How far is too far from the truck to grab wood?

Just seeing how far from your truck you would cut and haul wood from, either by hand, a cart of sorts, or wheelbarrow. How far is too far in your estimation, the point where it's not worth the effort anymore? What's a cake walk and what's a fools errand?

 

I would say 30 feet at most. When I was in my teens, I carried it for a hundred feet. One time I had to lift rounds( 18 inches or so) onto another log, carry it down that log about 30 feet, throw it down and walk another 30 or 40 feet. Wasn't my land and I could not drop other trees to get to it. It took forever, but it was sugar maple. I was in such good shape back then. How far are you looking to carry it possibly?

 

Depends on the wood.. I hauled some half punked pine out of a gully by wheelbarrow to help out an arborist contact that had hooked me up with some good scores... Would not have done that lousy job otherwise.

On the other hand, I also scored about 8 truckloads of red oak and hickory on a very steep hill that I was able to roll down hill after bucking, and I'd do that every day if I could! Although I wound up repaying that favor by removing a 30"+ dbh poplar from the same property going up hill... Could have backed the truck up to that one if it didn't land on the guy's septic field. That was my first experience with a dolly for moving rounds.

So personally, it depends on the grade of the score I guess.

 

Time and energy. It wasn't too many years back I pulled a cart by hand loaded with logs several hundred yards to my splitting pile. More fun than exercising on a treadmill. For me it was exercise and fun. Got several cords that way. I prefer to drive up to the wood. Still plenty of exercise loading the trailer. In the winter I use my snow sled and haul a few loads by hand every year. 30 feet any time.

 

I found a spot (kind of a cut block by power lines) where I spied some easy pickings if I could drive in. Trees at most 20 feet where they stand. Closer once you fell them. It's not exactly the smoothest terrain, so I don't know if I care to risk my tires to get in there. It's probably 80-100 meters long stretch.

They're not the biggest trees, but appear tall as far as poplar goes. It might sound crazy, but it seems we have two different poplar, that look the same, but grow different. One kind doesn't get very tall, and is full of ugly nasty crooked branches. The others grow much taller before getting all wonky, and have less branches.

At first I thought it was weather related, but the two different trees could be only a mile from each other. Who knows.

 

Depends on the terrain, where i cut it can be almost flat to very very steep. Im to old now to pack wood to the truck uphill, i try to get the truck as close as possible to the logs. Today me and a friend rolled doug fir rounds about 25 feet to the truck, wasnt bad with 2 people.

 

saskwoodburner you'll know exactly when it is too far to carry or haul back to the truck! Just cut a few pieces wherever the tree is and then start hauling it as a test....you'll see!!

 

It depends on how hard up you were for wood, vs. how much you never really liked the dining room set

 

I think part of it depends on the temperature and topography. Last year, I had access to some tops in a woodlot owned by a friend of mine at work. She had just had the area logged, and said I could take anything left. There were still some limbs between 12 and 16 inches diameter... mostly oak. Couldn't drive into the woodlot as no trails were cleared. So, carried the stuff out. Problem was, it was about 85F and humid... just about gave myself heat stroke on that one.

Another time, I had access to a white oak of about 24 inches diameter... little more at the base... and a couple beeches, both around 18 to 20 inches. There was an old fire road on the property (now a nature preserve) but it was gated about 100 feet from where I could get the wood out. Fortunately, topography and gravity were on my side, and I was able to roll the rounds down the fire road to the gate, where my trailer awaited. Took some effort to get the oak rounds onto the trailer, but everything went OK. These ended up being much easier than the stuff above, even though I couldn't lift the rounds. Was cooler temps that day, and the topography certainly helped.

 

So what you're saying is, after two wheelbarrow loads, I'll find the best path to drive in with the truck and hope for the best?

 

A good friend had a very large ash tree dropped and cut into rounds. I just need to split it and stack it. But it is about a 25-35 yard trek (one way) from the wood to my truck.

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All depends on the temps, bugs, weather, terrain, species of wood, age of yourself, condition of yourself, how much time you want to invest in such a venture. Thats all!

After two wheel barrow loads, you will probably be looking for a closer way for sure!

 

Might as well.

p.s. there is no such thing as one way when you haul wood, right!!!

 

Depends on how desperate you are for more wood I 'spose.
These make carrying logs a distance much easier and at least twice as fast, I love mine. One in each hand makes the strain on your back much less too
http://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0LEVjSN1SdYPuEAe.QnnIlQ;_ylu=X3oDMTEyNzQwNmV1BGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwM0BHZ0aWQDQjI3ODRfMQRzZWMDc3I-/RV=2/RE=1479034381/RO=10/RU=http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200512865_200512865/RK=0/RS=_YsY.NHZMQxy8qGAMBC8vzmY30o-
(They have shorter ones too)

 

I use my atv and the trailer/ tow sled to haul the few hundred yards to the street, then I load the trailer.

It's work, but it's btu's.

Now, before I got the atv down here, I had to use a wheelbarrow, and or walk a ways. That was no fun at all. Even downhill with heavy hardwood rounds of shagbark hickory, beech, and sugar maple was exhausting.

 

It's about the hunt and the challenge, distance is relitave to each person's desire.

 

Few things I consider :

How bad I need wood.

Type of wood. ( I go farther for birch, spruce has to be at the truck & I don't take poplar )
Method I need to use to get it to the truck ( atv, block & tackle , drag/skid, )

A biggy for me sometimes:
Do I just want to do it for the exercise, the challenge & to get out in the woods.
Even if a small load , I go as long as I'm enjoying it.

I use every mechanical advantage I can. I've use the PU to pull some 250'
Wheel barrow is out, due to terrain & my back

I spend lots of time making trails (for the ATV) to the wood
Cut out logs & brush for the smoothest route. Makes it a lot easier & safer in the long run

 

bogydave and Ralphie Boy sum it up for me! I will haul high btu wood out of the woods that my wife shakes her head at, like why do yo bother!?. I like to do it for the challenge, the exercise and enjoy things for free that hold value to me at the expense of good old fashion exercise. Other times Im lazy and like to back the truck right up to the rounds. Btus count big time. Ive also driven for 1.5 hours to drop doug fir by the truck because its easier then haulin it through the bush. Doing it this way I can listen to some Sabbath while taking pictures of the scenery and the wildlife and enjoying the journey not the destination.

 

I've got the same thing "brenn". It seems like it works on longer rounds better than short ones. I use it alot.

 

Once I got to 3-4 years ahead, I only get the drive-up stuff now.