Nice cool morning here so I loaded up the tractor and headed way out back to cut a dead oak that had fallen across my trail. I usually cut just behind the house but wanted to clear my trail for hunting season next week. I got back there and saw so many 8" dead standing Red Oaks I stayed and cut five others besides the trail blocker.. This was the trail blocker. One that was on the side I could not pass up. One all cut up waiting to be loaded . Two more marked and ready to buck. Loading up to go back to the barn. What a great morning to be in the woods.
I love finding barkless dry wood! Looks like it's fairly punk free too! Those small ones are easy peasy too.
All I cut is dead standing with no bark for the most part. We have had winter moth and gypsy moth hit our oaks hard for the last 8-9 years. It's great for firewood production but I hate to see the tree loss in our forest. Plus it's been hard on the deer as the acorn crop is way off.
I find most of the 8" and less dead will season to 20% or less in just a few months after splitting and stacking. Yes all were punk free I find the smaller ones usually are. The larger ones say 12" and over tend to get punky faster and don't loose their bark as well.
Noticed the same thing. I've cut a bunch of dead/down Oak the last couple years, and it dries pretty quick in the right conditions.
