Tree marking paint for leave trees

wmrussel · August 30, 2011, 09:18:14 PM

I'm looking to start marking leave instead of take trees in my timber sales. Any ideas on color and type of paint? I would like something that would either fade/degrade off the trees for aesthetic reasons. Of course, it has to last over a year, giving the loggers time to harvest.

WDH · August 30, 2011, 09:23:23 PM

I have used flagging tape on smaller areas with good results. The cutterman can see the flagging from any direction, and the flagging will finally degrade from sunlight and fall off. It might not be practical for large areas.

wmrussel · August 30, 2011, 10:21:00 PM

I thought about flagging, but want to stump mark my trees to be sure they don't cut any leave trees. Depending on the logger, I may forgo that and use the flagging. It could get pricey, though. I have a lot of acreage to mark.

WDH · August 30, 2011, 10:46:23 PM

I have free thinned (no take-out rows) using flagging to mark the leave trees. The advantage is that the cutter operator can see the marked trees from any direction, making it easy to get to the trees the best way without damaging the leave trees. The free thin ends up looking like a natural even-aged stand because you lose the row effect.

Ron Scott · August 31, 2011, 08:37:11 PM

We often use Nelson's EconoSpot paint in their Teal Green color for marking leave trees for longer term needs. It is not too long lasting and seems to be less obtrusive than the other bright colors.

Ribbon is used for short term jobs and where stump marks aren't necessary.

Phorester · September 04, 2011, 10:52:02 PM

I'd also recommend Nelson Econo Paint. Available from Forestry Suppliers, and others I'm sure. Advertising says it lasts 2 - 3 years. Personally I like bright blue for marking. It's an unnatural color in the woods so is easily seen in every season, and easily seen on any tree species no matter what color or texture of the bark. Unless of course your logger is color blind......... which happened to me on one occasion.

Ron Scott · September 05, 2011, 10:38:51 AM

Yes, I've experienced color blind loggers also. Had to remark the trees with orange. ;)

wmrussel · September 05, 2011, 05:46:24 PM

Quote from: Phorester on September 04, 2011, 10:52:02 PM
I'd also recommend Nelson Econo Paint. Available from Forestry Suppliers, and others I'm sure. Advertising says it lasts 2 - 3 years. Personally I like bright blue for marking. It's an unnatural color in the woods so is easily seen in every season, and easily seen on any tree species no matter what color or texture of the bark. Unless of course your logger is color blind......... which happened to me on one occasion.

~

I´ve been amazed at how long that econo spot lasts. I mark my clear cuts with red. I have seen some of my paint that´s stuck around for 5 years. I would love to use flagging, but need to figure costs AND I don´t have a logger whom I would use without stump marks, yet.

KBforester · September 05, 2011, 08:18:02 PM

I'd say no to flagging... just because it takes so darn long to tie one all the way around. If your like me, you paint a clear band all the way around anyways.

What species are you marking? Depending on how light or dark the bark is, a bland orange sticks out just enough to see for a couple of years, but blends in quickly.

WDH · September 06, 2011, 08:22:45 AM

If you know the direction of the logging deck or the skidding direction, you can just mark a spot on the tree in the direction that the cutter will be facing. That saves a lot of time versus painting a complete band around the tree. If you have to paint an entire band around the tree, it just as easy to tie a flag around the tree in my experience. The problem comes in when it is too thick and gnarly around the tree to get around it easily. That is where the single spot really saves time.

Magicman · September 06, 2011, 08:53:42 AM

A timber trac joining me was recently harvested. The forester used red and circled the leave trees at bh. It was marked about a year ago and the red is still visible. Orange without UV inhibitors degrades faster.

wmrussel · September 06, 2011, 11:27:46 AM

I live about 15 minutes from the Nelson Paint 'store' in Montgomery, so I think I'll ask them about paint without UV inhibitors. Never heard of that, but sounds like a good product.

chain · September 06, 2011, 01:40:15 PM

Quote from: Phorester on September 04, 2011, 10:52:02 PM
I'd also recommend Nelson Econo Paint. Available from Forestry Suppliers, and others I'm sure. Advertising says it lasts 2 - 3 years. Personally I like bright blue for marking. It's an unnatural color in the woods so is easily seen in every season, and easily seen on any tree species no matter what color or texture of the bark. Unless of course your logger is color blind......... which happened to me on one occasion.

We used the bright blue for marking several years ago and ran into trespassing issues as Missouri Conservation Dept. also uses the same blue in their boundary markings. When I mark now will use the yellow for timber cutting and blaze orange for our boundaries. Green tape seems to work well in 'leave trees' or small boundaries for clear- cut, food-plot areas.

Phorester · September 10, 2011, 08:10:36 AM

RON; my color blind forester could only see a funky green color of paint, similiar to olive drab. Very difficult for others to see, but he said to him it was like it was glowing on the bark.

Interesting tidbit......, he said when in the military he tested to see if he was one of the people who could see camouflaged positions easier because of his colorblindness, but he couldn't.

Phorester · April 12, 2012, 12:40:05 PM

Interesting forerunner to the marking paint gun were marking axes. I know that the VA Dept. of Forestry and the USFS had these. I'm sure other States did too. A blaze was chopped at chest height, then a blaze at stump height. The axe was then reversed and the head slammed into the stump blaze, which "branded" it with the brand on the back of the axe.

This one was made by Warren Axe Co. in Warren PA. Based on research of this company and how it marked their axes according to the year manufactured, I think this one was made between 1950, when they stoped putting the year of manufacture on the axe head, and 1958, when the company was sold. It's a boy's axe, probably to cut down on the weight. A metal block was made with the initials VS for VA Forest Service (what we were until the mid 50's) and welded to the back of the head by our own shops. Part of the blade on this one was cut off, I'm guessing for a narrower blade to make it easier to make the blazes and maybe to further cut down on extra weight.

woodtroll · April 12, 2012, 03:59:20 PM

Did you treat those (tree of heaven) with tordon when you blazed them?
Cool axe.

WDH · April 12, 2012, 09:38:15 PM

Wow, and to think that tying a flag was a lot of work

.

Ron Scott · April 13, 2012, 12:27:47 AM

Yes it was. We were glad to see paint guns. ;) The USFS marking axes are real collector items now.

WildDog · April 13, 2012, 05:22:20 AM

Down here you can buy colored paint spray to raddle livestock ie on a sheeps muzzle to show culls etc, it eventually wears off, may be an option.

Phorester · April 13, 2012, 10:21:40 AM

RON, were the USFS marking axes like this one?

BaldBob · April 13, 2012, 02:35:34 PM

Back in the 60's, when I worked for the BLM, we used branding axes with a "US" brand to stump mark clearcut boundary trees. We also put a blaze and brand on each side at eye level facing the next boundary tree, and one under the "Clearcut Boundary" sign facing the cc unit. This was fairly important as the sales were all on a lump sum basis, and I remember several instances of an unscrupulous logger moving the boundary in order to steal timber. There was a hefty fine for any unauthorized person caught with an axe with a "US" brand.
The axes were light "Hudson Bay cruiser" style.

Rocky_Ranger · April 14, 2012, 10:59:42 AM

Yes, the Forest Service axes looked very similar; I used the same "brand" and axe when I used to scale mill deck logs. The last log of the shift was "branded" with the US, and a dab of yellow paint (export color) squirted onto the log cross section. Then, the next scaler, or me, would begin the next set of tickets with the branded - yellow spotted log.

I have one of the old axes from the 1950's, don't know where, but it is around......

Ron Scott · April 15, 2012, 06:45:04 PM

Yes, as Rocky stated, the USFS axes were similar, but I haven't seen one in years.

wmrussel · April 22, 2012, 09:47:57 PM

I cannot imagine marking 160 acres of third thinning plantation with an axe. Talk about a work out! 8)

Phorester · April 24, 2012, 01:06:31 PM

Try this, WMRUSSEL;
In the 50's and 60's I've been told by a forester of that time that they routinely marked 1,000,000BF or so each, every year with these axes.

Phorester · September 27, 2012, 06:02:40 AM

For about 20 years I've been diligently searching for one of our old timber marking axes. Couldn't find one anywhere. Now within 6 months I've got two.