was said, the rut hormones are a bit funky eating. Give me a yearling or a big doe any day. The tenderloins self destruct when cut with a steak knife. Mmmmmm!
I've never shot a buck. Aside from some wall-hanger huge rack, the whole thing would get ground into sausage. They need a good aging, and as was said, the rut hormones are a bit funky eating. Give me a yearling or a big doe any day. The tenderloins self destruct when cut with a steak knife. Mmmmmm!
....and rides a Street Glide....Wow a lady after my heart. Like to cut wood and shoot guns.
StephieDoll
ArboristSite Operative
I can just call the wood fairy. Although there are plenty of times I try to make myself available to go to the job sites, and work as ground crew. Most of that is a few miles to a few blocks away. 
Fred Wright
Addicted to ArboristSite
Yep... the woodlot we own is next door. No OTR traveling. It's just an acre but heavily wooded. We're about halfway through it now.
When I'm gonna spend the day cutting, just hitch the cart to the little tractor. Load the saw, fuel, bar oil and other assorted accoutrements in the cart and drive over to where I'll be working. Load the cart with rounds, drive it to the yard. Unload, drive back for another load.
All around us is woods, owned by a neighbor family. I considered asking about cutting across the boundary but probably won't fuss with it. It's all sweet gum, black gum, red maple and mud, same as we have over here. If they had oaks and other hardwoods I'd be knockin' on their door.
When I'm gonna spend the day cutting, just hitch the cart to the little tractor. Load the saw, fuel, bar oil and other assorted accoutrements in the cart and drive over to where I'll be working. Load the cart with rounds, drive it to the yard. Unload, drive back for another load.
All around us is woods, owned by a neighbor family. I considered asking about cutting across the boundary but probably won't fuss with it. It's all sweet gum, black gum, red maple and mud, same as we have over here. If they had oaks and other hardwoods I'd be knockin' on their door.
sunfish
Fish Head
I cut all around my house, live in the middle of 400 acres, mostly woods.
Haven't cut anywhere else in over 23 years.
Haven't cut anywhere else in over 23 years.
740jsmayle
ArboristSite Operative
I just met my neighbors brother yesterday. He's in town for deer season. He owns all the woods from the original family farm. He told me I can cut the dead and down trees. This will be my second firewood spot the other is about an 8 mile round trip from the house. I usually get a pretty good jag on the old gmc for that trip.
"Wood Fairy!" Funny stuff - even though that "Wood Fairy" rang my doorbell last night, asking if he could drop a load of ash in my yard. He owns a tree service and his own 'dump' is full 'til he can burn everything in the pile. Snow's coming and he can't pile any more in there and still clear the snow. So...there'll be a few loads dropped at my place in the next few days. Am I complaining? Ha!
I do have to contend with the branches and some stump grindings but it's worth the bother.
Jon
I do have to contend with the branches and some stump grindings but it's worth the bother.
Jon
