Full Circle – Introduction

[Kettle Falls Steve]

Hello from northeast Washington. I’m a former horse logger returning after a 20+ year absence from the woods.

Some things change and some don’t; like being able to communicate with other teamsters electronically; and needing to learn from those with experience and skills.

I’m starting from scratch during an economic downturn, so want to play it smart. So, I’ll be a taker of advice for some-time before having anything of value to add or offer.

I’m looking forward to the journey…

Kettle Falls Steve

[TBigLug]

Welcome back! Technology is great for bringing people together. Just like riding a bike, you never forget. I’m sure you’ll have plenty to offer!

[TaylorJohnson]

Hey there Steve,
Welcome to the board. And can I ask what got you back into logging? Taylor Johnson

[Kettle Falls Steve]

Well, I’m not back yet, but hopeful and headed that way. We moved back to the mountains to assist my aging father-in-law. Many of the local owner-operator loggers were squeezed out after NAFTA. Large mechanized operators aren’t interested in the smaller plots of timber. An influx of retirees want their land logged, but park-like afterward. This combo provides opportunity, but it still has to pencil a decent profit.

More to the point, I miss working with the boys (only used geldings). We only worked singles in the woods. Middle-weight Belgians (1500 lbs), a Shire-Percheron cross and a Percheron-quarter cross. We worked some heavier horses but their endurance waned from climbing the hills.

The rat-race lifestyle doesn’t, at least for this teamster, satisfy. Bottom line… if I can make a living doing what I love, it will happen.

Are there very many horse loggers in this forum?

Thanks for the replies!

Steve

[Carl Russell]

Greetings Steve,
Glad to read of your interests to return to the woods with horses.

There are at least a dozen horse-loggers who are at least semi-regular contributors to this forum, possibly more in the ether, not including those who log with their horses as an aside to whatever else they do.

There have been some good discussions about practicality and profitability in several categories including sustainable forestry, equipment, and horses.

Please feel free to add to them, or start a few more. There are also many good photos in the photo gallery as well.

Enjoy yourself, Carl

[Anonymous]

hello steve
I’m down here in central oregon harvesting juniper trees. mostly private property stuff. I also mainly use the single horse in the woods. do you have a current job going on? bob h.

[Kettle Falls Steve]

Realistically, I’m targeting spring 2009 for start-up. We are currently horseless, tackless and fenceless. Finding the right horses is a biggie! We learned that some horses are fine in the open but edgy in the woods, no matter how much you work them. Locating equipment should be the easier task.

Juniper? Very interesting! I haven’t ever heard of it being logged or milled.

Thanks Carl and Bob!

[Anonymous]

oh yeah it’s milled alright, check out west coast juniper in chiliquin oregon. my market though is more porch posts, fence material, and portable sawmill guys.
there is grant money available to cut this stuff down, and extra to harvest it.
bob h.

[Wes Gustafson]

Steve,

There are a few of us here in northwestern Washington that are logging full time with horses. Let me know if you need some help locating horses, harness, logging equipment, etc. There are some local guys that can fabricate some excellent horse-drawn logging equipment.

There are a few of us over here on the western side of the Cascades that join forces, as we are able, and work together on thinning jobs using our teams. It almost always seems to be more enjoyable and beneficial (and safer) when we work together on a job, and we usually trade ideas and tips that really help out.

In my case, I prefer to log smaller, privately-owned timber stands, with an eye towards using the logs myself, since I have a sawmill, kilns and planer. The sawmill could keep me busy full-time, but I would rather log with the horses, so ideally, I try to log enough to keep the log deck full for the sawmill. With the economy faltering now, and with the big mills slowing down or shutting down, a horselogger with a sawmill can fill an important niche in the local economy for those wanting rough-sawn lumber for barns, outbuildings, fencing, homes, etc. We do sell alder and cedar to some of the local mills from time to time. The other timber species around here have tanked for prices.

Wes

[Gabe Ayers]

Hey Wes,

Glad you are on this forum. Have you heard anything from Greg Lange out there? I have sent him an email or two and they keep coming back, do you have a good email address for him?

Thanks,

[Wes Gustafson]

Hi Jason,

Greg and I have already worked about 4 or 5 horse logging jobs together. His new team is doing really well: very quiet and steady workers. I usually talk to him on the phone, so I’m not sure of his e-mail address.

Wes

[Gabe Ayers]

Hey Wes,

That is great news. Awesome that he is progressing so well.

This Greg Lange fellow had not messed with horses much before coming to our course and promptly went home and got him a single horse worked him for a bit and then picked up another and put them together. Very impressive. He was a great student and seems a functional horsemen now.

The next step could be for him and you to teach – if there is anyone interested.

Tell him his old mentor wants him to get on the site and help you tell the stories about what you all are doing. You two can be allot of help to the others that are interested in working in the woods with their animals.

I saw that you once had a you-tube post that was put out by a student working on a small film. I thought it was good, do you have an address for that to share with the DAP group? Some here may not have seen it yet.

[Kettle Falls Steve]

Thanks guys. I hadn’t any idea there were so many others out there. When last in the business, we were the “lone-rangers”. Your information is very, very helpful!

I’d really like to visit an active jobsite. Maybe even swamp some trails or work the landing for you (volunteer). Much can be learned by being around the work.

I’m setting up appointments to meet with a large timber company’s foresters. The possibility of providing them with eco-friendly publicity may work out to be mutually beneficial. We logged some property adjoining theirs many years ago… selectively. Their fieldmen/foresters were less than impressed with our leaving harvestable timber. Now, they are using a similar approach.

Many of the rules have changed in Washington (DNR) so have to bone up on that. One of our previous selling points was the ability to tread lightly near streams and other watersheds. It appears that the set-backs have impacted that advantage. Does anyone know if horseloggers get any breaks from those rules?

We are located about two miles from the Three Rivers District of the Colville National Forest. Does anyone know if the Forest Service prescribes any sales or jobs for horse logging extraction? I worked for them in pre-sale in the late 70’s; they didn’t care how it came out of the woods back then.

Thanks again!
Steve

[Anonymous]

hi steve;
here is a guy you should get together with, and he lives just a little northwest of you. name is gregg caudell. horse logger extrordinare. here’s a contact…
gcaudell@msn.com he’s got a book and dvd called, ” a day horse logging”
the basics. bob h.

[Carl Russell]

Thanks for posting Greg’s contact info, he kinda fell off the map, at least phone # and old e-mail haven’t worked for a while. He is a great resource. It would be good if he could be talked into visiting this site.
Carl

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