GW:
I read your post on the Thread. I know you did not ask for advise on this site, but from reading the other one I decided to share my limited logging experience.
A few years ago I sold about 70 trees from a 17 acre plot on my land, and later sold about 370 trees for my Mother on 80 acres of forest on lands she owns. This is in Illinois and was all hardwoods, mainly Oak with some Hickory, Cottonwood, and others. Since I work full time and know nothing about logging, I contacted the State Forester who helped me set up the 77 acres I have in hardwoods under the CRP program. Turns out he had just retired after 35 years with the state forestry service. He set himself up as an independent timber consultant. I used him to sell both sets of timber. He made a believable case to me that he could get the best price and the least disruption to the land since he knew all of the loggers, dealt with them on an ongoing bases, rather than my one time and out basis. He first asked what I wanted, light cutting, heavy cutting, clear cut, etc. After deciding that he marked all timber that we would sell. I walked the timber and agreed to what he had done. In the case of my land he sent out 8 contracts, got 6 bids and presented the best three to me with his recommendation of which he thought was really best. I made my selection and he set up the contract. We met in my office, I signed the papers and the logger gave me a check. After the logger left I gave the forester our agreed to percent of the sale price. It was his standard 4%. When logging started the forester showed up every day and checked that they only cut the agreed upon trees, did not needlesly destroy other trees, etc. He sent out more contracts for my Mother since her sale was quite a bit more valuable than mine. I personally think this was the best deal we could have worked out, and I did not have to mark trees, find loggers, negotiate contracts, inspect their work etc. If such a person is available to you I would suggest you try it.
Bing
