Need Input on Logging property

[JAXJEREMY]

October of last year I went back to the old homestead that my parents bought in the early '70's. We actually lived there when I was a little kid and I have some fond memories of the place. Haven't been back in nearly 10 years. After a timber trespass dispute, we had the property surveyed so I wanted to walk the property lines. It's close to 100 acres total in southeastern W.Va, right outside a small town called Hinton and about an hour and a half from Charleston.

Mom and dad were hippies, so this was their attempt at living off the land. It didn't pan out too well, but the good news is my brother and I now own the land. It's about 10 miles outside of town, then another mile or so down a dirt road, so it's pretty secluded. Tons of wild life, including deer, bear, fox and grouse. The property has several old logging trails that run through it, they need to be cleared out, and as you can see there is an abundance of timber.

There is a lot of old stuff out there ready to be harvested, so we're tossing around the idea of doing this to pay for some improvements. Long term we definitely want to keep this in the family. I know there are good and bad timbering companies out there, what I'm looking for are recommendations on one that has experience in selective timbering. Thanks.

Some random shots of the land. I'm not sure all of the species of wood, but I know there is tons of poplar, some locust, black oak and hickory.

 

[2dogs]

If that was in the west it would not be worth logging. However I guess your wood is for different uses and may be profitable. It looks like a buncher can work the slope so production rates would be high. Good luck!

 

[JAXJEREMY]

Thanks 2dogs. Definitely wouldn't be worth it for a commercial logger, but we have an old friend up there that did some selective logging on his property, about the same size as ours and made close $25K.

 

[PB]

If that was in the west it would not be worth logging. However I guess your wood is for different uses and may be profitable. It looks like a buncher can work the slope so production rates would be high. Good luck!

Not worth logging in the east either. You should contact a forester and he can set you up with a long term plan to increase the size and quality of the timber. This will put you in a pretty good place to harvest in the future.

 

[JAXJEREMY]

We've talked to a forester and he was the one that recommended we get some of it thinned out.

 

[crackajeff]

It looks like it could use a thinning. Talk to a consulting forester. I know Forecon has an office in southern WV and if you go the the Appalachian Hardwood Center's website, they have a directory of other foresters in the area as well as plenty of other useful information.

 

[JAXJEREMY]

Thanks crackajeff. Do you have the url of that site. I'll go check it out.

 

[crackajeff]

http://ahc.caf.wvu.edu/joomla/ hope it helps.

 

[JAXJEREMY]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

 

[mdavlee]

Is that land closer to Pipestem or towards Green Sulphur? I'm not too far from that area.

 

[oregoncutter]

Timber

October of last year I went back to the old homestead that my parents bought in the early '70's. We actually lived there when I was a little kid and I have some fond memories of the place. Haven't been back in nearly 10 years. After a timber trespass dispute, we had the property surveyed so I wanted to walk the property lines. It's close to 100 acres total in southeastern W.Va, right outside a small town called Hinton and about an hour and a half from Charleston.

Mom and dad were hippies, so this was their attempt at living off the land. It didn't pan out too well, but the good news is my brother and I now own the land. It's about 10 miles outside of town, then another mile or so down a dirt road, so it's pretty secluded. Tons of wild life, including deer, bear, fox and grouse. The property has several old logging trails that run through it, they need to be cleared out, and as you can see there is an abundance of timber.

There is a lot of old stuff out there ready to be harvested, so we're tossing around the idea of doing this to pay for some improvements. Long term we definitely want to keep this in the family. I know there are good and bad timbering companies out there, what I'm looking for are recommendations on one that has experience in selective timbering. Thanks.

Some random shots of the land. I'm not sure all of the species of wood, but I know there is tons of poplar, some locust, black oak and hickory.

Where's the Timber in these pictures? I can see some potential if You thin the property, but don't honestly see alot of good timber, but perhaps my idea of timber and some others perception of it may vary!

 

[Urbicide]

Not worth logging in the east either. You should contact a forester and he can set you up with a long term plan to increase the size and quality of the timber. This will put you in a pretty good place to harvest in the future.

+1! You need a forest management plan drawn up & implemented. I would strongly recommend not blindly cutting only your best trees. Do your research. Educate yourselves. Get the whole family involved, there's plenty of work for everyone. You sure don't want a timber company dictating your plan. They are there to make money. Whose best interest do they have in mind? Timber prices can vary tremendously. If prices are well below what they normally would be, just wait them out. Meanwhile, the trees are continuing to grow, which means more board feet to sell.

Have you contacted the Department of Natural Resources in your state? I have been blessed here in SW Ohio with a great state forester by the name of Tim Wilson. Check out the American Tree Farm System site. Join the Forestry Forum. Learn about the dangers of invasive species. There are so many decisions you will have to take into consideration. Each one can impact the health, the quality, and the future, of your land.

BTW, it takes an average of 50 years from when a hardwood tree seed sprouts until that tree reaches a marketable size.

I wish you well with your land. Hope it remains in your family for many generations to come.

Vince

 

[logbutcher]

It looks like it could use a thinning. Talk to a consulting forester. I know Forecon has an office in southern WV and if you go the the Appalachian Hardwood Center's website, they have a directory of other foresters in the area as well as plenty of other useful information.

Best advice. The Consulting Forester will give you options the you and your bro want short, medium, long term in the management plan. Thinning is obvious, but you never want to do any high grade cutting. The forester will not only supervise the harvest, but maximize the immediate profit. They more than make up their fees by being the middleman and consultant.
Besides, it's fun and educational to walk your woodlot with a pro.

BTW: we'd die to have that diverse variety here Downeast Maine.

 

[hammerlogging]

but maximize the immediate profit

dont know if you meant to say it so aptly
depends on the forester
a forester working on a 10% share on a timber sale has as much to profit from a highgrade as anyone

Read about crop tree release. Looks largely unmerchantable at this point.

 

[HUSKYMAN]

Yup thin and concentrate on keeping the best logs until prices get a little better. Clean it up now and you will have a nice profit in 10 years or so

 

[JAXJEREMY]

It's in Summers County, just outside of Hinton. between Alderson and Talcott.

Is that land closer to Pipestem or towards Green Sulphur? I'm not too far from that area.

Those probably aren't the best pics of the timber, there are areas with some pretty bigs stands of poplar.

Where's the Timber in these pictures? I can see some potential if You thin the property, but don't honestly see alot of good timber, but perhaps my idea of timber and some others perception of it may vary!

Thanks we definitely want to make sure we do the right thing long term, being good stewards of the land and what not. The tough part is living so far away from the property. We have a guy that's been caretaking it for us the last 5 years and he's done a decent job.

Best advice. The Consulting Forester will give you options the you and your bro want short, medium, long term in the management plan. Thinning is obvious, but you never want to do any high grade cutting. The forester will not only supervise the harvest, but maximize the immediate profit. They more than make up their fees by being the middleman and consultant.
Besides, it's fun and educational to walk your woodlot with a pro.

BTW: we'd die to have that diverse variety here Downeast Maine.

That's exactly what we're hoping to do. Thanks again for all of your input. It's appreciated.

Yup thin and concentrate on keeping the best logs until prices get a little better. Clean it up now and you will have a nice profit in 10 years or so

 

[logbutcher]

dont know if you meant to say it so aptly
depends on the forester
a forester working on a 10% share on a timber sale has as much to profit from a highgrade as anyone

Read about crop tree release. Looks largely unmerchantable at this point.

First thin, then profit. Thanks.

ALL the Consulting Foresters I've met and worked with are ethical. The "maximize profit" is when they do supervise the harvest for the owner.
Tough audience here !

 

[hammerlogging]

First thin, then profit. Thanks.

ALL the Consulting Foresters I've met and worked with are ethical. The "maximize profit" is when they do supervise the harvest for the owner.
Tough audience here !

 

[Slamm]

If you want to know if you have some marketable timber, around here you need 20" DBH or bigger ....... hopefully bigger. Otherwise it isn't very profitable and you need to wait until they get bigger.

Thinning out all of those weeds you have in the pictures will help.

I'd watch a Forest Consultant just as hard as any fly by night logger. I've seen them make some dumb calls about timber selection and what to do and what not to do.

As per your photos, it doesn't appear you have much.

My opinion,

Sam

 

[oldchuck]

Let it grow. 10 years maybe 20 then you'll have something. Properly thinning that woods (from what the pictures show me) would cost you money, not pay anything. An eastern hardwood forest can thin itself the way it wants in it's own time.