Oak prices take a hit elsewhere???

[jegushee1]

Oak dropped from 400 for pallet wood to 325 last week here in maine. Saw log prices dropped along the same lines. Was averaging $620+ a thousand for oak prior to fall, now back aroun $560 or so. Similar drops elsewhere?

 

[northmanlogging]

Yeah not for oak... we don't get much marketable oak, but the rest of the prices have dropped some, cedar is up though.

The mills claim its because of a glut of wood.

Seattle Snohomish Mill is closing down once they run out their current stock,

Prices are still better then they where in 08-09, A guy can still make a buck now, was hardly worth starting a saw in 08

 

[1270d]

Oak market is pretty poor here as well.

 

[Jim Timber]

This winter was really good for logging in our area. Minimal snow cover and early onset cold winter, combined with late frost out date - skidding paradise in the swamps (everything was solid). Couple that with high market prices from formerly low inventories and everyone was logging their oak. Doesn't surprise me that the demand has caught up and prices are coming down because of it.

 

[chucker]

your right on jim! it was a "feller's or faller's"(pending where your from) dream to be able to walk into the swamps of the wet northland with out getting wet feet in jan. &feb. .... the big butt logs were a treat from the usual bucket sized timber. makes for a good day feeling the ground shake when froze solid to a depth of 10 feet dropping a 32" or larger oak!

 

[Jim Timber]

When I was asking around in Feb, everyone was busy. We didn't have ice out of my swamp until late May. It was maybe a foot down when the road restrictions came off on the 8th. I found ice at 2' a week ago about 40' from the soup. Still hard down deep where there's usually water. Crazy winter this year.

 

[treeslayer2003]

my grade and veneer prices have not dropped and my buyer says he thinks his markets will be strong all summer. they are talking about cutting pallet and tie logs next week.

 

[jegushee1]

Yea this guy isn't complaining too much. Couple years ago pallet oak here in Maine was only payin 200 so I guess it's not that bad. It was nice when I was gettin 425 for oak pallet that I used to throw in the firewood pile. But there has been a hit on all prices here in Maine. Spruce just dropped from 335 to 300 the other day

 

[treeslayer2003]

i been gettin 375 for gum maple oak pallet and tie.......they may drop to 350 or 325..........a few years ago it was 250 so i ain't gonna complain. i just wish big pine would go up, ain't gonna happen.

 

[jegushee1]

Pine just dropped here. Select pine was paying 600 a thousand but just took big hit. The local mill just went to a two tiered scale. Decent pine I was avg 380 to 3

 

[jegushee1]

390. But now prob be down to around 350 or less

 

[Gypo Logger]

It's the trees fault, they're growing faster than we can cut them down. Lol
I remember a good pay streak from 97 to 05 getting 1000 a thousand for sawlogs and as much as 7000/thousand for veneer.

 

[earache]

Oak has come down here as well. But, prices were real high last summer on it, so current price here is closer to average.

 

[Jim Timber]

What are you seeing in WI right now? I'm going to be calling some mills next week to try and line up somewhere to bring my stuff as I start cutting more roads. I have some nice red and bur that's in the way.

 

[1270d]

Jim did you have any storm damage from last week? East gull lake area was really hit hard.

 

[chucker]

worked all week in east an westside of gull lake all week as there is a lot of damage to bigger timber (16" +) oaks as well as pines. whole pine 2nd generation regrowth plantations have been totally whiped out! twisted and snapped of at half heighth of 20" red pines everywhere! there will be a glut of hardwoods for the tie market. green wood that isn't shredded for bio-mass will sell later on for cheap for the firewooder's!! looks like the market on both sides of timber and firewood will take a hard hit for them earning an honest living! so is life in a carnage deal delt by mother nature.....

 

[056kid]

It's the trees fault, they're growing faster than we can cut them down. Lol
I remember a good pay streak from 97 to 05 getting 1000 a thousand for sawlogs and as much as 7000/thousand for veneer.

You shouldgo cut some walnut in the mid west. Some guy on facebook was claiming that he sold a 30some" by 12' walnut log for over $100,000. Sounds like some embellishment going on..

 

[Jim Timber]

We got lucky and didn't lose anything that I noticed on my North 40. I never bothered going to the South 40 based on how little debris was knocked loose.

I have some 2nd leaf apple trees that didn't get ruffled from the storm, and those were my biggest concern. I've only been up there for a day since the storms Sunday night. I'm going back sometime this week to try to get some work done on the roads.


Chucker's right in that the firewooder's are going to take it in the shorts in the lakes area, but do you really think the hardwood market will too?

The forester/logger guy who did my management plan was whining about high stumps where I blockaded my neighbor's out. He didn't think I was leaving those trees intentionally, and was saying his equipment couldn't get to them. A blow-down salvage cut would be the same scenario, only the tops would be higher up and snagged.

I'm the greenest not-a-logger in the business, so I'm just thinking out loud here. I do want to pull some cash out of my trees though, so I've been working on getting the equipment to do so. Tractor and skidding winch are bought, straight truck is up next on the list for hauling to the mill.

 

[Brushwacker]

Can some one tell me current prices for oak logs. Most of what I have will be pin oak and black oak, couple or so white oak trees. Primarily I aim on salvaging logs from blown over trees from a wind storm that tore through much of 30+ acres of small wood lots.
Plan on stock piling the logs outside the woods and selling them on the spot more then likely then delivering.