Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[ken morgan]

covid put a hell of a crimp on my scrounging activities. normally i scrounge about 3 cords a year for myself, a cord or two for my older neighbor and 1 cord for a Widow that lives down the road (she is only there until early November and comes back in late March so 1 cord is enough for her needs.) . this year I managed right at 1.5 cords.. thankfully due to covid Mrs. Takaichi had not burned any and Mr. Hirakawa had managed to barely scrounge enough for his own needs... I see myself burning some kerosene next year at this rate.

 

[svk]

covid put a hell of a crimp on my scrounging activities. normally i scrounge about 3 cords a year for myself, a cord or two for my older neighbor and 1 cord for a Widow that lives down the road (she is only there until early November and comes back in late March so 1 cord is enough for her needs.) . this year I managed right at 1.5 cords.. thankfully due to covid Mrs. Takaichi had not burned any and Mr. Hirakawa had managed to barely scrounge enough for his own needs... I see myself burning some kerosene next year at this rate.

Sorry to hear. Did you get covid or what prevented you from scrounging?

 

[MustangMike]

My hunting property is hours away upstate, when I hunt locally it is either on public land or other peoples' private land, so I use a climbing tree stand to leave as little evidence as possible that I was there.

I also like, that at 69, I can still do it every year. I also think a lot of those ladder stands make a lot more noise when you climb them.

Also, my Summit climber is so comfortable when it is adjusted right that I can sit still longer than in most other stands.

I will likely just find a smaller tree and keep using it for as long as I can.

The climbing part is really not that hard, it is just getting into and out of it that can be challenging, especially if the tree broadens out down low. My seat section has the full rail around it, so you have to start by getting up on the side of the platform and step through the rail to get into position (and reverse coming down). The full rail lets me use it w/o harnesses, which I have no interest in using.

 

[svk]

I have wanted to get a nice climber but never had. Had a cheap one that was a bear to use. I think I used it once then sold it on craigslist.

My deer seasons are polarized. I either get one on the first day (last two years) or I hunt the entire season and end up skunked. I really need to go back to getting the multi season license so you can bow/rifle/muzzleload till you get one.

 

[Iffykid]

Yup she works hard around here

I bought her one last Christmas View attachment 939915View attachment 939916

Buy her some PPE

 

[chipper1]

My hunting property is hours away upstate, when I hunt locally it is either on public land or other peoples' private land, so I use a climbing tree stand to leave as little evidence as possible that I was there.

I also like, that at 69, I can still do it every year. I also think a lot of those ladder stands make a lot more noise when you climb them.

Also, my Summit climber is so comfortable when it is adjusted right that I can sit still longer than in most other stands.

I will likely just find a smaller tree and keep using it for as long as I can.

The climbing part is really not that hard, it is just getting into and out of it that can be challenging, especially if the tree broadens out down low. My seat section has the full rail around it, so you have to start by getting up on the side of the platform and step through the rail to get into position (and reverse coming down). The full rail lets me use it w/o harnesses, which I have no interest in using.

How big of a tree will it climb safely Mike.

 

[chipper1]

Just had half a semi trailer load of softwood dropped at the house, pictures coming in a bit.

 

[Brufab]

How big of a tree will it climb safely Mike.

I have a old summit Saber climbing stand I think probly 16-18" max. I only use the stand for tree work if I want to cable a tree I will use the stand to put a cable up in it for the winch.

 

[chipper1]

I have a old summit Saber climbing stand I think probly 16-18" max. I only use the stand for tree work if I want to cable a tree I will use the stand to put a cable up in it for the winch.

What kind of winch do you have.
I don't know if I've ever been in a climbing stand before. A buddy of mine used to have 50 acres right across from a DNR hunting access point that had about 50 acres, he was always finding stands on his place.

 

[chipper1]

Half a trailer of softwood, it's gone up a lot in price since I started scrounging lol.
Not sure how many cords, but there is 75 bottom "cords" .

 

[Brufab]

12,500# one from Northern tool. I wouldn't try pulling a hard lean on a real big tree the opposite way but so far so good on directing trees where I want them to go

 

[Brufab]

Looks like my build site

Half a trailer of softwood, it's gone up a lot in price since I started scrounging lol.
Not sure how many cords, but there is 75 bottom "cords" .
View attachment 940309
View attachment 940310

Looks like what I had going around in the year glad prices have come down

 

[Brufab]

She's done now 30x56

 

[Brufab]

Been a battle with water this year. Goes from no rain to too much rain in the second half of this year. This is the house site.

 

[Brufab]

What kind of winch do you have.
I don't know if I've ever been in a climbing stand before. A buddy of mine used to have 50 acres right across from a DNR hunting access point that had about 50 acres, he was always finding stands on his place.

This is what I have been using. It's a 12k pound.

 

[panolo]

Do you guys do any grunting for bucks up that way Steve? I'm sure your post rut up there but it never hurts to see if they will come in. Good luck and congrats on the spike.

We do a bunch more grunting and rattling a few hours south of Steve. I've rattled or gruntled in a couple this year. Just nothing big. My nephew estrus sprayed and grunted in a 8 pointer on Sunday. Once he uploads the video I'll link it. Was chasing a doe and she lost him in the thick brush. My nephew grunted him and had just sprayed, He came in on a dead run and stopped 17 yards out.

 

[Brufab]

This is what I have been using. It's a 12k pound.

What kind of winch do you have.
I don't know if I've ever been in a climbing stand before. A buddy of mine used to have 50 acres right across from a DNR hunting access point that had about 50 acres, he was always finding stands on his place.

This is the type of stand I have it's probly 25+ years old. Summit Saber. The new ones look alot nicer. They are alil sketchy and I recommend a harness while climbing. Not an all day stand by any means. After about 3 4 hours I'm done. Small seat and I'm a little guy 5'4". The newer ones seem alot nicer and can be bought new for 100-200$ I bought the summit because it was made out of steel. I didn't feel to good being in an aluminum one 20-25' in the air. Especially climbing up the tree in the dark. Always worried about the aluminum cracking or a bad weld.

 

[Philbert]

I also see guys scrounging firewood where the power companies have arborists maintaining the power lines. Trouble is they cut it in weird lengths so if you don't mind stacking and burning odd lengths it's a good way to go if it's close to the road.

^^^^ This, is ‘scrounging’.

Philbert

 

[chipper1]

Been a battle with water this year. Goes from no rain to too much rain in the second half of this year. This is the house site.

Oh man, that stinks.
Is that all the further along you are now.

This is what I have been using. It's a 12k pound.

I have a harbor freight one in the basement, only used it one time to pull a buddies car onto a trailer.
Hoping to put it on the trailer I'm in the middle of building, stopped because of the barn/tree work/firewood sales, hope to get back to it once the roof/shingles are done.
Does that one have the remote control.

This is the type of stand I have it's probly 25+ years old. Summit Saber. The new ones look alot nicer. They are alil sketchy and I recommend a harness while climbing. Not an all day stand by any means. After about 3 4 hours I'm done. Small seat and I'm a little guy 5'4". The newer ones seem alot nicer and can be bought new for 100-200$ I bought the summit because it was made out of steel. I didn't feel to good being in an aluminum one 20-25' in the air. Especially climbing up the tree in the dark. Always worried about the aluminum cracking or a bad weld.

That looks pretty nice to me.

She's done now 30x56

Awesome.
This one is 32x48 with 12' sidewalls for the main, and two 12x48 lean tos with 8' sidewalls.
I managed to get all my truss ties in place for the main, just need to cut three post yet for the others(I already cut the rest of them). I also managed to get the lag replacements(5" Ledger LOK's) into all the inside truss carriers. A buddy stopped by and helped me move one of the gables and then pull it up into place.
I also Managed to get one end of the rope I plan on using to lift the trusses into the tree, just need to do the other end/pulley, and set up a pulley on the rope.
My buddy is stopping by again tomorrow around noon, hopefully we can get a lot done.

 

[ken morgan]

Sorry to hear. Did you get covid or what prevented you from scrounging?

I am fairly certain I got the rona back when it first popped up here in japan. I was up north at Hokaido on a contract to assist one of the US Navy ships that was doing a port visit up there (I bid on small support contracts like this) so I was surrounded by Chinese tourists.

came down with a mild fever for about a week along with general aches and pains. never noticed any of the other "symptoms" but I am 99% positive thats what it was. then a couple of months later it popped up all over the world and folks were in a panic about it.

what hurt me was the lockdown mandates. Due to my association with the Local millitary bases they were foisted on me need it or not.

All the local tree companies that I was using to get wood from had to find other places to dispose their wood at so I lost out on all that wood for almost the entire time. down south where my house is the hardwoods are too soft for furniture and nobody burns wood, so the tree companies have to pay to dispose of wood they clean up or clear. up north where my cabin is at, such is not the case up there you pay for wood as the hardwoods up there are "harder" and more suitable for furniture or what not. so down south where the primary house is at I went around to all of the tree companies and told them i would dispose for free of certain sized and types of tree, Oak, Elm, Camphor, cherry etc. which allows me to pick and choose what i get. normally I run four or five 4 ton truckloads up each year and divvy it up between myself and a couple of my elderly neighbors. this year??? none, zero locked down every time some wood came available.