Perhaps I should have been more specific about my "area." I wasn't referring to the entire state of Maine, nor was I speaking of the area of Northern Massachusetts that you all call the Portland area.
The ocean and industries surrounding it is 3 hours away. The closest hospital, college, respectable sized grocery store...Dare I say...Wal Mart is over an hour away. Lowes, Home Depot? 1.5 hours away. I list them this way to give perspective, not to suggest I could scrounge wood at these establishments...
So, tourism and the businesses that support it and logging ARE the two industries in my area of Maine.
I suppose I could drive out of the area to scrounge, but any money saved scrounging that way would be spent in fuel and wear & tear on my equipment.
Start by looking around you Jim. I've spent time in every part of the state, Bethel, and especially The County and The Northwoods. There's nowhere that there is not timber for the taking IF you're willing to get out and look and ask.
Here's a few ideas:
Any logging has tops for the taking.
Wood manufacturers--furniture, toothpicks, handles, pallets,etc....all have some waste that they need to get rid of.
Everywhere someone is developing, building or clearing for sale. Ask.
Arborists, line crews, highway departments...get there following storm cleanups. Asplungh line cuts for Bangor Hydro for example; they DON't take the logs.
That's just the tip of the timber iceberg. No long drives, no logging roads to get stuck on, just a year-round pick up with or without a pickup. You don't "scrounge" at HD or Wallyworld. Even in St Agatha there's wood for the taking. Where are you that's more remote ?