Question about marking standing dead trees

[lowroadacres]

As I am cutting standing dead trees this summer I am not yet able to access some of the more productive areas of the woodlot due to our neighbour's wheat crop and high water from the river. I am however able to hike in to these areas.

With that in mind, and knowing that I am wanting to cut through most of the winter I am looking for recommendations of a paint or ??????? to mark standing dead trees now for later harvest.

Any thoughts, ideas or recommendations for this?

One thing to keep in mind is that the government spends a pile of money in our area to mark and destroy dutch elm disease affected trees and they utilize an orange paint of some sort. Drives me absolutely crazy to watch the crews go past our home with saws, trailers and quads destroying millions of BTU's every winter. Ironically they take the bulk of the wood out of the bush to burn it elsewhere. I understand the intent but the fact that it gets torched in large piles or in some cases buried drives me up the wall.

Thanks in advance.

 

[smokinj]

Paint is the way to go...You can cut through the cambium layer with a saw, its just a ring around the trunk and a few inch's deep.

 

[billb3]

I've used high visibility fluorescent surveyor paint.
Prefer water based.
Fades in about a year, though.
Gotta be careful as many of the cans are designed to be used inverted for marking in the street and grass.

You probably want to use the can upright.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

That is what we used was the high visibility. It fades away in time. One can also use chalk. You could mark the trees using an axe or saw. Or you can just use your memory. Many times though you can still tell which tree is dead even in the winter months.

 

[oldspark]

I carve my name with a heart and an arrow on them.

 

[lowroadacres]

Thanks everyone so far for the ideas. I find that telling which trees are dead in our wood lot is a bit of a tricky thing, even in summer.

This is because a tree that looks dead in the bottom half due to the combination of beavers ringing it and the ice in the spring when the river overflows does the same.

Even with the trees ringed they still can live for a few summers.

At the same time the bush is dense enough that I am learning to look carefully up each trunk because a dead tree, close to a good live tree can appear to have fresh leaves.

My favorites are the ones that the bark is coming off in chunks as those are easy and they are mostly dry. I know I know... They still need seasoning and no I do not have a moisture meter. My wife will think I am crazy but I am thinking of putting that on my christmas list this year.

Has anyone ever purchased this unit?

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32548&cat=1,43513,45788

 

[stint9]

Has anyone ever purchased this unit?

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32548&cat=1,43513,45788

Have not purchased or used

But at 10 bucks a pop new for my Harbor Freight model which is going on 7 years old, versus 85 plus shipping for yours, I'm too frugal to be of much help

http://lumberjocks.com/reviews/product/1511

 

[lowroadacres]

I am also too frugal but in our household the rule is, Christmas list has to have a range of prices and an assortment of items otherwise there is no surprises.

At this point I am simply happy to have wood c/s/s and ringing when I hit two pieces together.

Someday I may end up with a moisture meter but at this point it will remain simply instinct and knowing that the wood has aged an appropriate amount of time relative to the condition it was in when it was harvested.

If I get my butt out of bed tomorrow morning I will have harvested just over 2 cords of standing and downed dead ash in two weeks time.

As stated in another post the goal is to average a cord a week c/s/s onto our acreage between now and when the snow makes it hard to get around in the bush.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

lowroad, you will probably forget all about that MM after burning for a while. You will probably look at it as just another gadget that you can get by without. As for cutting a cord per week before the snow flies, good luck. That is a lot of cutting for sure and cutting during some hot weather too.

 

[BrotherBart]

I use surveyor's tape to mark dead ones I come across. I just tie a strip around the tree about chest high. The hot pink colored tape so it is easy to see later. Couple of bucks for miles of the stuff. I carry some folded up in my wallet for when I come across a dead standing when out walking in the woods. Available at all hardware and box stores.

 

[smokinj]

lowroad, you will probably forget all about that MM after burning for a while. You will probably look at it as just another gadget that you can get by without. As for cutting a cord per week before the snow flies, good luck. That is a lot of cutting for sure and cutting during some hot weather too.

+1 on the MM, lowroadacres Has help on the cord a week and I can tell he's
lifestye Cord a week it is....

 

[cptoneleg]

Just hike your leg mark your territory.

 

[lowroadacres]

Last night I made the silly mistake of not taking my water bottle with me to cut/split/ and load in 90 degree heat.

As far as having help to get the wood, I am saving the "help" for the larger stacking projects and for once the crop is off the field.

Then we can take, truck, half ton trailer and all of our work crew down with us

Right now the biggest challenge in getting wood out of the woodlot South of our house is the fact that the river is high enough that getting any distance into the bush is difficult. Last night I fought with a relatively small ash tree to make sure that when I felled it against the natural lean it did not go into the river that is running through a part of the woodlot.

For the next chapters on our "cord a week quest" see the new thread.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/57243/

 

[smokinj]

Last night I made the silly mistake of not taking my water bottle with me to cut/split/ and load in 90 degree heat.

As far as having help to get the wood, I am saving the "help" for the larger stacking projects and for once the crop is off the field.

Then we can take, truck, half ton trailer and all of our work crew down with us

Right now the biggest challenge in getting wood out of the woodlot South of our house is the fact that the river is high enough that getting any distance into the bush is difficult. Last night I fought with a relatively small ash tree to make sure that when I felled it against the natural lean it did not go into the river that is running through a part of the woodlot.

For the next chapters on our "cord a week quest" see the new thread.

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/57243/

Had no dought you could bring it home...lol