Snow disappeared fast this year. A tree was blocking the state forest trail I ride on to exercise the dog. We have t done that in a couple months. First time was yesterday. Today I decided to remove the tree before the rest of the world wakes up and makes a mess of the forest going around it. Small dead oak and little maple stick that grew up in the wrong location It was nice to be able to drive in the woods again.
That's awesome you can take the ATV on state land like that to grab scrounges. I have miles and miles of trails in the national forest all around me that are open to snowmobiles during the winter but have no access during the non-snow months outside of walking or mountain biking. While I can understand the main reasons they don't allow OHRVs in the national forest (and idiots would tear the place up in no time), I just wish they had some kind of program where people could be granted access to take out dead and down trees from those areas rather than just letting everything rot away.
We have a several hundred acre woods nearby that a local family gave to the state after they were gone...it's almost all old growth and the trees in there are massive. The state built a couple mile long wooden walkway through there for the public (it can lay wet in there in places for a good part of the year) which the state maintains the walkway, but appears to ignore managing the woods, other than cutting anything that blocks the walkway...and even then, it's literally just a chunk out of the part laying on the walkway, repairs to the walkway, and done. It's such a crying shame to see those majestic hundreds of years old oaks and whatnot just laying there rotting...they'd make such awesome lumber...or at least a whole winters worth of heat for someone! But nope, just let r rot!
It will never happen. The elite know-nothing bureaucrats consider any kind of removal detrimental to the natural ecosystem. We're supposed to make believe human beings don't exist and the planet will be a perfect nirvana without our meddling(s). Unless of course we need to meddle for a wind generator or solar panel. Then it's OK.
Nah, in the morning I went for the first joyride. First time the snow was low enough the dog would join me. She didn’t like the deep snow this year. Usually runs in front of the atv, couldn’t do that. Didn’t like running behind it and getting sprayed with snow Trails get some rough spots further on. Not worth the wear and tear on machinery to go “logging” too far from home Have done it twice and broke the arch once. This was an afternoon mission just to get out of the house and open the trail before the mud riders come.
Well technically I can’t,,,,or shouldn’t. Lots of grey These are old fire roads that were once actual dirt roads before the 1930’s. There are no motorized vehicles allowed,,,,,,unless you’re a landowner and near me there’s lots of private land back there still. I’m an abutter too. And technically this tree was on private property and fell onto state land hahaha. Bottom line on this side of the state forest they don’t care much what happens as long as you’re not willfully destroying things. They do no maintenance or patrolling out here. Only time I see a DEEP official is if I call them or someone broke a leg on a dirt bike or fell out of deer stand. I always remind them this is MY forest and I just let them believe they own it There are other sections they’ll patrol with actual real dirt roads. A State pickup truck isn’t going through these trails. In the winter they’re in the office, in the summer they’re on boats patrolling the Ct river because let’s face it, that’s a better job than walking a bony muddy snake infested trail. I also have a deed from the state that allows me to clean brush on a certain parcel of State forest property. Now if a tree dies and the brush is too high for me to reach it’s not my fault is it?
Went back out for a bit this morning, my property. Same scenario, this tree was down and in my way. Cut it in half and gave it a pull to twist the rootball out of the ground just enough to get the bar tip under it and cut the ball off. Moved the ball out of the way. Guess I forgot to snap a pic of the two logs in the arch but I had to move them anyway so I picked them up to bring home. Cut a few small dead standing trees down which is my game plan right now. Too wet in the processing area for much driving so I’ll cut stuff down until it dries up a bit. This was the biggest stick. Wanted to fall into my access area so I got to try my shiny new wedges Didn’t take much to reverse course. Are these little Gum trees? If so I Could whack them down and soften a sharp corner in my trail.
The younger ones on the left and right look like Blackgum to me, so the big one could be the mother to the other bastards
