White Pine

[Jeff]

Stan from Wisconsin writes:

My father, an 81 yr. old die-hard forester from days of old, has cut and skid "on the landing" a large number of white pine logs.  We have learned that a "fair" price for them as standing timber would be between $110-$140 per thousand feet (as per DNR Stumpage Rates-2001).  A man has offered $118/thousand board feet.  But my dad has been away from this business long enough to not know what additional fee would be fair for his labor cutting and skidding them out to a loading area.

[Ron Wenrich]

A lot depends on how much you expect in return, and how much your actual costs were.  I recall hearing a $50/mbf figure for logging costs.  

We have been buying some pine logs delivered in at $40/ton.  Some mills are down at $35/ton.  Figure about 5 tons/Mbf, less trucking for a fair price.  Pulpwood is bringing $25/ton, delivered.

The problem is that you're between a rock and a hard place.  If you hang on to the logs while waiting for a fair price, blue stain will develop and the value declines even further.

[Ron Scott]

Add your falling, bucking, and skidding costs to your $118.00/MBF offered price to see if it is acceptable with the purchaser.

If not, check what the average price for falling, bucking, and skidding is in your area from your local Wisconsin DNR, National Forest, Extension Service, or professional Consulting Forester.

They should have local timber appraisal data available for your information.  

[timberbeast]

You could also bring in a mobile sawyer and sell the lumber.  It would bring a lot more sawn.  Stickered and stacked,  you should get at least 300/mbf if you advertize in the paper.