Walked my woods today. Was checking out my tree stands as our gun deer starts Saturday. Found two more red oaks on the ground and another standing dead that should come down. I think I will wait til December. It is a never ending battle to keep up with 40 acres of hardwoods but I am up for the challenge.
Thank you. There WAS a nice 11 pointer hanging around. I got a good look at him twice-once in velvet and then after he shed it. He WAS a shooter but about three weeks ago he broke off his left antler! Oh well, if he survives the gun season and winter he’ll be bigger next year.
I am sold out of dry oak firewood. Only sold 14 face cords this fall. Today I started hauling some oak into the shed for my 2024 sales. I have about 10 full cords hand split large in my woods pile. I fine tune it with a DR electric splitter then stack it in rows so my customers can see, feel, and smell exactly what they are buying. I always back up and hit the pile with my trailer. Sometimes I get about 20 splits to fall in!
It’s a real work horse. It’s pretty old I bought it used many years ago. DR does not support this model anymore so when I need parts I am on my own. Gonna have to rebuild the wedge soon it is “sprung” and O rings I can get everywhere.
I hauled 9 trailer loads to the shed. Pretty good pile. If Brad looks real close he might see some black locust sprinkled in with all that oak. I prolly won’t start splitting til after the holidays. My face cord jig and splitter are standing by ready to get er done. I hope to end up with 10 face cords. I will sell it in Oct 2024. Next up is get the saws ready and grab some more oak that came down in my woods. Not enough snow to stop me yet!
I see the BL mixed in. I like that face cord jig. Years back i used to put a full sheet of plywood next to a stack to take pictures for scale.
Rode my ATV thru the woods today. It’s been almost 5 days since our gun deer season ended? I kid you not friends I counted 31 does with fawns and one small 7 point buck. This is only 40 acres! No wonder I have zero oak regeneration with all those mouths to feed over winter,,,,
Today’s project was fire. Our snow melted and everything was green and wet so I lit off the pile in the cemetery I take care of. I had the neighbors beefers as an audience. Soon as I took this pic that one calf showed great interest so much so his nose touched the electric fence. I bet he/she won’t do that again.
Cut wood for 3 hours today. Such a nice December day. After seeing that accident pic yesterday I made sure the chaps were on. I usually have an audience cutting in my woods but today it was a non breather. Nature can be cruel at times. The coyotes are eating well.
Found an oak on the ground and scribed it with my top handle just to run it out of fuel. Up there is where she went dry. In no time at all the Husky showed it who was boss. But then the leaning elm started speaking to me and I got the heck out of there. I will let gravity take the rest down
Put two more oaks on the ground. One dead and one living but full of insect holes. Just a fine December day. I would rather make firewood than just about anything else. Specially when saws are running good and the chains are cut claw sharp.
