Popular Lumber for Logging in MO

[MrGiggles]

Well this winter I've been cutting more wood than before, we just got a wood-burner put in and I've been selling some here and there.

What I have noticed a lot on this property, is some seriously old saw-cut tree tops laying around, with a large stump nearby. Always in formation that shows they dropped the tree, cut the trunk and left the top. What I'm curious of, is what the commonly logged trees were in SW Missouri, and what kind of tree this is.

The reason I ask is, when I find this kind of tree that isn't so old, it makes great firewood. Easy splitting, plentiful, and it burns good. The trees that I find never have any bark left so that won't help. It's definitely deciduous and hardwood.

The most distinct feature is that the wood is red. Just like Red Oak but it doesn't stink.

My Current guess is shag-bark Hickory. But I've always heard that Hickory splits hard. This stuff splits easy.

 

[stltreedr]

There are a bunch of stave mills in southern missouri. You're probably talking about white oak. Inside has a reddish look to it until it dries out. Some good wood on the BTU chart- and yes, really good splitting.

 

[stihly dan]

Red oak has no smell when dry.

 

[woodchuck357]

just a guess, walnut

white oak would have pink heart wood, rotted sap wood and smell like whisky(no, whisky smells like white oak!)
Hickory would be rotted away.

 

[MrGiggles]

This stuff has a strong red color even when completely dry. I don't think it's white oak.

Depending on how Red Oak splits, I think that may be what it is. It also has a white outer layer that is usually rotted off by the time I find it.

 

[stltreedr]

Well this winter I've been cutting more wood than before, we just got a wood-burner put in and I've been selling some here and there.

What I have noticed a lot on this property, is some seriously old saw-cut tree tops laying around, with a large stump nearby. Always in formation that shows they dropped the tree, cut the trunk and left the top. What I'm curious of, is what the commonly logged trees were in SW Missouri, and what kind of tree this is.

The reason I ask is, when I find this kind of tree that isn't so old, it makes great firewood. Easy splitting, plentiful, and it burns good. The trees that I find never have any bark left so that won't help. It's definitely deciduous and hardwood.

The most distinct feature is that the wood is red. Just like Red Oak but it doesn't stink.

My Current guess is shag-bark Hickory. But I've always heard that Hickory splits hard. This stuff splits easy.

There's no mistaking shag bark hickory- post some pics and we'll let you know.

 

[Morgan in AR]

If it's got all of the bark and sapwood rotted off but is still laying around as a solid top, it sounds like walnut. Possibly cherry, depending what you call a red color.

 

[Whitespider]

Just going on what little info you've given, I'd guess Black Walnut... Missouri is known for it's high-quality walnut lumber.
The second guess (a distant second) would be Red (Slippery) Elm, which will split like Red Oak if it grows straight and clean.
Pictures would be a huge help.

 

[sunfish]

It ain't walnut, walnut wont be red inside. Not any kind of hickory, bugs would have eaten it up here in Mo. Best bet is some kind of oak, as it's the most harvested wood here.

 

[Dogsout]

It ain't walnut, walnut wont be red inside. Not any kind of hickory, bugs would have eaten it up here in Mo. Best bet is some kind of oak, as it's the most harvested wood here.

A hearty second on it aint walnut. Walnut is dark brown when cut and a dead give away is the distinct smell of freshly cut walnut. Heck that smell even lingers quite awhile after it is split.

 

[Morgan in AR]

I've seen some medium dark brown walnuts that some might call red. Red oak tops are going to rot away fairly quick too, but not near as quick as hickory. Really, without pictures it might as well be a watermelon tree.

 

[john taliaferro]

I would put 5.00 $ on red oak .

 

[Morgan in AR]

I just re read the op's post again and I caught where he said "When I find one that's not so old its good firewood." That does sound like red oak.

 

[us2bnuts]

red oak! this is the most common wood in Missouri. red oak will rot quite quickly when dropped especially the outer layers. straight grained wood will split easily.

 

[wndwlkr]

My guess is red oak, has no bad smell, wateroak stinks bad forever&always. walnut is brown, white oak, white & very good firewood. In missouri I would say walnut 1 white oak 2 red oak 3 then cedar. jm2 cents.

 

[kennyl70]

White oak....

 

[sunfish]

red oak! this is the most common wood in Missouri. red oak will rot quite quickly when dropped especially the outer layers. straight grained wood will split easily.

Red oak isn't the most common wood in south central Mo. We have more white, black oak and walnut around here.

 

[Stlshrk]

BTW, Red Oak splits like a dream.

 

[mountainmandan]

1. need pics

2. Missouri has such diverse forest ecology, you are really not telling anything by saying Missouri. I can go one county east and west and the forest will look completely different, with very different makeup of trees.

Dan

 

[Arbonaut]

Cherry.