# Draft mules at work



## John Ellison (Aug 1, 2004)

Here are a few pictures of my log skidders doing their thing.

Please skip this attachment


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## MasterBlaster (Aug 1, 2004)

I'm only getting half a picture there, John. On both posts.


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## John Ellison (Aug 1, 2004)

Operator error. I need to study it more.


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## glens (Aug 1, 2004)

You need to let the upload continue through its course before closing the window or changing its contents.

Before you do that, you should resize the image to something useful and friendly.

Glen


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## John Ellison (Aug 2, 2004)

Again


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## glens (Aug 2, 2004)

This is still pushing the modem-friendliness limit, but nice pic anyway!&nbsp; Shrunk and sharpened a bit.

Glen


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## Newfie (Aug 2, 2004)

Nice a$$ shot.


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## bushman (Aug 2, 2004)

How much wood do they a day.


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## bushman (Aug 2, 2004)

sorry i meant how much wood aday can they pull.


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## LogRite (Aug 2, 2004)

Now that looks like good, old fashioned, honest work! I would be like a fish out of water around horses. It almost looks like fun. I'm sure it's not though. Thanks for the pix!


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## Crofter (Aug 2, 2004)

They look in good shape; what are they crossed with? If the near one was a horse, I'd say you will soon be resetting the shoes. Do you do your own shoeing?

Frank


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## MasterBlaster (Aug 2, 2004)

I don't know diddly about horses, but that horse logging looks to be tha _shizznit!_


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## John Ellison (Aug 2, 2004)

Thanks for the comments. Its more like what I can do in a day. They seem to be a lot tougher than I am. They are out of Percheron mares x Mamouth jacks. No, I have a farrier come (usually to wherever I'm working) to shoe them.

John


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## Husky372 (Aug 3, 2004)

nice pics john thanks for sharing.


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## JohnVander (Aug 3, 2004)

Is that kind of work for fun, or profit?

John


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## John Ellison (Aug 3, 2004)

> _Originally posted by JohnVander _
> *Is that kind of work for fun, or profit?
> 
> 
> John *



A little bit of both. Here is one of my wife with the team. I was probably napping under a tree. 

John


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## John Ellison (Aug 3, 2004)

My first log truck.I had to work with a couple of turkeys! 

John


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## John Ellison (Aug 3, 2004)

Older Mack truck/Prentice loader.

John


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## BigSawMan (Aug 3, 2004)

I bet the Mack scares the horses, you ever had that problem?


Neil


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## John Ellison (Aug 3, 2004)

No BSM, they are used to saw and truck noises. They dont like to be sprayed with sawdust though, probably think its yellow jackets.
Here is a skidcart with a turn of small saw logs. Notice the fly nets. They work good on biting flys, not at all for stinging Jellow jackets. 

John


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## Husky372 (Aug 4, 2004)

some really great pics. keep'em comming.


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## Reed (Aug 5, 2004)

John, you happen to know Don Kavelis up in MN? An old bud of mine, a dear friend. (F) Foreign Legionaire. We tried to log Superior while I was a contracting ranger and the district got so excited they authored a hundred pages on benefits. 

I don't know how popular being a teamster has become, I know it's a very profitable venture if hooked-up to the selective log market and promises to have uses where many tender sites in Federal lands (or private) have been omitted due to environmental constraints. 

Are you busy enough with those blokes?


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## John Ellison (Aug 6, 2004)

Oakwilt,no I dont know him. There are a suprising number of people in every state that use horses,mules and even oxen to log with.
I just log on private land. Mostly small jobs. Usually I stay busy and am 1 to 2 mos. behind.

John


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## Reed (Aug 7, 2004)

Just thought I'd ask about Don - he's busy up in MN too, training and driving. I'm proud you guys are out there doin' it. As a youngster I farmed next to Claussen in Tama County, IA/ He raised a lot of the lead teams for the Budweiser wagon and exclusively tilled with his Clydesdales. Impressive power. 

Although I generally stay behind, my wife usually goes up to Arkansas to visit with good friends - Trout Fishing In America dudes. They camp and play together a lot. One of these times I'd like to go with and check-out your operation.


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## John Ellison (Aug 20, 2004)

Sure Oakwilt, we're not all that impressive but I like to show off my mules. Gonna put them in a local parade next weekend. 

John


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## John Ellison (Aug 20, 2004)

This is a plea to any other animal loggers to post some pics and or talk on this great Arborist Site. Just saw an elephant on the tube that was decking logs with his trunk. Now that would be usefull! Would need a different hauling trailer for sure 

john


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## glens (Aug 20, 2004)

Hey John,

Reckon an elephant is any less fuel-efficient than a mule or are they about the same in that respect?

Glen


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## John Ellison (Aug 21, 2004)

Glen, I don't know as far as logs per bale go but one 1400 lb mule x 1/2 bale of hay per day compared to 8 tons or 5 to 6 bales.He would need to be a log stacking, truck loading fool.

John


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## arboromega (Aug 26, 2004)

john these have been some fascinating pics. do you ever feel like you are practicing a lost art? do you have any young apprentices who are learning the trade?


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## MasterBlaster (Aug 26, 2004)

> _Originally posted by arboromega _
> * do you ever feel like you are practicing a lost art? *



I know I sure do!


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## BlackSmith (Aug 28, 2004)

thanks for the pix John...great looking pair of blacks


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## Rusty (Aug 30, 2004)

*buying horses*

I'd love to get a small team. How do you get horses you can use in the woods ?


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## John Ellison (Aug 31, 2004)

arboromega, the only time I feel like it's a lost art is when I am trying to buy or make some odd tool that I need. Actually there are quite a few people who do this all across the country.

Rusty, If you mean where would you buy a team that is broke for the woods, you might try to locate a Draft horse assoc. or club in your area and ask them if there are any local loggers. You could contact the North American Horse and Mule Loggers Assoc.

John


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## Crofter (Aug 31, 2004)

Do a search on "Rural Heritage Magazine"
They have all kinds of ongoing how to on draught animals and lots of for sales, Oxen, horses and mules. I have a video of a school friend who has horse logged in Central British Columbia for the past 15 years. I may have some of his poetry if my wife hasnt got the package back to his sister. He has made a decent living according to his liking. Not much fat on that guy.


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

*Arkansas Toothpick*

I know their not Doug fir or Sitka spruce, but here are some big SYP for these parts. This is a recent job along the Fouche La Fave river. Ten acres surrounded by hundreds of acres of hay fields. The ten ac. were too wet to farm so its still in timber. Mostly nice red oak but there were about 25-30 pine that pine beetles had gotten into and killed several with most of the rest infected.

John


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

I fell it parallel to the haul road. The first cut a 16' and 680' was too big to just hook the mules to and go, but only 50' to the road and a clear shot, so it was easy to parbuckle it out.

John


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

1500' total in the three logs. The last two cuts came out with a block on them.


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

Here is a neat homemade tool called a bullhook, for us winchless folk. I first learned of it from Glen French in a newsletter of the NAHAMLA. For taking a holt of the bight of small diameter wire rope and not kinking it. Chain works good on the larger diameters, but this works better on smaller line.

John


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)




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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

Had to hook the wrong [small] end of this one.400'

John


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## BlackSmith (Sep 6, 2004)

I see you use a forecart John, you like it..?


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

Here is most of a load.


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

Jeff hauls my logs. A real nice rig and an excellent operator.

John


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

*Fast food*

Of course the crew always wants to stop at the drive thru on the way home.


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## John Ellison (Sep 6, 2004)

Blacksmith, yes it is a lifesaver on long skids or on big logs. Also if you need to keep damage to a min. like on a nice lawn. But normally I dont use it , because its a lot faster to come and go without it.

John


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