[Nathan Mooney]

I can actually add to that comment of zacks about the added dangers and forces. Part of what I do for one of the property owners I work for in KY is clear out dead trees or fallen snags that are hung up in other trees. The only way I can do it is slowly, and I have a tractor with a logging wench (Norse 350) that I can hook up if needed to help pull the tree down away from the tree its hung up in. It can not be done fast enough to make a huge profit, especially if they are all scattered and not in one area. But, by getting them out before they rot, can help pay for some of the costs of removal. If the area is hard to access and is not frequiently traveled by people in the forest, it may not be worth getting them out unless they are like Zack said “really good logs”. My experience is it makes the forest more enjoyable for recreation and esthetics when they are removed, and its safer for anyone dealing with snags and deadfalls not to have something dead that high in the canopy. Those are some of the factors I would consider before making the decision if they are worth going in just to harvest them…. that being said, if you are due for a timber thinning and TSI work that might afford the opportunity to take care of both tasks at one time and you can easily break even with a person who knows how to safely remove them and is equipt to do the job.

[Nathan Mooney]

I have been wondering about that myself. I do a lot of intermediate thinnings lately, and I feel horrible whenever I have to remove small blackwalnuts because they are either to close and competing with each other, or they are not in the best health to last until the final harvest. I have been thinking lately of starting a website for my business and would like to include a section that allows people to place orders for those smaller specialty woods I might come across in the forest (like musclewood, dogwood, small black walnuts, honeylocusts, etc.) and make small sales with those specialty woods as I am harvesting instead of just turning them all into firewood. Any thoughts? Does anyone else have experience with how to connect to local wood workers to sell directly to them with raw logs of specific sizes and lengths?

[Nathan Mooney]

I also was thinking about that as well. Since I do have a small Kubota MX 6000, with the grapple attachment in the front and a Norse 350 logging wench in the back, I am opting to go with a gooseneck trailer Deckover that can handle both my tractor for transporting, a doubles as a logging trailer for hauling decent loads of logs. I will let you know how it does once I make the purchase this week and put it to use. The tractor though has been wonderful in lifting and moving full sized logs (up to a point) because I only use it for intermediate thinning operations and TSI work. I don’t think I would be able to lift the logs that are usually pulled out of a mature forest for final harvest.

[Nathan Mooney]

I want to correct this. I did just find that you can like a comment on the main part of the group page, in the “Feed” tab I think, but the option is not present when looking at the post through the discussion thread (if I am labeling them correctly). Might be something that Zack can look into adding if he feels there would be a benefit to it.

• This reply was modified 1 week ago by  Nathan Mooney.

[Nathan Mooney]

I don’t think there is the option to like a particular comment yet, only the main post in some of the topics

I’ve seen.

• This reply was modified 1 week ago by  Nathan Mooney. Reason: accuracy of statement

[Nathan Mooney]

So an update on my own trailer purchase. I just ended up getting a 21K tri-axle 30′ Deckover with Dove-tail ramps. Its a work horse that can double for log hauling and to carry my tractor from property to property. With the pocket stakes I am planning to have someone build me some stakes to use so I can haul larger loads. Now I am only limited by my tractor’s lift capacity (safely at a height with heavy logs). It was a year 2000 trailer, but is still in good condition, (deck needs to be replaced soon). That being said, I was glad that I got one that was beat up and 20 years old because not more than two hours after I purchased it and got it home to load, the guy running the machine to offload the logs at the mill ran the forks right into my boards and broke three of them lol. Little tip from my experience, it helps to through some 2-3″ runners across the deck before putting the logs on so they can see the gap for the forks to fit under the logs without tearing up your trailer. Will post photos soon.

[Nathan Mooney]

That is a great idea! thank you 🙂