Small logging

[Jarrod]

Well im pretty glad i found this site with all of you badass loggers out there on this. Im 25 and i live in concordia, ks and since i was a little kid it's been my dream to be a logger. I've cut plenty of trees here in kansas (small compared to you bigtime loggers) for firewood and hedge trees (osage orange tree) for fence post's i sold to farmers. So if any of you have information on where to get me started on finding a job or what i have to do to get a loggin job please let me know. Also im trien to start a small loggin buisness here in kansas. Just cuttin veneer walnut and eastern red ceder to try and sell to sawmills and lumber yards. Also cut cottan wood trees to sell to mills or lumberyards for pallets. Let me know if you have any information on logging jobs or info on starting up my own little buisness here in ks. Like how to cut them, who to sell to, or just anything you would know. Would really appreciate it guys, thnx.

Jarrod Valeka
[email protected]

 

[HS Climber]

Right now probably wouldnt be the best time to start logging.
well at least on the west coast no one is logging at all.

 

[oregoncutter]

Not a good time, go to school!

I agree right now the timber industry in Oregon is hurting, and not very secure. There are alot of good hands out there looking for work in the woods, and not many jobs available. If it were me I would stay where You are at and develop You're own buisiness especialy if You allready have a market for that wood. Maybe look into some buisiness classes, and get some experienced input on falling trees. I don't mean to crush You're dream of being a logger but right now it's fairly slimpickins.

 

[Jacob J.]

There's never been a worse time to try and get into logging. Go to school, get into fire management or land management on a municipal/state/federal government level and get your kicks that way. Or go into tree service.

 

[Gologit]

Oregoncutter and JacobJ called it. Now is not a good time on the Left Coast.

It's slow enough here that there's still a lot of experienced guys not working. I don't see that changing anytime soon.

A lot of the younger guys probably won't work at all this year and many of them are signing up for re-training in other fields.

 

[jburlingham]

Jarrod,

I don't think any of the guys here are trying to pee in your Wheaties, however the economy being what it is, hits the building industry hard, and if there isn't building, then there isn't much call for lumber unfortunately.
Conversely as we get closer to winter and oil prices stay high, you may make out well cutting firewood if you have the property to gather wood from, Either way I wish you luck in you future.

 

[slowp]

Yes, you'd better be good at saving money for times like now. There is one guy starting up this week. BUT, they had a heck of a time finding somewhere to sell the logs,(that changes daily) and will only be skidding and hauling what they couldn't get last winter after the big snow dump. No new cutting.

Another outfit was plowing in to start up, but they're logging directly for a mill.
And that's it. Usually there's several wanting to get going. But this year is quiet. Us foresters who deal with them have put on weight.

Other than being hired to be a greenhorn in a tv show, there'd be no chance for you.

 

[Jarrod]

Welp, thnx anyways guys. Sure appreciate the advice. Guess ill just wait a few years and see what happens with the econamy. An...haha... no im camera shy, you wouldnt catch me on no damn tv show. where would i get started on forestry school or anything like that? Really would like to learn as much as i can.

 

[forestryworks]

http://safnet.org/fs/getting_started.cfm

 

[371groundie]

logging is not the game to be in right now. i just made the jump from logging to tree work. it was hard considering i grew up logging. it has its pluses and minuses, but all together not bad.

JJ madea good point: get an education. i got a forestry degree. it makes you a more valuable employee wherever you go. in my recent job search i think it really helped. it proves that you arent just a monkey with a chainsaw. (no offense to those who are proud of that title)

a regular paycheck is a nice thing. loggin has good times and bad times, more of the latter it seems. some weeks you make big money, and some weeks you loose your shorts. you may make in a year the same amount you would somwhere else, but its hard when it comes in spurts.

good luck man, if you make a life and living out of it you will have earned every penny twice over. and if you do, please share the secret with the rest of us!

 

[ak4195]

Utility Right of Way clearing is fairly recession proof,and you get to fell tree's.Davies n Asplund own the lower 48 or so Im led to believe,Im sure theres smaller contractors doing various local circuits.
....Ughm,beg my ignance,and understand I havent been east of Whitefish Montany,but aint kansas a bit flat? Id try for an area with lots of trees and lots of seasonal wind/snow/ice.

ak4195

 

[STLfirewood]

I have a little different take on it. Lumber here in the Midwest is still selling. Not for high dollar but they are still buying. You could put an ad in he paper and go after very small tracts(2-5 acres). There are a lot of people who want trees taken off lots like this. Around here good white oak still brings $1 a board foot. Tie(sp) logs are bringing $240 a thousand. Saw logs are only bringing $150 a thousand. Being small you can process the whole tree and make money. Tops make great firewood. Since your small and they can't get bigger loggers to cut on their smaller tracts you can favor the split more towards you. A tractor with a loader or a skid steer would suit a 1-man outfit just fine. You could haul yourself if you had a big enough truck and trailer. I use a F-550 and a dump trailer. If you have a lot of logs ready to go some bigger loggers will haul for you. I can have it hauled around here for $60 a thousand. I just bought a small woodmizer so I can cut logs instead of selling them to the mill. Now I'll be able to offer rough cut oak and cedar. They guys are right now is not the time to jump in and spend a lot of money. You should go to school and get job training. But if you want to run a small logging company you can. Work logging while your going to school. Keep your overhead real low and you can make money.

Scott

 

[chip's-tree]

small logging the good life....

Jarrod
I logged for years here in AR before switching to tree service and to make any money you have to stay small and fully merchandise your timber for the best market or be a "high roller" and really move the heck out of it--which ain't likely in todays markets....first and above all, get an education it will be the biggest asset. be safe and good luck....

 

[TimberFaller660]

Welp, thnx anyways guys. Sure appreciate the advice. Guess ill just wait a few years and see what happens with the econamy. An...haha... no im camera shy, you wouldnt catch me on no damn tv show. where would i get started on forestry school or anything like that? Really would like to learn as much as i can.

WVU has an excellent forestry program. but thats quite aways from kansas.