Firewood poachers living danerously in Michigan

[Rosco]

Where I live in Northern Michigan, the State issues permits to get "downed" fuel wood from State land.

Some guys can't resist dropping dead trees that are easy to get to, instead of muscling the wood out of the brush.

Not all of them are professional fallers.
I run across their work all the time.
Using my rigging,I have snatched down many hung up trees that they cut and leave.

I don't know how much lean this tree had, but it must have had some.



I think this guy just took the easy stuff, didn't want to split and haul the big stuff.
I got about 2 1/2 face cords from this log.
Nice oak, 25 inches across at the bottom, I believe it is a Red Oak.



I really expect to find one of these poachers dead in the woods some day.

Tom

 

[c5rulz]

Interesting technique if you don't care what you say.:msp_rolleyes:

 

[kodiak]

No time to cut a notch?

 

[FLHX Storm]

No time to cut a notch?

Must have been like one of those "Smash N Grab" sort of things, only Cut, Grab, N Run! (leaving the good stuff behind)

 

[Fred Wright]

Living dangerously is right. They're taking a big risk for a little firewood.

 

[zogger]

I see one drawback, the rangers might accuse you of being the original cutter, then coming back again.

 

[cantoo]

kodiak, maybe they suffer from Dyslexia? Cut 1st and notch last?

 

[Rosco]

I see one drawback, the rangers might accuse you of being the original cutter, then coming back again.

Yeah, that's occurred to me.
I like to take pics first, I'm not sure it would do me any good in court, though.

The only ticket I ever got was for driving off the trail too far.

Tom

 

[CTYank]

Must have been like one of those "Smash N Grab" sort of things, only Cut, Grab, N Run! (leaving the good stuff behind)

Somebody famous once said "Don't ascribe to malevolence what can simply be laid to incompetence."

Yet another instance of the "Peter Principle" here. Bad idea around power saws and tall trees.

 

[TreePointer]

Well at least they got the sloping backcut right.

 

[pennsywoodburnr]

I'm surprised there wouldn't be more ranger patrols in that area, especially since they know the poachers have been trying to cut and run...

 

[Tazfreak]

Living dangerously is right. They're taking a big risk for a little firewood.

I see woodbandits leftovers all the time, hang-ups,snags.Sometimes I come across tools,helmets,wedges,the odd axe or blockbuster where bandits have left in a awful hurry.Rangers drive the forest,park a while and listen for saws then follow the noise then'' bingo'' got ya.Permits r needed in public forests for firewood in n.s.w for domestic or commercial wood harvesting.Private forest is best if u ,ve got permission, I bring down hang-ups when I find em so no one gets hurt,if its good dry hardwood I,ll take it.:chainsawguy:

 

[Big_Al]

Lot of the national forest areas and some state areas around here, have a "dead or down" policy. They just ask that you watch for marked wildlife trees.

 

[camr]

I really expect to find one of these poachers dead in the woods some day.

Darwin will have his way with them sooner or later. You can bet on it.

 

[HuskStihl]

Didn't look like it had too much lean, if it had, the outcome could have been much worse. I wonder why they left it? Looks like nice wood

 

[ShaneLogs]

Wow....There real good at falling timber..... At least you got some fire wood out of it.

 

[Rosco]

Didn't look like it had too much lean, if it had, the outcome could have been much worse. I wonder why they left it? Looks like nice wood

They took most of the small stuff.
Easy to load, no splitting.



I wish I'd had my splitter there.
I had to bust em in quarters with a maul for easier loading.

A lot of this poaching is done by people looking to make a quick 50 or 100 bucks by selling the wood.( selling it is against the permit regulations.)

Around here, it's called "bone oak" when it dries on the stem and the bark falls off.
Top notch firewood.

Tom