Cutting on someone elses property

[Haywire Haywood]

I started to post this under the theft thread, but decided to start a new one.

Cutting on someone's property:
I was cutting on a guys property about a month ago. I didn't know him personally, it was a 'friend of a friend' situation. My friend took me out and showed me which trees that the owner wanted down. Well... there was a communication problem somewhere along the line. I had a tree down, a pretty good sized one for my skill level and was loading it up when the land owner walked up. I shook his hand and made the comment that it was a pretty good sized tree and would take me about 2 or 3 trips to get it out. He said, "Yep, that's a pretty big one, but it's the wrong one. I wanted that one down." He then pointed to another tree about 30yds off that was about half the size of the one I had just dropped. -GULP- DANG- I apologized profusely and explained to him that it was the one I had been shown. I called my friend, and sure enough, he had shown me the wrong tree. Luckily the land owner chalked it up to bad communication and wasn't PO'd. The next day I bought a roll of blaze orange engineer tape and asked that he mark the trees that he wanted down so there would be no more confusion. The weather has been too wet here lately to go there (next to a pond, so a bit soft when wet), so maybe when it dries up a bit I will go back and see if he used the tape.

Ian

 

[wahoowad]

Sounds like it all worked out!

 

[Haywire Haywood]

My point is, how do you guys that cut on other's property, or allow others to cut on yours control what is taken and what isn't? Anyone had an experience similar to mine? Another time I gave the owner a can of spray paint and he spotted the trees to be taken.

Ian

 

[SWI Don]

I think you have the right thing started. Spray paint and ribbon go a long ways towards clear communication.

I am cutting on my dad's neighbors some lately working all of the dead and dead fallen trees out of a fenceline. Basically if it's dead it needs to go.
They are mostly elms some american and some red.

Good luck cutting.

Don

 

[wdchuck]

We take a walk and use spray paint if warm enough, or a hatchet to make an easily visible notch.

For more of a clearing approach, it gets mapped out.

 

[Bowtie]

Every place I go to look at prospective trees to be felled I take orange construction marking paint. I did exactly as you described Haywire, but the landowner was a jerk and called the sheriff on me. I escaped charges, but it was a bad deal. I will never make that mistake again. Also, I never fell a tree until i speak directly with the owner.

 

[Butch(OH)]

I am on the other side here, land owner and it amazes me how many ask for hunting, firewood cutting etc on others land take it upon themselves to transfer any privileges to others. Now if your buddy had specific permission to do so that is different but most land owners here wont allow that because next thing you know your land has become free range. To answer your questions specifically. I first impart to a hunter or firewood cutter that he has no permission to invite others to enjoy his privilege. Secondly we take a walk so he knows what is mine. And third in the case of those who need wood I show them specifically what they may cut. If they dont know a walnut from an elm I mark trees. Most of the time they never come back anyway. They just cant seem to figure out why they cant cut my nice straight walnuts and cherries for firewood and dont want to be bothered cutting out of fence rows.

 

[Bowtie]

Please dont think I was trying to bash the landowner. You are right in saying that when you give a person permission to cut wood on your property, you are giving THAT PERSON permission, not all his buddies. I got involved in that once, never again. I can understand from a landowner perspective now how angry I would be if a person I didnt know was cutting wood on my property, and cutting trees I didnt want cut. Just sucks in my eyes that so few idiots ruin it for people that just want to cut dead trees for firewood. When I was a child, I used to help my dad cut wood, and most landowners were happy to invite anyone to cut and haul away the dead trees. Nowadays, the world is so different Its hard to trust anyone.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Haywood, when you go back, pack along a case of the property owners favorite beverage.

Mabye even split up some of his nice big tree for him to burn?


This will work wonders.

 

[pyromaniac guy]

Every place I go to look at prospective trees to be felled I take orange construction marking paint. I did exactly as you described Haywire, but the landowner was a jerk and called the sheriff on me. I escaped charges, but it was a bad deal. I will never make that mistake again. Also, I never fell a tree until i speak directly with the owner.

did you mark the trees before you talked to the landowner?

 

[tawilson]

Haywood, when you go back, pack along a case of the property owners favorite beverage.

Mabye even split up some of his nice big tree for him to burn?


This will work wonders.

Excellent suggestion.

 

[redprospector]

The only thing I can think of to add is: If you are cutting on anothers property, have the property owner flag the property line. That way if you get accused of cutting across the boundry, you won't be guilty by assumption.
Being in court for cutting the neighbors trees (marked or not) is no fun.

Andy

 

[buckwheat]

I always do a walk through with the land owner and mark the trees with a spray can "X" while he's watching. I also make sure to discuss how to gain access, what my schedule is so he knows when to expect me and how long it will take, and if there are any issues with running equipment before a certain time. I let him know that there will be smaller limbs and trash left on site. If there is any chance of needing to go onto someone else's land, either for access or to drop a tree, we end up talking to them as well.

and I'm also very up front about what I can and can't handle. If a tree is too close to a house for my liking, I tell them to call a pro to drop it, then I'll clear out the wood. Everybody's happy on those jobs.

My mantra is "no surprises." That way, everyone stays happy and word gets around.