How long do you let wood sit before you claim it?

[k3c4forlife]

Hey all,

I am finishing up moving into the house this week. Right in the middle of my trip between the storage container and the new house theres a stack of 4' long cuts that have been down for over 3 months. How long do you let wood sit like that before you pull up with the pickup truck and load her up? It doesnt help that I have drove past it 10 times yesterday while making my first moving trips... its taunting me, begging for me to pick it up.

Kevin

 

[quads]

It's not your wood? Don't do it. If you want it really bad, try to find out who the landowner is and ask about it. Otherwise, don't touch it. It's stealing.

 

[k3c4forlife]

Its going to take a lot more self control than I had anticipated... My buddies are coming over at noon to help, I can do this move without taking that wood... I can I can I can

 

[firefighterjake]

It's not your wood? Don't do it. If you want it really bad, try to find out who the landowner is and ask about it. Otherwise, don't touch it. It's stealing.

+1 . . . otherwise karma will come back and bite you.

 

[Gazdik]

It's not your wood? Don't do it. If you want it really bad, try to find out who the landowner is and ask about it. Otherwise, don't touch it. It's stealing.

+1 . . . otherwise karma will come back and bite you.

+1!!

 

[Wood Duck]

if it is private land, then you gotta ask, even if it sits there a long, long time. If it is some place that is 'open for scrounging' then I'd pick it up right away. For example, there is a lot of roadside on land that is in public ownership around here, and if PennDOT or the power company cuts trees and stacks the pieces along the road shoulder, I will pick it up. Most of the time it is only a couple of pieces, but it adds up. Then there is the third category - land of unknown ownership, of which there is a lot around here. I'd be inclined to say if the land isn't near a house, farm, or other identifiable human habitation, and it isn't posted (if posted there should be a phone number on the NO Trespassing signs), then four months seems fair. I don't want to take anyone's firewood, but also hate to see it rot. Who cut and piled the wood? If it wasn't a road maintenance or powerline maintenance crew, then somebody cut it for another reason and you should leave it or ask. It is tough to leave wood, but better to leave it than take wood somebody wants.

My final thought: If it isn't saw logs suitable for purposes other than burning, and if it sits there through the burning season, there is very little chance that anyone will ever move it.

 

[smokinj]

like others have said find out whos it is?

 

[Hurricane]

I do not see where the self control comes in it is not your wood nor on your land.
Someone went in there and cut and piled it up. You do not say where the wood is at. If you feel you really need to have it then find out who owns the land and ask for it.
I would not take another mans firewood.

 

[Gomez]

Agreed, if it's not yours, don't take it without permission.

I work with a guy that thought any wood laying near the road was up for grabs.
The local police department informed him otherwise, in writing.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

How long do you let wood sit before you claim it?
Kevin

Years,,,,
I only cut standing dead wood that is pretty much 100% seasoned, so it has to sit there for years before I'll claim it.

 

[cuznguido]

I pulled into my place about two years ago, just a few months after we had purchased it. We had done no work there or anything but still it was MY place. There sat a dump truck backed up to a corn elevator backed up to a splitter. Two people sawing and splitting and out of the woods comes a bulldozer pulling a whole tree--big white oak of course. Across the road sat another truck, not a pickup, a large truck already loaded. Where the truck was sitting it was across the road--my road. The guy comes sashaying over and asks if I want him to move so I can get through. You can imagine the rest. But my point is, if it ain't yours it ain't yours.

 

[Wood Duck]

I pulled into my place about two years ago, just a few months after we had purchased it. We had done no work there or anything but still it was MY place. There sat a dump truck backed up to a corn elevator backed up to a splitter. Two people sawing and splitting and out of the woods comes a bulldozer pulling a whole tree--big white oak of course. Across the road sat another truck, not a pickup, a large truck already loaded. Where the truck was sitting it was across the road--my road. The guy comes sashaying over and asks if I want him to move so I can get through. You can imagine the rest. But my point is, if it ain't yours it ain't yours.

No wonder I never seem to get ahead by scrounging wood - I keep forgetting to take my bulldozer along.

 

[Cal-MI]

I had some cut some large roadside oaks, on my land, and let the sections lie for a week. Somebody came and picked it up. I got his license number and called the sheriff.

 

[k3c4forlife]

I am going to leave it. Its just a really good looking pile... Oh well. Thanks for the advice. I am new to the ways (and rules) of scrounging.

 

[Tony H]

These are not the rules of scrounging these are the rules of life . If it's not yours leave it alone simple as that.

 

[Wood Duck]

I say you should go ask. Odds are it is unwanted or forgotten wood.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Only thieves need self control when it comes to stealing.

 

[firefighterjake]

I pulled into my place about two years ago, just a few months after we had purchased it. We had done no work there or anything but still it was MY place. There sat a dump truck backed up to a corn elevator backed up to a splitter. Two people sawing and splitting and out of the woods comes a bulldozer pulling a whole tree--big white oak of course. Across the road sat another truck, not a pickup, a large truck already loaded. Where the truck was sitting it was across the road--my road. The guy comes sashaying over and asks if I want him to move so I can get through. You can imagine the rest. But my point is, if it ain't yours it ain't yours.

Wait a minute . . . you can't just leave us hanging here . . . you've got to tell more . . . what were they thinking? what happened next? This is the beginning ... or perhaps ending of a great story . . . well maybe not so great for you depending on how much wood they ended up taking.

 

[firefighterjake]

I am going to leave it. Its just a really good looking pile... Oh well. Thanks for the advice. I am new to the ways (and rules) of scrounging.

No need to necessarily abandon all hope . . . you might just need to do a little more work and find out who cut the wood and who owns the land. As mentioned, it is possible that a landowner cut the wood for firewood, pulp, etc. . . . I often cut wood and leave it stacked until I get a chance to get back and get the wood (albeit I don't generally leave it right next to the road where it would be a tempting target for a wood burner). However, it is also entirely possible that the wood was cut and stacked there as a result of a clearing operation and perhaps the wood is not wanted. The worse that can happen is the owner/cutter says no to your request . . . and the best is he says to go ahead and grab it . . . or perhaps the best thing would be him giving you permission to take it and then he comes along to help you cut it up to stove length and helps load it on to your truck.

 

[k3c4forlife]

Only thieves need self control when it comes to stealing.

Kind of taking the theif comments a little personally. I made this post to learn the rules so I wouldnt end up being a theif. I am new to burning and I'm trying to do this right. A theif would have taken it and then posted the question.

 

[Hurricane]

Do not take it personally, Most guys feel close to their wood piles because of all of the work they put into it.
I saw a tree down and cut in someone's front yard ( their yard was woods ) and it looked like a dead red oak, I would get the jitters because it sat there for weeks. I got up the nerve to go and knock on the door and the homeowner said please take it the tree service wanted too much to haul it away and if you want in the back there are two more trees they cut up. I scored all of it at my own leisure and made a new friend in the mix.
Now if I decided to take it and he wanted it or promised it to someone I would have a new enemy and not a friend.

 

[Wood Duck]

I am going to leave it. Its just a really good looking pile... Oh well. Thanks for the advice. I am new to the ways (and rules) of scrounging.

No need to necessarily abandon all hope . . . you might just need to do a little more work and find out who cut the wood and who owns the land.... . . or perhaps the best thing would be him giving you permission to take it and then he comes along to help you cut it up to stove length and helps load it on to your truck.

I think the best would be that he says take it, and go ahead and take the other 10 cords of unwanted wood laying around the place, which seems fairly likely to me. Not everyone who owns woods burns wood.

I wouldn't let the responses you get here bother you too much. Theives usually don't post here asking for opinions on their theivery.

 

[lexybird]

I pulled into my place about two years ago, just a few months after we had purchased it. We had done no work there or anything but still it was MY place. There sat a dump truck backed up to a corn elevator backed up to a splitter. Two people sawing and splitting and out of the woods comes a bulldozer pulling a whole tree--big white oak of course. Across the road sat another truck, not a pickup, a large truck already loaded. Where the truck was sitting it was across the road--my road. The guy comes sashaying over and asks if I want him to move so I can get through. You can imagine the rest. But my point is, if it ain't yours it ain't yours.

well what happened ,did you call the authorities ? did they get prosecuted ?

 

[firefighterjake]

I am going to leave it. Its just a really good looking pile... Oh well. Thanks for the advice. I am new to the ways (and rules) of scrounging.

No need to necessarily abandon all hope . . . you might just need to do a little more work and find out who cut the wood and who owns the land.... . . or perhaps the best thing would be him giving you permission to take it and then he comes along to help you cut it up to stove length and helps load it on to your truck.

I think the best would be that he says take it, and go ahead and take the other 10 cords of unwanted wood laying around the place, which seems fairly likely to me. Not everyone who owns woods burns wood.

I wouldn't let the responses you get here bother you too much. Theives usually don't post here asking for opinions on their theivery.

My thought exactly . . . for me this came across as a honest question from a guy who is simply looking to know what is right and acceptable for scrounging.

 

[billb3]

When we have storm damage, the DPW goes out and cuts and clears the roads and makes the sidewalks and public areas safe. They pilr up the rounds by the street.
Bid sanafu afew years back with town employees collecting firewood on both taxpayer time and thier own to sell.

On the curb now means up for grabs.
If no one takes it for like 30 days (the rule keeps changing with the changing of the guards) then our public employees can have it.

Best to call the DPW and then property owner (especially if it is away from the road) or both.
Never know when they might let you know where there is even more.