[Keef]

We are looking at a farm in north Missouri which has about 100 acres of woods. There are a lot of mature white oaks 18-24" in diameter maybe 50' or more tall. Other trees are also very large. Consequently the woods have very little underbrush.

If we buy the place and do selective cutting I think it should help promote underbrush growth.

My biggest concern is what kind of problems will I have if I sell the timber to a buyer? Do they create a mess in dragging the timber out? Will I have drag trails and ditches that I'll have to work to clean up?

I suppose I would want them to leave the tops and small limbs around for cover, am I correct in this thinking?

How do you make sure you don't get cheated by the buyer, I've heard a lot of tales about buyers not being the most honest people on earth.

I've been told I should hire someone to mark the trees to be cut, who does that and where can they be found? I suppose the MDC has someone on staff that I might use.

I would appreciate any feedback from someone who has sold timber on their property.

 

[UrbanHunter]

It's worth it, in my mind, to hire a forester to manage the sale. They can let you know what to expect (in money, tops, trails, etc.) but also weed out the bad actors so everything goes according to plan.
Some others on here will give you some names, or start with the MDC folks, and they'll give you some names.

 

[letemgrow]

I woud hire a forester also and let them take are of the bidding and all the legwork for ya and just consult with ya on what you want done. It would be worth your money to hire one IMO. They will adhere to your wishes. If you do get it, for what you would like to accomplish, I would leave the very best oaks for regeneration and selectively harvest around those trees to create more undergrowth, browse and cover.

 

[henry]

A forester will also advise you on timber market prices to let you know when a good time to harvest might be. A logger on the other hand needs to cut logs no matter what the market is doing.(.02)

:cheers::cheers:

 

[jaytee]

Right now timber prices are pretty much in the tank from what I've been told. Not the best time to be selling. Not sure if I'd hire a forester unless they work cheap or you've got a TON of trees to sell, I think they'd eat up your profits. Talk to an MDC forester, get some names of reputable loggers and then have them come out and give you bids. Explain your wants and needs, if they cant oblige then move on to the next. JMO:cheers:

 

[beanpile]

usually this is a time for Mobiggie to chime in .. he is wise on this issue

I would think he would echo what Henry & letMgrow said

[Edited on 12-12-2009 by beanpile]

 

[letemgrow]

I would think a forester would come out and see what you have available first off and go from there if a timber sale would be the best option now. IMO , if you have the money now is the time to buy timber since the prices are down and timber is not worth as much...then again, anytime you have the money to afford land, I would be buyin it, but that's just me.

 

[usfwc]

Right now is not the time to be selling timber. Marking timber doesn't protect you unless what is being removed from the property is monitored. Dishonest loggers know how to hide cut stumps.

If you do buy the property, it is a great time for some TSI though...I'd get out the chainsaw and go to town on releasing the better oaks for mast production and removing trees that are will never be of much timber or wildlife value to allow more sunlight to reach the ground.

 

[letemgrow]

[rquote=1511417&tid=105128&author=usfwc]Right now is not the time to be selling timber. Marking timber doesn't protect you unless what is being removed from the property is monitored. Dishonest loggers know how to hide cut stumps.

If you do buy the property, it is a great time for some TSI though...I'd get out the chainsaw and go to town on releasing the better oaks for mast production and removing trees that are will never be of much timber or wildlife value to allow more sunlight to reach the ground.[/rquote]

That is the first thing I would do with the timber on a new farm...that way when it is time for a timber harvest, the best trees have already spread their seed to start the next generation. :claphands:

 

[bowrookie]

[rquote=1507569&tid=105128&author=letemgrow]I would think a forester would come out and see what you have available first off and go from there if a timber sale would be the best option now. IMO , if you have the money now is the time to buy timber since the prices are down and timber is not worth as much...then again, anytime you have the money to afford land, I would be buyin it, but that's just me. [/rquote]

Reminded me of what my late Dads` brother says to me" there`s only two times to buy real estate, when it`s good, and when it`s really good". "Right now it`s really good".

 

[letemgrow]

[rquote=1512079&tid=105128&author=bowrookie]
Reminded me of what my late Dads` brother says to me" there`s only two times to buy real estate, when it`s good, and when it`s really good". "Right now it`s really good".[/rquote]

Right on!! There is never a bad time to buy any land if you have the dough. If making money is not all you want it for, then it's worth whatever you can afford to pay for it. :cheers: