Scrounger's Jackpot - Today's Load

[jwoair23]

Man oh man did I stumble on the mother load today. 15 acres that were logged last winter, and the loggers left everything 18-20" diameter or less laying on the ground. The homeowner wants people to come and take whatever they can for firewood, its on a farm, and you can drive right up to the firewood, cut what you want, leave what you don't want, and load it right on the truck!

I took some pictures of the woods, the amount of wood in the pics is about 10% of the overall wood out there. I also took a picture of the truck loaded, and the path out to the woods.

Finally, just for kicks, I took a picture of what I have to go through once I get it home. Walking it up that hill, you have to really WANT the firewood.

What a great load today, going back next weekend for more. The load I got today was 100% Oak!

 

[Shadow&Flame]

O you guys are killing me with these scrounge pics... Very nice indeed.

 

[chvymn99]

Nice, cant beat that deal, really. Thats a good lookin' load you got there and some nice stacks also.

 

[Blue Vomit]

Nice score. Perfect size IMHO. Anything over that 20" starts to irritate my back anyway. One question... You can't just back the truck up the hill and roll them bad boys off the back?

 

[jwoair23]

One question... You can't just back the truck up the hill and roll them bad boys off the back?

Boy I wish I could! The picture is very deceiving, thats actually a very steep hill. I tried once, and even with super aggressive tires I have, it was too scary to go up even without a load.

not to mention, everything from the sidewalk over to the right is actually my neighbors property, lol. He doesn't care at all about it, but I still wouldn't want to destroy the hill even if I could get it up that bank.

 

[Locust Post]

Very nice. Looks like some white oak mmmmm

 

[TimJ]

you better keep them stacks nice and neat or the neighbors will be complaining

 

[jwoair23]

you better keep them stacks nice and neat or the neighbors will be complaining

lol I'm not sure if you were kidding or not, but its funny you say that because its a very real concern of mine, and I hate it! I hate having to worry about what I do on my own property, but I always keep exactly what you said in mind. I try and keep everything neat so that no one can complain.

In fact, I took two truck loads of bark/dirt/branches/scraps etc off of my back hill a few weeks ago just to try and keep everything clean.

I wish I lived in the country

 

[Thistle]

Wow. That's a motherlode alright. Lots of primo stuff there.Congrats!!

 

[amateur cutter]

SCOOOOOOORRRRRRRRR......... & with nice sharp chain too, I'll bet. I don't know the situation there, but the farms I cut will let me stack rounds or splits in the fence rows to season. I don't know if that's an option for you or not, but might be worth asking. Great job on that load. A C

 

[Shadow&Flame]

SCOOOOOOORRRRRRRRR......... & with nice sharp chain too, I'll bet. I don't know the situation there, but the farms I cut will let me stack rounds or splits in the fence rows to season. I don't know if that's an option for you or not, but might be worth asking. Great job on that load. A C

I tried that once....went back after a month or so and found someone had decided to season the wood someplace else...

 

[osagebow]

Sweet! Nice looking stack, too.

 

[jwoair23]

I tried that once....went back after a month or so and found someone had decided to season the wood someplace else...

Thats a very polite way of putting it!

I don't think I can stack the wood there, even if I could, I am so incredibly OCD with my firewood I would want to have it here at "home" with me anyhow. Go ahead and laugh!

Amateur cutter, you are right about the sharp chains, one chain held up all day perfectly through all the oak. I am a believer in that timberline sharpener! The best part now is that I can do a quick touchup before heading back out next weekend, instead of waiting until its really dull and taking it to the dealer.

 

[infinitymike]

Beautiful. It's like your own little wood farm. That you can go and pick choice product. I love it. I would get a conveyor belt for that hill.

 

[amateur cutter]

Like I said, "don't know if that's an option". In my case, both the farmers are good friends, & no one else is allowed on the property so no real problems there.
+ 1 on the conveyor too. Glad to hear the chains worked out well.

Nice stacks btw. A C

 

[Shadow&Flame]

Thats a very polite way of putting it! I have learned to censor myself in public...

I don't think I can stack the wood there, even if I could, I am so incredibly OCD with my firewood I would want to have it here at "home" with me anyhow. Go ahead and laugh! Sounds smart to me, but I dont have to worry about neighbors either.

Amateur cutter, you are right about the sharp chains, one chain held up all day perfectly through all the oak. I am a believer in that timberline sharpener! The best part now is that I can do a quick touchup before heading back out next weekend, instead of waiting until its really dull and taking it to the dealer.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

lol I'm not sure if you were kidding or not, but its funny you say that because its a very real concern of mine, and I hate it! I hate having to worry about what I do on my own property, but I always keep exactly what you said in mind. I try and keep everything neat so that no one can complain.

In fact, I took two truck loads of bark/dirt/branches/scraps etc off of my back hill a few weeks ago just to try and keep everything clean.

I wish I lived in the country

jwoair, I have my own woods, but if I came across a score like that, I'd probably go get it ASAP! That is a fantastic score and there is a lot of heat in that oak. Congratulations to you and I do hope you do something special for that farmer to show your appreciation.


I certainly can understand what you mean about worrying what you do on your own place. To a certain extent, we all have to (but very little) but the things I've read on this forum just about floor me. If you are harming your neighbors then I can understand but if it is just that they don't want to see a stack of wood, I say.....maybe it is better I don't print it. After all, this is a family forum... You are right, living in the country is the best and we are very thankful that we do.

 

[Thistle]

Thats a very polite way of putting it!

I don't think I can stack the wood there, even if I could, I am so incredibly OCD with my firewood I would want to have it here at "home" with me anyhow. Go ahead and laugh!

You're not the only one.Nothing wrong with safeguarding the supply you've worked very hard to get.

Whenever I'm cutting in a place that's somewhat 'open' or near a road/street that sees regular traffic,I make sure that I dont leave any rounds cut to length that are easily grabbed.Watch how full the pickup or trailer is getting & if there's even 3-4 smaller ones left & if its full - in the cab they go.People want the wood I've been working on,they're gonna have to bring a saw & work for like I did..Less likely to swipe it if its a long or heavy stick that needs bucking.

 

[Realstone]

O you guys are killing me with these scrounge pics... Very nice indeed.

Ditto

 

[DexterDay]

Nice scrounge, Nice house, Nice truck, and a Nice Sharp Chain..... What else could a Man ask for?

Besides a Nice Cold Drink afterwards

 

[jwoair23]

Backwoods: It certainly was fortunate stumbling on this property for sure! And I agree with everything you said regarding neighbors, thankfully I do have some very friendly neighbors on either side, so I know they won't cause any trouble. Also, I should say, this Oak will not be burned this year! It has been dead for about a year on the ground, and now that I split and stack it, it won't be burned until late in the 2013-14 winter at the earliest, maybe the winter after that. All my wood for this year is up near the house (about 4 cords).

Thistle: I know what you mean about people stealing wood. Its ridiculous, and really gets me mad. I had some kids steal some wood for their fire pit a year or so ago. Thankfully they were renters and have since moved out. After you go to such lengths and put in suck work to get the firewood, it really is infuriating to have it stolen, even more so than something you just bought in my opinion. Firewood is earned!

 

[Realstone]

I wish I lived in the country

I posted the exact same thing on another thread. If it helps, you're more rural than me.

 

[weatherguy]

Doesnt get any easier than that JW, even have some tires there if you want to take out your ax and start splitting on site

 

[ScotO]

JW, looks like you got yer own little motherlode there. Nice job on your stacks, looks like yer moving right along with your firewood collecting. Glad to hear the Timberline is working out for you, I knew once you got the hang of it, you'd love it. Do like I said, get a little squeeze bottle of machine oil (I just bought one at Lowes the other day for 2 bucks), put a drop on your carbide every other chisel when you are sharpening, and that sharpener will last you years and years.

 

[clemsonfor]

that is normal, the loggers top the trees at the first big branch. The top is not merchantable or either takes to much work to work into pulpwood so it stays out there. This is the part of HW logging that i hate the most. I see it all the time and as a forester this is where i get most of my wood. Also i talk my loggers into leaving me a tree if they have to much to fit on the last load. Either that or get them to pull up a dead or blown over tree up to the deck so i can cut it up.