Logger pay

[milkie62]

What is the average salary of a logger who works for someone ? Do they have to supply all their equipment,gas and oil.I am only cutting on my own property plus whatever tree services drop off to me.Too hard of a business to make money but a hell of a way to stay in shape.

 

[Nailsbeats]

I can't help you on the salary part.

I do it partime, just some small jobs and can tell you when it's over about all you have left are the burnt calories. That's really why I do it, that and the excitement I get out of falling timber and running saws and equipment. I'm guessing it's about the same all over. The guys at the top make some money, not the workers. Just a guess, but a slightly educated one.

 

[redprospector]

What is the average salary of a logger who works for someone ? Do they have to supply all their equipment,gas and oil.I am only cutting on my own property plus whatever tree services drop off to me.Too hard of a business to make money but a hell of a way to stay in shape.

Every time I've worked for someone else as a cutter I've had to supply my own equipment. There's really not a good answer for the average salary part. So many different ways to do it. Some cut by scale, some by the count, some by the tree, some by weight. It's more of a lifestyle than a living.
The term "logger" covers a broad area, it covers cat skinner's, skidder operator's, loader operator's, yarder operator's, hooker's, landing men, etc. etc. I know some old "timber faller's" who are highly insulted if you call them a logger, they are faller's. That being said, most "logger's" just bring their lunch to work.

Andy

 

[slowp]

A gyppo logger here was paying his hooktender $20 an hour and the rest of the crew $16 to $18 an hour. His cutters, who are very good, were getting paid by what they produced and I don't know what that was except they were happy and the owner was happy. Cutters wages were running around $30 an hour. The wages have not gone up in years. His cutters and the other small operator's cutters were supplying everything on their dollar includiing driving their own rig. The logging crew carpools in a crummy owned by the operator.

One of the larger outfits here must pay more because they fire people a lot more and have a good crew. They supply saw gas and oil, and a crummy for their cutters too. They also have steadier employment except right now two of their yarders are sitting at the shop.

 

[Humptulips]

A gyppo logger here was paying his hooktender $20 an hour and the rest of the crew $16 to $18 an hour. His cutters, who are very good, were getting paid by what they produced and I don't know what that was except they were happy and the owner was happy. Cutters wages were running around $30 an hour. The wages have not gone up in years. His cutters and the other small operator's cutters were supplying everything on their dollar includiing driving their own rig. The logging crew carpools in a crummy owned by the operator.

One of the larger outfits here must pay more because they fire people a lot more and have a good crew. They supply saw gas and oil, and a crummy for their cutters too. They also have steadier employment except right now two of their yarders are sitting at the shop.[/QUOTE

Those are pretty close to the wages in all of western WA.
To answer the question one really has to have a little more info. All loggers don't get paid the same. It depends on their job. The cutters I know supply there own tools and make $250 to $300 a day but they have to supply their own insurance. Big expense! Chasers, slingers and engineers, yea $16 to $18. Chokersetters maybe a bit less, shovel runners a bit more but they get lots of hours, too many to suit me. I been getting more then $20 but I absolutly won't work for less then $22.
You're right on wages not going up. I was making $20 back in 1990. Wages seem to stuck at that level.

 

[slowp]

The gyppo from Oregon complains that Washingtonians expect more pay than do Oregon crews. He also can somehow get a tax break if he supplies lunches and living quarters in Oregon. Must have to do with their state income tax.

 

[Humptulips]

That explains something I've been pondering. A friend of mine recently took a job down near Coos Bay. He told me the company furnishes all work clothes, caulk shoes, gloves and rain clothes. He's also getting free space for his trailer. I should have known it had something to do with taxes.

 

[tramp bushler]

Fallers pay

Hump ;;;; You ought to take a quick job in O G , have them get you a new pair of your corks .. opcorn:

Today I fell and bucked some where between 10,000 -15,000 dollars worth of old growth Yellow Cedar , Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock ....

I made 250 $ , but all I had to supply was me , Saw crapped out this morning so I ran the bosses for the rest of the day ....

Most larger companies up here , which there are not many of now , pay cutters around 300 a day, day wage or if it,s a Bushel show the price is set so a guy can avg. around 300 a day .. but the co. that hires the fallers pays the insurance and they supply the gas and oil and most of the time the crummy ...If you are going to cut full time up here you have to figure on buying 2 new power heads per year , and 660 Magnums are going for more than 1 k $ ...395 Huskys are simular ..

 

[slowp]

I like it. When your gear is about shot, go work in Oregon! I wonder if the lunches are any good? Homemade cookies? But the stories (or information) I heard about the crew sharing two motel rooms were pretty bad.

 

[tramp bushler]

Rooms

.
A guy can always spring for his own room .....

 

[Humptulips]

My friend was wondering if they would spring for a pair of Kuliens. I kind of doubt it.
I've seen a few guys in camp that you couldn't pay me enough to room with.
Tramp Busheler,
You ever run into a guy up there they called Crusty the Clown. He was a beaut. He chased for me at Port Alice. Good man on the job but definitly strange. He was on the 86 list of every establishment in Craig and most places in Ketchikan. I think he had a split personality plus being a bad alcholic. Looked exactly like Bozo with a bad skin condition.

 

[tramp bushler]

Heard of him

... No doubt there were some of the worst degenerates on the west coast in the camps of Southeast ...
Back when the Foc'sle was a bar and not a diamond shop ., Seriously , it became a jewelry shop for the tourists off the cruise ships .
I heard stories of some of the most disgusting events taking place there ..... That was Jack Adams outfit in Port Alice wasn,t it ... El Cap had moved to Coffman Cove by then ...

Ever run into Bronko Billy , he,s dead now ECT .ECT. ECT ....

 

[Humptulips]

Yea, I almost hate to admit it but I worked for Jack. Pay was good but was reputed to be the worst camp in AK. I was there working in Jan. Crazy I know!
Water froze, no electricity and the bunk house leaked heat like a sieve. You could set a cup of coffee by your bed at night and it would be frozen solid in the morning. We finally shut down when the snow was hitting me at the shoulders. We were logging the timber that LP tried to walk away from but the FS wouldn't let them in other words tough logging and poor timber.
One place a busheler had chalked on a log (this is the worst crap I ever cut) Bet he didn't make much that day!
Never ran into Bronco Billy. Did you know Scott Brown? He was killed the year after I left.

 

[huskykid141]

would the pay increase a little if a cutter or someone else on the job had a college degree?

 

[forestryworks]

college degree doesn't really mean a thing on a logging crew

either use your degree working for the feds or state or private agency
or save it to fall back on

 

[Boleclimber]

If you have a college degree you would be best off to use the degree and fall back on your logging experience. Employers requiring a degree will be skeptical of any applicant who has a degree and has not been using it. When you attempt to apply for jobs requiring a degree, after having x amount of years logging, you will likely be told you do not have sufficient experience in the field. You would have to start over with an entry level position competing against newly graduated students.

This is especially true in government positions.

 

[Humptulips]

would the pay increase a little if a cutter or someone else on the job had a college degree?

Possibly a PHD in Sthilology or chokerology with a minor in (Get up that hill or hit the road). Be sure to take splicing 101 too.

 

[Gologit]

Possibly a PHD in Sthilology or chokerology with a minor in (Get up that hill or hit the road). Be sure to take splicing 101 too.

LOL...Don't forget Log-Truck Avoidance 101 and an extra credit class in tape measure reading.

 

[Burvol]

I keep telling myself I am making money, then I add it all up, not so much! (But there are good weeks here and there) Being a faller is something special that I would not trade for the money of being a suit and tie dork with a water cooler, big boobs in the office, lunch with a salad and dinner fork, and company functions. I like being a contract faller, I have the freedom to live my life how I see fit. It's pretty easy really, produce...or you're down the road jack.

 

[slowp]

Don't forget to take these elective classes: Group Dynamics, Creative Whining, and Cussology I. But I think you have to have a preisit thing of a couple years of experience for Creative Whining.

Oh, and a logger who was logging here, recommends taking a couple quarters of Debate to deal with the Forest Service. I'd recommend a class in Abnormal Psychology for that too.