What type of "mess" do loggers usually leave after cutting a tract? Had a company just leave our place and there's a bigger "mess" than I'd assumed it would be based on previous conversations. Thoughts? I know I'd show pics but I'm working right now.
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My experience is it depends. I have land in Arkansas with pine on it. I used to contract direct with logging companies on just my small tracts (most are 50 acres or less) and they left a mess.
Since then, I've partnered up with a guy that has several hundred acres in pine. Mine gets cut when his gets cut and he's onsite to watch them. No problems -
Depends, was it a hardwood or pine cut?
Hardwood will leave a whole lot more slash and tops as it's not merchantable.
Pine is utilized more because the tops can be chipped into pulp.
If you're talking trash then that bad. They are suppose to distribute the slash out though. Check Texas BMPs and make sure they are following them, chances are though, if you're on company land they will be following the BMP manual.Comment
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As said above, hardwood leaves more than pine, but the loggers make a huge difference.
I usually can't be there myself so I started using a consulting forester about 7 years ago and have been well pleased. He monitors all work done on the place and selects the loggers to do the specific work needed. Of course I have to pay him but I have sure liked the results. In addition, he prescribes the cuts and burns to maximize what I want from the property. One place is primarily for recreation with timber production being second and another place is primarily for timber production with recreation being second.
I have a tractor with a grapple on it to move slash around to my liking.Comment
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Depends on the crew. We used the same company 2 or 3 times. They never left anymore mess than you would expect. And piled up what they did leave
The first company made HUGE atv eating ruts and never came back to fix them like they said. The last company quit half way through. We have two or 3 piles of pine rotting on the ground and a bunch of trees (some hardwoods and some trash trees) just left in the woods. I wanted to file a lean against the last guy or lock the skidder he left but dad refused. He apparently bought into the owner sob story more than I.Comment
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Also, for future reference. Don't deal directly with a logger... try and find a timber buyer who you trust to do it. I promise you'll be more satisfied. A lot of loggers are looking to get things cheap, and will screw you since they know most landowners don't know the markets. But be careful as there are some crooked timber buyers also. Best to use a bid system.... get on TFA website and look for pro logger certifications on loggers. If they are certified, there is a better chance it'll be a decent logger.Comment
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They logged our lease 3 years ago, and the mess wasn't bad but they absolutely wrecked our roads, tore up 3 or 4 culverts, it was bad. Then of course once they were done we could never get them to come back. They made one pass and smoothed the road out with a dozer and called it good. Oh and they cut one turnout that ran uphill to drain 2 miles of road. I hate to bother the landowner since we have such a good deal, so we just sucked it up and fixed it ourselves. Cost us about 4k.Comment
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Got nuthin' good to say about "loggers"...
For those who are old enough to remember what "The Big Thicket" used to look like and see it today, you know what I'm talkin' 'bout... Hwy 146 from Rye to Liberty...
just one example...
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How the job looks afterward can depend upon how good the timber is to start with. Scrappy timber will leave a worse looking job site. Mowing unmerchantable stems burns diesel. How we deal with tops varies according to landowner wishes. Clear cut and replant, windrow for easy buring, thinning they get spread. Rutting is a thing of the past for those of us trying to follow Texas Best Management Practices.Comment
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Loggers rhymes with Hoggers.Comment
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