Who do I ask?

[Bspring]

I have been driving by this pile of wood for a long time and I thought it was just a bunch of stumps but I stopped and checked it out yesterday. Inside the ring of stumps are some huge oak logs. Many are too large for my chainsaw. I never see anyone there but I am sure it came from some government agency putting in pipe lines or power lines. I stopped by today to take some pictures and noticed that someone had been cutting there. After taking my pictures a big black truck pulls in and I walked over to talk to them thinking they may be able to tell me who to contact. They told me they were there to get some firewood, when I asked them if they had gotten permission they told me they had not and were not worried about it. It is 1.5 miles from my house. What do you guys think?

 

[Bspring]

A few pics. BTW, tomorow afternoon is really my only chance unless I wait until next weekend.

 

[ohio woodburner]

man that would be an awesome score. I think i would definitely find out who owns it and ask permission. I wouldn't start cutting on it even if it is a couple miles from your house. Definitely worth doing some digging and finding out who owns it. Keep us updated

 

[ohio woodburner]

call the county, they should have a good idea

 

[r_d_gard]

Why are you typing and blogging when you could be cutting and hauling.

 

[r_d_gard]

Bspring, Check your PM

Ray

 

[peterc38]

I typically ask the town clerk and they can check the tax maps and find out who owns the land.

 

[r_d_gard]

I have the town of Greenville Taxmaps open. Just waiting to hear back from Bspring

 

[gzecc]

I would have done it on the weekend. Early in the morning is best. Just take a cord. Its just going to get chipped up if you don't put it to better use.

 

[patch53]

A wise man once said, "It is sometimes easier to ask for foregiveness than to ask for permission " ( or something like that ) LOL

I'd go for it and start buzzin' ! :cheese:

 

[Bspring]

I will get the cross streets and get back with you. Even if I get some tomorrow I would still like to get permission to go back. As for it being chipped up, I think you are exactly right. I climbed up a big pile of chips to take the picture. That would make the most sense to me. They can't leave it there and there is too much to haul off. I think I am going to take my tractor and a 18' trailer over there and see how much I can get. There is no hiding because it is on a busy road.

 

[Wood Duck]

One thing for sure is whoever piled the wood there doesn't want the wood. it is a good bet that the people who built the pipeline and piled the wood aren't the owners of the land. I assume the wood left there was too big to chip, at least with the chipper they had.

 

[quads]

Umm, maybe I'm missing something here, but regardless of whether or not the owners of the wood want it, it is still their wood. Do not set foot on their land (trespass) until you find out who owns it and get permission from them. Even if the land belongs to a utility or local government, you still can't legally do anything without permission. If you have to stand and watch others stealing the wood, then so be it. At least you yourself are not breaking the law.

Get permission first.

 

[man of stihl]

Umm, maybe I'm missing something here, but regardless of whether or not the owners of the wood want it, it is still their wood. Do not set foot on their land (trespass) until you find out who owns it and get permission from them. Even if the land belongs to a utility or local government, you still can't legally do anything without permission. If you have to stand and watch others stealing the wood, then so be it. At least you yourself are not breaking the law.

Get permission first.

+1 Very good reply, quads....good common sense will save you alot of trouble!

 

[ohio woodburner]

Umm, maybe I'm missing something here, but regardless of whether or not the owners of the wood want it, it is still their wood. Do not set foot on their land (trespass) until you find out who owns it and get permission from them. Even if the land belongs to a utility or local government, you still can't legally do anything without permission. If you have to stand and watch others stealing the wood, then so be it. At least you yourself are not breaking the law.

Get permission first.

+1 Very good reply, quads....good common sense will save you alot of trouble!

+2

 

[JustWood]

I have a wood dump for the tree trimmers that looks like that. Chips,logs, and branches. Once a year I get a grinder in to mulch it up and the following spring the mulch is sold.
The oversize logs get screened out and supply my dads OWB and all is utilized. I wood say that if I caught anyone taking the wood, they wood get an earfull.

 

[Bobbin]

Add this voice to the chorus that thinks getting permission is important. Stealing is sleazy. Nice score if they give you the go ahead nod!

 

[Bspring]

I got permission! Just as suggested I looked the location up on the county tax map and it gave the owners name. I called him up and he told me as long as I didn't leave a lot of ruts in his field he was okay with it. He told me that it was supposed to be on the county land that they had taken in fee-simple but a lot of it was on his land and they were treating his land as if it were their own.

I have never messed with logs this big and think that I would rather work with the smaller stuff. 20" is plenty big. I couldn't budge the rounds on my trailer by hand and one of them busted through the floor of the trailer. I just have no experience dealing with rounds this heavy but I would have gotten more, unfortunately my oil cap broke off somehow so that was the end of the chainsaw for the day.

 

[quads]

I got permission! Just as suggested I looked the location up on the county tax map and it gave the owners name. I called him up and he told me as long as I didn't leave a lot of ruts in his field he was okay with it. He told me that it was supposed to be on the county land that they had taken in fee-simple but a lot of it was on his land and they were treating his land as if it were their own.

I have never messed with logs this big and think that I would rather work with the smaller stuff. 20" is plenty big. I couldn't budge the rounds on my trailer by hand and one of them busted through the floor of the trailer. I just have no experience dealing with rounds this heavy but I would have gotten more, unfortunately my oil cap broke off somehow so that was the end of the chainsaw for the day.

Wonderful news! Glad you got permission first. Now you can rest easy knowing that you did the right thing and it ended up working out very good for you.

As for moving the big rounds, try hitting them a few times with a maul first. At least split them into a more manageable size before you move them, if you can.

 

[fossil]

I'm glad you did that, Bspring...you set an excellent example. I'd think that the landowner was quite pleased, as well. I know I would be. Well done...and good luck with those monsters. Don't hurt yourself or do any more equipment damage. Rick

 

[Wood Duck]

or maybe cut them shorter. Are those the right length for your stove? whether cutting shorter or splitting, I'd make them smaller so moving is easier on you and your stuff.

 

[firefighterjake]

+1 for doing the right thing and getting permission . . . perhaps this may pay off in the future if the landowner remembers you . . . wouldn't hurt to give him your name and phone number . . . if he has more wood that needs to be removed or friends or family he may just recommend you . . . and if not . . . consider it an advance pay off to good karma.

 

[Bspring]

I will have to cut them all shorter. My thought was to get as much on the trailer as quickly as I could and then take my time processing them at home. During the week I don't have as much time but 20 minutes here and there will add up. I usually put much longer rounds on the trailer but my tractor just could not handle anything bigger.
I am not worried about the Red Oak but the White Oak may be a real challenge.