Approach by logging company

[brokenknee]

I have to admit this is getting to be much more complex than I originally thought it would be. The wife called both a cousin and an uncle that have sold timber; both have had good experiences and will do it again. They echoed many of the responses I have received from the forum members. They both also said that pine is at an all time high.

I will be contacting a few other loggers to get bids from them; the wives uncle recommended contacting some of the local Amish as he has had good luck with them as far as a fair price and cleaning up with least amount of damage to the land.

I would like to thank every one for their replies, Dan yours was very informative; I had thought of taxes but had no idea about timber taxes. I usually do my own taxes as my tax situation if pretty straight forward, but now I will have to factor in the cost of someone doing my taxes as part of the over all compensation.

The guy that contacted me is coming out on Monday, I will give an update on what he has to say.

 

[dmccarty]

Dan that was a well written informational post. I thank you!!! I copied this for later.

...
I would like to thank every one for their replies, Dan yours was very informative; I had thought of taxes but had no idea about timber taxes. I usually do my own taxes as my tax situation if pretty straight forward, but now I will have to factor in the cost of someone doing my taxes as part of the over all compensation.

...

More than happy to help. I have to pay my TBN Dues from time to time.. :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[TomSeller]

The simple fact that they came to you should send up red flags. In my opinion, the good ones do not go out looking for work. They don't advertise and you have to wait for them to get to you because they are already busy. Those who do not have work, who have burned too many bridges and have a bad reputation are the ones out knocking on doors looking for work.

Very good point.

 

[dave1949]

Not too long ago I got a postcard in the mail from a logger. I recognized his name as one of the area loggers that comes with trouble, been fined, sued, etc. I agree, red flag if they come to you. On the other hand they say, "If you want the business you have to ask for it." It could be okay but red flagged.

 

[brokenknee]

I talked to another local logger today, he said pine is in short supply. I asked if he would be interested and he said I would get a better price from the company that contacted me. I have talked to a few of the other locals and they (the company that first contacted me) seem to have a good reputation. He (second logger)did say he would be interested in the poplar that is on my property, at this time I have no plans to log the poplar.

I will be contacting a few other loggers I know, but will wait until I meet with the one on Monday.

 

[newbury]

<snip?
TAKE YOUR TIME DOING THIS. You get ONE chance to do this right.
<snip>

Depending on your age you might get a second or third chance, once every thirty or forty years.

I talked to another local logger today, he said pine is in short supply. I asked if he would be interested and he said I would get a better price from the company that contacted me. I have talked to a few of the other locals and they (the company that first contacted me) seem to have a good reputation. He (second logger)did say he would be interested in the poplar that is on my property, at this time I have no plans to log the poplar.

I will be contacting a few other loggers I know, but will wait until I meet with the one on Monday.

You should still pursue getting advice from a professional forester not affiliated with the logger.

 

[square1]

There's a lot to consider. Way too much to list in a single post. There is more than one "right" way to proceed which is dependent entirely on your perspective of what "logging" is. I suggest you peruse this thread http://www.forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,78893.msg1197668.html#msg1197668 for the many things a land owner and logging company can view differently, but both be right.

The thread is what convinced me I will log my own timber because that's what is right for me.

 

[dmccarty]

Depending on your age you might get a second or third chance, once every thirty or forty years.
....

He only gets to log the trees he has right now, once. They can't be put back once cut down. :laughing: I know, I asked the loggers if they could put back the trees they had cut down. :shocked:

I was shocked when they said, NO! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

Later,
Dan

 

[TomSeller]

I still say a good way to go at this would be to release 1 or 2 acres and if the work meets your expectations, release another 1 or 2 until you are done. I would restrict from use the previously logged areas. If nothing else, they would know if they mess things up they won't be allowed to continue.

I would be on site 100% of the time or as close as possible.

 

[EddieWalker]

I seriously doubt you will find a logger who will do just a couple acres at a time. Just moving their equipment to your site will cost them more then they can make on a couple of acres. Around here they want at least 20 acres, and even then, they will walk it and in my case, still not make enough off of it to be interested.

Eddie

 

[Jstpssng]

Depending on your age you might get a second or third chance, once every thirty or forty years.


You should still pursue getting advice from a professional forester not affiliated with the logger.

I see this all too often... A landowner tries to save a few bucks by doing a sale on his own, then is completely unhappy with the results. All too often it isn't the contractor's fault, the landowner silmpy doesn't know what he wants or what can and can't be done with the equipment available. No disrespect meant to the OP, but it seems that until very recently you hadn't even considered a harvest, so you might want to slow down and think about what you want.

What type of equipment are they going to be using? Will they be cutting with a chain saw, or will it be a mechanical operation where the trees are cut with a machine and hauled ojt to the yard to be limbed and bucked? What if anything, do you expect them to do with the slash; i.e., tops and limbs? Will they be selling the trees for the highest value (more returns for you), or running it through a chipper?

 

[TomSeller]

I seriously doubt you will find a logger who will do just a couple acres at a time. Just moving their equipment to your site will cost them more then they can make on a couple of acres. Around here they want at least 20 acres, and even then, they will walk it and in my case, still not make enough off of it to be interested.

Eddie

The good ones would be confident they will get the whole 20 acres. The bad ones would look at it as 1 or 2 acres.

 

[dave1949]

The good ones would be confident they will get the whole 20 acres. The bad ones would look at it as 1 or 2 acres.

Well, they would have evaluate the timber AND the rationality of the client to be sure of much.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have to disagree. The good ones wont waste their time playing games. Instead they are already busy with paying jobs just the way they want them. In my experience, those who jump through hoops to get a job are the ones who are desperate for the work. As a contractor, I read all sorts of ideas on how you can get the job done for less because of the economy and there not being any work out there. In fact because of the poor economy, those who did poor work are struggling and willing to work for less, but those with a good reputation are charging more then ever before and people are willing to wait. My waiting list is right at 6 months.

Eddie

 

[brokenknee]

This will be a one time shot for me as I will be 61 in may, I doubt I will live long enough to see another harvest. I will start asking around for a professional forester and see what they have to say.

 

[Garandman]

The place we bought was logged in 1984-85. We hired another logger last fall to remove some trees and advise us on management. The logger we hired [Harding Hill Farm] owns extensive wood lots himself and look at it from the perspective of the owner.

The '84 logger took the most valuable trees only, left deep ruts and other topsoil damage, left log sections wherever he felt like dumping them: in short, maximized his profit to the detriment of the property. This tale is very common in these parts.

Caveat.

 

[DB Pilot]

Consulting forester is a must. One thing is he will mark the trees which should be cut making it a select cut then he will have the money in hand before any logging is done and make sure no trees volunteer to go missing. Then in 15 years you can log it again or if selling will keep the value up. ALL the loggers I dealt with wanted me to get rid of my forester. The old timer down the road was given a lot of promises and had a lot more acreage, but no forester. Truck loads of timber came off but he never got paid and the land still looks desolate. :smiley_aafz: One of the tricks is to leave logs by the side of the road, then at a later time they disappear and your logger tells you "someone" stole them. Think about who has the equipment to move the logs all at once, who knows when no witnesses are around and who can sell them to a mill with no questions asked. If your answer is the guy doing your logging, try to prove it!!

Your alternative is to be satisfied with all the empty promises you'll get. Of the 4 landowners around here who had logging done three are unhappy but the one who had a forester is satisfied. Enough said.

 

[newbury]

This will be a one time shot for me as I will be 61 in may, I doubt I will live long enough to see another harvest. I will start asking around for a professional forester and see what they have to say.

IF you are doing a "thinning harvest" you might get another harvest in 15 years.

The place we bought was logged in 1984-85. We hired another logger last fall to remove some trees and advise us on management. The logger we hired [Harding Hill Farm] owns extensive wood lots himself and look at it from the perspective of the owner.

The '84 logger took the most valuable trees only, left deep ruts and other topsoil damage, left log sections wherever he felt like dumping them: in short, maximized his profit to the detriment of the property. This tale is very common in these parts.

Caveat.

This tale is very common in these parts.

That tale is common ALL over.

It's difficult to do a good job, maximizing profit is the American way.

 

[TomSeller]

I have to disagree. The good ones wont waste their time playing games. Instead they are already busy with paying jobs just the way they want them. In my experience, those who jump through hoops to get a job are the ones who are desperate for the work. As a contractor, I read all sorts of ideas on how you can get the job done for less because of the economy and there not being any work out there. In fact because of the poor economy, those who did poor work are struggling and willing to work for less, but those with a good reputation are charging more then ever before and people are willing to wait. My waiting list is right at 6 months.

Eddie

Been in the contracting business myself and have a few thousand contracts under my belt. I often look for work that sends the "low buck chuck" crowd somewhere else. Most of my work ends up being negotiated once everyone else is gone. Anyway, doesn't matter. If I were having my trees logged that is how I would do it.

 

[brokenknee]

Ok, I heard back from the company that wants to purchase my timber. I have attached the letter they sent me and a plot map they sent showing what they want to harvest. What erks me about this whole deal is as you can see in the letter they said my pine "plantation" was to small for them to bother with HOWEVER if I would also be willing to let them clear cut my aspen they then would be interested. They KNEW how much pine I had on my property prior to contacting me.

As mentioned earlier I had not thought about logging any of my property before I was contacted, at this time I will enjoy my property as is.