Logging on own land

[woodnut]

 Is it possible to thin your woodlot yourself, cut and stack and then have someone haul it for you. I'm talking pulpwood here in the U.P. I was told it was not possible get this wood sold if you weren't a certified logger? I was thinking of maybe 15-20 cords every so often when time permited. Any help in how to do this? Consult a forester?

[Jeff]

I would say the word is not impossible. Many of the large mills such as L.P., G.P. and others have gone to the SFI program where pulp contracts are only issued to loggers that have had at least the minimum amount of clsass time for SFI certification. I know of loggers that have bought landowner produced wood to help fill a contract.

But my recomendation, an I am sure you will hear this from others here, would be to contact a forester. You may very well de-value your timberland, or may ruin part of its potential harvest value by an improper harvest. More times then not, a forester will pay for himself in the money he makes or saves the landowner.

[Ron Scott]

Yes, determine what your land and resource management objectives are and have a professional forester provide you with a recommendation for appropriate management direction.

Where in the UP are you located and how many acres?

[timberbeast]

Woodnut,  I'm not a certified logger,  but I sell lots of wood from my property that I cut myself in the U.P.  You can't have anyone help you,  unless you pay into worker's comp,  and will most likely have to sign a disclaimer for the buyer absolving them of responsibility and giving your property description from the tax statement.  My uncle also cuts and sells from his own land,  and has been doing so for over 50 years.  There are people who will pick up your wood at the roadside and haul it for you up to fifty miles.  They usually charge by the cord.  Some buyers will pick it up themselves roadside,  and advertize in the Menominee County paper.  There's a place around Rapid River who will take pulp by the pick-up load.  The only pulp I cut is what's in the way of my cedar.  There's a place in Ingalls (a fence company)  that will buy 100" long cedar bolts,  7" and up for 195.00 per cord.  HOWEVER,  you should know what you want for your land,  and its use,  and a forester can be invaluable there,  and you should not undertake doing it yourself if you don't have a lot of experience working in the woods.  It's very dangerous!
You will also have to have it piled at an accessible spot for the truck,  or the driver is going to leave.  And might charge you.  Their time is money.

[Frank_Pender]

You might also check with  your extension service forester.   YOU pay taxes that support  their existance and the service is free, as it is in Oregon.  I would also suggest very strongly that you set down with your family memebers and determine what  your goals and objectives are for your land and the wood fiber it is producing.  Within the process, then you will have discovered how you want to go about continueing to produce fiber on the land and when the best times are to harvest the various types of fiber.  You will also begin to realize some of the species that you want to continue to grow and not grow, what to replace the removed fiber with and the rate at which you want to do all of the things listed in your goals and objectives.  If you would wish me to send you a guide booklet for this process, please feel free to contact me.  I am in Oregon.  I work very closely with the forstry extension service here on a continued basis.  I am sort of an extra arm of the Service.  I am a Certified Master Woodlands Management person who helps people determine the above types  of questions I mentioned to reach  their goals and objectives.  Good luck in your decision process.