Land Clearing Question

[Stick'n'String]

Purchased 40 acres of mature timber and want to make some openings for a few plots (Probably less than 3 acres) and a road into the property. The plots would preferably be 1/4 to 1 acre in size.

When I say mature timber we have quite a few white oaks over 20" dbh with mixed oaks, hickory, beech, etc of the same size and the understory is dominated with small saplings.

I met with a state forester who didn't think we would be able to find a logger but recommended eliminating undergrowth and completing a crop tree release. All that said I'm considering my options for opening up a few spots.

Here are my thoughts -
1. Do I try to find a logger or firewood cutter that would potentially get me a little $?
2. Hire a dozer operator to just push timber?
3. Hire a group with a bobcat mulcher to shred?

The property is in Hendersonville (Sumner County) if you have any recommendations. And I'd appreciate any pros/cons of each option.

 

[tn droptine]

I have been looking into the same thing, however my woods is not as established as what it sounds like yours are.

For the small amount of clearing you are looking at doing it will probably be tough to find any loggers to take on that small of a size in acreage. Maybe consider doing a select cut on 10-15 acres in addition to the small clearings?
The dozer operator would be my choice, however, I would look to have a trackhoe hired to do the stump removal, from what I have seen they cause less damage than a dozer as far as topsoil goes.
I would assume that the bobcat mulcher would work for areas that have mostly young trees and underbrush, but not much as far as tree removal and opening up the canopy to allow more sunlight to the plot.

 

[BSK]

I have been looking into the same thing, however my woods is not as established as what it sounds like yours are.

For the small amount of clearing you are looking at doing it will probably be tough to find any loggers to take on that small of a size in acreage. Maybe consider doing a select cut on 10-15 acres in addition to the small clearings?
The dozer operator would be my choice, however, I would look to have a trackhoe hired to do the stump removal, from what I have seen they cause less damage than a dozer as far as topsoil goes.
I would assume that the bobcat mulcher would work for areas that have mostly young trees and underbrush, but not much as far as tree removal and opening up the canopy to allow more sunlight to the plot.

X2

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I figure out just how much board foot of each grade and each species Im going to lose by just pushing it over. Then check the weekly timber report, take about half the value of the timber im going to be clearing(because you would generally get 50% of total value from a logger) and see if Im willing to lose that amount of money or not. Right now Im holding off on expanding a 1.5 acre plot into a 3 acre plot because it would mean pushing over about $1500 (to me) worth of timber and just wasting it. So I will wait on that until I have enough acreage ready to cut for a logger to come in. On another spot, I sold 20 acres of timber in 2 different patches and cleared 1 acre in one of the logged areas after the fairly valuable white oak was removed. On another, I just pushed everything away on 5 acres in 4 different plots because there was little timber value there. It is hard to answer anything specific on your question without really seeing the timber in question. You have to think about this also, it is generally cheaper for a operator to push over bigger trees than it is to dig out stumps. The top weight of the tree gives more leverage for getting the stump to come up and out. So with a bunch of stumps you may actually pay more to have it cleared than if you would have just pushed it over.

 

[Hawk]

If you have 40 acres of timber that averages 20' dbh you should not have any trouble finding some one to cut the timber that is unless you just want a few here and a few there cut. I would cut it all and use some some the money to make some openings for food plots.

You could just poison the beech and hickory trees to make more cover.

 

[BSK]

The problem would be finding a logger that would be interested in cutting such a small area.

 

[Football Hunter]

Dont mulch it all up,unless you have a way to get rid of it,not a good seed bed

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I wouldn't do the dozer. Makes a mess and leaves a bigger one. I would find someone who sells firewood, tell them they can have it all but must take it all. Thats what we did and it worked well. He sold the good wood and burned the rest in a big pile at his place. We blasted the stumps... but this was years ago... and not in Hendersonville. Which side of H-Town is your property on? The guy that did ours may be interested if you are.

 

[Stick'n'String]

The property will eventually become our home site so I definitely don't want to clear cut the entire place.

However another question to those with experience (even if I would accept a 70/30 or even 80/20 split) you don't think I could find a logger to cut 5 acres of 100 year timber? It would only take one road to cut all the areas I'm interested in clearing. Main goal would be opening up canopy and I hate to see such great timber rot in a big pile. If I could get a little money to pay for stump removal would be a bonus in my eyes.

UH - property is on north side of Hville. Near Tyree Springs road.

 

[lpo1981]

How much are you looking at cutting? I had a friend of mine who's father owns a small logging operation. I had 8 acres clear cut with the exception of a few white oaks and maples. We did 50/50 split and we made right at 16k. I in turned used that money to have stump removal on the 8 acres and driveway repaired and graveled as this is where my home sits.. So I think it is possible for you to find someone willing to come in and log your said price of property. May have to look for a small logging operation with just a few people. What I did, crew of 3 and took a little longer than normal due to the winter we had a few years ago when it was cut..