Yeah, good idea at first thought....but good luck getting that dang cow to stand in front of that wood pile for three years! And the clean up presents another problem! Oh, the clean up and smell! Sheesh. But, wiring or nailing/screwing them to a post or split will surely get you into trouble with animal advocate groups! (I couldn't resist!) There used to be a paint stick marker available....maybe they still make them?
What about using your saw tip lower side to avoid kickback and engrave the date into a chunk of wood ?
Uh, Wood crayon? If it starts to fade, re-mark it...I put month, yr and MC at time of stacking on occasion-Of course I stroll my stacks, hookaroon in hand, regularly for the exercise and the aroma—-I do not, however, do so wearing a feed thong....
I think after seeing everyone's methodology I have a plan. Going to get some of those HF alphanumeric punches and use them on scraps of aluminum capping material. Probably use some paint markers to accentuate the markings, kinda like color fill on firearm lettering if I am thinking right. Thanks to all for the input.
I use these and some aluminum electric fence wire. I've also cut labels out of beer cans and stamped the information in.
Stop by any heating shop and ask if you can have a chunk of throw out galvanized metal. Piping, ductwork..... probably a trailer full of it they are wanted to throw out! Then, just cut to size with tin snips and stamp away your info onto it!
Clean up??? Pioneers used to burn buffalo chips! Same thing I would think. Free source of btu delivered right to the wood pile