Select cut logging??

Hi,
I’m kicking around the idea of having my deerhunting land select cut for the poppal trees. A neighbor of mine suggested that we get them cut and get a few bucks for them before they die anyways. Does anyone have any experience in getting their land cut? I have quite a few sections that are choked full of poppals and ready to be cut. I’m afraid of ruining my land and taking too much. I know it’s good for the land to remove some trees but don’t know much about it. Anyone know what the going rate for these trees are going for at the mill? I already have a father-son team to cut them, just waiting for the go ahead and a walk through before they start cutting.Thanks for any suggestions!

I have coordinated the harvest of timber with the help of the MN DNR using the Forest stewardship program. I met with a forester and together we developed a plan for what I wanted to accomplish. The forester then contacts several logging campanies to obtain bids and then I made the final decision as to who’s bid wins the project. Once all is done and said the DNR takes a percentage of the money from the harvest, but you get the money from the logging company and then you pay the DNR. In all it was a educational process.

Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

I had mine done two years ago in the summer. It is the best thing we did for our land. We had the old Aspen cut also to allow for new growth. You end up with new logging roads and tons of new undergrowth. You can not tell our woods has been logged other than all the new trails.

In addition, I had them create some new clearings and release some of our Oaks that were getting crowded. I highly recommend you have it done. You get a little money from the deal the wildlife benefit a ton! The tree tops make for nice browse for the deer if you do it this time of year

Scott,
That’s our primary goal, to make the land healthier. I found out a huge section of land (including) ours was logged back in the 60’s. Over the last 10-15 years, the underbrush is ridiculous, making some stands immpossible to bow hunt. I want to open up the woods, create some trails, and clear out some underbrush with a brush hog this spring. I also want to clear out a 5 acre spot for a future food plot. Our oaks are not plentiful, but those that we do have seem to be getting choked out by the thick stands of poppal and underbrush. I think we’re making the right decision, just need some more info.

Brian,
We also had ours done 2 years ago. Like the others have said, it does wonders for the woods. It’s pretty slick how they do it…not much of a mess at all. Tell them you just want the mature popples cut and they do it. Do it now, or have what happened to us and have a woods that looks like this when a wind storm comes through…Fortunately for us we were able to find someone to take all the down and tipped over trees as well.

The brother in law just bought some land West of Onamia. The neighbor said, they have I believe “Brown Ash” that some company comes calling to log about every 20 years. It’s coming due and last time they did it, it was over $20,000 for 60 acres worth of mature !!! Maybe you have some Brown Ash too !!! I guess it is a fine line between fully mature and rotten(ruined). Real short window for harvest.

big G

If you feel uncomfortable about it, get together with the local or county forester. They will walk your ground with you, suggest to what will come down or stay up, let the bids, gather the bids, mark the trees you discussed and then inspect the loggers work. They will make sure that any delicate portions of land will be taken care of. We have a small drainage that runs into the East Fork of the Black River which runs through our land. He will oversee that the loggers will build a road to cross that drainage in one place and only one place!!!

We were supposed to be cut last winter, but the weather warmed up too fast and they were unable to cut it due to rutting while driving around. They are coming in this year to get it done. We are going to ask if they can take out a large portion of spruce in the center that we might be able to groom for a food plot. Next year we are scheduled for our next cutting in our Red Pine plantation.

Mark

Don’t be afraid of ruining your woods. It will be the opposite. More food for deer etc. It will look differnt then you have had for as few years but the deer will show up right away. Don’t expect much for dollars. Pulp wood us very low right now. You can hire an apraiser for the wood value and they get a percent of the take. much like the DNR foresters do. It will stop you from getting taken from a logger if you do not understand to process. I used to cut myself and still manage our 160. A bonus to the part most loggers will also clear an area for food plots just for the oportunity to cut some wood. logging roads. Seems you can’t go wrong. expect around 25-75 per cord at best has been my take. Especially with the cost of fuel. You can check with a local mill to get info on normally pricing and a few local loggers to contact.

Had my land cut about 8 years ago. Not by choice, storm came through and blew down a bunch of Oak so decided to let them have 10acres of jack pine and popple. Would never use that logger again but I’m in WI so you won’t have to worry. Heads up though unless you specify your ground will be a mess where they cut. They used a machine on mine and not sure what they are using on yours but a mess is an understatement. Bunnies love it but can’t walk in there to shoot em. Deer are also in there and use it as a bedding area. Not sure what your land is like but if there is an area you want for a foodplot just ask them to clear it when they are making their staging area or make them stage where you want a foodplot as they will clear that area. You will be amazed at the regrowth. You could try this website also for some ideas http://www.wisconsinwoodlands.org

I think they list some prices there.

Arjak

I finally talked my dad into logging off a 15 acre section of woods about 4 years ago. The woods was so mature there wasn’t any brush growing. You could see through the entire woods. He had around 100 trees taken out. Mostly hard maple, but some hickory and oak as well. He got 31,000 for the lumber, and the woods is in far better shape than it was before. It opened up the canopy so new trees can grow, and there is now enough brush in that section that the deer browse their way through rather than running through it. If done right, selective harvest does nothing but good to a forest.