Posted: 7/20/2026 7:40:43 AM EDT
[Last Edit: Ilikepieman][Edited]
| Have any of you property owners here in MO ever work with any foresters, the MDC, or loggers to have your property logged/timber stand improvement done? I own 80 acres that is 99% wooded with most of it being a very nice mixture of mature oaks, walnut and hickory. There is also several acres of invasive species and undesirable trees like cedar and bush honeysuckle. I want to start selectively logging the property, removing all the invasive species and doing basic TSI. I’ve had two loggers approach me while they were logging neighbor properties and their offers were laughable. They also left the neighboring properties looking like a tornado had gone through, completely ruining them for years. I live very close to a saw mill, own a tractor/trailer and could start harvesting logs myself but I would like a professionals opinion. Can anyone recommend me a forester and or share your experience with working with the MDC? Also, any rough number or information on income taxes for the lumber? |
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you don't list what county you are in, but you should contact any local sawmills in your aera and talk to them, they can give you good contact on loggers cutting in your aera and should give you an idea on what logs should be going for, bear in mind in most all cases when they leave the tops it looks like a tornado went through there that skidder digs ruts, an idea on the tops is see who selling firewood in your aera, as you could work out a deal where they go in and cut the tops for firewood and on money it could be a 60-40 split on the money, or an agreement they push up the tops in piles through the logging lanes and grind down any stumps that are in the logging lanes. if you have some big oaks and Walnuts, you have some money there. TS2 |
All Gave Some / Some Gave All
Maj. Richard Ayers
4-16-70
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/a/a048.htm
Maj. Richard Ayers
4-16-70
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/a/a048.htm
| Property is located in Crawford county. You mentioned loggers wanting a 60/40 split, which is what they offered me. That type of deal seems ridiculous, especially sense they all also want free range to cut any tree they want that’s over 18.” I want to do a selective harvest and have every tree marked. I also have a great area where I could stage the logs and could have buyers bid on them as well. The property is very easy to access and has logging roads already established. |
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Originally Posted By TargetShooter2: snip an idea on the tops is see who selling firewood in your aera, as you could work out a deal where they go in and cut the tops for firewood and on money it could be a 60-40 split on the money, or an agreement they push up the tops in piles through the logging lanes and grind down any stumps that are in the logging lanes. TS2 Do people actually do this in your area?? In my hometown, 25 years ago over half of the homes probably burned wood. At this point, I'd guess it's 10% and the best you could hope for is to give your tops away to firewood cutters, hopefully in exchange for them piling up the brush. I burn wood, and I had tops from logged trees on my own property that rotted away because I could not get to them in time. In other words, there is way more firewood than there are firewood cutters, and I don't know anyone that is going to pay you to cut your wood. OP, I have a friend that worked with MDC and a forester, the trees were surveyed, bids were obtained from loggers, and the selected logger came in and cut the desired trees. The forester obviously got a cut of the money, but my friend said it was well worth it, and he was very satisfied with the results. |
"When you need it and ain't got it, you're singin' a different tune..."
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best thing to do is get educated on logging timber you may not be able to be so selective in the harvest, unless you find a logger that only cut oak or walnut the real money in trees. loggers are in it to make a living, I knew a logger in my aera rural Carroll County that i talked to from time to time, there are several young ins that make money during the winter months selling firewood and they would go in to and cut the tops and cut some Hedge while they were in there a truck load goes for 1 to 150 dollars or in a cold spell even more. there have been a few owners that listed tops are free to cut they just asked for the piles to be pushed up in a pile to clean up the aera a little.  The BEST ways to sell your timber! here's another one  Project 291; Can we make money on this? How the process works for a select cut timber harvest |
All Gave Some / Some Gave All
Maj. Richard Ayers
4-16-70
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/a/a048.htm
Maj. Richard Ayers
4-16-70
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/a/a048.htm
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Years ago, I wrote a story about timber management for Rural Missouri (the co-op magazine). IIRC, the story focused on MDC's support for individual landowners. I would think that contacting MDC would be a good first step. https://mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/forest-care/timber-management-assistance |
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Originally Posted By Bladeswitcher: Years ago, I wrote a story about timber management for Rural Missouri (the co-op magazine). IIRC, the story focused on MDC's support for individual landowners. I would think that contacting MDC would be a good first step. https://mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/forest-care/timber-management-assistance This....MDC private land/ TSI guy the MDC has/will have a list of timber guys ( not loggers) that will come out and have a conversation w/ you about what you wish to accomplish....the Dept. may even do the marking. Timber guy will survey your timber,mark it and keep an eye during harvest will also construct a written contract w/ aporix board feet available based on what you want to sell and send contract info out for bids. They will also supervise the harvest to a certain extent. Contract may cover how tops are handled,repairing damage to ground,penalties for harvesting,damaging unmarked trees and so on. Timber guy get % of sale. As stated earlier start by contacting MDC private land specialist. |