I'm looking for ideas on getting logs/bucks out of woods easier

[WiscWoody]

I have been cutting some heavy hard maple on a 80 acre wood lot and I buck them in the woods and carry the rounds to my truck some 30 yards away sometimes tripping on growth and going down log and all.
I suppose if I use some log tongs with a long chain and leave to tree in longer pieces until it's out to the road that would make more sense. I have a lot of chain. A winch would be nice and I thought about somehow mounting one in my truck bed by the cab. The old back isn't what it used to be and every round of wood is a struggle when it's in the woods.

 

[tcassavaugh]

yeah, its no fun when you have to run the wood to the truck. you talk about a winch......my brother has one that he mounted in the ball hitch receiver in the back of his truck. works pretty good for him. you can get the receiver mounts at a lot of places. that makes it easy as you don't have to permanently mount it and you can remove it easily when not in use......just a thought. I think he may have gotten it at harbor freight or northern tool..... good luck, and take care of that back.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

The problem with dragging logs is getting dirt in them. If you continue to buck in the woods, using a winch would be so super slow you'd quickly go back to the way you are doing it now.

Can you get a garden tractor in there? An old lawn mower without the deck? An atv? Even using some simple tools will lessen the work you do and certainly will be easier on the back. For example:

We have two of these and it is amazing just how much they seem to lessen the work load. With smaller logs, you can carry one in each hand. One other trick we do is to cut in 4' lengths. Then just using one of these, drag it out. It is amazing just how much more you can do using these tongs.

On the other hand, something like this works well:


The top 2 pictures are a dray I threw together for about $10. It really works slick hauling logs and works either in snow or on bare ground. We use a simple ratchet strap to hold the logs in place. Click on the second picture to see the eyebolts and ratchet strap.

The trailer is an atv trailer and we also use this behind our Cub Cadet. It is very low to the ground so putting a large round in is not a problem. In addition, it does have a tilt bed in case the round is too large to handle. Using a cant hook to roll those kind is the best way to go. But there are many on the forum how simply use a lawn mower and cart and get along just fine.

 

[WiscWoody]

I could probably get my ATV with its dump/swivel ATV trailer in there but I'd have to load the quad on the truck and try to get the trailer on too. I do have a long box so that helps. I'll have to try a few things and see how it goes. I have dragged some longer logs before and I tried to brush the dirt off of them with a wire brush to save the chain as much as I could. Thanks for ideas!

 

[red oak]

I often find myself in this situation, since everything I cut is in the woods, either mine, someone else's, or National Forest. What I have found that helps is to get the truck, or whatever vehicle you're using, as close as possible, and/or downhill. Sometimes I've been able to roll the rounds to the truck. Also, have you considered splitting in the woods? In recent years I've taken to splitting in half anything that's over 14" diameter. This means more pieces to carry but each one is lighter - and my back definitely feels the difference. Lastly, if I have to walk 20 yards or more I check for a path first. Anything I might trip over either gets cut or I find an easy way around it.

 

[Flatbedford]

I try to skid stuff with my truck whenever possible. I have an assortment of wire rope lengths and shackles plus a few snatch blocks. I always try to move the wood in the largest chunks possible over ground if I can't get the truck right to it. I have never really sweated over some dirt on the logs. I carry files and sharpen when necessary. I also split rounds into manageable pieces before I try to lift them onto the truck .

 

[bigbarf48]

How about a wheelbarrow?

 

[WiscWoody]

How about a wheelbarrow?

So simple... I never thought of it...

 

[Get Wood]

You can get a blue barrel take the lid off and cut a 2 or 3 inch hole in the bottom with a hole saw then run a cat choker cable through the hole then just slide the open end up to the log and winch it in. It won't dig into the dirt and if the ground is frozen it should slide over it without getting to dirty.

 

[BEConklin]

I split the round into halves or quarters in the woods then wheelbarrow the splits out to the truck - which, hopefully, is not that far off. Sometimes I split it right down to firewood right there if it's easy splitting - using a round as a block. That way I can get more wood into the back of my Ranger.

 

[tcassavaugh]

How about a wheelbarrow?

I've always liked the two wheel kind. get more in them and they usually don't tip over.

 

[Jon1270]

In a similar spirit to the wheelbarrow idea, I use a plastic utility sled. It really shines on snow, but works pretty well on dirt, grass and leaves too.

 

[jebatty]

You can get a blue barrel take the lid off and cut a 2 or 3 inch hole in the bottom with a hole saw then run a cat choker cable through the hole then just slide the open end up to the log and winch it in. It won't dig into the dirt and if the ground is frozen it should slide over it without getting to dirty.

Great idea. Does the barrel hold up to the abrasion?

 

[Get Wood]

Great idea. Does the barrel hold up to the abrasion?

Yes I drag it across rock and anything, it would take something pretty sharp to cut through it. I was going it post a pic but I don't have any pictures.
If you make one drill the hole about 4 inches in from the edge.

 

[tsquini]

I have been cutting some heavy hard maple on a 80 acre wood lot and I buck them in the woods and carry the rounds to my truck some 30 yards away sometimes tripping on growth and going down log and all.
I suppose if I use some log tongs with a long chain and leave to tree in longer pieces until it's out to the road that would make more sense. I have a lot of chain. A winch would be nice and I thought about somehow mounting one in my truck bed by the cab. The old back isn't what it used to be and every round of wood is a struggle when it's in the woods.

longer logs are always quicker for skidding. You want to have the chain as short as possible. If you need to make any turns when skidding you will get the log suck on the inside of the turn.

 

[Ehouse]

Those log tongs look great for hand skidding smaller logs. A machete or hatchet stuck in the end of the log is a back saver as well.

 

[paul bunion]

Human powered grapple. I've never done it but I've heard it works quite well if you are going downhill.

http://store.peaveymfg.com/cart/product/9063/48_Swivel_Timber_Carrier/#

 

[weatherguy]

I have two of these I use, TSC carries them now too

http://www.baileysonline.com/Forest.../Lockhart-s-Firewood-Gripper-15---18-Logs.axd

 

[Backwoods Savage]

So simple... I never thought of it...

A 2 wheeled wheelbarrow or a 2 wheeled cart (high wheels not low).

 

[nmaho]

I just use my sons old big wagon to wheel out of the woods works good just have to make a few trips.

 

[MDFisherman]

I usually end up cutting a road in the woods so I can get my truck right next to the tree. By the time I clear all the saplings and brush I wonder if it would have been easier to just carry the wood to the truck.

I also try and pull the tree to a nicer area to work, I keep the chain as short as possible and that seams to help keep the log from digging in the mud. Sometimes u can get the bark to fall off which clears the dirt off.

 

[gzecc]

I once turned down a big load of locust because it was just too labor intensive to get them out. It was down hill and around turns. Would have had split it manually down there, then wheelbarrow up, a couple at a time. Just too much work.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I turned down quite a few cord of locust last year because I was not going to carry it all up a 20-30 foot bank with loose soil. I don't regret it either.

 

[Isaac Carlson]

I like to drive right up to the wood. I noodle big rounds into halves, quarters, sixths, etc so I can lift them into the truck.

 

[gzecc]

I once was given a few fallen trees from a customer of mine. I needed to buck them and carry them out of the woods. It was totally inaccessable, except to walk in and out. Rocks everywhere sticking out of the ground. Realized, breaking an ankle or leg just wasn't worth $100 in firewood that needed two yrs to season. I did it, but never again.